My December

Untitled

My December is the third studio album by Grammy Award-Winning American pop/rock singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson. The album was released on June 22, 2007 in many European Union member states, like Germany, Ireland, Italy, and the Netherlands, June 23,2007 in Australia, June 25, 2007 in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Poland and on June 26, 2007 in the United States and Canada. Clarkson confirmed the name of the album in her journal on her fanclub website on February 27, 2007. Clarkson has stated in interviews that she has written or co-written on every track on the album. Since its release, My December has been certified Gold in the United States and Australia.

Track listing

1. "Never Again" (Clarkson/Messer) - 3:37
2. "One Minute" (Clarkson/Dioguardi/Kreviazuk/Maida) - 3:05
3. "Hole" (Clarkson/Messer/Baker) - 3:02
4. "Sober" (Clarkson/Eubanks/McEntire/Messer) - 4:52
5. "Don't Waste Your Time" (Clarkson/Messer/Pardon/Rinman) - 3:36
6. "Judas" (Clarkson/Messer/Baker) - 3:37
7. "Haunted" (Clarkson/Messer/Halbert) - 3:19
8. "Be Still" (Clarkson/Eubanks) - 3:25
9. "Maybe" (Clarkson/Messer/Eubanks) - 4:23
10. "How I Feel" (Clarkson/Messer/Baker/Kahne) - 3:41
11. "Yeah" (Clarkson/Messer/Pardon/Rinman) - 2:43
12. "Can I Have a Kiss" (Clarkson/Messer/Baker) - 3:32
13. "Irvine/Chivas [Hidden Track]" (Clarkson/Eubanks) - 8:47

iTunes Bonus Tracks

14. "Dirty Little Secret" (Clarkson/Messer) - 3:34
15. "Never Again" (Dave Aude Radio Remix) (Clarkson/Messer) - 4:11
16. "Never Again" (Dave Aude Club Mix) (Clarkson/Messer) - 7:55
17. "Not Today" [Pre-Order Only] (Clarkson/Kahne/Messer) - 3:30

NOTE: When the preorder for the album originally appeared on iTunes, there was an offer through Ticketmaster for preferred seating to Clarkson's upcoming tour. However, the "My December Tour" was canceled and the Ticketmaster offer was removed from the iTunes preorder on June 14, 2007.

Japanese Release Bonus Track

• "Fading" (Clarkson/Pardon/Rinman/Kahne) - 2:52

Note: The version with this song on it will be released on July 25, 2007.

Release date

The North American release date has been confirmed as June 26, 2007. In numerous interviews and press releases, the release date for My December was stated as July 24, having been delayed many times. Clarkson stated on Jimmy Kimmel Live that My December would be released on June 26 so that her fans could learn the songs before the tour started, as the original release date did not make sense.

On June 12, the album was put up for pre-order on iTunes with an offer from Ticketmaster for preferred seating to her upcoming tour. The Ticketmaster offer has since been removed due to the cancellation of the tour; however, the album was still available for pre-order.

On June 26 at 12:00 AM EST, the standard edition of My December was released on iTunes.

Behind the album

Story

Clarkson began writing and composing songs for My December during her international Breakaway World Tour. In an interview, Clarkson was quoted:

"Everything caught up with me in a bad way. My body was wearing down, and my emotions were wearing down. I was trying to get over someone. I hadn't seen my friends and family for awhile, and it was becoming a nuisance [to see them] because I was so busy. I was traveling, and then there was more added to the schedule. It just got chaotic. I was 24, and that is pretty young to be the boss of so much. And it caught up with me. I couldn't smile. I couldn't do anything. I broke down. I cried so much I couldn't speak. I was that tired. I was drained. I didn't want to act, didn't want to smile -- I didn't want to pretend. I just broke. ... It was the lowest point of my life and my career."

During this period, Clarkson would write songs that would eventually become part of her album, My December, calling it "free therapy". These feelings inspired the song "Irvine", telling of when she was in Irvine, California.

"All of my favorite records - Jagged Little Pill, any U2 record, Tragic Kingdom - I love how it's like a story from beginning to finish. Especially Jagged Little Pill. The last song on My December, "Irvine", it literally was the lowest point I've had in my life. I wrote it after my Irvine show on my last tour. I was just so burned-out. I was really struggling at getting somebody out of my life and finding people that really cared. The whole song is a prayer. I wrote it in the bathroom of the venue after the show. I had to cancel my meet-and-greet; it's the only meet-and-greet I've ever canceled. I couldn't smile. It was just a really, really bad night."

