The Best Damn Thing

Infobox Album |
Name = The Best Damn Thing
Type = studio
Artist = Avril Lavigne
|

Released = Start date|2007|4|17
(see release dates below)
Recorded = 2006
Genre = Punk-pop, pop-rock, Power pop, Modern Rock
Length = 40:37
Label = RCA
Producer = Deryck Whibley, Butch Walker, Dr. Luke, Rob Cavallo, Avril Lavigne (executive)
Reviews =
* About.com Rating|3.5|5 [http://top40.about.com/od/albums/fr/avrillavignebes.htm link]
* Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gpfuxzy5ldhe~T1 link]
* CANOE Jam! Rating|3|5 [http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/L/Lavigne_Avril/AlbumReviews/2007/04/12/3992925-winsun.html link]
* "Entertainment Weekly" (B) [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20034631,00.html link]
* "The Guardian" Rating|4|5 [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/filmandmusic/story/0,,2060818,00.html link]
* "The New York Times" (positive) [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/16/arts/music/16choi.html link]
* "PopMatters" (6/10) [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/41657/avril-lavigne-the-best-damn-thing/ link]
*Robert Christgau Rating-Christgau|hm2 [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=avril+lavigne link]
* "Rolling Stone" Rating|3|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/14125792/the_best_damn_thing link]
* Slant Magazine Rating|2|5 [http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=1096 link]
Last album = "B-Sides"
(2005)
This album = "The Best Damn Thing"
(2007)
Misc = Singles
Name = The Best Damn Thing
Type = studio
single 1 = Girlfriend
single 1 date = February 7, 2007
single 2 = When You're Gone
single 2 date = June 19, 2007
single 3 = Hot
single 3 date = October 12, 2007
single 4 = The Best Damn Thing
single 4 date = April 5, 2008 Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate covers
Type = studio


Lower caption = Deluxe Edition cover Extra album cover 2
Type = studio


Lower caption = Limited Edition cover Extra album cover 2
Type = studio


Lower caption = Japanese Tour Edition cover Singles
Name = The Best Damn Thing Limited Edition
Type = studio
single 1 = Girlfriend (Dr. Luke Remix)
single 1 date = July 25, 2007

"The Best Damn Thing" is the third studio album by Canadian singer/songwriter Avril Lavigne, released on April 13, 2007. It made its radio debut on Ottawa radio station HOT 89.9 at 6:00 pm on April 14.

The album's first single was the number-one hit "Girlfriend", the second "When You're Gone", and the third "Hot". "The Best Damn Thing" is the fourth and final single on this album. The track "Keep Holding On" is also featured on the "Eragon" soundtrack. According to the IFPI, globally "The Best Damn Thing" was the fourth biggest selling album and Sony BMG's biggest selling album of 2007. [http://www.ifpi.org/content/library/top-50-albums-2007.pdf IFPI Top Selling Albums Worldwide 2007] ]

Album information

Lavigne described the record as "fast, fun, young, bratty, aggressive, confident, cocky in a playful way...all the good stuff." [citeweb|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1553431/20070227/lavigne_avril.jhtml|title=MTV News - |publisher=MTV|access date=2007-04-20] It is produced by Dr. Luke, Lavigne's husband Deryck Whibley, Butch Walker and Lavigne herself. [ [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1540941/20060914/story.jhtml Third album at MTV News] ] Cite web|url = http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1535093/20060626/story.jhtml | title = Butch Walker Works With Avril, Hot Hot Heat, Says Solo LP Won't Be 'Emo-Tastic' | access date = 2006-12-13 | publisher = MTV Networks | year = 2006 | author = Kaufman, Gil | work = MTV News | format= jhtml] Travis Barker (Box Car Racer, blink-182, +44, Transplants, Expensive Taste, The Aquabats) has also recorded some drums for the album, but most the drums come from the famous Josh Freese.

The standard version of the album, released on April 14, has all the profanities censored. This applies to the songs: "Girlfriend", "I Can Do Better", "Everything Back but You" and "I Don't Have to Try". In "I Can Do Better", all uses of the word "shit" are replaced with a "shhuuh!" sound, but the line "You're so full of shit" is changed to "You're so full of it", and in "Everything Back but You" the words "bitch" and "slut" (in the chorus line "...bitch, slut, psycho babe, I hate you...") are replaced with "hey", similar to those in "Girlfriend". Also, the lyric "Get ready, motherfucker" is replaced with double "get ready" in "I Don't Have to Try". The term "motherfucking" is used in the track "Girlfriend". In some radio edits of the song, this is changed to "one and only". The word "bitch" is unedited on the song "Runaway". Only the Deluxe and Limited Edition versions contain the unedited, explicit versions of the songs. This version of the album bears the Parental Advisory label because of the instances of profanity. It was Lavigne's first album in the United States to bear the label; in some markets the label was used on her second album, "Under My Skin" (2004). [ [http://www.avrillavigne.com/ Avril lavigne.com] ] Because of this, and because the album title contains the word "damn", some children's radio stations (e.g. Radio Disney) that previously played Lavigne's music are not playing her new singles.

