I was never much of an Avril Lavigne fan growing up. She had a few songs that I liked, but I wouldn’t classify myself as a fan. While she was achieving success with songs like Complicated and Girlfriend, I was more into singers like Demi, Selena, and Miley. They appealed more to my demographic at the time. Flash forwarding many years later, I am ready to immerse myself into the pop-punk icon that is Avril Lavigne before her new album Head Above Water comes out tomorrow. I’ll be revisiting her chart topping hits, fan favorites, and my own personal favorites from when I was younger.

The Hits

Complicated is the debut single of Avril Lavigne. It was released on May 14, 2002. The single was a massive success, debuting number one in Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico. The single also debuted number two on Billboard Hot 100, pretty impressive for a debut single. Complicated has become one of Avril’s singular songs and not hard to see why. The song is extremely catchy and nostalgic but in a good way. Pretty flawless debut in my opinion.

Girlfriend is Avril’s most successful single and probably most recognizable single at that. Girlfriend was the lead single from Avril’s album The Best Damn Thing. Girlfriend was released on February 27, 2007. Instantly topping the chart in 8 countries, including the United States. The song continues to be a massive success even a decade later. The song was the first music video to reach 100 million views on YouTube declaring its mainstay in pop culture.

Sk8er Boi comes off Avril’s debut album Let Go. Becoming her second top ten hit, solidifying her spot as the new pop-punk princess. Sk8er Boi is a well-written song telling a story throughout its three minute runtime. The song received critical acclaim thanks to its cleverness.

Fan Favorites

Nobody’s Home may hadn’t had performed as well on the charts compared to Avril other singles, but most of her fanbase recoginze it as one of Avril songs. It’s a beaufilal rock ballad that many of Avril’s fans can relate making it a fan favorite.

Things I’ll Never Say comes off Avril’s debut album Let Go. Things I’ll Never Say shows a more playful, but yet vulnerable side of Avril. I can definitely see this being a song many of her fans connected to maybe with their own crush.

Yet another beautiful powerful ballad that Avril’s fans could connect to. The song is about losing someone that you loved and missing them, everybody can relate to that message and many of her fans have. Easy to see why many of her fans hail this song among their favorite from her.

My Favorites

This song came at the time of my life where my life was changing because I was growing up and what teen didn’t need a theme song to displace their feelings of rebelling. Not that I was rebelling, just more so that I didn’t want to grow up so yeah this song became my theme song for a while and is very nostalgic to me now, but still a great and catchy song even five years later.

Yes, even listening to Keep Holding On now makes me wanna cry. I used to listen to this song frequently as a kid. I don’t listen to it as much now of a days, but the listening to just a few seconds now make me want to crawl up in my bed and have a good cry. That’s what I call a timeless classic.

I remember listening to Smile on repeat for an entire hour, maybe even longer. Not only is it a beautiful song, but it’s also an easy song to fall in love with and want to forever listen to it. Even listening to Smile now makes me want to go back to my childhood and listen to it again for the first time and appreciate not only the song but Avril more. Maybe, I would have became a fan of Avril sooner who knows. I suppose I’m better late than never.

Avril Lavigne’s first album in 6 years Head Above Water comes out midnight tonight, on February 15th.