Conflict with record label

Prior to the album's release, sources reported that Clive Davis, the head of Sony-BMG, was dissatisfied with the album. Davis reportedly wanted Clarkson to make significant changes to the album, with some rumors claming that he even wanted to scrap the entire album, and have her record all new material. Clarkson reportedly refused to change any of the material. Initially, these reports were denied by representatives for both RCA and Clive Davis, with Davis specifically stating that Clarkson is "one of the top four artists at Sony-BMG" and wanted to ensure that she is treated as such.

However, Clarkson later confirmed the rumors to be true. Not only did she state that Davis wanted to hold the album from being released as scheduled, she also stated that her label thought the album was "too negative" and dark. Clarkson has stated multiple times that she recognizes that My December may not rival the showstopping sales of Breakaway. However, she compares it to Bruce Springsteen's landmark 1982 album Nebraska, which was explicitly anti-commerical but has since gained a huge reputation of, as she said, "an artist's record". Clarkson stated:

"I've sold more than 15 million records worldwide, and still nobody listens to what I have to say. I could give a crap about being a star. I've always just wanted to sing and write."

Idol judge, Simon Cowell, commented on the situation in issue of Entertainment Weekly, saying:

"Kelly is not a puppet; she does not like to be told what to do. She could have gone the easy route, which is, you go with ["Since U Been Gone" producer] Max Martin - it's a guaranteed success. She made it absolutely clear that she wanted to steer the musical direction on this record. You just gotta say, 'You know what? This girl has given us millions and millions of sales.' You've got to give her that opportunity. If it works out, fantastic. If she then decides she wants to do a pop album, every good writer and producer wants to work with her. Because Kelly will be here for 30 years. She has one of the best pop voices in the world right now. What she sold in the U.K., Europe, Asia had nothing to do with American Idol. It had everything to do with the fact that she made a great record and she's got an incredible voice. She's not a girl who got lucky in a talent competition; we got lucky to find her."

The controversy fell quiet for a brief stint, but resumed when Clarkson cancelled her tour for My December and fired her manager, Jeff Kwatinetz. Interestingly, Jeff Kwatinetz had defended My December to Clarkson's label, saying:

"It's an amazing record from beginning to end. I see Kelly as a songwriter who's going to have a 30-year career. If the record doesn't do what the last album does, if it doesn’t sell 5.7 million in the U.S. and have four No. 1 hits, then it’s a failure? No. It’s ridiculous that she’s burdened with these expectations. This record is already a success because she’s pushed herself, she’s evolved and she’s grown. And I hope she keeps doing that."

Narvel Blackstock, Reba McEntire's husband, has since been hired by Kelly as her personal manager. In regards to her cancelled tour, disappointing ticket sales were acknowledged as a factor, and Clarkson stated that it [touring] was "too much too soon". There is currently no planned date for when the postponed tour will occur.

Following the dismissal of her manager and cancelling her tour, Clarkson appeared in an issue of Elle Magazine, where it was revealed that Davis offered Clarkson $10 million dollars to remove five songs from the album in favor of five more radio friendly songs of Davis' choosing - including "Black Hole" which appeared on Lindsay Lohan's album, A Little More Personal (Raw). Clarkson refused the offer, and stated that:

"I am a good singer, so I can't possibly be a good writer. Women can't possibly be good at two things. I haven't lost my temper about it. It only drives me more. If your thing is to bring me down, cool. I'll just work harder."

Reba McEntire responded to the situation in the same issue, praising Clarkson:

"Back in the day, female artists were told to perform and then go sit in the corner. Thank God for people like Dolly Parton who took charge. Kelly is the same way. She knows what she wants. She's had a rough go of it in the music business. People think she just won Idol and everything else was easy. Not so. She's had to fight."

Further articles displaying Clarkson "downplaying" her label were written. In an edition of USA Weekend, Clarkson stated:

"I'm going to be real honest with you: I am not a fan. I do respect him [Clive Davis], but I don't want to barbecue with him. We don't braid each other's hair. And despite the rumors, he is nowhere near a father figure."

Although American Idol judge Simon Cowell had sided with Clarkson earlier, it seemed he begun to grow sick of the controversy as he was quoted saying,

"Kiss and make up, decide what's best, get on with it! Clive Davis, at 80, is better than 99 per cent of the people in the music business in their 20s, 30s and 40. And he's not 80, he's less than 80. Kelly is one of the best and she always will be, but Clive is the boss of the record company. It's his job to advise."

