It's easier to keep track of/archive all of these when they're all in one big thread, hence this thread.
If you find one that's not in here, post it and I'll add it to the first post!
*******
Billboard.com
KELLY CLARKSON
My Life Would Suck Without You (3:31)
Producer: Ryan Tedder
Writers: M. Martin, L. Gottwald, C. Kelly
RCA
Kelly Clarkson allays trepidation that all the mess surrounding her previous CD, "My December" (melodic missteps, bickering with RCA and a canceled tour), was anything more than an artist growing up and testing creative boundaries. "My Life Would Suck Without You" promises to return America's pop darling to the top of multiple format charts while regaining the trust of any who felt a tinge of betrayal. With kingpins Max Martin, Dr. Luke and rising talent Claude Kelly at the songwriting helm, the song does everything right, similar to "Since U Been Gone." In addition to the detonation of percussion and a chorus as intoxicating as absinthe, clever instrumentation-a hint of synths, a spurt of '80s drums-add a playful wink to the whole production. Add a frisky lyric ("I know that I've got issues, but you're pretty messed up, too/Either way I found out, I'm nothing without you") and there's a joyous rush throughout. Blast off! The countdown to No. 1 begins.-Chuck Taylor
About.com
Kelly Clarkson - "My Life Would Suck Without You"
Kelly Clarkson's New Song Doesn't Suck.
About.com Rating: *****
The Bottom Line
It looks now like Kelly Clarkson's album My December will be seen as the artistic triumph that was just a brief pause in her commercial and chart success. "My Life Would Suck Without You" is poised to be her next pop mega-hit that will please a wide range of music fans across the pop and rock spectrum. The first great single of 2009 has arrived.
Pros
Pop perfection
Strong, clear vocals
Memorable title and lyrics
Cons
None
Description
Written by Max Martin, Lukasz Gottwald, and Claude Kelly
Produced by Max Martin and Dr. Luke
Released January 2009 by RCA Records
Guide Review - Kelly Clarkson - "My Life Would Suck Without You"
No Kelly Clarkson fan should fear whether or not she would ever have a true follow up to the #1 smash "Since U Been Gone." Reuniting with the Max Martin and Dr. Luke production team that helmed "Since U Been Gone," Clarkson has unleashed 4 minutes of pop perfection that could easily end up one of the biggest hits of the year.
Elbowing her way into the independent female territory of Katy Perry and Pink, Kelly Clarkson adds just enough sugary bubblegum to the mix to leave listeners with a sweet smile on their face. A key element that sets "My Life Would Suck Without You" above the competition is Clarkson's vocals. She once again displays the clear, resonant pipes that took her to the top of the first season of American Idol.
After displaying ample versatility in edgier rock and a sojourn into country music, Kelly Clarkson has returned home to the pop foundation of her work. It is indeed a welcome return, and expect to see her back near the top of the pop singles chart very soon. Bring on the charging synths, drums, and one of the most clever song titles in recent memory.
Entertainment Weekly - PopWatch
Kelly Clarkson's 'My Life Would Suck Without You' is released. And it rocks!
A few days ago we were tantalized by a 30-second clip of Kelly Clarkson's new single, "My Life Would Suck Without You", and now New York radio station z100.com (among other places) has the full version. And wow, does it deliver -- it's wilder than Drew Barrymore's hair at the Golden Globes. "Suck" is a driving, pulsing, "get out of your chair and dance around the room pronto" anthem to love, contrition, and blissful co-dependence. As Kelly sings: "I know that I have issues, but you're really messed up too/Either way I found out, I'm nothing without you". Plus, there's a totally kicking guitar solo. Check out the full song below and let us know what you think. Is it everything you want out of a Kelly Clarkson song? And for all of you conspiracy theorists out there, do you think her people planned to leak it on the same day that season 8 of American Idol debuts on Fox?