In an interview on Much Music, Lavigne stated that, after numerous photo shoots, she could not choose a suitable image for the album's cover. Lavigne's husband, Deryck Whibley, took the photo which appears on the cover on the side of the road in a suburb of Los Angeles, which was taken in a "spur of the moment" decision by the couple.

Promotion

The first single, "Girlfriend", was to be released on January 29, but the date was changed because of the then-increasing popularity of "Keep Holding On" on the radio.Fact|date=May 2007 The single premiered on Ottawa radio station HOT 89.9 on February 6, and the video debuted on February 26. Evan, her former guitarist, said in his MySpace blog that he makes a cameo in the "Girlfriend" video. "Girlfriend" is available in seven other languages, the only difference from the English version being the chorus translated into Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, Japanese, Italian, German and French.

Lavigne has been doing a small tour to promote "The Best Damn Thing". Only members of her fan club were allowed to attend the shows. She kicked off the small tour in Calgary, Alberta, and played for a crowd of around 200. The Calgary show aired on television on April 2, 2007, on the CBC Network. On this show, one could see behind-the-scenes footage and Lavigne performing songs from "The Best Damn Thing", as well as other shows in Los Angeles, Paris and Madrid. She also held autograph signings in New York City and Hollywood after the album was released.

On February 18, 2007, clips of "Everything Back But You", "I Can Do Better" and "When You're Gone" were released on AOL Music. [ [http://music.aol.com/franchise/firstlisten/avril-lavigne-new-songs Avril Lavigne Full CD Listening Party - AOL Music ] ] The track "Alone" (the B-side of "Girlfriend") was made available for download on the iTunes Store in New Zealand and Australia on March 29. On April 4, 2007, the album was leaked onto the internet and was made available to download on many file sharing sites. The whole album made its radio debut on Ottawa radio station HOT 89.9 at 6:00 pm on April 14, 2007.

On July 6, 2007, Lavigne performed the song "Hot" on "The Friday Night Project" in the UK.

On September 11, 2007, Lavigne appeared on the season finale of Canadian Idol 2007 and performed "Hot" and "When You're Gone". She received standing ovations from the audience after both these performances. On the show, Lavigne stated that she will be on tour in North America (Canada first) in March/April 2008. She will be playing in three continents and will be in Europe for the first time since the launch of her album "The Best Damn Thing. Avril is quoted as saying that she is really looking forward to the European leg of her tour, particularly Britain. Avril says "There is something really special for all Canadians about returning to the mother country. It reminds us of who we actually are."citequote

Track listings

Original / Deluxe / Japanese Tour Edition

;CD
#"Girlfriend" (Avril Lavigne, Lukasz Gottwald) 3:37
#"I Can Do Better" (Lavigne, Gottwald) 3:17
#"Runaway" (Lavigne, Gottwald, Kara DioGuardi) 3:48
#"The Best Damn Thing" (Lavigne, Butch Walker) 3:10
#"When You're Gone" (Lavigne, Walker) 4:00
#"Everything Back But You" (Lavigne, Walker) 3:03
#"Hot" (Lavigne, Evan Taubenfeld) 3:23
#"Innocence" (Lavigne, Taubenfeld) 3:53
#"I Don't Have to Try" (Lavigne, Gottwald) 3:17
#"One of Those Girls" (Lavigne, Taubenfeld) 2:56
#"Contagious" (Lavigne, Taubenfeld) 2:10
#"Keep Holding On" (Lavigne, Gottwald) 4:00

;Japanese Tour Edition:13. Alone (Lavigne, Martin, Gottwald) 3:14:14. Sk8er Boi (Live):15. Adia (Live)

;Deluxe Edition Bonus DVD
#"The Making of "The Best Damn Thing"
#"Photo Gallery"

