25-11-2012, 14:20
online listen
don't usually do compilations, but pickins are slim
only knew stuff from her latest anyway
damn god pop music, and she keeps her clothes on
3 new tracks plus tracks from all her albums
comes out a high like which any compilation should
might even put it on the list
2.1 from me and a converted 2.4 from the pros at allmusic
from the album - Catch My Breath
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEValZuFYRU
released Nov 20th, 2012
![[Image: 220px-Kelly_Clarkson_Greatest_Hits_Chapt..._cover.jpg]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/97/Kelly_Clarkson_Greatest_Hits_Chapter_One_cover.jpg/220px-Kelly_Clarkson_Greatest_Hits_Chapter_One_cover.jpg)
Bio - from allmusic
The winner of Fox TV's first American Idol competition during the summer of 2002, Kelly Clarkson went from
an anonymous talent to a nationally known singer in a matter of months, performing for an audience of
millions. One of the show's most naturally gifted singers, the affable Texan then went on to enjoy a
successful pop career, with only Carrie Underwood rivaling her as American Idol's most commercial export.
Clarkson was born in Fort Worth and raised in Burleson, Texas, and her vocal talents were discovered in
seventh grade, when a music teacher heard her voice and urged Clarkson to join the school choir. After
high school, she opted to skip college and went to Hollywood to make her name; she appeared as an extra on
an episode of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, but no other opportunities materialized. Upon returning to
Burleson, Clarkson worked at a movie theater, promoted Red Bull energy drinks, and ultimately worked as a
cocktail waitress at a comedy club before entering the American Idol contest.
One of 10,000 aspiring singers, Clarkson distinguished herself not only with her big, surprisingly mature
voice, but also with her down-to-earth charm and sense of humor; at one of her auditions, she switched
places with judge Randy Jackson, who did an impromptu version of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly." Over
the course of the 13-week show, her consistently strong performances of songs like "Respect," "Natural
Woman," "Stuff Like That There," and "Without You" earned Clarkson enough audience votes to claim one of
the contest's two finalist positions. After singing "A Moment Like This" and "Before Your Love," both of
which were written for the show, Clarkson won the American Idol contest with 58 percent of the audience's
votes. In addition to the show's prize of one million dollars and a recording contract with RCA, Clarkson
secured a deal with Creative Artists Agency and several bookings, including the national American Idol
tour and a performance of the national anthem at the September 11 commemoration at Washington, D.C.'s
Lincoln Memorial.
Despite her newfound fame, Clarkson opted to remain in Texas rather than move to New York or Los Angeles.
Her first single, "A Moment Like This," was released just two weeks after she won the contest and quickly
earned platinum sales. Clarkson's debut full-length, Thankful, was released in spring of 2003, just in
time to coincide with the second season of American Idol (and right before the American Idol movie, From
Justin to Kelly). Breakaway followed in late 2004 and was a huge success, selling over five million copies
(making it the third best-selling album of 2005) and spawning the hit singles "Because of You," "Behind
These Hazel Eyes," and the enormously popular "Since U Been Gone." That song and Breakaway earned Grammys
for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album, respectively, at the 48th Annual Grammy
Awards in early 2006. Clarkson continued her busy touring schedule into the summer and announced plans for
her third album.
Clarkson released My December, the studio follow-up to Breakaway, in 2007. Notable as Clarkson's first
foray into songwriting, My December featured a darker, more rock-oriented edge than its predecessor and
even featured a guest appearance by punk icon bassist Mike Watt. However, label exec Clive Davis openly
disapproved of the album's direction, claiming that it lacked the commercial appeal of Breakaway. A public
feud ensued, and Clarkson was dealt another blow when poor ticket sales resulted in the cancellation of
her upcoming tour. The leadoff single "Never Again" nevertheless became a Top Ten pop hit, and My December
climbed its way to platinum status by the year's end.
Kelly Clarkson returned to the top of the charts in early 2009, when the sugary single "My Life Would Suck
Without You" set a record for the largest leap to number one. Composed by songwriting vets Max Martin,
Lukasz Gottwald, and Claude Kelly, the song also set the stage for her fourth album, All I Ever Wanted,
whose pop-minded material was mostly produced by OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder. While touring in support of
All I Ever Wanted, Clarkson announced that she had begun work on material for her follow-up. Eventually,
she collaborated with a handful of writers and producers, including Claude Kelly and Howard Benson as well
as Jason Halbert, Rodney Jerkins, and others. In 2011 Clarkson released the resulting album, Stronger. Her
fifth studio effort, the album featured the single "Mr. Know It All."