Rolling Stone
Access HollywoodAlthough it wasn't slated to hit radio until January 19th, Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You" debuted this morning on New York Top 40 station Z100. As you would expect from Clarkson's glossy, lollipop-embracing new look, as well as the "I Kissed a Girl" production tag team of Max Martin and Dr. Luke, "My Life Would Suck" is straight-up pop. The opening chords are reminiscent of "Since U Been Gone," but the track soon cascades into an avalanche of synths and a steady beat as Clarkson sings on the chorus " 'Cause we belong together now, Forever united here somehow, You got a piece of me, And honestly, My life would suck without you."
Kelly's not taking any risks this time around: The song has all the characteristics of a surefire radio hit. Like the track or not, there's no denying Clarkson's voice sounds great as she looks to reclaim her pop princess throne. You can have a listen at the Elvis Duran's Z100 Morning Show Website, who like to embed the phrase "Music On Demand" into their streams (Click here to listen to the song on Rhapsody).
Of course, the track is the first single from Kelly's upcoming album All I Ever Wanted, (not Masquerade as previously reported) due in stores March 17th. Meanwhile, Amazon has posted January 16th as the release date for "My Life Would Suck." Talking about her shiny new looking album cover after a brief brush with Evanescence style, Clarkson blogged, "it's very colorful and they have definitely photo-shopped the crap out of me but i don't care haha! whoever she is, she looks great."
Kelly Debuts 'My Life Would Suck Without You:' Just in time for the new season of "American Idol," the original "Idol," Kelly Clarkson, is back with her new single, "My Life Would Suck Without You," which the singer debuted on the on Elvis Duran's Z100 radio show Tuesday morning. With a similar feel for her mega hit, "Since U Been Gone," Kelly's new single is the total opposite of sucking. Listen to "My Life Would Suck Without You" HERE!
HollyScoop Music
Kelly Clarkson My Life Would Suck Without YouAAAAAAHHHHH, Kelly Clarkson! She's back with a brand new single, which just debuted on the radio this morning. The title says it all!
It's called My Life Would Suck Without You, which is a little different from the songs she's used to singing. She's no longer a Miss Independent!
In the new single, Kelly sings about the man in her life whom she couldn't live without. Is our little Kelly all grown up? We love the new sound!
Best Week Ever
Kelly Clarkson's new single is out! It's called "My Life Would Suck Without You," and I can pretty much guarantee that this will be played during future episodes of The City, The Hills, The Real World, Gossip Girl, and your dreams. It's similar to "Since U Been Gone" in that it has a great big chorus that just explodes and makes you wanna run up and down the hallways of your office, open a window, and throw out a whole ream of paper into the streets below. Ahem. On the other hand, it's different from "Since U Been Gone" because, instead of talkin' about how great life is without this guy, it's talkin' about how life is just AWFUL without him, or as this youngster puts it, "it sucks." Love, huh? Such a roller coaster ride!
Take a listen by clicking on this delicious and not at all airbrushed picture of Kelly:
Sadly, I feel like they used a lot of auto-tune on Kelly's voice during the verses. Why? Her voice is STUNNING…it does not need computers. Well sh*t.
Pink Is The New BlogKelly Clarkson's 'My Life Would Suck Without You' Debuts Early
Last week, all we had of Kelly Clarkson's new single, "My Life Would Suck Without You," was some uncharacteristic sex doll-esque cover art and a 30-second snippet we've been playing on repeat in 3-minute loops -- just pining for the day we could hear the song in its full, robotic glory.
The surging keyboard-pop track wasn't meant to make its proper radio debut until Jan. 19, but this morning -- possibly buoyed by the too-good-to-resist corporate synergy of tonight's American Idol premiere -- the song premiered in full on New York radio station Z100.
Listen to it on the radio station's website, or here -- until the shadowy minions of Clive Davis remove it from the Web.
Conjured up by Dr. Luke and Max Martin -- the same evil earworm geniuses behind Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone" -- the track has long been tipped as Clarkson's return to the (not so) guilty-pleasure pop of that song and her other Breakaway hits.
