Updated date:

Oct 16, 2021

25 Favorite Avril Lavigne Songs

Author:

Philip loves music and wants to share his favorite songs with everyone. He hopes to count down all his favorite artists' music.

Avril Lavigne performing live
Breno Galtier

Since Avril Lavigne started her career in 2000, she's become a global star. Even though she is rich and famous, she's still a normal person who suffers from the same problems as everyone else. This list explores the stories behind the greatest songs this staple of mainstream rock/pop ever recorded.

1. "Take Me Away"

Album: Under My Skin

Year Released: 2004

This will always be my favorite Avril Lavigne song. It is super underrated and doesn’t get enough hype. It talks about the confusion and chaos she feels in her life and how she wants someone to free her from it.

All the pain I thought I knew
All the thoughts lead back to you
Back to what was never said
Back and forth inside my head

— Avril Lavigne

2. "When You're Gone"

Album: The Best Damn Thing

Year Released: 2007

This is probably the most beautiful love song I’ve ever heard. Written by Avril when she was married to Sum 41’s lead vocalist Deryck Whibley, she wrote this about their respective times on the road and how when he’s gone, she could hardly bear it.

When you're gone
The pieces of my heart are missin' you
When you're gone
The face I came to know is missin', too

— Avril Lavigne

3. "Head Above Water"

Album: Head Above Water

Year Released: 2019

God, I love this song. Ever since I first heard it, I had an instant love and connection to it. This song was designed to raise awareness for Avril’s battle with Lyme Disease that caused her to take a five-year hiatus from music.

In interviews, she said that there were times when she felt sure that she was going to die and that the only thing she could do was cry out to God. I’ve said many prayers similar to this in my life, but they definitely didn’t sound as beautiful or breathtaking as this song. The song is currently out on her new album of the same name.

I've gotta keep the calm before the storm
I don't want less, I don't want more
Must bar the windows and the doors
To keep me safe, to keep me warm

— Avril Lavigne

4. "Keep Holding on"

Album: The Best Damn Thing

Year Released: 2007

This song means the world to me. As someone who sometimes suffers from debilitating depression, this song help me wonder about the big issues in this life. Just like it sounds, “Keep Holding on” reminds us to never give up, because we are never truly alone. It was released on her 2007 album The Best Damn Thing.

Keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through
We'll make it through
Just stay strong

— Avril Lavigne

5. "I'm With You"

Album: Let Go

Year Released: 2002

Another Avril Lavigne classic. Released on her 2002 debut album Let Go, this rock song showcases Avril’s singing chops. Anybody who says she can’t sing should be shown this song.

Avril truly shows her vulnerable side in this song as well. She says she wrote this song about how she just kept wishing for people to be there for her in her time of need. I know that I, and almost everybody else, have felt alone. This is a song for people who need to feel like someone else can understand their pain.

Isn't anyone tryin' to find me?
Won't somebody come take me home
It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life

— Avril Lavigne

6. "Tell Me It's Over"

Album: Head Above Water

Year Released: 2019

This is another one of Avril’s signature relationship songs. This song discusses how women should be treated in relationships. The lyrics are a powerful reminder that too many women are mistreated and need to be treated better.

It also reminds women to put their foot down and leave the men who are holding them back. They shouldn’t keep coming back to the man as soon as he apologizes, because he probably hasn't learned his lesson. They deserve to be treated with respect.

Tell me it’s over
If it’s really over
‘Cause it don’t feel like it’s over whenever you’re closing the door, no
So tell me it's over

— Avril Lavigne

7. "Here's to Never Growing Up"

Album: Avril Lavigne

Year Released: 2013

While I don’t condone the behavior of the people in this song, it's still a frickin’ fantastic song! This song discusses how teens and young adults want to act like adults without any consequences. In this song, Avril wanted to depict the rowdy and rebellious nature of teen culture at that time in her life. The song was released on her 2013 self-titled album.

Singing Radiohead at the top of our lungs
With the boom box blaring as we're falling in love
I got a bottle of whatever, but it's gotten us drunk
Singing here's to never growing up

— Avril Lavigne

8. "Let Me Go (feat. Chad Kroeger)"

Album: Avril Lavigne

Year Released: 2013

Performed with her future husband, Chad Kroeger (the lead singer of everyone’s favorite rock band Nickelback), Avril released this soft ballad as her third single on her 2013 self-titled album. This song is unique because it has two sections that tell two different stories.

The song starts out as a breakup song about letting go of someone, but (as Kroeger and Lavigne's relationship became more serious) the song shifts, and the protagonist and their love interest end up committing to each other fully.

I'm breaking free from these memories
Gotta let it go, just let it go
I've said goodbye
Set it all on fire

— Avril Lavigne

9. "My Happy Ending"

Album: Under My Skin

Year Released: 2004

"My Happy Ending" was the second single released from her sophomore album Under My Skin. The lyrics discuss Avril’s frustration and heartbreak over a past relationship. She thought things were going great, but it turns out she was way more into him than he was into her. In 2005, the song became Avril’s second platinum record.

You were everything, everything that I wanted (that I wanted)
We were meant to be, supposed to be, but we lost it (we lost it)
And all of the memories, so close to me, just fade away
All this time you were pretending

— Avril Lavigne

10. "Complicated"

Album: Let Go

Year Released: 2002

After Avril was signed to Arista Records in 2000, she had trouble jiving with the demands of the company. They expected her to do country/folk style songs because that's what she had played during her audition. However, she wanted to write songs with more of a rock 'n' roll flare.

After working with a three-piece production team called The Matrix, they developed the punk-rock song “Complicated.” A song that Avril says is about people she meets that are obviously fake and two-faced. The song later became the lead single off her 2002 debut album Let Go.

Somebody else
'Round everyone else
You're watching your back
Like you can't relax

— Avril Lavigne

11. "I Can Do Better"

Album: The Best Damn Thing

Year Released: 2007

I hate you now
So go away from me
You're gone
So long

— Avril Lavigne

12. "Together"

Album: Under My Skin

Year Released: 2004

Together
It doesn't feel right at all
Together
Together, we built a wall

— Avril Lavigne

13. "Losing Grip"

Album: Let Go

Year Released: 2002

Why should I care
'Cause you weren't there when I was scared
I was so alone
You, you need to listen

— Avril Lavigne

14. "Runaway"

Album: The Best Damn Thing

Year Released: 2007

I just wanna scream and lose control
Throw my hands up and let it go
Forget about everything and run away, yeah
I just want to fall and lose myself

— Avril Lavigne

15. "Crush"

Album: Head Above Water

Year Released: 2019

It's just the way you are
The way that you walk
The way that you talk
The way that you, you read me baby

— Avril Lavigne

16. "Push"

Album: Goodbye Lullaby

Year Released: 2011

And maybe you should just shut up
Even when it gets tough
Baby 'cause this is love
And you know when push comes to shove

— Avril Lavigne

17. "Innocence"

Album: The Best Damn Thing

Year Released: 2007

This innocence is brilliant
I hope that it will stay
This moment is perfect
Please don't go away

— Avril Lavigne

18. "Smile"

Album: Goodbye Lullaby

Year Released: 2011

Yeah, and that's why I smile
It's been a while
Since every day and everything has
Felt this right

— Avril Lavigne

19. "Rock 'n Roll"

Album: Avril Lavigne

Year Released: 2013

Let 'em know that we're still rock n roll
I don't care about my make-up
I like it better with my jeans all ripped up
Don't know how to keep my mouth shut

— Avril Lavigne