The Best Damn Thing
by Avril Lavigne
  • Record Label: RCA
  • Release Date: Apr 17, 2007
User Score
7.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 416 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 297 out of 416
  2. Mixed: 51 out of 416
  3. Negative: 68 out of 416

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  1. AndrewM.
    Apr 20, 2007
    9
    A mixture of Kelly Clarkson "Breakaway", Gwen Stefani, and Blink-182 and you have Avril Lavigne's "The Best Damn Thing." This has to be one of the best pop-punk albums I've heard in awhile. You can easily listen from the start to the end without skipping any song. The beats, melody, hooks, chorus are all on point its CRAZY!!!!! You can tell she perfectly executed the album she A mixture of Kelly Clarkson "Breakaway", Gwen Stefani, and Blink-182 and you have Avril Lavigne's "The Best Damn Thing." This has to be one of the best pop-punk albums I've heard in awhile. You can easily listen from the start to the end without skipping any song. The beats, melody, hooks, chorus are all on point its CRAZY!!!!! You can tell she perfectly executed the album she was aiming for. You can easily pick any song from the album and it would easily be a top hit, thats how good this album is. People who love this type of music going to love this album and people who don't like Avril will end up being a guilty pleasure of Avril. Go get the album, guarantee you will love it.… Expand
  2. mikes.
    May 8, 2007
    8
    An excellent album and by far avril lavigne's best yet. She has matured as a pop artist and has grown out of her teenage angst driven phase. Now older and married she seems focus on just having fun and cares more about entertaining an audience than her previous self centered efforts. One of the year's best pop albums, period.
  3. henryg.
    Jul 11, 2007
    7
    It's good. Fun, poppy laughs. All the tracks are good, and are only let down by some bad rap style parts, but that's it. I still prefer Under My Skin though.
  4. CliveH
    Apr 18, 2007
    10
    Really nice album with good beats and vocals. The best pop album of the year!
  5. VanessaA
    Apr 21, 2007
    10
    I think this record it's awesome and a powerful expression of a great singer
  6. RandyB
    Apr 20, 2007
    7
    "Hell, yeah! I'm the motherf**king princess!" Avril Lavigne sings on The Best Damn Thing's catchy, high-energy first single "Girlfriend". That opening song sets the mood for most of this album, which is like a pixie stick sugar rush. Except for ballads "When You're Gone", "Innocence", and "Keep Holding On" (which are all pretty fantastic), The Best Damn Thing is bratty, "Hell, yeah! I'm the motherf**king princess!" Avril Lavigne sings on The Best Damn Thing's catchy, high-energy first single "Girlfriend". That opening song sets the mood for most of this album, which is like a pixie stick sugar rush. Except for ballads "When You're Gone", "Innocence", and "Keep Holding On" (which are all pretty fantastic), The Best Damn Thing is bratty, confident, and insanely effervescent. There are some lyrical moments on the album (especially the grating "I Don't Have to Try") where you want to look at Avril and ask her exactly how drunk she was when she wrote them, but then again the intention for this was to wipe away the angst of Under My Skin and have a party. Keeping that in mind it's easy to overlook those missteps considering the huge hooks and roaring guitars. Some will say Avril's been a poser since day one, but even some of those "real" punks don't have songs this effective in their arsenal. I hope that one day she will be able to produce an album that melds the two extremes of her personality, but until then she gets props for following through on her ambitions.… Expand
  7. ArnoldH.
    May 18, 2007
    10
    Her album rocks! Every single song is so great!
  8. MattH
    Apr 25, 2007
    10
    This album rocks! Avrils best yet!!!!
  9. abcabc
    Jul 25, 2007
    10
    abc
  10. ChrisWojo
    Apr 22, 2007
    10
    So sexy and so fun! A Great summer CD!
  11. TiagoR.
    Jul 4, 2007
    10
    This is the one!
  12. TannerC.
    Apr 20, 2007
    8
    To condemn this record (and Avril) for not being "serious music," is a complete load of shit. He music, to be blunt, has always been a poptastic excuse to pump your fist and sing along. Pop sensibility aside, her music is pure shit... questionably dumb lyrics, simplistic 3-4 chord progressions with little change in structure. Just because you didn't know that before isn't any To condemn this record (and Avril) for not being "serious music," is a complete load of shit. He music, to be blunt, has always been a poptastic excuse to pump your fist and sing along. Pop sensibility aside, her music is pure shit... questionably dumb lyrics, simplistic 3-4 chord progressions with little change in structure. Just because you didn't know that before isn't any excuse for disliking this record for its lack of "serious," material. The fact of the matter is, it's her best record. The energy is sustained so well, it's almost an exhilarating experience from start to finish. The ballads are well-placed to break up the sections of pure power pop, cleansing the pallat a little. It's basically a sugar rush that leaves you wanting more, rather than with a sick feeling. This record is a celebration of the way some great sounding pop can make you feel. It's music to listen to when you want to leave your brain behind, roll the windows down and scream along to the insanely long choruses. If you can't allow yourself to let go long enough to just enjoy some sugary pop that will make you feel slightly happier than you did before, I feel bad for.… Expand
