Thankful | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 15, 2003 | |||
Recorded | 2002–2003 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 45:31 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | ||||
Kelly Clarkson chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Thankful | ||||
|
Thankful is the debut studio album by American singer Kelly Clarkson, released in the United States by RCA Records on April 15, 2003. "Miss Independent" was its first single, followed by "Low" and "The Trouble with Love Is". Initially, the album had been scheduled to be released in November 2002, however, Clarkson's demanding schedule and difficulty finding tracks that suited her taste and image forced the album to be delayed several times. [3] By the time the album was released, over six months had elapsed since "A Moment Like This" had reached number one.
The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 selling 297,000 copies. "Miss Independent" went on to be a top ten hit in the United States. Thankful has sold 2,800,000 copies in the United States, receiving a 2× platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). [4] In Canada, Thankful was certified platinum for 100,000 copies shipped by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA). [5]
Two songs originally on the album, "Trace of Gold" and "Today for Me", written by Stephanie Saraco, were replaced just before the album release by "Anytime" and "A Moment Like This". Early released versions of the CD still show the original tracks on players that read the data from the CD itself (such as Windows Media Player). The two songs have yet to be heard by the general public. Copies of Thankful sold during its first year of release contained a computer program that could be loaded, and used with the internet for artist updates and music videos. The program ceased to function when her official RCA website was launched. Thankful included four cover tracks, "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" originally by Aretha Franklin, "Some Kind of Miracle" originally sung by Puff Johnson, "Anytime" by Mary Griffin and "Just Missed the Train" by Trine Rein. "Just Missed the Train" was previously covered by Danielle Brisebois and Carly Smithson (then Carly Hennessy), who worked on much of her album with Brisebois.
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 62/100 [6] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
E! Online | B [7] |
Entertainment Weekly | B+ [8] |
The Guardian | [9] |
Q | [7] |
Rolling Stone | [10] |
Slant Magazine | [11] |
USA Today | [12] |
Critical response for Thankful was generally positive. On Metacritic, a website that compiles various reviews, the album received a score of 62, indicating generally favorable reviews. [7] Entertainment Weekly noted that "Clarkson glides through octaves with the masterful control of someone who's been doing this for decades". [8] Rolling Stone gave the album three out of five stars, praising Clarkson's talent and vocal abilities, while criticizing the album for feeling manufactured. They note that "[her] high notes are sweet and pillowy, her growl is bone-shaking and sexy, and her midrange is amazingly confident for a pop posy whose career is tied for eternity to the whims of her American Idol overlords". [10]
On the other hand, Q gave the album a very negative review, stating that the album "has her trilling like Mariah Carey on fluffy R&B tunes." [7]
Release of the album was preceded by the single "Miss Independent", which became a top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit and a number one top 40 smash. In thanks to the success of the single, as well as buzz from her American Idol win (Clarkson also appeared several times on the show's second season to promote Thankful), the album sold well in the United States. It managed to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 with 297,000 copies sold. The album sold over 1 million copies in six weeks. [13] According to Nielsen SoundScan, Thankful has sold 2,800,000 copies to date in the US. [4] Further single releases "Low" and "The Trouble with Love Is" did not replicate the success of the first single. "Just Missed the Train" and "You Thought Wrong" had been planned for possible single releases, but after the underperformance of "Low" and "The Trouble with Love Is", they were canceled. [14]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Trouble with Love Is" |
| 3:41 | |
2. | "Miss Independent" |
| Lawrence | 3:34 |
3. | "Low" | Jimmy Harry | Clif Magness | 3:28 |
4. | "Some Kind of Miracle" | Diane Warren |
| 3:38 |
5. | "What's Up Lonely" |
|
| 4:08 |
6. | "Just Missed the Train" | Magness | 4:10 | |
7. | "Beautiful Disaster" | Wilder | 4:10 | |
8. | "You Thought Wrong" (featuring Tamyra Gray) |
| 3:50 | |
9. | "Thankful" |
|
| 3:00 |
10. | "Anytime" |
| 4:05 | |
11. | "A Moment Like This" (new mix – bonus track) |
| 3:48 | |
12. | "Before Your Love" (new mix – bonus track) |
| 3:59 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
13. | "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" | 2:36 |
Musicians
Strings (Tracks 1 & 5)
Strings and French horn on "Before Your Love"
| Production
Technical
|
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [25] | Gold | 35,000^ |
Canada (Music Canada) [26] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Japan (RIAJ) [27] | Gold | 100,000^ |
Norway (IFPI Norway) [28] | Gold | 20,000* |
United Kingdom (BPI) [29] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [30] | 2× Platinum | 2,800,000 [4] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Label | Format |
---|---|---|---|
Canada [31] | April 15, 2003 | Sony BMG | CD |
United States | |||
Europe | July 7, 2003 | Sony BMG | |
Japan [32] | July 23, 2003 | ||
Australia | September 15, 2003 | ||
Brazil | December 18, 2006 |
The Long Road is the fourth studio album by Canadian rock band Nickelback, released on September 23, 2003. Recorded at the famed Greenhouse Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, it is the band's final album with Ryan Vikedal as drummer, and features a notable change in style towards more aggressive guitar riffs and the inclusion of double bass drumming. The album is the first collaboration with producer Joey Moi; who engineered their previous album Silver Side Up and would produce the band's next three albums.
