21st Century Breakdown is the latest album by punk-alternative rockers Green Day, from left, Mike Dirnt, Billie Joe Armstrong and Tre Cool. (Tina Fineberg/Associated Press)

Though Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown has debuted at the top of the music charts, the rock trio is blasting retail giant Wal-Mart for not carrying its new album in the U.S. because of the parental advisory rating.

Band frontman Billie Joe Armstrong accused the retailer of censorship.

"They want artists to censor their records in order to be carried in there," Armstrong said. "We just said no. We've never done it before. You feel like you're in 1953 or something.

"There's nothing dirty about our record," he added.

Wal-Mart, which also didn't carry Green Day's acclaimed, Grammy-winning album American Idiot, does sell albums by controversial or outspoken artists. Its policy, however, is to carry "clean" versions of these albums, featuring edited content.

"As with all music, it is up to the artist or label to decide if they want to market different variations of an album to sell, including a version that would remove a [parental advisory] rating," said Wal-Mart spokeswoman Melissa O'Brien.

"The label and artist in this case have decided not to do so, so we unfortunately cannot offer the CD."

21st Century Breakdown is being carried in Wal-Mart stories in Canada, according to a spokesperson.

Green Day explored opposition to former U.S. president George W. Bush and the Iraq War on American Idiot; the songs on 21st Century Breakdown further express a sense of broken dreams, confusion, disillusionment and anger with government and society.

The trio, which played two intimate gigs in New York this week to follow last Friday's album launch, is set to embark on a North American tour this summer, beginning with Seattle on July 3. European dates follow in the fall.

Canadian stops include Vancouver (July 4), Edmonton (July 6), Saskatoon (July 7), Winnipeg (July 9), Hamilton, Ont., (July 16), Ottawa (July 17) and Montreal (July 18).

21st Century Breakdown is Green Day's eighth studio album.

With files from The Associated Press