  13. punkstar202
    May 4, 2007
    10
    This is the best album ever. She really made a comeback!!! She is absoultly awesome!
  14. Blackr.
    Jun 6, 2007
    10
    Its THE best greatest thing ever!!!!!!! Those who don't like it, fuck off asses!
  15. DrewN.
    Jul 7, 2007
    8
    One word Fun STOP COMPARING IT TO UNDER MY SKIN THEN MAYBE YOU'LL LIKE IT
  16. MariV
    Apr 21, 2007
    8
    I Love It!! People may call it immature, I cann it fun. So what if it's not all emo,slit your wrists type of songs. They're spunky and fun. I'd reccomend it to anyone. 'I can do better' is my favorite track.
  17. EdwardH
    Apr 20, 2007
    10
    It is tha dopezt album by Avril. It is soooo god dman phunky and cool y'all be hataz 2 say dat it sux. Best Album of hers 2 date. Go Avril u rule girl. Rock On!
  18. BrunoT
    Jun 1, 2007
    9
    her best album so far and its is appealing to a wider audience than the previous one. Excellent music.
  19. TulioL.s
    Jun 20, 2007
    10
    This is the best album of the year!
  20. johndoe
    Jul 21, 2007
    10
    awesome
  21. AllyS.
    Jul 4, 2007
    10
    It's great! I love Avril!
  22. RobbP.
    Oct 10, 2007
    8
    fantastic maturity in lead and backup vocals throughout the album. A little "cheerleady" on a couple tracks. Great guitar riffs throughout. Overall, something to enjoy on every track.
  23. JoseD
    Apr 20, 2007
    10
    i think this is an amazing album!!! i love all the music that avril have done, but this album has a great energy!! and i this is just great that she is trying new thing!!
  24. DavidG
    Apr 23, 2007
    10
    havn't got time right now to give a full review, but be sure to buy the album it's amazing. I liked Let Go and at the time didn't think her second album could top that. I think UMS was fucking awesome a lot more mature and you could really see Avril was going through a hard time and discovering who she was as oppesed to the kind of immature debut album. Her 2nd album got me havn't got time right now to give a full review, but be sure to buy the album it's amazing. I liked Let Go and at the time didn't think her second album could top that. I think UMS was fucking awesome a lot more mature and you could really see Avril was going through a hard time and discovering who she was as oppesed to the kind of immature debut album. Her 2nd album got me through some hard times too, now her 3rd album is very upbeat, you can tell she's happy and content with married life and just having fun writting some kick ass songs with catchy beats. Go out and buy it now, listen for yourself, you may be a little shocked at first at the slightly different style but i'm sure you'll love it. It certainly grows on you very fast, it the best damn fucking thing ever.… Expand
  25. vineett
    May 14, 2007
    10
    This is her best album so far, I love her "Girlfriend" song....she rocks!!!
  26. Hamoodsnake
    May 6, 2007
    10
    i really love most of the songs are great accept for maybe 2 or 3 buy it
  27. emmah
    Aug 9, 2007
    10
    wicked album i'd say her best yet. love track 7. not too keen on girlfriend now, got a bit annoying.
  28. NormanG.
    Oct 26, 2007
    10
    Its not her best album but it has some prety cool songs such as runaway and innocence but still theres other songs such as contagious and the best damn thing which sound like cheerleaders songs.
  29. MattD.
    Apr 17, 2007
    8
    Not as trailblazing as Let Go was, but for one album, hearing Avril really let loose is thrilling. TBDT will give you one great sugar rush.
  30. ColinP
    Apr 17, 2007
    10
    Great record. I can't believe people think this is lightweight.
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Awards & Rankings

14
#14 Most Discussed Album of 2007
37
#37 Most Shared Album of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
66

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 19
  3. Negative: 1 out of 19
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    75
    The dumb, girly, giddy Best Damn Thing reembraces the 15-year-old pom-pom punkette within, with multitracked hand claps, Toni Basil-gone-bad cheers, and pep-rally-rattling guitars.
    Read full review
  2. Slant Magazine
    40
    The Best Damn Thing is a big step back for an artist who was just starting to grow up.
    Read full review
  3. Los Angeles Times
    75
    It's a consciously lightweight pop-punk romp that appears to have been inspired by "Since U Been Gone," Kelly Clarkson's massive hit.
    Read full review
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