Breakaway is the second studio album by American pop singer Kelly Clarkson, released on November 30, 2004, by RCA Records. The album is the follow-up to her successful debut album, Thankful (2003). Breakaway sees Clarkson collaborating with various producers and songwriters for the first time, primarily Dr. Luke, Max Martin, John Shanks, Kara DioGuardi, Ben Moody, and David Hodges; the latter two are former members of American rock band Evanescence. Despite the established commercial success of Thankful, music critics still continued to typecast Clarkson as an American Idol winner and were also critical of her attempts of establishing a commercial appeal on her own. Wanting to stray from those, she was convinced by Davis to work with Dr. Luke and Martin in Stockholm, and with Moody and Hodges in Los Angeles, in pursuit of a pop rock direction. This also led her to part ways with her manager Simon Fuller and hire the management services of Jeff Kwatinetz before the album's release. Breakaway is primarily a pop rock record with elements of rock and soul music, marking a departure from the R&B-oriented sound of Thankful; its lyrics explore themes of heartbreak, love, and escapism.
8 Mile: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture is the official soundtrack album to the 2002 film of the same name. The album, performed by various artists, was released by Universal Pictures' then subsidiary Universal Music, through Interscope and Shady/Aftermath. It spawned the hit single "Lose Yourself" by Eminem, who also stars in the semi-autobiographical movie.
"Miss Independent" is a song by American singer Kelly Clarkson from her debut studio album, Thankful (2003). Written by Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Rhett Lawrence, and Matt Morris, with Lawrence serving as producer, it was released as the album's lead single by RCA Records on April 10, 2003, preceding its release by five days. The track was initially intended for Aguilera's fourth album, Stripped (2002), but was left half-finished. Lawrence later continued writing the song with Clarkson, who eventually recorded it.
"Low" is a song by American singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson from her debut album, Thankful (2003). The song was written by Jimmy Harry and produced by Clif Magness. It was released as the album's second official single, on August 3, 2003, while it was also released as a double A-side single with "The Trouble with Love Is" in the United Kingdom. This release reached only number 35, but "Low" was more successful in Australia and Canada, reaching numbers 11 and two, respectively, while also peaking at number 58 in the United States. The song received favorable reviews from music critics who complimented her vocals and the song's lyrics. On March 5, 2013, Billboard ranked the song at number 90 in its list of "Top 100 American Idol Hits of All Time".
"A Moment Like This" is the debut single by American singer Kelly Clarkson. The song was written by Jörgen Elofsson and John Reid from British house music project Nightcrawlers and produced by Stephen Ferrera and Steve Mac. It was released as a double A-side with "Before Your Love" as her coronation single after winning the first season of American Idol. The song was later included on her debut studio album, Thankful (2003). "A Moment Like This" was a huge hit in North America, topping the US Billboard Hot 100 and Canadian Singles Chart.
Under Construction is the fourth studio album by American rapper Missy Elliott, released by The Goldmind Inc. and Elektra Records on November 12, 2002, in the United States. The album was primarily produced by Timbaland, with additional production by Craig Brockman, Nisan Stewart, Errol "Poppi" McCalla and Elliott herself.
This Is Not a Test! is the fifth studio album by American rapper Missy Elliott, released by The Goldmind Inc. and Elektra Records on November 25, 2003, in the United States. It was primarily produced by Timbaland, with additional production from Craig Brockman, Nisan Stewart and Elliott herself.
No More Drama is the fifth studio album by American singer Mary J. Blige, released on August 28, 2001, by MCA Records.
The R. in R&B Collection, Vol. 1 is the first compilation album released by American R&B singer R. Kelly. The album has sold more than 3 million copies in the United States and 907,680 copies in United Kingdom.
All the Right Reasons is the fifth studio album by Canadian rock band Nickelback, released on October 4, 2005, on Roadrunner Records. It is the band's first album with former 3 Doors Down drummer Daniel Adair, who replaced Ryan Vikedal in January 2005. The album topped the Canadian Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200 albums chart and has sold 11 million copies worldwide. It is Nickelback's best-selling album to date, according to certifications from the MC, the RIAA, the BPI, and the ARIA. Seven singles were released from the album. The album re-entered the Finland Albums Chart in 2010, setting a new peak position at number 21.
