LOS ANGELES (RCA Records) -
Kelly Clarkson's phenomenal RCA Records album "
Breakaway" celebrates its first anniversary on the Billboard album chart with an amazing 52-week run in the top 20. The quadruple-platinum album, fueled by four No. 1 smash singles, has never left the top 20, a very rare feat on The Billboard 200. She's one of only four artists in Sound Scan history to debut in the Top 20 and stay there for a year straight, and is the first artist in over 5 years to accomplish this.
Everything about "Breakaway" is extraordinary. Released on Nov. 30, 2004, the album has sold 5.5 million copies worldwide. "Breakaway" is quadruple-platinum in Australia, triple-platinum in Canada, double-platinum in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and platinum in Ireland, South Africa, Singapore and Indonesia.
The album's first four singles have all reached No. 1 in America. The title song, "Breakaway," was the first hit, followed by "Since U Been Gone," "Behind These Hazel Eyes" and "Because of You." Radio cannot get enough of Kelly Clarkson. The singles from "Breakaway" already account for 2.5 million digital downloads sold.
The "Breakaway" album has already received multiple awards, with more on the way. At the MTV VMAs, Kelly won Best Pop Video and Best Female Video. At the American Music Awards, Kelly won Favorite Adult Contemporary Female Artist and the T-Mobile Text-In fan award.
Kelly has two MTV Latin Awards nominations, for Best International Artist and Best International Pop Artist. She also has a staggering 12 nominations for the Billboard Music Awards, including Hot 100 Artist of the Year, Hot 100 Female Artist, Pop 100 Artist of the Year, Pop 100 Female Artist, Pop 100 Single ("Since U Been Gone"), Pop 100 Airplay Single ("Since U Been Gone"), The Billboard 200 Female Artist, Hot Digital Track Artist, Hot Digital Track ("Since U Been Gone"), Hot Dance Radio Airplay Artist, Adult Top 40 Artist and Top Soundtrack Single ("Breakaway"). Kelly also has five nominations for the Radio Music Awards, including Artist of the Year, Adult Hit Radio; Artist of the Year, Mainstream Hit Radio; Song of the Year, Adult Hit Radio ("Breakaway"); Song of the Year, Mainstream Hit Radio ("Behind These Hazel Eyes") and Song of the Year, Mainstream Hit Radio ("Since U Been Gone").
Looking ahead to 2006, Kelly has been nominated as Favorite Female Performer for the People's Choice Awards. And then there are the Grammy nominations, to be announced Dec. 8.
Looking back, it turns out Billboard's review of "Breakaway" was very prophetic. The magazine's Chuck Taylor predicted "a boatload of hits," and said, "Clarkson proves that she's the real thing, packed with enough potency to ensure radio that she's here to stay. Here's a hit female artist who has the chops for lasting success."