A few weeks after the release of My December, Clarkson publicly stated that all of the controversy regarding her "feud" with her label has been "blown way out of proportion". In a statement on her website, Clarkson stated:

"There has been quite a bit of controversy surrounding the release of "My December," much of which has focused on a supposed feud with my record label, in particular, Clive Davis. I want to set the record straight on this by saying that I want my band, my advisors, those close to me and my record label to be one big, tightly knit family. Like any family we will disagree and argue sometimes but, in the end, it's respect and admiration that will keep us together. A lot has been made in the press about my relationship with Clive. Much of this has been blown way out of proportion and taken out of context. Contrary to recent characterizations in the press, I'm well aware that Clive is one of the great record men of all time. He has been a key advisor and has been an important force in my success to date. He has also given me respect by releasing my new album when he was not obligated to do so. I really regret how this has turned out and I apologize to those whom I have done disservice. I would never intentionally hurt anyone. I love music, and I love the people I am blessed to work with. I am happy that my team is behind me and I look forward to the future."

At an awards ceremony, Clive Davis answered reporters' questions and regarded Clarkson's public statement.

"Kelly's been an ... important artist from the very beginning, so I'm delighted to take her back on track, and we'll be gettin' to work on her next album real soon."

Sources have reported that Clarkson has agreed to make a pop album to be released in 2008 with songs selected by Davis and his team.

Idol controversy

Some felt that Clarkson was shunned by Davis during his appearance on the finale show of American Idol season 6, when he proceeded to promote other Idol contestant's current singles or albums, but failed to mention Clarkson's upcoming My December album, or its first single, "Never Again", and furthermore went out of his way to praise professional songwriters such as those who had written "Breakaway" and "Since U Been Gone". He did, however, briefly mention that Clarkson had sold over 14 million albums worldwide to date, when discussing the current state of Idol sales.

In addition, she claims that she was pressured by the label to sing "Never Again" at the charity event Idol Gives Back to promote the song, saying,

"My label wanted me to sing 'Never Again,' and I was like, to promote yourself on a charity event is beyond crass. People are starving and dying and I'm up there singing some bitter pop song? And believe me, everyone wanted me to sing it. Because they are jaded and they have no soul. Imagine sitting in a room full of people totally against you. Can't they hear themselves speaking? Capitalize on AIDS? Are you kidding? Insulting an entire nation of people? I just refused."

Instead, Clarkson sang Patty Griffin's "Up to the Mountain (MLK Song)" at the Idol Gives Back special, and saved "Never Again" for her appearance on the season finale show.

Critical and commercial reaction

The first single, "Never Again", was released on April 13 in the U.S., and despite debuting in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 thanks to strong digital sales, it never achieved substantial airplay and was pulled from many stations only a couple of weeks following its release.

Many fans reacted positively to the preview of the album. On sites like Clarkson's official website, AOL, iTunes and Rolling Stone, customer reviews currently average 4 out of 5 stars.

In spite of all the controversy surrounding "My December", the album has garnered fairly positive reviews from professionals and critics as well.

Slant Magazine reviewed My December mostly positive, with the album receiving a 3.5/5 star review, equivalent to the score given to Breakaway. An excerpt from the review, in response to the disappointing performance of "Never Again", reads, "But who cares about hits—or appeasing the kids—when the songs are this good?"

The Times writes: "Clarkson has the moxie to rock without worrying about what anybody else thinks... Her gift is finding the source of vitality in absolute mainstream, people-pleasing pop, which by its nature breaks stylistic rules in favor of magpie mash-ups, bold appropriations and happy accidents."

All Music Guide, however, gave a more lukewarm review, giving it 3/5 stars, saying "It's what Kelly wanted to do, so on that level it's a success, and one that listeners who share her viewpoint (and quite likely her age) will respond to but for everybody else, My December is a disappointment." Commenting on Clarkson's feud with the record label, they also claim, "My December proves that both camps were correct: Davis is correct that there are no big crossover hits here, yet it's also true that this is an artistic move that Clarkson needed to make. If left up to Davis, she would simply be another vocalist singing professional product."

Rolling Stone, giving a similar lukewarm review, writes, "Clarkson clobbers you over the head with her emotions and arena-ready choruses. The result is a record that's bland in some spots and annoying in others." However, Rolling Stone praised the album for tracks such as "How I Feel", "Irvine" and "Yeah", noting that Clarkson may have another "'Since U Been Gone' in her yet".