Album Review - from allmusic
When Kelly Clarkson won the first American Idol way back in 2002, there was no indication of whether the
singer was a fleeting phenomenon or the start of something lasting. Ten years later, with her first
compilation, Greatest Hits, Chapter 1, appearing, the answer is clear: American Idol and Kelly Clarkson
wound up as institutions that had nothing to do with each other. Clarkson shrugged off the expectations of
AmIdol as quickly as she could, dutifully -- and enjoyably -- hitting all her marks on her 2003 debut,
Thankful, highlighted by the tossed-off Christina Aguilera co-written single "Miss Independent" and the
coronation song "A Moment Like This," but she wound up nailing her defiant, casually feminist persona a
year later with "Since U Been Gone," one of the great singles of the new millennium. From there, Kelly
both pushed too hard (her admirably conflicted neo-goth record My December) and not enough ("Stronger," an
enjoyably by-the-books 2012 single that deservedly topped the U.S. charts), but throughout it all Clarkson
remarkably retained her identity, producing a body of work that was pretty much untouchable when compared
to any other pop star of the new millennium. Unlike Britney Spears, who slumped in the mid-2000s and never
regained her footing, Clarkson always seemed in control of her career and image; she always seemed a
little more mature than the divas who immediately preceded her and those who followed her. Consequently,
Greatest Hits, Chapter 1 winds up sounding like pop sounded in the new millennium: alternatingly
calculated and inspired, a pop star who always seemed in control of her fate even when she aspired to be
heard as bumper music in malls from sea to shining sea. Remarkably, Greatest Hits, Chapter 1 doesn't
contain all of Clarkson's great songs -- surprisingly, the Katy Perry-written anthem "I Do Not Hook Up" is
nowhere to be found -- but nothing here is subpar; everything serves as testimony to Kelly's considerable
vocal chops and potent charisma. She can sing like no other yet feels like the girl next door, a quality
that grounds her poppiest songs and helped her transcend her made-for-TV diva persona. Despite all the
calculations and constructions, Kelly Clarkson was a real, human pop star and that may be why her hits,
when collected together, sound not like passing fancies but a body of work, the sound of pop music in the
new millennium.
Track Listing
1. Since U Been Gone
2. My Life Would Suck Without You
3. Miss Independent
4. Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)
5. Behind These Hazel Eyes
6. Because Of You
7. Never Again
8. Already Gone
9. Mr. Know It All
10. Breakaway
11. Don't You Wanna Stay (with Jason Aldean)
12. Walk Away
13. Catch My Breath
14. People Like Us
don't usually do compilations, but pickins are slim
only knew stuff from her latest anyway
damn god pop music, and she keeps her clothes on
3 new tracks plus tracks from all her albums
comes out a high like which any compilation should
might even put it on the list
2.1 from me and a converted 2.4 from the pros at allmusic
from the album - Catch My Breath
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEValZuFYRU
released Nov 20th, 2012
Bio - from allmusic
The winner of Fox TV's first American Idol competition during the summer of 2002, Kelly Clarkson went from
an anonymous talent to a nationally known singer in a matter of months, performing for an audience of
millions. One of the show's most naturally gifted singers, the affable Texan then went on to enjoy a
successful pop career, with only Carrie Underwood rivaling her as American Idol's most commercial export.
Clarkson was born in Fort Worth and raised in Burleson, Texas, and her vocal talents were discovered in
seventh grade, when a music teacher heard her voice and urged Clarkson to join the school choir. After
high school, she opted to skip college and went to Hollywood to make her name; she appeared as an extra on
an episode of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, but no other opportunities materialized. Upon returning to
Burleson, Clarkson worked at a movie theater, promoted Red Bull energy drinks, and ultimately worked as a
cocktail waitress at a comedy club before entering the American Idol contest.
One of 10,000 aspiring singers, Clarkson distinguished herself not only with her big, surprisingly mature
voice, but also with her down-to-earth charm and sense of humor; at one of her auditions, she switched
places with judge Randy Jackson, who did an impromptu version of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly." Over
the course of the 13-week show, her consistently strong performances of songs like "Respect," "Natural
Woman," "Stuff Like That There," and "Without You" earned Clarkson enough audience votes to claim one of
the contest's two finalist positions. After singing "A Moment Like This" and "Before Your Love," both of
which were written for the show, Clarkson won the American Idol contest with 58 percent of the audience's
votes. In addition to the show's prize of one million dollars and a recording contract with RCA, Clarkson
secured a deal with Creative Artists Agency and several bookings, including the national American Idol
tour and a performance of the national anthem at the September 11 commemoration at Washington, D.C.'s
Lincoln Memorial.
