Sk8er Bois and Gals unite, cause we’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of Avril Lavigne’s debut album today!
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Released 20 years ago on June 4, 2002, Let Go was met with both critical acclaim and commercial success, propelling the Canadian singer-songwriter to global superstardom at just 17 years old. We revisit the pop-punk classic and examine why it captured the zeitgeist back in 2002, and why its impact continues to grow in 2022.
Complicating the music scene
Flashback to March 2002, an unsuspecting 17-year-old Lavigne puts out her debut single, 'Complicated'. The song quickly picked up steam around the globe, found its way to the top of the charts by summer, and is now hailed as Lavigne's signature song.
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In retrospect, the success of 'Complicated' is not bizarre. The song is riveting, anthemic, and immaculately produced, with its twangy guitars and Lavigne's gritty vocals offering much timeless appeal to the song. "Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?" is an undeniably killer hook. It's lengthy but rhythmic, and Lavigne delivers with such charged passion, that it's hard to not shout the words back at her.
The success of 'Complicated' generated a ton of hype for Lavigne's debut album, and on June 4, Let Go was released to much fanfare. The album was not another cookie-cutter pop record; it had an edge, a kick, and tenacity that made Lavigne stand out. Relying more on heavy guitars and drums than polished synthesizers, Lavigne gave listeners a much-needed alternative to the trendy bubblegum pop of the late 90s and early 00s.
Lyrically, Let Go is charged with themes of teenage angst and apprehension. "I'm losing my grip and I'm in this thing alone," Lavigne cries in the gritty opening track ‘Losing Grip’. Vulnerability is abundant throughout the album, but it peaks at ‘I’m With You’. Arguably the highlight of the album, the rousing ballad sees a lonely Lavigne searching for companionship. "Won't somebody come take me home?" Lavigne begs as the soft ballad transitions into a throbbing chorus with full-blown guitars. It's sonic catharsis at its finest.
Dive deeper into the album and one would discover album gems that truly accentuate Lavigne's relatability with youths of that time. In songs like 'My World' and 'Mobile', Lavigne sings from the perspective of a small-town girl searching for her place in the world. Indeed, Lavigne was raised in Napanee, a small town in Ontario. This adds a layer of honest depth to Lavigne's music; it's the way she reflects on her real-life experiences so candidly that draws listeners to her. Let Go resonated with youths who similarly felt trapped in their own worlds and wanted to break away from their restrictive circumstances. It challenged them to step out of their comfort zone and follow their dreams.
"I'd rather be anything but ordinary please," Lavigne begs in 'Anything But Ordinary'. This simple line sums up Lavigne's artistic identity in Let Go. This is a story of a girl letting go of her fears as she searches for freedom and purpose in her life and stepping up to what she's meant for.
The Sk8er Gal
Lavigne’s entrance into the music scene was like a breath of fresh air. With a skateboard in her hand and rebellion on her mind, Lavigne challenged the "pretty girl" archetype that was previously established by the likes of Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Indeed, the success of Spears and Aguilera prompted record labels to find their own version of their female teen idol — glamourous, hyperfeminine, and congenial. But Lavigne was anything but that. She was feisty, vulnerable, and moody. In essence, Lavigne naturally stood out at a time when new artists were trying so hard to fit in.
Beyond just music, Lavigne also left a deep aesthetic impression with Let Go. Her music video for 'Sk8er Boi' is a cultural blueprint of early 2000s fashion, from the loose necktie to the backward snapback and baggy pants. Lavigne's signature fashion style is distinct and prominent, making a generation of fans wanting to not only sound like her, but dress like her as well. Even today, Lavigne's style still holds cultural cachet, given how her iconic looks continue to haunt Halloween parties year after year.
The trendsetter
Ironically, the success of Let Go reinvented the mould for young female artists; music executives now searched for the next pop-rock rebel girl instead. Perhaps the most evident of Lavigne's impact is Kelly Clarkson, who won American Idol while crooning to Aretha Franklin in 2002, the same year Let Go was released. Clarkson's 2004 album Breakaway, leaned heavily into the pop-rock sound instead, particularly in her smash hit 'Since U Been Gone'. Coincidentally, the title track 'Breakaway' was actually written by Lavigne for Let Go but ultimately did not make the cut.
