Wikipedia

Bite Me (song)

"Bite Me" is a song by Canadian singer Avril Lavigne. It was released on November 10, 2021, through Elektra Records and as Lavigne's debut on Travis Barker's label DTA Records. It is the lead single from Lavigne's seventh studio album, Love Sux (2022). The song was noted by critics as a return to Lavigne's pop-punk roots. The song peaked at number 63 on the Canadian Hot 100 and number 61 on the UK Singles Chart.

"Bite Me"
Single by Avril Lavigne
from the album Love Sux
ReleasedNovember 10, 2021 (2021-11-10)
Genre
Length2:39
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Avril Lavigne singles chronology
"Flames"
(2021) 		"Bite Me"
(2021) 		"Love It When You Hate Me"
(2022)
Music videos

Background and release

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Canadian pop punk artist Avril Lavigne released her sixth studio album, Head Above Water, on February 15, 2019, through BMG. The album was inspired by the two years during which Lavigne suffered from Lyme disease, which left her mostly bedridden and unable to perform.[6] That September, Lavigne embarked on a North American tour in support of Head Above Water, her first such tour in five years.[7] A European tour, originally set to begin in early 2020, had to be rescheduled for 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8]

While quarantined at home during the pandemic, Lavigne told American Songwriter that she had begun working on new music, which she hoped to release sometime in 2021.[9] That December, Lavigne posted a photo on Instagram of her in a recording studio with Mod Sun and Machine Gun Kelly, leading to speculation that the trio was working on music together.[10] "Flames", a Mod Sun song featuring Lavigne, was released on January 8, 2021.[11] The following month, Lavigne confirmed on Instagram that she had finished working on her new album, and that she would release new music that summer.[12] Producer John Feldmann, known for his work with bands such as Blink-182, All Time Low, and Goldfinger, meanwhile, confirmed to Wall of Sound that he had been working with Lavigne and that her new album would bring "back her pop punk roots".[13]

Writing and composition

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"Bite Me" is a pop punk song that has drawn comparisons to Lavigne's earlier studio albums Let Go (2002) and The Best Damn Thing (2007),[14][15][16] as well as to the band Paramore.[17] The song is written in the key of E-flat major, with a tempo of 170 beats per minute.[18] Lyrically, Lavigne describes "Bite Me" as "an anthem about knowing your worth, what you deserve, and not giving someone a second chance who doesn't deserve you".[19] Lavigne also described the track as a "super sassy" response to a romantic partner who realizes they made a mistake, only to be rejected when they attempt to reconcile.[20]

The song was noted by several publications to mark Lavigne's return to the pop punk genre; with NME referring to it as a "pop-punk takedown of an ex",[21] and Billboard describing it as a "guitar- and drum-heavy track" which "features Lavigne raging at her former lover for failing to treat her properly, promising that they'll always regret being kicked out of her life."[22]

Release and promotion

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"I am excited to be dropping 'Bite Me'. It's an anthem about knowing your worth, what you deserve, and not giving someone a second chance who doesn't deserve you."

— Lavigne on releasing "Bite Me" as a single[23]

"Bite Me" was announced on November 5, 2021, when Lavigne posted the pre-save link together with the single's cover on Instagram and Twitter.[24] On November 6, Lavigne posted a rehearsal video of her and Travis Barker with an audio snippet of the song on her social media.[25]

In the United States, "Bite Me" was sent to alternative radio on November 16, 2021.[26]

Critical reception

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"Bite Me" received critical acclaim upon its release, with George Griffiths of Official Charts Company describing it as a "confident return to form for pop punk's reigning motherf**king princess" remarking that "it's a lovely surprise to hear just how fresh Avril sounds. Her voice is crisp and clear on the song's chorus; like she hasn't aged a day since she first dropped 'Complicated'."[27] Writing for The A.V. Club, Tatiana Tenreyro opined that the song is "the closest to the Lavigne her early fans fell in love with at the beginning of her career. Not only is it a big return to pop punk, but it also sounds delightfully nostalgic."[28] Reviewing for Gay Times, Conor Clark compared "Bite Me" to Lavigne's third studio album The Best Damn Thing (2007), and remarked that "Avril's fierce new song is a reminder of why she is and always will be the Queen of Pop Punk."[29]

Year-end lists

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Publication Rank Ref.
Billboard
68
[30]
Exclaim!
7
[31]
Glamour —
[32]
Loudwire
21
[33]
Marie Claire —
[34]
PopBuzz
49
[35]
Spin
13
[36]
The Tab
36
[37]

Accolades

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Award Year Category Result Ref.
Juno Awards 2023 Single of the Year Nominated [38]

Commercial performance

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Worldwide "Bite Me" debuted at number 133 on the Billboard Global 200 chart, it was Lavigne's first song to enter the chart.[39]

In Canada, "Bite Me" debuted at number 63 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart, it was certified Gold in Canada with 40,000 units sold.[40][41] "Bite Me" was Lavigne's first lead single to not enter the US Billboard Hot 100, but it peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart. and peaked at number 13 on the US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart.[42] In the United Kingdom, "Bite Me" debuted at number 61 on the UK Singles Chart.[43] "Bite Me" was certified Gold in Brazil with 20,000 units sold.[44]

Music videos

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The Hannah Lux Davis-directed music video was released on November 12, 2021.[45] The music video sees Lavigne and Barker, with some help from their rowdy gang of tutu-wearing and axe-wielding friends, terrorizing the man that caused Lavigne heartbreak. The group crashes the man’s loft after breaking the lock, to trash the apartment space, torture the unsuspecting man and play loud music at full blast.