;Japanese Tour Edition Bonus DVD [ [http://www.avrilbandaids.com/forums/best-damn-forum/58724-best-damn-thing-invincible-version.html Avril Lavigne Bandaids: The Best Damn Thing "Invinceble Version"] ]
#"Girlfriend" (music video)
#"Girlfriend" (Dr. Luke Remix) (music video)
#"When You're Gone" (music video)
#"Hot" (music video)
#"The Best Damn Thing" (music video)
#"The Making of "The Best Damn Thing"
#"The Making of "Girlfriend"

Limited Edition

;CD (Version 1)
#"Girlfriend" (explicit) 3:37
#"I Can Do Better" (explicit) 3:17
#"Runaway" 3:48
#"The Best Damn Thing" 3:10
#"When You're Gone" 4:00
#"Everything Back But You" (explicit) 3:03
#"Hot" 3:23
#"Innocence" 3:53
#"I Don't Have to Try" (explicit) 3:17
#"One of Those Girls" 2:56
#"Contagious" 2:10
#"Keep Holding On" 4:00
#"Alone"¹ (Lavigne, Gottwald, Max Martin) 3:14
#"I Will Be" (Lavigne, Gottwald, Martin) 4:00
#"I Can Do Better" (acoustic version) (explicit) 3:40
#"Girlfriend" (The Submarines' Time Warp '66 mix) (explicit) 3:11
#"Girlfriend" (Dr. Luke Remix) (featuring Lil Mama) (Lavigne, Gottwald, Niatia Kirkland) 3:25

;CD (Version 2)
#"Girlfriend" (explicit) 3:37
#"I Can Do Better" (explicit) 3:17
#"Runaway" 3:48
#"The Best Damn Thing" 3:10
#"When You're Gone" 4:00
#"Everything Back But You" (explicit) 3:03
#"Hot" 3:23
#"Innocence" 3:53
#"I Don't Have to Try" (explicit) 3:17
#"One of Those Girls" 2:56
#"Contagious" 2:10
#"Keep Holding On" 4:00
#"Alone"¹ 3:14
#"I Will Be" 4:00
#"I Can Do Better" (acoustic version) (explicit) 3:40
#"Girlfriend" (Mandarin Version) 3:11
#"Girlfriend" (Dr. Luke Remix) (featuring Lil Mama) 3:25

;DVDLive at Orange Lounge
#"Everything Back But You" 3:02
#"Girlfriend" 3:39
#"Hot" 3:22
#"When You're Gone" 3:57

Music Videos
#"Girlfriend" 3:48
#"When You're Gone" 4:01
#"Hot" 3:23
#"Girlfriend (Dr. Luke Remix feat. Lil Mama)" 3:25
#"The Best Damn Thing" 3:29

:¹ Also available on Girlfriend single.

Personnel

* Lukasz Gottwald - producer, piano, guitar, bass guitar, electronic keyboards and addictive drums on tracks 1,2,3,7,9 and 12
* Steve Wolf - drums and additional drums on tracks 1,7 and 12
* Travis Barker - drums on tracks 2,3 and 9
* Josh Freese - drums on tracks 4 and 5
* Butch Walker - producer, acoustic & electric guitars, bass guitar, background vocals and percussion on tracks 4,5 and 6
* Deryck Whibley - producer, electric guitar and bass guitar on tracks 4,10 and 11
* Dan Chase - electronic keyboards on track 4
* Kenny Aronoff - drums on track 6
* Rob Cavallo - producer on track 8
* Jamie Muhoberac - electronic keyboards & piano on track 8
* Tim Pierce - guitars on track 8
* Greg Suran - guitars on track 8
* Paul Bushaell - bass guitar on track 8
* Abe Laboriel, Jr. - drums on track 8
* Steve Jocz - drums on tracks 10 and 11
* Chris Chaney - bass guitar on track 11
* Larry Corbett - cello on track 12
* Cyan Wilson - viola on track 12

Plagiarism allegations

In a June 2007 interview with the magazine "Performing Songwriter", Chantal Kreviazuk, who collaborated with Lavigne on the album "Under My Skin", stated that Lavigne "doesn't really sit and write [songs] by herself or anything", and that because she " [will] cross the ethical line" without complaint from others, Kreviazuk refused to work with her again. She said she sent Lavigne a song she had written titled "Contagious" in 2005, and that she noticed the track listing of "The Best Damn Thing" features a song called "Contagious" on which Kreviazuk is not credited. "What do you do with that?", she said. [ [http://www.performingsongwriter.com/vault/tech/features/keyboard_102.pdf Chantal Kreviazuk in "Performer Songwriter"] ] On July 10, 2007, Kreviazuk retracted the statements she made in the aforementioned interview. [ [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003609349 "Billboard"] ] On the website of The Black List Club, Evan Taubenfeld said that he and Lavigne had co-written "Contagious" for him to record, but that it sounded better when recorded by Lavigne. [ [http://www.blacklistclub.com/html/news.php The Black List Club official site] ]

