History YMMV / AlvinAndTheChipmunks

** The original song "The Brave Chipmunks" (where the Chipmunks are bullfighing in Spain) contain the questionable lyrics "Ladies love a man who's brave, be his slave, if he's brave". Not only is the line sexist, but [[AgeInappropriateArt the Chipmunks themselves are implied to be children]] as early as this time period.

*** Then there's the exact opposite concept, "Chipmunks on 16 Speed", where Chipmunk songs are slowed down so that, rather than sounding like rodents singing popular hits, it sounds like they're some normal-voiced DoomMetal or IndustrialRock or {{Shoegazing}} band doing downtempo cover versions. Platform/YouTube commenters play along by discussing The Chipmunks as though they were a RealLife cutting edge band, hindered by their AddledAddict frontman Alvin and his various troubles.

* FirstInstallmentWins: While it’s miles from being a masterpiece, The first movie is generally [[DamnedByFaintPraise seen as better in comparison to its sequels]] as evident by the fact it received the highest rated reviews of the four movies. Even those fans who unironically enjoy the movies tend to regard it as the best one.

* FirstInstallmentWins: While it’s miles from being a masterpiece, The first movie has received the highest rated reviews out of the four movies, or more accurately [[DamnedByFaintPraise it’s seen as better in comparison to it’s sequels.]] Even those fans who unironically enjoy the movies tend to regard it as the best one.

* FaceOfTheBand: ''Sort'' of subverted. Alvin gets a lot of attention, is the lead vocal on 99.9% of the songs they have (for good reason, it's not undeserving), is the star of the show, and was #44 on TV Guide's list of top 50 best cartoon characters of all time. Yet Simon and Theodore are anything but forgotten or put in the background. Each of them have their special and memorable moments in the spotlight, and each have their own fanbases. Theodore's the only one who gets less focused on however, and Simon is second only to Alvin due to their dynamic as [[{{Foil}} brothers]]. Alvin may be the most publicly recognized, but in-universe (shows, films) there hasn't been an implication of the sort.

* EpilepticTree: The Chipmunks and Chipettes grew to human size after coming in contact with the same chemical that mutated [[Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles the Ninja Turtles]] (which makes sense, as both series' 80s incarnations were produced by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson, although they only did this series for a few Eps).

* WTHCastingAgency: Some felt this way about big names being cast as the Chipmunks and Chipettes, since the inevitable voice modulation would make their voices unrecognizable.

* ''Trivia/TheAlvinShow''
* ''Trivia/TheChipmunks''
* ''Trivia/TheChipmunkAdventure''
* ''Trivia/AlvinAndTheChipmunksMeetFrankenstein''
* ''Trivia/AlvinAndTheChipmunksMeetTheWolfman''
* ''Trivia/LittleAlvinAndTheMiniMunks''
* ''Trivia/AlvinnnAndTheChipmunks''

* BaseBreakingCharacter: Dave Seville is either a kind hearted man who loves his family but gives them tough love or an annoying father who treats them like garbage.
%%* BrokenBase: The Chipmunks' transition from human-sized furries to realistic actual-size chipmunks. (Zero-Context Example)