Album Review: "Don't Click Play" - Ava Max

Ashley Adams
5 hours ago
7 min read

Don't Click Play is the third and newest studio album from talented and famous popstar Ava Max, featuring songs about love, whether it's for oneself or for someone else.

T R A C K L I S T

Don't Click Play
How Can I Dance
Lovin Myself
Sucks To Be My Ex
Wet, Hot American Dream
Take My Call
Know Somebody
Lost Your Faith
Fight For Me
Skin in the Game
World's Smallest Violin
Catch My Breath

Ava Max is a music artist that broke into stardom and the music industry in 2018 with her singles "Not Your Barbie Girl" and "Sweet but Psycho". She grew up with a musical and performing background, as her parents were musicians as well. In 2020, she released her debut album Heaven & Hell. Three years later, in 2023, she released her sophomore album Diamonds & Dancefloors. She has now released her third album Don't Click Play.

Don't Click Play
Don’t Click Play starts off with the title track, as Max fights against the critics in an upbeat power pop production, fused with dance and powerful bass drums. The majority of the lyrics are written in a sarcastic tone - because of the hate Max has received for her music, she’s telling a DJ that they shouldn’t play her music, even though she knows she makes amazing, original music that everyone likes and listens to. Listening to Max’s powerful singing voice throughout “Don’t Click Play” lets you know that this album will be full of her distinct and iconic vocals, which have captivated music lovers for years, and ensures that this will be another classic in her discography.
How Can I Dance
Max refuses to let anyone have control over her in “How Can I Dance”. She won’t let any man tell her what to do, how to feel, or feel constricted by them, whether she's in a relationship with them or not. Max is powerful and will do whatever she wants to do, and not listen to them tell her what to do. She sets her own rules and this will never change. The song begins with an introduction of more incredible and powerful vocals, arranged into harmonies that establish the overall message of “How Can I Dance”. Like the preceding track, the second track also has a fun and upbeat pop production, defined by the EDM synths you would hear at a raging nightclub.
Lovin Myself
In “Lovin Myself”, self-love radiates throughout the track, as Max expresses the love and admiration she has for herself. She takes the romantic things that could be shared in a relationship and applies them to herself, showing that she is a creative and talented songwriter. She doesn’t want to waste her time and energy on someone that could break her heart, and instead puts all of her focus on herself, because she knows she could never let herself down. Throughout the first and second parts of “Lovin Myself”, a bass-heavy production acts as the foreground for the overall sound. Towards the end of the song, that falls away to reveal a different style of production that still maintains the upbeat pop sound.
Sucks To Be My Ex
The lines “I’m in my villain era” and “What don’t kill you makes you hotter” can already tell you that this track is iconic. The themes of self-love from the previous track continue on in “Sucks To Be My Ex”, in addition to self-confidence. Max knows that when someone dates her, she is the best of the best and can’t be beat. So, if they were to break up, she knows that her ex won’t be able to do better than her. For instance, she is a multi-talented and famous superstar, who has been nominated for and won many music awards for her incredible albums and songs, and is recognized internationally as an incredible musician; it makes perfect sense for her to make a song like this.
Wet, Hot American Dream
It’s implied that Max is singing the lyrics of “Wet, Hot American Dream” to a romantic interest that isn’t from America. She includes iconic and notable things an American could possess in the lyrics, mostly lots of those that depict a southern lifestyle. The production of the song is upbeat, full of energy, and very inspired by 80s disco, like the music in the movies of the time, which were iconic in their display of American life, which is most likely what inspired the overall sound of “Wet, Hot American Dream”. Another notable feature in the song are Max’s adlibs that are heard throughout the chorus, alongside her incredible signing.
Take My Call
During the first verse, somewhat muffled production can be heard, although the consistent dance beats that have been heard throughout the album still manage to break through. Once the chorus hits, an infectious pop sound is heard, which Max is known for and is always amazing at creating. More fun 80’s and 90’s inspired synths fuel the core of “Take My Call” as Max sings about wanting to meet up with someone as soon as possible. She perfectly captures the feeling of having a new crush and wanting to see them all the time, so much so that you will go out of your way just to.
Know Somebody
In “Know Somebody”, Max explains what’s it’s liked to be betrayed by a former significant other. They most likely cheated on her and quickly moved on to someone else, which is mainly why she is so heartbroken. She is upset that she trusted this person, as they ended up betraying her trust instead of respecting it and being honest with her. The production reflects the melancholy vibes of “Know Somebody”, as it’s more toned down and has less summery production than the other tracks that came before it. It’s like this song is autumn, with its acoustic guitar chords and different sounding synths than the ones we have heard before.
Lost Your Faith
Max uses religious analogies to describe a breakup and loss of love in “Lost Your Faith”. She says that the effort put into the relationship she was in was one-sided, with her being the one who cared more about the relationship than her former significant other did. The relationship started off in a good place, but this drifted as time went on, and Max realized her partner was starting to care less and less about her and their relationship. This is when Max decided the relationship had to end, because she doesn’t want to be with someone who doesn’t appreciate her and she doesn’t feel connected to anymore.
Fight For Me
Learning from her former relationship from “Lost Your Faith”, Max now knows that before she commits to a new partner, she needs to make sure that they are worth committing to so that she doesn’t have to put in all the effort by herself again. They need to want to share putting in the effort that comes with any healthy and stable relationship. While the song’s production is still in the realm of pop, it definitely features an alternative sound as well, which makes “Fight For Me” distinct and one-of-a-kind in comparison to the other tracks, showing that the creativity in regards to the production for each song is fueled by attention to detail and uniqueness.
Skin in the Game
“Skin in the Game” details a relationship of toxic qualities that Max says she can’t seem to get out of. The lyrics go against those of previous tracks in the album, adding an element of there being a storyline in the album that connects each track to one another. The production is part of Max’s signature sound, combining a prominent bass guitar and powerful strings, which project an 80s inspired vibe throughout “Skin in the Game”. This is helped by Max’s amazing vocals, which are defined by strength and her ability to switch octaves easily.
World's Smallest Violin
To play the “world’s smallest violin” essentially is to not lose any sleep over someone’s sadness, which more often than not, stems from their own karma for doing wrong by you. Max doesn’t feel bad that her ex is sad they have broken up, because he didn’t treat her right during the relationship. She is not going to feel bad for someone that got what was coming for them. Like the title, violin strings are incorporated into the instrumentation and production of “World’s Smallest Violin”, and this makes sense because of Max’s known use for strings for many of her songs. Max never fails to be very creative and original when it comes to her music.
Catch My Breath
The final track of Don’t Click Play, “Catch My Breath” details the butterflies and overall rush of emotions you get when you know you’re starting to fall in love with someone. Like Max sings, she feels like she "can't catch [her] breath” because of these intense feelings. Throughout the song, she personifies these feelings as though she is driving in a fast car that she doesn’t want to slow down. This is a great conclusion to the album, as it effectively summarizes all of the tracks and matches the production that was consistent throughout the project.

This is an incredible album that everyone should listen to. It features the iconic and signature sound that Ava Max is known for and became popular for, and for very good reason. Her vocals are incredible, which are supplemented by her impeccable songwriting skills. She brings to life to each song in different ways, including but not limited to her talented singing and flawless storytelling. The production is also amazing on each and every track. Don't Click Play is yet another fantastic album from Ava Max!

Written By Ashley Adams

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