17 September 10 - 16, 2026 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents 8. “Piece by Piece” While we posit that Clarkson doesn’t have a bad album, “Piece by Piece” is proba- bly the one we run back the least. Granted, the album, which was released in 2015, has a handful bangers, like the Sia-penned “Invin- cible” and the catchy “Heartbeat Song,” it’s still arguably Clarkson’s weakest project. Al- though, even her least memorable album stands tall among those of her peers, by way of strong vocals and memorable standouts. We still hum along when we hear the singles at the grocery store. 7. “Meaning of Life” Very few artists can maintain a career as long as Clarkson, so to be putting out good music over a decade beyond your debut is a worthy feat in and of itself. “Meaning of Life” offers what Clarkson does best — in- fectious pop bops and bangers. From the Muni Long-penned “Love So Soft” to the ca- thartic “I Don’t Think About You,” Clarkson proved she never lost it. The record also saw her dabbling with influences of soul and R&B sounds, and if there’s any voice in pop music that could make the corssover, it’s Clarkson’s. “Meaning of Life” serves as a tes- tament that pop artists can still make some of their best music deep into their catalog. 6. “All I Ever Wanted” Clarkson has an undertstated abillity at pivoting in genres. So, when “All I Ever Wanted” leaned into sugary pop sounds fol- lowing a more rock-forward “My Decem- ber,” fans were thrilled to hear Clarkson relish in pure pop deliciousness. A lead sin- gle with a title like “My Life Would Suck Without You” was bound to catch fire, and with assistance from long-celerbated pop songwriter Max Martin, it felt like a come- back of epic proportions. In addition to Martin, Clarkson had several pop heavy- weights contribute to “All I Ever Wanted,” including Kara Dioguardi and Katy Perry on “I Do Not Hook Up” (which was originally a demo for the latter), and Ryan Tedder on “Already Gone.” And yet, these songs still feel so signature to Clarkson’s catalog. The rock influences aren’t completely aban- doned here, though; check out cuts like “Don’t Let Me Stop You” and “Whyyawann- abringmedown” for that quintessential late 2000s pop-rock sound. 5. “Thankful” One of the few unifying agreements we hold in this country is that Clarkson’s “American Idol” win was one of the only times American voters got it right, and her debut album proved it. Despite the fact that the crative direction for “Thankful” was in the hands of 19 Recordings, Clarkson still shined — her breakthrough single “A Mo- ment Like This” having reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 nearly a year prior to the album’s release. Upon the album’s rollout, “Miss Independent” immediately became a big, anthemic pop song for the summer. Though its follow-up single “Low” didn’t match the success of the previous tracks (you should still go revisit that one, by the way) she came back on top with “The Trou- ble With Love Is,” which also appeared on the “Love Actually” soundtrack — we’ll make the bold claim that her ballad is the best part of that movie. Above all, “Thank- ful” was a sign of a star in the making. 4. “My December” After her first two albums were stacked with radio-ready hits, Clarkson shifted di- rections with her third album, “My Decem- ber.” Having officially moved on from the gleam of “American Idol,” Clarkson knew she needed to showcase her skills as a song- writer. Though “My December” probably has the least amount of obvious hits, early fans probably remember feeling scandalized hearing Clarkson opening its lead single “Never Again” with “I hope when you’re in bed with her, you think of me” — a bold move for someone who had seemend like a modern version of America’s sweetheart. Fans likely don’t think of deep cuts like “Ju- das” or “Sober” as universal Clarkson tracks, but they’re underrated, brilliant moments worth noting in her discography. 3. “Stronger” In the summer of 2011, dozens of demos from what would become Clarkson’s fifth studio album, “Stronger,” leaked onto to the internet. Burning “Let Me Down” and “I For- give You” onto CDs for classmates months before they officially dropped had this then- 17-year-old writer feeling like a tastemaker. By the time the album’s official lead single, “Mr. Know-It-All,” arrived that fall, Clarkson was still delivering on the record’s potential. Though a handful of the leaks still ended up making the album’s final tracklist, including the title track “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You),” the music still proved to be some of the most memorable she ever released. The title track, in particular, served as an empower- ment anthem for the ages that still echoes in music 15 years later. 2. “Breakaway” A sophomore album can make or break an artist’s career. “Breakaway” proved that Clarkson’s breakout was no flash in the pan. The album delivered hit after hit, beginning with its title track, and later with the Gram- my-winning behemoth anthem, “Since U Been Gone.” But in addition to the tracks that still stand tallest in her catalog, fans also got to see a more vulnerable side of her, with “Behind These Hazel Eyes” detailing a har- rowing heartbreak, and “Because of You” of- fering a deeply personal vocal performance in a way we hadn’t been used to from her. In the age of streaming, an album’s era lasting longer than a few months feels like a novelty, but Clarkson kept the hype for “Breakaway” going well over a year after its release, with “Walk Away” becoming one of the biggest songs of 2006. Any artist can only dream of a career-defining record like “Breakaway.” 1. “Chemistry” More than two decades into her career, Clarkson delivered her strongest material in 2023. The album came at the heels of a di- vorce from her late ex-husband, and de- tailed an all too familiar journey: falling in love, and then watching it all burn down. The tumult gave way for some of her sharp- est pen to date, with Clarkson co-writing 12 of the the record’s 14 tracks, which also fea- ture credits from Nick Jonas and Carly Rae Jepsen. While some of her peers have leaned into the legacy act status that comes with the years put in on “Chemistry,” she proved that she still had so much more to say, delivering her strongest vocals and most poignant songwriting to date. Having come to eye-opening realizations on the lead sin- gles “Mine” and “Me,” and celebrating new- found independence on the Sheila E.-assisted “That’s Right,” Clarkson comes full circle. “Chemistry” solidifies that she’s better than she’s ever been. Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Miss Independent Kelly Clarkson has put in the work. Since She’ll Be Gone from p15
