Dear Members of Good Charlotte,

Congratulations on your recent success in the music industry! It is refreshing to hear new bands with original sounds on the music charts. I am so impressed with your originality and musical style that I thought I might try to break it down to a few key elements. Hopefully, these will help other musicians figure out how to someday break big with the kids in the audience someday. Here's what I came up with:

1.)Host a 'Rock' show on MTV. As many struggling, independent bands seem to do these days, you guys have been hosting a show on MTV showing the hottest rock videos ever made. I'm sure this is a medium available to pretty much any independent band, which bodes well for other up-and-coming, original sounding bands. It gives the audience a chance to see how cool your are, and help establish 'cred' with the viewing audience. Never hurts to pull out a few Matt Pinfield-esque name drops either. This is a great way for bands to self-promote.

2.)Write ripping songs about things the kids relate to. As any dope on the street can tell you, it's refreshing to hear bands sing about things which apply to any dope on the street. You know, like listening to guys with a record contract and their own show on MTV sing about the pampered lives of celebrities and what not. I know many a dope on the street who can relate to a current touring and recording band that sings about how much they hate the monied upper class. Never hurts to throw an NSYNC member into your video either, you know, for street 'cred.'

3.)Kick-ass videos. Like I mentioned previously in this column, it never hurts to throw an NSYNC member into your video for street 'cred.' Also, videos seems to be an opportunity to show off how big your spikes are, which is vital to the music which you write and sing. Also, wearing tatty clothes with assorted patches of bands which only the most 'underground' of hipsters will identify with can only be an asset. I suppose you don't even have to listen to or enjoy those particular bands. What a perk!

4.)Not sucking. It sure helps that nothing sucks about Good Charlotte or their music I know not every band can reach the lofty standards of musical and lyrical ingenuity and originality that Good Charlotte have reached, but most can try real hard.

Now that I have broken down your success into a simple formula, I hope other bands can follow your example of originality and awesomeness into fame and fortune. Err, maybe not fame and fortune, because punk rockers don't need all the media attention and what-not to be a success. Anyway, keep not sucking and being fun and original!

Love,
Justy