The Senior is the fourth studio album by American singer Ginuwine. It was released in the United States on April 8, 2003, via Epic Records. The album was primarily produced by Bryan-Michael Cox, with additional production from Scott Storch, R. Kelly, Brandon Howard and Joe Little III. The album debuted at No. 6 on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 122,000 copies and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The Senior was supported with the release of three singles, with all of them appearing on the Billboard Hot 100: "Hell Yeah" peaking at No. 17, "In Those Jeans" peaking at No. 8, and "Love You More" peaking at No. 78.
American singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson has released ten studio albums, eight extended plays, one compilation album, one remix album, and 56 singles. In 2002, she won the inaugural season of the television competition American Idol and was immediately signed to a recording deal with 19 Recordings, and RCA Records. She made her chart debut in September 2002 with the double A-side single "Before Your Love"/"A Moment Like This", latter of which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart and eventually became the year's best-selling single in the United States. Her debut album, Thankful, was released in April 2003 and entered the US Billboard 200 chart at number one. Thankful produced the hit lead single "Miss Independent" and was certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Twisted Angel is the fifth studio album by American country pop artist LeAnn Rimes, released in the United States on October 1, 2002 by Curb Records. After a legal battle with the label and her father regarding money, she re-signed with the label. Rimes began recording of the album in 1999. It is her first album that her father, Wilbur C. Rimes, did not produce; in fact, Rimes herself was an executive producer for the album. Unlike the country albums that made her famous, Twisted Angel is a pop album with influences of hip hop,techno, and rock; it was Rimes' attempt at a pop crossover album in the vain of Faith Hill's Cry (2002). Rimes co-produced the record with Desmond Child, Peter Amato, and Gregg Pagani. She described the album as an exploration of more adult sounds and themes. Rimes co-wrote four of the 13 tracks included.
My December is the third studio album by American singer Kelly Clarkson. The album was released on June 22, 2007, through RCA Records. Clarkson confirmed the name of the album in her journal on her fanclub website on February 27, 2007.
American singer-songwriter Michelle Branch has released five studio albums, one video album, two extended plays, and twelve singles. She released her debut album, Broken Bracelet, through the independent label imprint Twin Dragon Records in 2000 before signing a recording contract with Maverick Records the following year. In August 2001, Branch released her second studio album and major-label debut, The Spirit Room. It peaked at number twenty-eight on the Billboard 200 and featured three Top 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, including the top 10 hit "All You Wanted" and her debut single, "Everywhere", which entered the top 20 of multiple international record charts. The album has been certified 2× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over two million copies in the United States. Branch has sold 3 million certified copies of her albums in the United States.
Jordin Sparks is the debut album by the American pop and R&B singer Jordin Sparks, released on November 20, 2007, in the United States, and November 27, 2007, in Canada. In the United States, it debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200 with sales of 119,000 copies in the first week. It contains four top twenty singles, with "Tattoo" reaching number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100, and "No Air" reaching number three. The album has sold over 3 million copies worldwide and is her best-selling album. Sparks supported the album with the As I Am Tour and Jesse & Jordin LIVE Tour. The album was certified Platinum for sales in excess of 1,000,000 by the RIAA in the US on December 12, 2008.
All I Ever Wanted is the fourth studio album by American singer Kelly Clarkson, released on March 6, 2009, by RCA Records. After the controversies that surrounded her previous studio album, My December (2007), which was seen as much darker than her two previous albums, Clarkson went on to record a more pop-oriented album. In order to do so, she enlisted her previous collaborators Max Martin, Dr. Luke,, Sam Watters and Louis Biancaniello, and new collaborators, Ryan Tedder, Howard Benson and Dre & Vidal.
Stronger is the fifth studio album by American singer Kelly Clarkson, released on October 21, 2011, by RCA Records. The thirteen-song track-list features Clarkson collaborating with various new producers as well as with Howard Benson, whom she collaborated with on her previous album, All I Ever Wanted (2009). Wanting to stray away sonically from her previous albums, Clarkson's main objective was to record her vocal performances as it is heard in her live sets, and used as little auto-tune processing as possible. The album also marked the first release by Clarkson that did not cause a conflict with RCA; her previous records, most notably My December (2007), were released amidst conflict and controversy.
Greatest Hits – Chapter One is the first greatest hits album by American singer Kelly Clarkson, released on November 16, 2012, by RCA Records. It contains material from Clarkson's first five studio albums: Thankful (2003), Breakaway (2004), My December (2007), All I Ever Wanted (2009), and Stronger (2011). Its three newly recorded songs, "Catch My Breath", "Don't Rush", and "People Like Us", served as singles; contributions to their production came from Sound Kollectiv, Greg Kurstin, and Dann Huff.