Breakaway
by Kelly Clarkson

Adele recently put out a pop album that received raves from critics, extraordinary sales numbers, and a countless number of awards. This was due to her incredible voice, emotionally written lyrics, and flat out enjoyable music. A few years prior, the album that fit the exact description above was this album right here. It won multiple Grammys, stayed in the top ten for two years, and was critically acclaimed. It has an enjoyable rock sound, emotionally powerful ballads, and a beautiful female voice to drive it all. Check most websites' lists of the best songs of the 2000s, and you'll likely see Since U Been Gone in the top 20, 10, or 5. I'll actually do one better and say that this album even tops Adele's stunning piece of work. Since U Been Gone has a better rock sound than Rolling In The Deep, Because Of You is more emotionally painful than Someone Like You, and Addicted is more outright powerfully passionate than Set Fire To The Rain. I make this comparison because like 21, Breakaway is one of the rare albums that fits in the center of the Venn Diagram of albums that are seriously accredited for their artistry, and albums that are commercially friendly. This is one of the three or four best pop albums of the last ten years for this exact reason. Ask any other pop vocalist around right now to sing like this, this sweetly, this emotionally poignant, or this powerfully, and very few of them will come even close. Add that on top of a great pop / rock sound, and beautiful ballads, and you've got something that will be remembered for a long time.

From Applerill TOP 100 COMMENTER 06/16/2010 09:14 | #11147 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

When I first listened to this album in my aunt's car back in 2005, it absolutely blew my mind. It had the familiarity of Radio Disney, yet, at the same time, it had an incredibly dark atmosphere that made it glow, not unlike The Cure's Disintegration. Obviously, five years later, I've listened to many better albums, but Kelly Clarkson's sophomore album still holds a place in my heart.

I was ten, when Breakaway was huge, so this could just be my nostalgia. I really loved the singles back then (I mean, as much as a boy can love music) and discovered later, that the rest of the album is pretty much on the same level. It just hits the right tone for me.

I was 11 when this came out and didn't really have very much musical taste. This one really meant and continues to mean a lot to me as one of the first albums where I truly fell in love with every track. Say what you will about pop music but this is a power house.

From ffudnebbuh TOP 100 COMMENTER 10/02/2009 19:45 | #6560 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

"since you been gone" is great pop...love it