On July 2, 2007, songwriters for the U.S. band The Rubinoos filed a lawsuit against Lavigne, her publishing company and Dr. Luke, stating that the song "Girlfriend" was very similar to The Rubinoos' 1970s single "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend". [ [http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2007/07/04/lavigne-lawsuit-girfriend.html CBC.ca] ] On July 6, Lavigne denied The Rubinoos' and Kreviazuk's accusations in an open letter on her website, writing that she had "never heard the [Rubinoos] song in [her] life" and that she was considering taking legal action against Kreviazuk with regards to her allegations, which she considered "damaging to my reputation and a clear defamation of my character."Cite web|url = http://www.avrillavigne.com/node/7175 | title = To My Dear Media, Friends, and Fans | access date = 2007-07-07 | publisher = Avril Lavigne | year = 2007 | author = Lavigne, Avril]

On July 10, the song "I Don't Have to Try" sparked further plagiarism speculation, after Perez Hilton and "Rolling Stone" noted similarities between it and Peaches's 2003 song "I'm the Kinda". [ [http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2007/07/10/did-avril-lavigne-bite-a-peaches-track-too/ Did Avril Lavigne Bite a Peaches Track Too?] ]

Chart performance

"The Best Damn Thing" sold 19,000 copies in a few hours in the UK,Fact|date=April 2007 eventually selling over 60,000 copies in its first week. It became Lavigne's third number-one album on the UK Albums Chart. The album debuted at number one on the U.S. "Billboard" 200 with about 289,000 copies sold, less than "Under My Skin", which sold 381,000 in its first week. This is Lavigne's second number-one album, after "Under My Skin".Katie Hasty, [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003576072 "Lavigne's New 'Thing' Debuts Atop Billboard 200"] , Billboard.com, April 25, 2007.] "The Best Damn Thing" remained at number-one in its second week on the chart, selling about 121,000 copies. [Katie Hasty, [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003579383 "Lavigne Remains No. 1 As Joe Debuts High"] , Billboard.com, May 2, 2007.]

In Canada, the album debuted at number one with 68,000 copies sold, slightly more than "Under My Skin". In its second week, there was a 62% sales drop to around 26,000 copies. The album has sold 320,000+ in Canada. In Australia, "The Best Damn Thing" debuted on the ARIA Albums Chart at number two and shipped over 35,000 copies, being accredited Gold by ARIA; it was Lavigne's first album not to reach number one. It has been certified two times Platinum.

In Japan, it debuted at number two. In its second week of release, after Lavigne's "Music Station" performance, it reached the number-one spot, selling 120,000 copies. This is her second number-one album in Japan. In its chart run, it sold 850,307 copies and was the third best selling album of the year, and the only western album in the top twenty-five. It peaked on the Taiwanese Albums Chart at number-one, and it had already been certified Gold within three days when the album was available for pre-order. It went Platinum when it was released to stores. In Spain, "The Best Damn Thing" debuted at number nine, lower than "Under My Skin", which debuted at number one.

The album debuted at number one in over twenty countries.

Charts

² - Japan sales still charting, eoy was 863,957 [ [http://jbbs.livedoor.jp/bbs/read.cgi/music/3914/1044805378/l50 Japan Charts - Week 447, #24] ]

Release dates

"The Best Damn Thing" was released in a number of countries during April 2007.

The Best Damn Tour

Infobox concert tour
concert_tour_name = The Best Damn Tour


artist = Avril Lavigne
start_date = March 5, 2008
end_date = October 6, 2008
number_of_shows = 110 Extra tour chronology
Group = Avril Lavigne
Type = tour
Last tour = Promotional Tour 2007
(2007)
This tour = The Best Damn Tour
(2008)
Next tour = –

