Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Thing

What this video is

Released in 2008 as the fourth and final single from the album 'The Best Damn Thing' (RCA, April 17, 2007), this video sits at the apex of Lavigne's commercial pop-punk pivot. The album debuted at number one in over twenty countries, and the title track's pop-cheerleader aesthetic — drawing comparisons to Toni Basil's 'Mickey' — crystallized a mid-2000s moment when pop-punk identity was being packaged aggressively…

Why it matters

A definitive artifact of mid-2000s pop-punk's commercial peak, this video encapsulates the genre's transformation from guitar-driven alternative roots into a highly stylized, choreography-forward MTV spectacle. The multi-persona structure, rapid editing pace (avg shot 0.748s), and cheerleader…

The director

Wayne Isham (born December 2, 1958, Vinita, Oklahoma) is an American director who has helmed over 150 music videos since the 1980s. A UC Santa Barbara alumnus, he was inspired by David Bowie's 'Ashes to Ashes.' His portfolio spans Metallica, Bon Jovi, Ricky…