Goodbye Lullaby is a primarily a pop rock album and is considered a more introspective record from Lavigne in comparison to her previous material, consisting mainly of stripped down instruments such as the piano and acoustic guitar.

Lavigne assumed an integral role in the album's production and co-wrote every original track on Goodbye Lullaby, as well as collaborating with several producers including Max Martin, Shellback, Butch Walker, and her ex-husband Deryck Whibley.

Upon its release, Goodbye Lullaby received generally mixed reviews from music critics, with some naming it her most personal and introspective album while others took issue with its subdued sound and Lavigne's lyrical content.

[16][17] Lavigne began recording in her home studio in November 2008 with the song "Black Star", only a month after completing the Best Damn World Tour.

"What was really great about working with Max was, I flew out to Sweden for a couple weeks, sat down, played him my record, got to know each other, wrote some songs together, and then I was out," she told MTV News.

[22] In December, it was announced that the songs produced by Alex da Kid would not be on the album but Lavigne stated, "we're gonna do something with that stuff, I'm just not sure what yet".

[23] "Goodbye Lullaby" deals with themes of heartbreak and was heavily influenced on Lavigne's relationship with her ex-husband Deryck Whibley.

[16] She stated, "It's so easy for me to do a boy-bashing pop song, but to sit down and write honestly about something that's really close to me, something I've been through, it's a totally different thing.

"[24] For Adam R. Holz of Plugged In (publication), "these mellow acoustic songs paint a mournful, lamenting picture of a woman trying to sort through why her marriage failed.

"[26] The album opens with the intro "Black Star", which lasts for 1 minute and 34 seconds, and was described by Rolling Stone as "an ethereal lullaby that turns epic with tinkling Coldplay-like pianos and soaring strings.

[23] In "Push", she forcefully tells a guy to stop complaining about how hard it can be to make a relationship work,[26] while the power ballad "Wish You Were Here"[28] shows Lavigne's vulnerable side,[29] and according to Spin's Mikael Wood, "talks about her recent divorce from Deryck Whibley".

[30] The other upbeat, pop rock track "Smile", finds Lavigne referring to herself as a "crazy bitch"[31] and expressing her gratitude for special people in her life.

[29] The sixth track "Stop Standing There", written only by herself, has been described as having an "early- '50s girl-group feel", while lyrically it finds Lavigne imploring a hesitant suitor to confess his affection.

"[16] "Remember When" realizes that the breaking of what's supposed to be an eternal bond has serious emotional consequences as it captures the ache of post-divorce loneliness.

[36] Lavigne also travelled to the United Kingdom to perform on the BBC'S Radio 1 Live Lounge, singing "What the Hell" and Kesha's "Tik Tok".

[38] Lavigne premiered the lead single, "What the Hell", on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve on December 31, 2010[17] during a pre-taped segment along with a performance of "Girlfriend".

[43] It was released worldwide on May 6, 2011[44] and its music video features scenes of Avril on a studio set which she decorated herself with color spray bombs, posters and a few props, while she goes around picking up the pieces of broken hearts in people who are otherwise unhappy.

[48] The song's music video, directed by Marc Webb, features Avril very emotional in a room, looking sad, lighting flora on fire and dunking her head underwater in a bathtub.

[51] Goodbye Lullaby received mixed reviews from music critics based on aggregate score of 58 from Metacritic.

[57] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic compared Goodbye Lullaby to Under My Skin, citing the divorce from Deryck Whibley as "the occasion for introspection".

However, he noticed that Lavigne "seems to be grappling with emotions just beyond her reach, never articulating her angst or crafting a melancholy melody, making Goodbye Lullaby feel affected, not genuine.

"[53] Likewise, Andy Greenwald of Entertainment Weekly thought that the album "seeks a balance," since "the first half is loaded with glossy confections, while the second consists of quieter reflections clearly inspired by Deryck Whibley, her ex-husband."

"[32] Bill Lamb from About.com echoed the same thought, writing that the album is "very downbeat and subdued," praising the two songs produced by herself, but ultimately calling it "a bit like a wasted moment in time.

"[33] Jonathan Keefe of Slant Magazine gave the album 2.5 out of 5 stars, calling it "a strident, ineffectual attempt at a serious pop record.

"[55] In contrast to the mixed reviews, Robert Copsey of Digital Spy gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, highlighting its production, calling it "a solid collection of tunes that neatly ties together the sounds of her last three records: the angst of 'Let Go', the raw emotion of 'Under My Skin' and the pop hooks of 'The Best Damn Thing'.

"[58] Jon Pareles from The New York Times was also positive, expressing that "on Goodbye Lullaby, she's trying to be a little more expansive, vocally and emotionally, without leaving pop territory".

Pareles positively pointed out that, "It's the pop-factory material, not Ms. Lavigne's own presumably more personal songs, that offers details, humor and a sense of letting go.

[59] Giving 3 stars out of 5, Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone was impressed that the album "is lovelorn and introspective, full of gusty tunes with a surprising message: Avril cares".

[28] Margaret Wappler of Los Angeles Times found issues "when Lavigne compartmentalizes her softer side, to the point where it eclipses her finger-jabbing cheekiness.

[4] All tracks are written by Avril Lavigne, except where notedNotes Credits for Goodbye Lullaby adapted from AllMusic.