The tour first goes through Canada and the USA, from May to July Lavigne is going to Europe, coming back to the USA and Canada in July-August and to Asia from August to October. For the North American leg of her tour Boys Like Girls will be the musical guest as it stated on [http://www.myspace.com/avrillavigne her official MySpace site] . The setlist [http://www.thebestdamntour.com/ Setlist of The Best Damn Tour] ] includes songs of the new album but also older singles from "Let Go" and "Under My Skin". The European leg of the tour is opened by the Jonas Brothers. On April 15, in Fairfax, The Black List Club opened the show. Later Evan Taubenfeld, the Black List Club's lead singer and former lead guitarist of Lavigne's band performed "Don't Tell Me" together with her. A DVD with Live recordings of the tour will be released on September 9th, 2008 [cite web|url=http://avrillavigne.com/node/7399|title=Pre-Order "The Best Damn Tour (Live in Toronto) DVD"|publisher=avrillavigne.com|accessdate=2008-07-31] , called "The Best Damn Tour - Live in Toronto". [cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/Avril-Lavigne-Best-Toronto-Clean/dp/B001AX9DTA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1213436975&sr=8-2|title=Avril Lavigne:The Best Damn Tour (Live in Toronto)|publisher=amazon.com|accessdate=2008-06-14]

Opening acts

*Boys Like Girls
*Jonas Brothers
*The Black List Club
*The Midway State
*illScarlett
*Duke Squad
*PUFFY
*Pambo

etlist

#"Girlfriend"
#"I Can Do Better"
#"Complicated"
#"My Happy Ending"
#"I'm With You"
#"I Always Get What I Want"
#"When You're Gone"
#"Innocence"
#"Don't Tell Me"
#"Hot"
#"Losing Grip"
#"Bad Reputation"
#"Everything Back But You"
#"Runaway" (Avril On Drums)
#"Hey Mickey" (Avril On Drums)
#"The Best Damn Thing"
#"I Don't Have to Try"
#"He Wasn't"
#"Girlfriend (Dr. Luke Remix)"
#"Sk8er Boi"

*"Keep Holding On" (In few concerts)
*"In Too Deep" (In few concerts - featuring Deryck Whibley)

Notes

*With her show in Montreal, Canada at Bell Centre Avril made over $400,000 according to Billboard Boxscore top grossing concerts.

*Avril filmed her DVD The Best Damn Tour - Live in Toronto at Canada with a sold-out concert at the Air Canada Centre on April 7.

*Due to 'Acute Laryngitis' Avril cancels the last 8 North American Concerts. She also cancelled her concert in Barcelona, Spain the same day of the concert without explanation.

*In Hungary she only performed 11 songs. The first six and "Everything Back But You", "The Best Damn Thing", "I Don't Have to Try", "He Wasn't, "Sk8er Boi", because a delay due to rain meant she didn't go on stage until 9.30pm and there is a 10pm curfew at the arena; she performed until 10.15pm which landed her a fine.

*In Glasgow, the first date following Avril's laryngitis, only 7 songs were sung - Girlfriend, Complicated, I'm With You, Don't Tell Me, Hot, He Wasn't and Sk8er Boi. This lead to record complaints as Avril performed for just 25mins, despite the tickets costing £35 ($67). She also left the stage after the first verse of Sk8er Boi and did not return. This left many Scottish fans disappointed as, support act, the Jonas Brothers performed for 45mins - almost twice as long as Avril.

*In Manchester, Helsinki, Amsterdam and Brussels she didn't perform "When You're Gone" and "Innocence" for unknown reasons.

*Her Show at Sudbury, Ontario sold out in less than 15 minutes.

*Avril Lavigne and husband Deryck Whibley played a song together during all the 2nd leg of TBDT in Canada including a show at the Molson Amphitheater of Toronto.

*In Saint John, NB; Lavigne did not sing "Innocence", "Bad Reputation", or the "Girlfriend Remix". She did add "Keep Holding On" and had a guest appearance by her husband Deryck Whibley; the two sung Sum 41's "In too deep" as a duet, at Harbour Station.

*Avril did a 10-tour date over the UK & Ireland and perform at the The O₂ arena.

*The Tour stirred controversy when it confronted protests by conservatives in Malaysia due to Lavigne being 'too sexy'. However, the government finally gave permission for her to perform on 29 August 2008.

*Avril did a tour of 11 dates in Japan.

*On September 16 Avril played for the very first time at the Tokyo Dome in Japan she sold over 40,000 tickets becoming this her biggest concert on 'The Best Damn Tour'.

References

External links

* [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1548280/20061218/lavigne_avril.jhtml MTV News about Avril Lavigne]
* [http://www.avrillavigne.com Avril Lavigne's official website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/avrillavigne Avril Lavigne's MySpace]
* [http://www.imeem.com/avrillavigne Avril Lavigne's Imeem]