(Lavigne has since released the 20th Anniversary edition of Let Go, featuring her own version of 'Breakaway' and several previously unreleased tracks.)
Other female artists like Ashlee Simpson, Hilary Duff, and Fefe Dobson, also took on the grittier pop-rock route, serving as a testament to Let Go's influence in the music industry. The late 2000s saw the rise of teen stars Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato. While still upholding their pristine Disney image, their music was considerably edgier than the usual teenybopper music from the 90s, clearly marking the shift in trend Lavigne has set into motion.
Asian success
While Let Go made Lavigne a global sensation, there was one region that embraced her unequivocally: Asia. Indeed, Lavigne has amassed a loyal following in Asia over the years, especially so for a Western act. She has consistently visited Asia for all of her tours since 2004, and also declared her love for Japan with her 2014 viral hit ‘Hello Kitty’, though not without a series of racist allegations. Lavigne denies any intention of mockery, saying "I love Japanese culture and I spend half of my time in Japan. I flew to Tokyo to shoot this video specifically for my Japanese fans."
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Lavigne speaks of her Asian fans: "My message to my fans has always been be your own person, believe who you are and you can do anything and I think they connect with that… I feel like [they] really [come] out to the shows to celebrate, and they’re letting loose."
Lavigne was slated to return to Asia in 2020 for a full Asian tour, but it was postponed due to COVID-19. New 2022 tour dates have been announced for Manila and Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Yokohoma) so far.
Pop-punk resurgence
Pop-punk was an undeniably popular subgenre in the 2000s. Along with bands like Sum 41 and blink-182, Lavigne served as one of the leading trailblazers of the pop-punk movement in the new millennium. While the genre was drowned out in the 2010s by genres like hip-hop and EDM, it is slowly but surely making a comeback.
Indeed, pop-punk has been creeping back into the mainstream in the past few years, with artists like YUNGBLUD, jxdn, and WILLOW treading into edgier territory in their music. The rise of TikTok has also led to the burgeoning of a pop-punk revival. One comical viral trend on the social media platform features users yelling "It was never a phase, it's a lifestyle" and singing along to All Time Low's pop-punk smash hit 'Dear Maria, Count Me In', thereby declaring their love for the genre.
Lavigne herself has also acknowledged these newer pop-punk acts like WILLOW and MOD SUN with the respective collaborations 'G R O W' and 'Flames' in the past years. Moving away from her 2019 ballad-leaning album Head Above Water, Lavigne is embracing her pop-punk roots again by having blink-182’s Travis Barker produce most of her 2022 album Love Sux. In addition, the album features a collaboration with the band's frontman Mark Hoppus.
The legacy lives on
It is no coincidence that the two biggest female artists of today, Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo, have both spoken endlessly about their love for Lavigne. Both artists lean heavily towards the "rebel teen girl" image Lavigne has constructed, and songs like Eilish's 'Happier Than Ever' and Rodrigo's 'good 4 u' are reminiscent of the scornful anthems of Let Go.
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"Thank you for making me what I am," Eilish declares her love to Lavigne in an Instagram post. She cites 'Losing Grip' as her favourite Lavigne song, saying that it is "a very big song from my childhood." Meanwhile, Rodrigo is more forthcoming in paying homage by covering 'Complicated' every night on her SOUR Tour. In the Toronto show of the tour, Rodrigo was joined by Lavigne herself on stage, in a true passing-of-torch fashion. With Gen Z artists constantly citing her as a major influence, Lavigne's legacy has definitely been cemented in the history of pop culture.
After two decades, Let Go has well earned its place as a defining record for young adults. The album still holds up today with its universal lyrical themes and timeless production. With its enduring likeability and relevance in today’s music landscape, it seems like we won’t be letting go of Let Go anytime soon.
Take a trip down memory lane and listen to Let Go (20th Anniversary Edition) here.
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