Avril ditches punk for pop

I will not be surprised to learn that Avril Lavigne has lately been getting a lot of crap from her punk fans. They must hate her new album, which she titled The Best Damn Thing, a lot. It is what they would call a sell-out. The Canadian sensation, who wowed us with Complicated and Sk8er Boi from her first outing Let Go and who became punk’s favorite heroine with Under My Skin, has sold out to the pop devil. Forget the rocker Avril. She has joined the company of Britney Spears and Hilary Duff. Her disgruntled fans should thank heavens she did not also go for Paris Hilton’s head.

Take a look at the album cover. Avril still has her trademark dark mascara and eye liner but she has ditched the dark duds in favor of polka dots. Polka dots! Not only that, she has a pink heart on the left corner and pink streaks on her blonde hair. These are perhaps signs that Avril is truly in love and that is what is responsible for these brightly-hued changes. Remember, she married Deryk Whibley of the rock band Sum 41 a year ago and he is credited as one of the producers and is a performer in some cuts in the new album.

On the other hand though, punk discontent aside, Avril is now also winning a lot of new fans because of The Best Damn Thing. I know the grooves are repetitive and the lyrics are most of the time inane. I’m the best damn thing that your eyes have ever seen, from the title cut is an example. But the words and music are the perky, danceable sort that young girls like to sing or I should say scream, together. Check out, You make me wanna scream/ you’re so fabulous/ you’re so good to me baby from Hot. That is not much writing-wise, but I already know a few aspiring rockers who have learned to shout them out by heart.

Like most artists anxious to maintain their stature as stars with each new project, Avril came to a crossroad and made a choice. It is an unlikely one but if we are to base her decision on the success factor, then it is the right one. The new sound is doing great for the ex-punk princess. Avril’s career has reached another high. Girlfriend, the first single out of the CD which was released last March, became her first No. 1 song in the US. Last April, The Best Damn Thing came out and also landed in No. 1. Both have remained in the Top 10 of the hit lists since.

Avril started making hits at a young age and is now only 22. I guess being this old entitles her to the privilege of staying young for a few more years and also to being cute and nonsensical with her songs. There is time enough for her to be serious and mature later. One day, she might just go back to punk and would then be able to rightly deal with the real thing.

The Best Damn Thing also has I Can Do Better,  Runaway, When You’re Gone, Everything Back But You, Innocence, I Don’t Have to Try, One of Those Girls, Contagious and Keep Holding On.

Top 10 singles & albums in the US

Take a look at how Avril places in the Top 10 in the Hot 100 singles of Billboard Magazine: Makes Me Wonder by Maroon5; Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin’) by T-Pain featuring Yung Joc; Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne; Give It to Me by Timbaland featuring Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake; Home by Chris Daughtry; Pop, Lock & Drop It by Huey; I Tried by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony featuring Akon; Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood; Summer Love by Justin Timberlake; and Glamorous by Fergie.

As for the Top 10 albums in retail sales in the US, they are: Minutes to Midnight by Linkin Park; Sex Love & Pain by Tank; Call Me Irresponsible by Michael Bublé; Sky Blue Sky by Wilco; One of the Boys by Gretchen Wilson; The Best Damn Thing by Avril Lavigne; Because of You by Ne-Yo; United Abominations by Megadeth; Strength and Loyalty by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony; and Daughtry by Chris Daughtry.