A Simple Plan

Those who have ventured anywhere near MTV lately must’ve noticed that Carson Daly and the gang have embraced all that the nose ring represents. And now that Good Charlotte and New Found Glory have usurped last year’s graying pop heartthrobs, the timing couldn’t be better for A Simple Plan; the group’s three-minute odes to the trials of teendom couldn’t have more mass appeal if they tried. (Having Blink-182 wonderboy Mark Hoppus appear in its breakthrough video didn’t hurt, either.) These Montreal hair-gel punkers issued one of 2002’s great album titles (No Pads, No Helmets, Just Balls), and they put on an exuberant live show without any of that boring political muck-a-muck.