3 Pop Hits From the 21st Century That Were Written by Teenagers

Teenage singers, songwriters, and performers dominated the music world in the early 2000s. They drew in audiences with songs about high school life, teenage emotions, and rebellious themes, giving listeners a newfound sense of identity. Here are three early 2000s pop hits that were written by teenagers.

Lorde’s “Royals”

New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde was just 16 years old when she released her debut single “Royals”. The song highlights themes of privilege and luxury, an extreme juxtaposition to how teenage life can be mundane and boring.

Lorde wrote her breakout hit “Royals” in just 30 minutes. Soon after, “Royals” debuted as a single in the U.S. on June 3, 2013. As a result, it spent nine weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, the song appeared on Lorde’s debut album Pure Heroine.

In 2014, a year after the song’s release, Lorde won two Grammy Awards in 2014 for Song Of The Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. “Royals” marked her as one of the youngest artists in history to win a Grammy for Song of the Year at just 17 years old.

Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated”

Avril Lavigne was only 17 years old when she released her debut album, Let Go, which notably included her hit single “Complicated.”

“I was getting out of high school, and I just wanted to rock out,” Lavigne said in an interview with The Guardian. “I want loud guitars, I want live drums, I want to write about the crazy stuff, the insane emotions, the good and the bad.”

Lavigne wrote many of the songs on her debut album with the help of producer Clif Magness. “I don’t like people putting their lyrics into my songs,” Lavigne said. “I want them to be my lyrics.” Lavigne offered an alternative to girly pop stars like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. She also provided a listening space for a brand-new generation of alternative teenagers.

Fefe Dobson’s “Take Me Away”

Fefe Dobson had been imagining her fame since she was a little girl. As a result, she started writing music back when she was in elementary school. As a teenager, she began recording and sending out demos and eventually caught the attention of Zomba Music Group.

She started writing her debut album, Fefe Dobson, when she was a teenager. Eventually, by the time she was 18, the album was released. It became Gold Certified and made it to the Billboard Hot 100

Dobson continues to make great strides as a songwriter, with artists like Miley Cyrus performing covers of her songs.