And thematically, the new single seems to pick up where "Since U Been Gone" left off, with Clarkson significantly cooled down after the "you had your chance you blew it" ranting of "Since U Been Gone" (we guess the lacklustre sales of My December will do that to a gal), and taking back some dirtbag boyfriend. Because, as the title goes, her life would just suck without him.
"Being with you is so dysfunctional/ I really shouldn't miss you, but I can't let go," she sings.
We can't let you go, either, Kelly -- although the predicted overexposure of your new song may just test our limits.
Clarkson's forthcoming album, All I Ever Wanted, is out March 17.
Kelly Clarkson is a singing a new tune. The singer premiered her latest single "My Life Would Suck Without You" on Elvis Duran's Z100 radio show Tuesday morning, and PEOPLE.com has a stream of the song. The tune comes from Clarkson's latest album, All I Ever Wanted, due March 17. The love song finds Clarkson back firmly in power-pop territory after releasing 2007's dark My December, which was released to mixed reviews. All I Ever Wanted is the former American Idol champ's fourth studio album.StereogumThe song is quick little ditty and it is upbeat as hell! For me, it has that Since U Been Gone feeling and will, most likely, get a lot of radio and club play. I've already listened to it about 5 times, it's a catchy little number. Check out now! Do y'all like? Will this be a big hit for our girl Kelly Clarkson?
A curious thing happened to Kelly Clarkson since being American Idol's first and most successful champion. She became an underdog. In the midst of experimenting with rock and country songs, and turning her back on the TV competition that launched her career, Kelly famously incurred the wrath of Clive Davis by insisting on artistic control over a darker, less commercial third album. Needless to say, she never matched the success of the "Since U Been Gone," a hit even Ted Leo, Mike Watt, and adorable Asian kidz couldn't deny. With its swift strummed intro and shouty chorus "My Life Would Suck Without You" is a pretty straightforward attempt to reclaim that glory. And like "Since U Been Gone" (and "I Kissed A Girl," unfortunately) "Suck" was written by Max Martin and Dr. Luke. Which means you're gonna hear it a lot this year.
Judging by that single cover, Kelly no longer has artistic control. (Someone's going to mash this with "Lollipop" before the week's over, aren't they.)
Digital Spy
Well, well, well....Kelly Clarkson's Back!!
Listening to the new Kelly Clarkson single for the first time is a bit like bumping into an old friend you haven't seen for ages, having a nice natter and thinking, 'Hmm, we should really do this more often'. After the relative failure of 2007's challenging, sometimes quite tuneless My December album, she's returned wholeheartedly to the Breakaway sound: quietish verses, big shoutalong choruses, bubblegum rock production from Max Martin and Dr Luke.
'My Life Would Suck Without You' bears more than a passing resemblance to 'Since U Been Gone', but where 'Gone' was a break-up song, 'Suck' is very much about reconciliation. "Cause we belong together now, forever united here somehow, you got a piece of me and honestly my life would suck without you" Clarkson sings - well, belts - on the chorus.
As you may have guessed by now, there's nothing remotely original about this track, but it does hit the spot and actually there's something rather comforting about it. Call it the pop equivalent of cheese on toast.
Newsday
After all the issues with her last album "My December," Kelly Clarkson isn't taking any chances with her Clive Davis-sanctioned comeback single. "My Life Would Suck Without You" (RCA), which made its debut this morning on Elvis Duran's Z100 show, is everything the last album wasn't. It's upbeat and uptempo, coming across a bit like a "Since U Been Gone" remix crossed with a synthesizer surge for the anthemic, sing-along chorus and a bit of Metro Station's "Shake It." While "Life" isn't exactly an artistic step forward for Clarkson, it's also not the all-out sell-out many feared. It's a good-natured compromise that doubles as a pretty good time.Idol ChatterKelly Clarkson World Premiere [Z100]
Does "My Life" suck -- or is it "all you ever wanted"?Elvis Duran premiered Kelly Clarkson's My Life Would Suck Without You on his morning show on New York's Z100 today. It's now streaming on his site.
