Maps of Music

Meaning of Life (2017)

Where the lyrics of Meaning of Life take you, and where it was really made.

Clarkson had wanted to make a soul and R&B album since junior high, and this eighth studio album finally became that record.

Key places

Glenwood Place Studios, Burbank (2017)

Recording site The Enterprise (Burbank) — The release credits list Glenwood Place Studios as a recording location for the album. The point marks the city centre of Burbank, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Mick Schultz Studios, Tarzana (2017)

Recording site Can-Am Studios — The release credits list Mick Schultz Studios in Tarzana, California as a recording location. The point marks the city centre of Tarzana, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

MilkBoy the Studio, Philadelphia (2017)

Recording site Milkboy Studios — The release credits list Milkboy Studios as a recording location. The point marks the studio's own building in Philadelphia. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Mac and Milo's Den, Venice Beach (2017)

Recording site Mac and Milo's Den — The release credits list Mac and Milo's Den as a recording location. The point marks the city centre of Venice Beach, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

A Studio, Los Angeles (2017)

Recording site Electro-Vox Studios — The release credits list A Studio in Los Angeles as a recording location. The point marks the studio's own building in Los Angeles. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Capitol Studios, Los Angeles (2017)

Recording site Capitol Studios — The release credits list Capitol Studios as a recording location. The point marks the studio's own building in Los Angeles. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

RCA Studio A, Nashville (2017)

Recording site RCA Studio B — The release credits list RCA Studio A in Nashville as a recording location. The point marks the studio's own building in Nashville. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Meaning of Life: eighth studio album by American pop singer Kelly Clarkson
• Released 27 October 2017 by Atlantic Records, her first release for the label
• Executive produced by Clarkson and Craig Kallman
• Clarkson's first documented soul and R&B album, departing from her pop and pop rock sound
• Album tracks share a theme of interpersonal connection, centred on love and living in the moment

Background

• Released after Clarkson completed her recording contract with RCA Records
• RCA contract had followed her win on the first season of American Idol
• Clarkson had wanted to record soul and R&B for a long time but had never found the chance
• Warner Music Group announced on 24 June 2016 that she had signed a long-term worldwide deal with Atlantic
• Originally scheduled for June 2017, the release was pushed back to fall

Recording

• Recording sessions began after Clarkson's 2016 pregnancy and continued until 2017
• Producers from Piece by Piece returned: Greg Kurstin, Jason Halbert and Jesse Shatkin
• Kallman personally invited Earth, Wind & Fire to perform on the album's two tracks
• Touring backup singers were given a more prominent role by accompanying her lead vocals
• Recorded in several studios across Burbank, Tarzana, Los Angeles, Nashville, Philadelphia and Venice Beach

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com · es.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• Born Kelly Brianne Clarkson on April 24, 1982, in Fort Worth, Texas, and raised in Burleson, Texas.
• Won the first season of American Idol in 2002 and signed with RCA Records.
• Debut single "A Moment Like This" became the best-selling single of 2002 in the United States.
• Debut album Thankful (2003) debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
• Breakaway (2004) became her most commercially successful album and one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century.
• Singles "Since U Been Gone" and "Because of You" achieved major chart success; "Because of You" became her biggest single worldwide.
• Stronger (2011) won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2013 ceremony.
• Wrapped in Red (2013) became the best-selling holiday album of the year.
• Signed with Atlantic Records in 2015 and released Meaning of Life (2017), When Christmas Comes Around... (2021), and Chemistry (2023).
• Coached The Voice for multiple seasons and hosted The Kelly Clarkson Show from 2019.
• Has sold over 82 million records worldwide and received three Grammy Awards.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Critics gave the album a generally positive response, commending Clarkson's newfound confidence and the cohesiveness of the record
• Metacritic: average score of 73 from eight reviews, indicating generally favorable reviews
• AllMusic: senior editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album a four-star rating
• Newsday: Glenn Gamboa gave a four-star rating and called it the best album of Clarkson's career
• Entertainment Weekly: Leah Greenblatt gave the album a B+
• The Guardian: Hannah Davis gave three stars, writing that the album had lots of filler
• Spin: Katherine St. Asaph wrote that much of the album feels dated

Records

• Billboard 200 debut at number two with 79,000 album-equivalent units, 68,000 of them traditional album sales
• Eighth consecutive studio album to debut in the top three of the Billboard 200
• Entered the top ten of the Billboard Canadian Albums chart and the Australian ARIA Albums Chart
• Top twenty debut on the Official UK Albums Chart
• RIAA Gold certification in 2021 for 500,000 equivalent units in the US
• Two Grammy nominations: Best Pop Vocal Album at the 61st ceremony and Best Pop Solo Performance for Love So Soft at the 60th
• Love So Soft topped the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Clarkson was credited as an executive producer for the first time in ten years, with Kallman handling A&R himself.
• The title track was first offered to Clarkson for Piece by Piece, but she felt its theme was unsuitable at that time.
• Clarkson drew the album logo as a circle to stress the theme of connection, indicating that no one is at the centre of it.
• Members of Earth, Wind & Fire, led by Verdine White, played prominently on Whole Lotta Woman.
• Clarkson said the album was the one she had wanted to make since junior high.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Maps of Ages ↗ (mapsofages.com)

Privacy · Contact