Asking Alexandria – Not The American Average

Right on the cusp of entering the 2010’s, Asking Alexandria unleashed their rage-infused track “Not The American Average.” It arrived as the fourth single from their legendary album Stand Up and Scream, following “A Prophecy,” “Final Episode (Let’s Change the Channel),” and “If You Can’t Ride Two Horses At Once… You Should Get Out of the Circus.”

The now Gold-certified track was met with much controversy at the time for its explicit lyrical content and even its use of piano. Despite criticisms, the song was claimed by many in the scene as an anthem and rose to become one of the band's most popular. It is now sitting at over 100 million streams on Spotify alone.

The song cycles between screams, distorted guitars, a melodic bridge, and singing, forming a complex metalcore piece. Vocalist Danny Worsnop actually labeled the song as the hardest to write during his interview with Kerrang!: “Asking Alexandria's Danny Worsnop: The 10 Songs That Changed My Life.”

The track's music video has amassed over 60 million views on YouTube. It features the group performing at Epicenter 2011 in Irvine, CA, at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. Small clips of Worsnop’s speaking to the crowd can be heard in the music video between sections.

Stand Up and Scream arrived on September 15, 2009, marking one of the most iconic eras for Asking Alexandria. It climbed to the fourth spot on the US Heatseekers chart while also cementing itself on the Billboard 200. The album has become not only a scene classic but also one that defined an entire era of metalcore/crabcore. On March 30, 2017, “Not The American Average” earned its RIAA Gold certification, solidifying the song's legacy that AA fans have been aware of since 2009.