It's not nearly as suggestive as its artwork. As a matter of fact, it's a tuneful, fairly wholesome entry into the "we belong together - so why aren't we?" canon. Massive chorus, but I think I like the verses better. Strong, four-on-the-floor disco rhythms and lots of synth-dance-pop layers over the top, but the guitar pattern in the intro -- which repeats throughout, though less obviously -- keeps it from sounding too artificial. Three times in, I'm kind of liking it.
LA Times
File this one under "predictable": Kelly Clarkson has returned from her Persephone-like journey across the pop-goth River Styx on the excellent but commercially disappointing album "My December" with a shiny, streamlined new cut meant to break the speed limit up the charts. Hear it for yourself on her YouTube page.
There's no reason this song won't be huge. "My Life Would Suck Without You," co-written and produced by absolute hit makers Dr. Luke and Max Martin, zooms forward from its guitar-plucky intro toward a cymbal-crashing climax without ever slowing down. There's no time to question the empty calories delivered within those compressed, subtly Auto-Tuned vocals, which ride some sneakily accelerating high-fructose beats.
You will be singing this song by your third listen, and that third listen will be unavoidable, because without a bridge or even one blue note, it's perfectly suited to the formats that support 21st century pop -- especially YouTube parodies and singing toothbrushes.
But is Kelly in there, amid the syn-drums and keyboard bleeps? To paraphrase Bill Clinton, that depends on the meaning of "in."
She didn't write the lyrics, but they're so applicable to her recent history that one can't help but think she must have dictated them to her corporate mentors. Or else they're just being really, really mean.
When Clarkson belts, "You've got a piece of me," it's impossible to avoid thoughts of her relationship with Clive Davis, the legendary music-biz Svengali who publicly condemned her for trying to take creative control on "My December," only to welcome her back once she apologized and dumped her management, her band and her muse.
Tapping into the theme of unavoidable love that's inspired artists as diverse as Willie Dixon, Smokey Robinson and Brooks & Dunn, "My Life" is different than your typical blues, presenting resignation as a positive emotion. Clarkson's delivery is where her soul lives. She sings through gritted teeth, and her tone is sharper than it was on her greatest hit so far, "Since U Been Gone," which starts with similar guitar tones but in a darker key. That song blended morning-after sultriness with the kick of a cold shower; this one offers the vocal equivalent of a clenched fist.
I'm hoping that the anger in Clarkson's voice is her signal that though she'll play the Photoshopped star for dollars, she's hanging on to her soul for future use.
Some pundits have compared "My Life" to yet another Luke-Martin product, Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl." But it's nothing like that song, which is fake vampy instead of fake cathartic. Instead, let's recall another recent entry in the category of happy songs about bad situations -- Miley Cyrus' underrated "7 Things," which captures the giddiness as well as the pain of going for the wrong guy.
Unlike the oddly pent-up "My Life," "7 Things" actually offers release at its end point. Plus, the Cyrus video is adorably cute, with all those stuffed-animal-clutching, scenery-ripping teen girls. Clarkson might get to trash some furniture in the video for "My Life," but you know they're also going to make her suck a lollipop.
Unlike Cyrus, Clarkson is already too battered by adulthood to find joy in her own entrapment, romantic or otherwise. Here's what I hope: that this song does well, because she deserves it for being a trouper, but that she follows it up with a bruising, truthful ballad along the lines of "Because of You," and that it causes a wave of raised cellphones and girl-fan tears, putting her back on her feet for good.
-- Ann Powers
PopSugar Poll on whether you like it or not
American Idol returns today and so does the show's first winner, Kelly Clarkson. Kelly's first single My Life Would Suck Without You, off her new album All I Ever Wanted, had it's world premiere on several radio stations a little early. The song was originally set to hit the airwaves later this week.
