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Los Angeles Times

All I Ever Wanted is a masterful rapprochement with the mainstream, full of cheerfully ear-snagging tunes, inventive production, exhilarating vocals and enough inherent Kelly-ness to put aside fears that her label bosses implanted blond electrodes in her brain to make her behave.

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Entertainment Weekly

She just tries it all, co-writing six of All I Ever Wanted's 14 tracks-- and stumbles only rarely

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Blender

On her third album, Clarkson finds a Third Way: She makes nice with the pop machine and takes back the mall while keeping her integrity and personality intact.

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Boston Globe

No matter the stage of the romance, it's always DEFCON 1 in Clarkson-ville. And on All I Ever Wanted, out Tuesday, that melodrama translates into a delightfully incongruous good time.

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Billboard

Clarkson's always had the best throaty yell in the business. But now she's becoming a masterful interpreter too.

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The New York Times

The most immediate parts of All I Ever Wanted read a bit like Kelly Clarkson karaoke: back are the Swedish writers and producers and their laser-guided arrangements, with dynamics that are particularly well suited to her voice, broad, nimble and gale-force strong.

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All Music Guide

This is a rare talent and while it's not perfect, largely due to those dreary Tedder tunes, much of All I Ever Wanted does justice to Clarkson's considerable skills.

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Dot Music

All I Ever Wanted, which though always singable swings wildly from bruised to bubblegum, sounds like a team of hired hands writing hits to order. Still, the increased chorus count is welcome and will put a smile back on Clive Davis's face.

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The Phoenix

I had to make several return trips to the lyric sheet to clear up which songs were love letters and which were screw-yous. But this sort of tone-deaf emotional bludgeoning tends to work in her favor on monstrous power ballads.

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NOW Magazine

While not perfect, her fourth is full of upbeat (and pretty damn good) guitar-driven pop like 'I Do Not Hook Up' and the title track, as well as a few requisite (and equally decent) ballads that make use of her impressive range.

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Vibe

With no real stand out single, All I Ever Wanted will be a hit with Clarkson die-hards, but is unlikely to influence any Top 40 outsiders.

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PopMatters

Though All I Ever Wanted is not a classic pop album by any means, it’s most assuredly a fun one--flaws and all.

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Hartford Courant

The good songs are great, but the empty bluster on some of the others overshadows the spunky personality that made Clarkson a draw in the first place.

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Rolling Stone

Clarkson's sense of grievance, inflated to gargantuan size by her huge voice, can be wearying over 14 songs, particularly when the music sags.

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Slant Magazine

Taken in isolation and out of the context of the album as a whole--say, on the radio--nearly all of these songs work well enough, despite the production choices that don't always play to Clarkson's strengths and which draw too much attention to themselves.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

Now she’s working with pro songwriters full-time again, and the result is a likeable but ultimately hackneyed album that presents her as the über-everygirl.

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musicOMH.com

As a product that needs to sell it fits the bill perfectly - there are at least five potential top ten singles here--but as an album, the whole thing feels precision tooled, vacuum-packed and strangely lifeless.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 9.2 (out of 10) based on 43 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Victor H gave it a9:
Kelly knows she can sing and please the radio simultaneously. Though it's an amazing album and with chances of hitting great achievements as her sophomore "Breakaway" did, "All I ever wanted" don't go as further as Breakaway tried to. The songs are excellent but are practically all in the same box. It's a pop album with good pop (some rock-oriented tunes) hits.

Ryan S gave it a10:
This is the best album of the year by miles. Every song is great. Its hard to pick a favorite song but Already Gone is perfect.

Jandra S gave it a10:
This album is Kelly Clarkson's perfect comeback after the slightly disappointing album, My December. Each song brings you back wanting more. The first single, My Life Would Suck Without You, proves to be a smash hit - perfect for singing in the car. I Do Not Hook Up, co-written by Katy Perry, is a wonderful addition to the album and an anthem for all girls. Finally, Clarkson displays vocal talent and ability unseen with many female artists of our time - ranging from slow love ballads, to a pumped up Pop-Punk song that reminds you of garage band days. All together it's a fantastic buy!!!

Anson C gave it a7:
Definitely a good album but let's face it, it's so not the best Kelly can do.

Jeroen V. gave it a10:
Kelly Clarkson is giving it her all on her album All I Ever Wanted. She doubles the catchyness with songs like My Life and I Do Not Hook Up. Seems to be her best album yet, or at least the catchiest.

Zach P gave it a9:
Even better than Breakaway, this is the best record Clarkson will ever put out. Nuff said.

Daniel R gave it a9:
There are four songs on here i absolutely love and maybe two or three i could care a little bit less for. Overall that leaves me loving 4/14, disliking 3/14, and therefore being warm to the rest (as in i won't change the song when it comes up). Let me tell you now: "Don't Let Me Stop You" and "Already Gone" are going to be hits. "Long Shot" is one of those songs you don't pay much attention too until it's on the radio, then you know all the lyrics. These are the best songs on the album primarily "Already Gone." I'm very satisfied with my purchase and w00t for you KC!

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All I Ever Wanted

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