It has been suggested that so much controversy could hinder the sales of Clarkson's new album. M. Tye Corner of AOL music says that so much controversy could "affect sales a bit in the first few weeks and when the record comes out," but he thinks that Clarkson will still "come out on the top."

The album scored 62/100 on MetaCritic indicating generally positive reviews, which is on par with the 62/100 score of her debut album Thankful.

Chart performance

My December, in its debut, not only was one of the best selling albums of the week, but sold faster than Clarkson's previous album, Breakaway (which peaked at #3). The album debuted at #2 in the U.S. with sales of approximately 291,000 copies - a mere 6,000 copies less than Clarkson's debut hit Thankful sold in its first week. It came behind Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus, which sold about 326,000 copies that week.

The album debuted at #2 in the U.K., eventually falling to #9 in its second week, and #20 in its third week.

The album debuted at #1 on the United World Chart, moving approximately 390,000 copies worldwide .

International sales and certifications

Country/Market	ref	Peak position	Certification
Australia		4	Gold
Austria		8	-
Belgium		24	-
Brazil		8	-
Canada		1	-
Czech Republic		42	-
Denmark		17	-
Estonia		26	-
Finland		19	-
France		180	-
Germany		5	-
Greece International Album Chart		2	-
Greece Whole Album Chart		16	-
Ireland		2	-
Mexico		27	-
Mexico International Album Chart		13	-
Netherlands		7	-
New Zealand		8	-
Poland		51	-
Sweden		38	-
Switzerland		5	-
Taiwan G-music		9	-
Taiwan 5-music		7	-
U.K.		2	-
United States		2	Gold
United World Chart		1	Gold

United World Chart

A chart displaying the performance of My December on the United World Chart is shown below:

Week #	Position	Week Sales	+/-	Cumulative Sales
1	1	390,000	100%	390,000
2	4	178,000	54%	568,000
3	10	112,000	37%	680,000
4	14	87,000	22%	767,000

Note: The +/- column indicates the percentage increase or decrease of per week sales, not cumulative sales.

Billboard Top 200 Chart

A chart displaying the performance of My December on the U.S. Billboard Top 200 is shown below:

Week #	Position	Week Sales	+/-	Cumulative Sales
1	2	291,000	100%	291,000
2	3	113,000	61%	404,000
3	5	59,000	48%	463,000
4	11	41,000	31%	505,000

Note: The +/- column indicates the percentage increase or decrease of per week sales, not cumulative sales.

Singles

"Never Again" is the first single off My December. Its release was announced on her website on April 4, 2007. The track hit the airwaves on April 13, being officially debuted by Clarkson herself on Los Angeles based 102.7 KIIS-FM's radio show "On-Air with Ryan Seacrest." The video was shot in Los Angeles between April 10 and 13. The video premiered on TRL on May 1, and has since hit number one on the countdown four times.

In her official fan club, Clarkson stated that "Sober" would be the next single and officially hit airwaves on July 10.

It seems that "How I Feel" is the front runner for the third single, as Kelly has performed this on promotional appearances including The Early Show, Good Morning America, Nissan Live Sets on Yahoo, The Sauce (Fuse TV Series), and Live Earth. Clarkson has stated that "One Minute" will most likely be a single from the album, in an interview on May 12 on VH1 V-Spot. She has also mentioned that "Can I Have a Kiss" might be a single due to its great reception. She stated on radio station KRBE in Houston that she would like to release "Judas" as a single, but does not know what the public reaction would be as the song is 'very personal'.

Year	Single	Peak positions
		U.S. Hot 100	U.S. Pop	CAN Hot 100	AUS Singles	UWC	UK
2007	"Never Again"	8	5	8	5	19	9
	"Sober"	110	93

My December Tour

Clarkson announced on her website that the My December Tour would start on July 11, 2007 in Portland, Oregon. The tour had 37 dates across the U.S. and Canada. Mat Kearney was scheduled to open for her and another possible special guest may have accompanied her.

However, on June 14, 2007, the tour was canceled. Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino released a statement:

"Ticket sales have not been what we anticipated and we came to the realization that we had bit off more than we could chew. In the end, we are in the Kelly Clarkson business and for that reason we believe that this decision will only benefit her and her fans in the long run."

Clarkson stated on her official website that the tour was just too much for her at the moment, and that she would make sure to tour as soon as "humanly" possible. Clarkson also went on to state that she very much wanted to tour this summer in support of her album, but that it was just "too much, too soon".

In recent interviews, Clarkson stated that she plans to tour this fall, starting in Australia with numerous gigs held in various cities in Australia.