This delicious pop tune is sure to return Kelly to her chart topping glory! Take a listen to see if you agree!
http://tapeworthy.blogspo...uld-suck-without-you.html
Ooooh. It IS good! How could I ever doubt you Kelly Clarkson?E! Online Afternoon Fix:And just in time for tonight's premiere of the new season of American Idol.
Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You" in all its "Since U Been Gone" glory is available in its entirety here. It's a real fist-pumper (whatever that means).
http://www.musiqueradio.c...on-en-ecoute-gratuite.php
MUSIQUE RADIO
Kelly Clarkson - My Life Would Suck Without You
You can now listen to Kelly Clarkson's new pop-rock single, "My Life Would Suck Without You", on Musique-radio.com. The singer-songwriter's brand new single has just hit US and French radio alike and is slightly reminiscent of Avril Lavigne's rockier tracks.
The premiere was originally planned for January 19th, but was pushed forward due to the incredible demand. Needless to say, listeners were dying to hear new Kelly Clarkson music. This new song will grab you from the first listen. It is energetic, efficient, and makes for a great showcase of Clarkson's powerful and seductive vocals.
"My Life Would Suck Without You" is Clarkson's new offering off of her upcoming fourth studio album, and puts an end to a near 2-year absence from the international music scene. If the seductive new single is any indication, this new album, titled "All I Ever Wanted", looks to be very promising.
With a single cover reminiscent of Madonna's candy fetish - on which Clarkson holds up a heart-shaped lolipop - this song will be available for legal download in the US starting January 16th. Clarkson's 4th album, brilliantly introduced by the song "My Life Would Suck Without You", will then follow on March 17th 2009.
Melbourne - The Herald Sun
"MLWSWY - The sound of a star putting their tail between their legs. Kelly fought for creative control over her last album; it flopped. Now she's been sent back to Max Martin, who whips up Since U Been Gone 2. It's all here - the Pink-meets-Garbage-electro rock, lyrics about "issues" and being "dysfunctional" and a huge, killer chorus that gives her a chance to wail. Better her making Max's mad turbo pop than Avril Lavigne. 3 stars out of 5."
http://www.longislandpres...m/articles/sonicboom/764/
Suck On This
By Michael Patrick Nelson
I got some pretty great gifts this past Christmas, but by far the coolest one came from Jenn: a copy of the 1994 CD Earthquake Visions, by Swedish pop-metal band It's Alive. You have never heard of this CD or this band, because no one has. I confess: Before tearing the wrapping off this gift, I had never heard of them either. But once I got a good look at the CD itself, I could not have been happier.
You see, the vocalist from It's Alive is a guy called Martin White-of whom you have also never heard. But Martin White would go on to leave It's Alive a year after the release of Earthquake Visions, change his name to Max Martin and write or co-write a few hundred of the biggest songs in modern popular music: "…Baby One More Time"; "I Want It That Way"; "U + UR Hand"; "I Kissed a Girl"…
I've mentioned before, both here and in many conversations, that I am a huge fan of Martin's work, so to get this odd glimpse into the nascent career of a personal hero was both revelatory and touching. The music itself is nothing special-at best, it contains hints of the writer Martin would eventually become-but it helps me better understand a largely unknown and very reclusive artist whose music has served as the soundtrack to American life for the past decade and a half.
Along those same lines, there was a recent episode of Sundance Channel's Iconoclasts focusing on decrepit music-biz mogul Clive Davis, and during the episode, one of Martin's writing partners, Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald was interviewed. Gottwald talked about the pair's songwriting process, noting that they frequently "tailor the lyrics specifically" for the artist for whom they are writing. As Gottwald was talking, he was playing an early demo of the new song "My Life Would Suck Without You," which he and Martin wrote for Kelly Clarkson, for whom they also wrote the classic, career-making "Since U Been Gone."
