Maps of Music

Thankful (2003)

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

Clarkson's debut opened at number one in the US with 297,000 copies in its first week, yet critics called it overproduced and tied to American Idol.

Key places

The Loft in Bronxville (2003)

Recording site Loft Recording Studios (Bronxville, NY) — The album credits list The Loft Recording Studios among the places where the album was recorded. The point is placed at the town center of Bronxville. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

The Hit Factory in New York (2003)

Recording site Record Plant Studios — The album credits list The Hit Factory among the studios where it was recorded. The point is placed at the center of New York City. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Record Plant in Los Angeles (2003)

Recording site Record Plant (Los Angeles) — The album credits list Record Plant, Los Angeles among the recording locations. The point is placed at the studio's address on North Sycamore Avenue. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

The Enterprise in Burbank (2003)

Recording site The Enterprise (Burbank) — The album credits list The Enterprise among its recording studios. The point is placed at the town center of Burbank. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

The Studio in Philadelphia (2003)

Recording site Scottish Rite Temple — The album credits list The Studio among its recording studios. The point is placed at the center of Philadelphia. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Blue Iron Gate Studios in Santa Monica (2003)

Recording site Ruby Red — The album credits list Blue Iron Gate Studios among the recording locations. The point is placed at the town center of Santa Monica. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Westlake Studios in Los Angeles (2003)

Recording site Westlake Recording Studios — The album credits list Westlake Studios among its recording studios. The point is placed at the studio's building location in Los Angeles. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Capitol Studios in Los Angeles (2003)

Recording site Capitol Studios — The album credits list Capitol Studios among its recording studios. The point is placed at the studio's building location in Los Angeles. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

The Gentlemen's Club in Miami Beach (2003)

Recording site South Beat Studios — The album credits list The Gentlemen's Club among its recording studios. The point is placed at the center of Miami Beach. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Thankful: debut studio album by American singer Kelly Clarkson
• Released in the United States by RCA Records on April 15, 2003
• Worldwide release followed in July 2003
• Recorded after Clarkson won the first season of American Idol in September 2002
• Originally slated for November 2002, release delayed by her busy schedule and the search for material that fit her style
• Arrived more than six months after her coronation song A Moment Like This reached number one

Background

• After high school, Clarkson declined scholarships and chose to record demos independently
• Turned down offers from Jive Records and Interscope Records, believing they would pigeonhole her as a bubblegum pop act
• Moved to Los Angeles in 2001 and recorded demo tracks with Gerry Goffin
• Repeatedly rejected by labels, then returned to her Texas hometown
• Signed with RCA Records, 19 Recordings and S Records after the win, under Simon Fuller and Clive Davis

Recording

• Clive Davis and A&R executives Steve Ferrara and Keith Naftaly sought to move her beyond the American Idol association
• Steered her music toward a pop-rock direction
• Writers and producers included Babyface, Desmond Child, Cathy Dennis, Steve Mac and Clif Magness
• Clarkson co-wrote four of the album's twelve tracks
• Recorded four covers, including a version of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman by Aretha Franklin
• Trace of Gold and Today for Me were replaced just before release by Anytime and A Moment Like This

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.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 mixed reviews, praising Clarkson's strong and versatile vocals
• Critics criticized the album as overproduced and overly shaped by the American Idol format
• Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani argued that Thankful exposes the limitations of the American Idol machine, presenting Clarkson as a polished product rather than a fully formed artist
• Rolling Stone critic Arion Berger awarded the album three out of five stars, praising Clarkson's vocal ability while criticizing the record's manufactured feel
• Entertainment Weekly's Henry Goldenblatt had reservations about the heavily collaborative process but praised Clarkson's vocal ability
• USA Today's Elysa Gardner called the album calculated and unoriginal, saying its generic material wasted Clarkson's voice

Reappraisal

• AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine viewed Thankful as a surprisingly successful debut
• He called it an enjoyable, well-crafted mainstream pop record that exceeded expectations for an Idol winner
• On Metacritic, the album received a score of 62/100 based on 7 reviews, indicating generally favorable reviews
• In later years, critical opinion has somewhat softened

Records

• Debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 297,000 copies sold
• Nielsen SoundScan: 2.8 million copies sold in the US to date
• Certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA
• Billboard year-end albums chart: number 31
• Canada: top five, Platinum for 100,000 units
• Japan: number 19, Gold for 100,000 copies
• Norway: number 12, Gold for 20,000 units
• UK: Gold for 100,000 units; Australia: Gold for 35,000 units
• Estimated worldwide sales: 4.5 million copies

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Tracks 11 and 12 on the CD were released as bonus tracks, according to the Discogs release notes
• Curtis was initially hesitant to include a song by an American Idol contestant, but changed his mind after hearing it
• The lead single Miss Independent was originally produced for Christina Aguilera's album Stripped before being passed to Davis for Thankful
• Low was first offered to Britney Spears and Kylie Minogue before Clarkson recorded it
• In 2017, Clarkson named Thankful her least favorite album, citing difficulties during production
• Just Missed the Train and You Thought Wrong were planned as possible singles but were canceled after Low and The Trouble with Love Is underperformed

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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