'My Childhood': Fans React to Avril Lavigne Recreating 'Let Go' Album Cover

Pop-rock singer Avril Lavigne brought her fans some serious nostalgia as she recreated her album cover Let Go, which was released 20 years ago.

Stopping in New York City while touring with Machine Gun Kelly, Lavigne paid homage to the place where she took the photo for her 2002 album cover Let Go. As shown in the video, Lavigne makes the same pose as on the album sleeve while Simple Plan's "I'm Just a Kid" plays. Since it was posted, the viral video has gained over 14 million views and has over 2 million likes.

Fans were quick to comment, reminiscing about their childhoods.

Simple Plan wrote, "This is amazing! Happy 20th Anniversary!"

"Sigh. The good days," one commenter exclaimed.

One fan couldn't believe how long it's been since the release, "What the hell do you mean when you say 20 years later!?!?"

"one can only dream to age this gracefully," the official Hulu TikTok commented.

Spotify exclaimed, "And still just as cool We love you Avril!"

"This album is such a staple for the generation," one TikToker said.

"the best part is how pixelated the album art is so retro," another pointed out.

One questioned, "20 Years?!?? Are we really THAT old?!?!?!"

"20 yrs proud. still have ur poster on my wall in basement rec/bar. rock on superstar," one Tiktok user wrote.

"My childhood," one said.

Avril Lavigne does "Let Go" pose anniversary
Now with over 14 million views on TikTok, Avril Lavigne recreates her 2002 album cover, "Let Go" in New York City to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the album's release. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Though on TikTok, the only caption was "20 years ago...", Lavigne also shared the image—alongside a comparison to the original album—on Twitter.

"This was another magical moment for me returning to the location of where I shot my debut album cover 'Let Go' in NYC right before we played MSG! Happy 20th anniversary 'Let Go.' Thank you to all of my amazing fans that have shown me love over the years," she wrote there.

Let Go was released on June 4, 2002 that featured hit songs including "Complicated," "Sk8er Boi" and "I'm With You." When it was first released, the album reached the No. 2 spot on the Billboard 200 chart. "Complicated" reached No. 2, "I'm With You" reached No. 4 and "Sk8er Boi" reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

"I can't believe it's been 20 years. I'll probably play more songs from that album on tour," Lavigne told People, "I was getting out of high school and I just wanted to rock out. I want loud guitars, I want live drums ... I want to write about the crazy stuff, the insane emotions, the good and the bad."

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Ashley Gale is a Newsweek reporter based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her focus is reporting on trends. She has covered trends, ... Read more

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go