Kelly Clarkson

RCA Records/19 Recording artist Kelly Clarkson's My December sold over 291,000 albums in its first week, according to SoundScan, besting the singer-songwriter's previous album, Breakaway, which racked up 250k albums upon its debut on the way to more than 6 million sold in the U.S. alone.

A new single, "Sober," has just gone to radio, following "Never Again," which sold more than 600,000 digital downloads prior to the album's release.

Clarkson's My December debuted at #2 on the Billboard Hot 200, just behind the Hannah Montana soundtrack. Sales at online retailers soared, particularly at iTunes.

Clarkson co-wrote the material on the new album, her most personal to date, which has been receiving positive critical acclaim from various reviewers, including L.A. Times, Boston Globe, Blender, etc.

Aggressive, multi-tiered retail and visibility campaigns were mounted to support the release of the album at major chains nationwide.

Clarkson used appearances on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Good Morning America and an upcoming performance on the CBS Early Show Summer Concerts series (7/9) to promote the album, as well as online concerts for AOL Sessions and Yahoo! Music. She has appeared on the covers of Entertainment Weekly and Elle, and will be featured in the next few weeks on the covers of publications like Blender, Cosmo Girl, Reader's Digest and USA Weekend Magazine.

There are also numerous mobile sales/promotions going on at all the major cellular providers, including AT&T, Cingular, Disney Mobile, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon.

Source: RCA Records
LOS ANGELES, July 5, 2007 /PRNewswire/ --

•My December

Kelly Clarkson

Audio CD (June 26, 2007)
• Original Release Date: July 24, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA Records

Listen to music from the CD

Amazon.com
Judging by the themes of anger and betrayal that dominate Kelly Clarkson's third disc, My December, perhaps 'Jagged Little Idol' would have been a more telling title. According to interviews, the massively successful artist wanted more creative control with her music going forward; as a result, unlike her previous CDs, Clarkson contributes as a songwriter on every track. The final product is not nearly as catchy as Breakaway, but is far more introspective and honest. My December's overall sound brings a harder musical style than fans might expect, with acerbic lyrics to match; the disc's first single "Never Again"--a dark rock song slamming her ex-boyfriend--is certainly a tip-off. The compelling chorus of "Hole" finds Clarkson singing "There's a hole/inside of me/it's so damn cold/slowly killing me" over a melody that is far more Tool than top-40. "Haunted" and "Judas" are wrought-over tracks that veer into Evanescence territory, while the wonderfully sparse "Maybe" is a highlight within which Clarkson's pleading voice is perfectly showcased. My December's final listed track, "Irvine" (prior to the hidden bluesy acoustic ballad "Chivas") sounds far more Cat Power-meets-Corinne Bailey Rae than Clarkson, but it is certainly one of the most captivating songs on the disc, and serves as yet another reminder of just how versatile her voice is. Fans of her previous radio-friendly releases may well be divided on her new direction, but it appears to be the path Clarkson is likely to continue to travel. --Denise Sheppard

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