Despite her newfound fame, Clarkson opted to remain in Texas rather than move to New York or Los Angeles.
Her first single, "A Moment Like This," was released just two weeks after she won the contest and quickly
earned platinum sales. Clarkson's debut full-length, Thankful, was released in spring of 2003, just in
time to coincide with the second season of American Idol (and right before the American Idol movie, From
Justin to Kelly). Breakaway followed in late 2004 and was a huge success, selling over five million copies
(making it the third best-selling album of 2005) and spawning the hit singles "Because of You," "Behind
These Hazel Eyes," and the enormously popular "Since U Been Gone." That song and Breakaway earned Grammys
for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album, respectively, at the 48th Annual Grammy
Awards in early 2006. Clarkson continued her busy touring schedule into the summer and announced plans for
her third album.
Clarkson released My December, the studio follow-up to Breakaway, in 2007. Notable as Clarkson's first
foray into songwriting, My December featured a darker, more rock-oriented edge than its predecessor and
even featured a guest appearance by punk icon bassist Mike Watt. However, label exec Clive Davis openly
disapproved of the album's direction, claiming that it lacked the commercial appeal of Breakaway. A public
feud ensued, and Clarkson was dealt another blow when poor ticket sales resulted in the cancellation of
her upcoming tour. The leadoff single "Never Again" nevertheless became a Top Ten pop hit, and My December
climbed its way to platinum status by the year's end.
Kelly Clarkson returned to the top of the charts in early 2009, when the sugary single "My Life Would Suck
Without You" set a record for the largest leap to number one. Composed by songwriting vets Max Martin,
Lukasz Gottwald, and Claude Kelly, the song also set the stage for her fourth album, All I Ever Wanted,
whose pop-minded material was mostly produced by OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder. While touring in support of
All I Ever Wanted, Clarkson announced that she had begun work on material for her follow-up. Eventually,
she collaborated with a handful of writers and producers, including Claude Kelly and Howard Benson as well
as Jason Halbert, Rodney Jerkins, and others. In 2011 Clarkson released the resulting album, Stronger. Her
fifth studio effort, the album featured the single "Mr. Know It All."
Album Review - from allmusic
When Kelly Clarkson won the first American Idol way back in 2002, there was no indication of whether the
singer was a fleeting phenomenon or the start of something lasting. Ten years later, with her first
compilation, Greatest Hits, Chapter 1, appearing, the answer is clear: American Idol and Kelly Clarkson
wound up as institutions that had nothing to do with each other. Clarkson shrugged off the expectations of
AmIdol as quickly as she could, dutifully -- and enjoyably -- hitting all her marks on her 2003 debut,
Thankful, highlighted by the tossed-off Christina Aguilera co-written single "Miss Independent" and the
coronation song "A Moment Like This," but she wound up nailing her defiant, casually feminist persona a
year later with "Since U Been Gone," one of the great singles of the new millennium. From there, Kelly
both pushed too hard (her admirably conflicted neo-goth record My December) and not enough ("Stronger," an
enjoyably by-the-books 2012 single that deservedly topped the U.S. charts), but throughout it all Clarkson
remarkably retained her identity, producing a body of work that was pretty much untouchable when compared
to any other pop star of the new millennium. Unlike Britney Spears, who slumped in the mid-2000s and never
regained her footing, Clarkson always seemed in control of her career and image; she always seemed a
little more mature than the divas who immediately preceded her and those who followed her. Consequently,
Greatest Hits, Chapter 1 winds up sounding like pop sounded in the new millennium: alternatingly
calculated and inspired, a pop star who always seemed in control of her fate even when she aspired to be
heard as bumper music in malls from sea to shining sea. Remarkably, Greatest Hits, Chapter 1 doesn't
contain all of Clarkson's great songs -- surprisingly, the Katy Perry-written anthem "I Do Not Hook Up" is
nowhere to be found -- but nothing here is subpar; everything serves as testimony to Kelly's considerable
vocal chops and potent charisma. She can sing like no other yet feels like the girl next door, a quality
that grounds her poppiest songs and helped her transcend her made-for-TV diva persona. Despite all the
calculations and constructions, Kelly Clarkson was a real, human pop star and that may be why her hits,
when collected together, sound not like passing fancies but a body of work, the sound of pop music in the
new millennium.
Track Listing
1. Since U Been Gone
2. My Life Would Suck Without You
3. Miss Independent
4. Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)
5. Behind These Hazel Eyes
6. Because Of You
7. Never Again
8. Already Gone
9. Mr. Know It All
10. Breakaway
11. Don't You Wanna Stay (with Jason Aldean)
12. Walk Away
13. Catch My Breath
14. People Like Us
