As a child of the ‘90s, I grew up during the height of Avril Lavigne’s success. I was nine when her multi-platinum debut studio album Let Go was released; 11 when “My Happy Ending” reached song of the summer status; 14 when “Girlfriend” became her first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; and 18 when her fourth studio album “Goodbye Lullaby” marked commercial career lows for Lavigne. With her latest single “Rock N Roll” spending only one week on the Hot 100 at number 91, somewhere along the way we stopped liking Avril Lavigne.
Did we forget about her while Ke$ha made glitter-grunge pop mainstream success? Was she outshined by reigning hit-maker Katy Perry? Many factors potentially contribute to Avril’s decrease in popularity, but none more so than music’s constantly evolving landscape. If you’re not twerking, you’re not talked about. (Note: That was by no means an endorsement of twerking.)
Were we all ironically jamming to “Sk8er Boi” in 2002 and I didn’t get the memo? I don’t understand the stigma associated with liking her music. Its quality has never wavered, and she’s not making music that is nearly as ridiculous as Lady Gaga. (Come on, you know it’s true.)
Many musicians are known for doing a complete 180 with each album, transforming their look and/or sound. The constant question of “Who will they be next?” can grow tiresome for the listener and induce a whiplash. Avril is consistent, which is not to say that she is boring or predictable. When you listen to an Avril Lavigne record, you expect crisp pop-rock jams (like “17,” a song on her new album pictured above), not the repetitive auto-tuned electronic music that is currently dominating Top 40 radio. Unlike artists before her, Avril never lost her edge and never took the all too familiar detour into dance music. She has stayed true to herself, even if that means singing anthems about rebellion and debauchery into her 30s.
Unfortunately, staying true to yourself doesn’t always please the masses. And it’s entirely possible that Avril doesn’t care about pleasing the masses. (Actually, in “Rock N Roll” she sings, “I don’t care if I’m a misfit.”) She’s doing what she wants to do in a crowded musical marketplace, and I applaud her. Why please the masses when you can make music for your loyal fan base? It’s also entirely possible that Avril may never achieve the level of success she did early in her career. There’s nothing wrong with that. Her music is catchy and superior in its own right, but its place in current pop music isn’t in the forefront.
It’s not all bad news for the original punk pop star, though. “Here’s To Never Growing Up,” the first single off Lavigne’s eponymous fifth album, went platinum and became a top 20 hit, proving that she doesn’t need to have back-to-back number ones to have a thriving and personally fulfilling career.
Numbers and industry politics aside, I’m telling you that it’s okay to like Avril Lavigne again. Take a break from the monotony that is popular music and rock out. What the hell?
“Avril Lavigne” hits stores on Nov. 5 and is available to pre-order on iTunes.
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