Breakaway (Kelly Clarkson album)

Breakaway is the second studio album by American recording artist Kelly Clarkson, released on November 30, 2004. Breakaway received two awards at the 48th Grammy Awards for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the hit single "Since U Been Gone".^[1]

The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 for selling 250,000 copies. It was eventually certified 6x Platinum by the RIAA.^[2] It remains Clarkson's best-selling album to date, with sales of over 6,160,000 copies sold in the U.S, as of December 2010.^[3] In Australia, after debuting at fifty-four^[4] and peaking at two, Breakaway was Australia's second best-selling album of 2005^[5] and is also the 30th best selling album of all time in that country.^[6] In Canada, Breakaway was certified 5x Platinum for sales of over 500,000 copies shipped.^[7] Billboard listed the album as 29 on their decade-end charts based on sales.^[8] Breakaway has sold over 12 million copies worldwide.^[9][10]

Writing

In June 2004, Clarkson expressed her intentions to collaborate with co-Idol Fantasia Barrino, who were both at the time expected to record an album.^[11] Clarkson wrote some of the tracks featured in the album with assistance from former Evanescence guitarist Ben Moody. She said, "[The new album] is like the first CD in the sense that it's versatile, but it's more into the rock. It's more into the soulful roots, and it's just a little bit deeper."^[12]

The album's title track was written by Canadian pop-rock singer Avril Lavigne, along with Matthew Gerrard, and Bridget Benenate. Originally, Clarkson recorded "Breakaway" to tide fans over until September 2004 when the supposed lead single of the album would hit the airwaves.^[13]

Chart performance

After spending 61 consecutive weeks in the top 20 of the Billboard 200, Breakaway descended to number 24. It remained in the top 30 for 74 consecutive weeks. It spent 103 weeks on the Billboard 200 (as of November 23, 2006), re-entering the chart (issue date: February 3, 2007) for its 104th week; this was its last eligible week on the chart. As of March 18, 2010 Breakaway reentered the Billboard 200 at position number 169. This was almost 6 years after its initial release. The album also re-entered the Australian ARIA Charts in the week beginning April 19, 2010, at number 100, while in Australia with the All I Ever Wanted Tour.^[20]

With over six million copies sold in the US, Breakaway is the second most successful album by an Idol in the US, only behind Some Hearts by season four winner, Carrie Underwood, which sold over seven million copies. However, with worldwide sales of over 12 million copies, Breakaway is the most successful album by an Idol overall.

Track listing

Credits and personnel

Charts and certifications

References