Kelly Clarkson

Solo career established

On November 30 2004, RCA Records released Clarkson's second album Breakaway. Entering the Billboard album chart at number three, Breakaway received praise from critics, who noted its harder, more rock-flavored edge, one that invited comparisons to Avril Lavigne. The album has also been characterized by Clarkson herself as being in the pop rock genre.

Related Topics:
November 30 - 2004 - Breakaway - Rock - Avril Lavigne - Pop rock

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Clarkson took a more hands-on approach to creating Breakaway, co-writing six of the eleven tracks in the process. Producers and fellow artists also helped Clarkson craft the album, some of which include Max Martin ("Since U Been Gone", "Behind These Hazel Eyes"), Avril Lavigne ("Breakaway"), and former Evanescence band members Ben Moody and David Hodges ("Because of You", "Addicted").

Related Topics:
Max Martin - Evanescence

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Breakaways first three singles, "Breakaway", "Since U Been Gone" and "Behind These Hazel Eyes", have all received widespread airplay in several different radio formats and made it well into the Billboard Hot 100 top-ten, peaking at number six, number two, and number six respectively. The fourth single from Breakaway, "Because of You", is currently climbing the chart, and is at number fourteen in its seventh week. The song has also currently peaked at number twenty-nine in Canada.

Related Topics:
Breakaway - Since U Been Gone - Behind These Hazel Eyes - Billboard Hot 100 - Because of You

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Industry experts noted that Clarkson had avoided the "sophomore slump", and that the artistic and commercial success of the album and its singles cemented Clarkson's place in the pop music industry, separate from the American Idol machine. Breakaway has proved to have staying power. After almost nine months after its release, it has not left the top-twenty. Its weekly range of sales is anywhere from 50,000 to 65,000 copies.

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While Clarkson has not attempted any film roles since From Justin to Kelly, she has appeared on NBC's American Dreams as Brenda Lee, and in 2005 was a musical guest on Saturday Night Live. Clarkson acted in two sketches as well. Clarkson was also named by Teen People Magazine as one of the "Hottest 25 Stars Under 25".

Related Topics:
NBC - American Dreams - Brenda Lee - 2005 - Saturday Night Live - Teen People Magazine

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By July 2005 Clarkson was the top-selling American Idol contestant (and the only one having released 2 mainstream CDs yet), having sold approximately five million albums in the U.S. and having had five top-ten singles. Breakaway has so far sold over 3.3 million copies domestically (certified triple-platinum by the RIAA on July 21, 2005).

Related Topics:
RIAA - July 21 - 2005

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On August 16, Clarkson took home awards for Best Female Artist, Best Album for Breakaway, Best Single for "Since U Been Gone", and Best Summer Single for "Behind These Hazel Eyes" at the 2005 Teen Choice Awards, demonstrating her dominance of pop music in 2005.

Related Topics:
August 16 - Teen Choice Award

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On August 28 at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, Clarkson won two moonmen for "Since U Been Gone" in the Best Female Video and Best Pop Video categories. She also gave the final performance of the night (performing "Since U Been Gone") in a downpour of rain, paying homage to the 2005 VMA's "water" theme.

Related Topics:
August 28 - MTV Video Music Awards - Best Female Video - Best Pop Video

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Clarkson was one of many artists who contributed to ReAct Now: Music & Relief, a live broadcast that took place on September 10, 2005 across Viacom's primary music networks MTV, VH1 and CMT. The multi-celebrity program aimed to raise donations for the American Red Cross and the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Clarkson performed a cover of Ray LaMontagne's "Shelter" from a Los Angeles studio set.

Related Topics:
September 10 - 2005 - Viacom - American Red Cross - Hurricane Katrina - Ray LaMontagne

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"Addicted" is scheduled to be the fifth single from Breakaway, set for a Christmas 2005 release.

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