The video for the acoustic version, directed by Mod Sun and Charlie Zwick, was released on December 17, 2021 and it featured John Feldmann and his wife Amy as doctor and nurse respectively. In it, Lavigne arrives at the dentist office and enters the room, while the doctor takes a break, to pull out all the patient's teeth which are then used to make a necklace.[46]

Live performances

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Lavigne performed "Bite Me" for the first time on The Late Late Show with James Corden on November 10, 2021, with drummer Travis Barker of Blink-182. Lavigne also did an interview with Corden about her new single "Bite Me", her upcoming seventh studio album, and her upcoming 2022 concert tour.[47] On November 23, 2021, she performed the single on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[48] On November 30, 2021, Lavigne performed the single on The Ellen DeGeneres Show with drummer Travis Barker, it was her first appearance on the show since 2007.[49] On December 31, 2021 Lavigne performed the single on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve party as the last performance of that year.[50] On January 16, 2022 Lavigne performed Bite Me during her surprise set at IHeart Alter Ego festival, along with her smash hits Girlfriend, My Happy Ending and Sk8er Boi.[51] Lavigne also performed the single on Japanese TV show Music Station on February 11, 2022.[52]

Credits and personnel

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Credits and personnel are adapted from the Love Sux album liner notes.[53]

  • Avril Lavigne – vocals
  • John Feldmann – guitar, bass, production
  • Derek "Mod Sun" Smith – production
  • Travis Barker – drums, production
  • Dylan McLean – additional guitar and bass, additional production and engineering
  • Scot Stewart – additional guitar and bass, additional production and engineering
  • Michael Bono – additional guitar and bass, additional production and engineering
  • Josh Thornberry – additional production and engineering
  • Cameron Mizell – additional production and engineering
  • Hero DeLano – additional production and engineering
  • Kevin Thrash – additional engineering
  • Chris Gehringer – mastering
  • Adam Hawkins – mixing

Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications for "Bite Me"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[70] Gold 20,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[71] Gold 40,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Release history for "Bite Me"
Country Date Format(s) Version Label(s) Ref.
Various November 10, 2021
Original
  • DTA
  • Elektra
 [72]
United States November 16, 2021 Alternative radio [26]
Italy November 26, 2021 Radio airplay Warner [73]
Various December 17, 2021
  • Digital download
  • streaming
 Acoustic
  • DTA
  • Elektra
 [74]

References

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  1. ^ Bell, Kaellen. "Avril Lavigne Shares New Song "Bite Me"". Retrieved November 10, 2021. Lavigne shared her new single "Bite Me" today, and it finds her plugging into the zeitgeist and returning to the now-everywhere mall-punk sound that she helped popularize.
  2. ^ Rettig, James (November 10, 2021). "Avril Lavigne – "Bite Me"". Stereogum. Retrieved November 10, 2021. It's nice to hear Lavigne back in her pop-punk bag
  3. ^ Martoccio, Angie (November 10, 2021). "Avril Lavigne Harks Back to Her 'Let Go' Era on New Single 'Bite Me'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 10, 2021. Lavigne's debut on Travis Barker's label DTA Records, shows the Canadian musician harking back to her early pop-punk days
  4. ^ Childers, Chad (November 10, 2021). "Avril Lavigne Returns to Pop-Punk With New Song 'Bite Me' Read More: Avril Lavigne Returns to Pop-Punk With New Song 'Bite Me'". Loudwire. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  5. ^ Griffiths, George. "Avril Lavigne announces release of new single Bite Me dropping this Wednesday". Official Charts. Retrieved November 8, 2021. A snippet of Bite Me floating around on social media confirms that the song returns Avril to her rock roots, with plenty of emo guitar licks and a full-pelt pop chorus
  6. ^ Weiner, Josh (March 13, 2019). "Our Take: Avril Lavigne Brushes Demons Aside on 'Head Above Water,' Her Return to Form". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  7. ^ Spruch, Kirsten (June 24, 2019). "Avril Lavigne Announces First North American Tour in 5 Years". Billboard. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
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  50. ^ "Bite Me" ft. Travis Barker Live At New Year's Rockin Eve @ Avril Lavigne's official YouTube channel, January 3, 2022
  51. ^ Coldplay And Avril Lavigne Lead A Stacked Alternative Scene At IHeart's Alter Ego Show In Los Angeles
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  72. ^ Panaligan, EJ (November 5, 2021). "Avril Lavigne Announces New Single "Bite Me"". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  73. ^ "Avril Lavigne "Bite Me" | (Radio Date: 26/11/2021)". radiodate.it (in Italian). Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  74. ^ Lavigne, Avril (December 17, 2021). "Bite Me (Acoustic) - Single by Avril Lavigne on Apple Music". music.apple.com.
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