You might know the history between Kelly Clarkson and Clive Davis, but in case you don't: In 2007, Clarkson made headlines when she somewhat stubbornly insisted her third album, My December, contain only songs she had written (or co-written) rather than songs written by professional songwriters (such as Martin and Gottwald). This decision was met with extreme resistance by Davis, the head of Clarkson's label, who initially refused to release My December, and then, after relenting, refused to endorse it. The two battled it out in the press for a while and then, for a host of reasons-not excluding Davis' ambivalence, but mostly because the songs were just pretty bad-the album stiffed.
Anyway, "My Life Would Suck Without You" is Clarkson's first single since the My December catastrophe, and it's being billed as a return to her Grammy-winning form, i.e., a return to the "Since U Been Gone" days. Now, after months of reading and wondering about it, I finally heard the song yesterday, and I enthusiastically concur with all the hype: The song is a buzzy, wild bundle of addictive hooks, dance beats and power vocals. I say this as a big fan of not just Martin but Clarkson, too: It is absolutely great.
In fact, over the last 17 hours I have listened to it so many times that I know every lyric by heart, and knowing both those lyrics and what I know about everyone involved, I am starting to get a little creeped out. Because, see, on their surface, the lyrics could not be less specific-it's just a sassy, peppy little love song. Here's the first verse:
"Guess this means you're sorry/ You're standing at my door/ Guess this means you take back/ What you said before."
Could be about anything, right? That's part of the magic of Martin's songwriting-he makes these silly, meaningless lyrics sound both specific and universal. But look again at that verse, then look at the second verse:
"Maybe I was stupid for telling you goodbye/ Maybe I was wrong for trying to pick a fight/ I know that I've got issues/ But you're pretty messed up too/ Anyway, I found out I'm nothing without you."
So it's not about just anything-it's clearly about Clarkson and Davis. Right? I'm not crazy here, am I? Davis commissioned the song, and Martin and Gottwald tailored the lyrics specifically for Clarkson. All of this is fact! So now, when I listen to the song, I can't help picturing Clarkson forced to grovel at the feet of this ancient corpse of a man-forced to sing, "I found out I'm nothing without you"-but I also can't help being kind of excited that I know this history well enough to interpret these lyrics, and worse than that, I can't help loving the song anyway.
This week, Kelly Clarkson released the first single, "My Life Would Suck Without You" (yes, really) from her forthcoming album All I Ever Wanted. While the song doesn't quite reach the heights of "Since U Been Gone," and the title/artwork is clearly WTF-worthy, it will definitely get Ms. Clarkson back on the maps for the first time in five years after a disappointing 2007 album. And you know what, with the age of singers like Katy Perry or Britney (sorry, BritBrit, you know I love you but you just can't saang like Ms. Clarkson), I will welcome it Journey-style, that is, with open arms.
Take a listen on her MySpace here: www.myspace.com/kellyclarkson
Spin Magazine
Blog Review
http://www.digitalspy.com...uld-suck-without-you.html
Kelly Clarkson: 'My Life Would Suck Without You'
Released on Monday, March 2 2009
By http://www.digitalspy.co....tact/editor.php?editor=65','Email','width=500,height=500,resizable=no')" href="http://www.digitalspy.com/music/a145350/kelly-clarkson-my-life-would-suck-without-you.html#">Nick Levine, Music Editor
Kelly Clarkson's last album, 2007's My December, was ballsy, largely self-written and not exactly stuffed with singalong choruses. It also sold nine million fewer copies than 2004's Breakaway. Clarkson's response? To launch her comeback with a single written by Max Martin and Dr Luke, the architects of Breakaway's biggest hit 'Since U Been Gone'.
Unsurprisingly, 'My Life Would Suck With You' finds Clarkson returning wholeheartedly to the bubblegum rock sound of Breakaway - the rhythm guitar intro even recalls that of 'Since U Been Gone'. It's as original as shoving a slither of cheese between two slices of bread and calling it lunch, and the lyrics are a bit juvenile for the 26-year-old Clarkson, but these quibbles melt away when the heroically catchy chorus arrives. Best of all, you come away thinking that no-one else could have sung that heroically catchy chorus quite as well as Kelly Clarkson.



