Piece by Piece
by Kelly Clarkson
  • Record Label: RCA
  • Release Date: Mar 3, 2015
User Score
5.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 160 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 84 out of 160
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 160
  3. Negative: 56 out of 160
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  1. thaleslucas
    Mar 8, 2015
    4
    First, I don't hate Clarkson or anything like that. She's a great artist and singer, but there is time on this album that makes it very boring and not very dynamic. Honestly, this album has many weaknesses to be considered better than previous Kelly or their evolution ...

    The album starts with all potential with songs like "Heartbeat Song", "Someone", "Take You High" and "Run, Run, Run"    First, I don't hate Clarkson or anything like that. She's a great artist and singer, but there is time on this album that makes it very boring and not very dynamic. Honestly, this album has many weaknesses to be considered better than previous Kelly or their evolution ...

    The album starts with all potential with songs like "Heartbeat Song", "Someone", "Take You High" and "Run, Run, Run" - with the amazing John Legend - all standing out in a unique way. But from "I Had a Dream" everything is repetitive, as if I was playing the same music from the middle to the end of the album.

    It's undeniable that the compositions of Kelly, and the others that have helped the album, become more welcoming to hear, but still didn't show much evolution from "Stronger".

    Oh, of course! I cannot forget that "Dance With Me," "Tightrope" and "Bad Reputation" are great tracks that reduce the pressure to be hearing the same thing. They gave a more fun and special tone to the album.

    Anyway, that's it ...    … Expand
  2. longjetty7
    Mar 4, 2015
    4
    Let me preface this by saying that I'm not a hater at all. I've seen Kelly live and her voice is just as amazing now as it was then. That being said, this album is painfully bland. At least half the songs have the same I V vi IV chord progression, the production is pretty uniform throughout, and her lyrics are just as happy and dull as you'd expect from someone who just had a baby. SoLet me preface this by saying that I'm not a hater at all. I've seen Kelly live and her voice is just as amazing now as it was then. That being said, this album is painfully bland. At least half the songs have the same I V vi IV chord progression, the production is pretty uniform throughout, and her lyrics are just as happy and dull as you'd expect from someone who just had a baby. So basically, you'll either love it all or hate it all. To be fair, there's nothing here that's downright bad, per se, but there's also nothing edgy or creative (except the vocal sampling in Take You High, perhaps), and an hour of songs that sound like countless others you've heard before is just tiresome.… Expand
  3. Nicoswift
    Mar 4, 2015
    5
    Let me preface this by saying that I'm not a hater at all. I've seen Kelly live and her voice is just as amazing now as it was then. That being said, this album is painfully bland. At least half the songs have the same I V vi IV chord progression, the production is pretty uniform throughout, and her lyrics are just as happy and dull as you'd expect from someone who just had a baby. SoLet me preface this by saying that I'm not a hater at all. I've seen Kelly live and her voice is just as amazing now as it was then. That being said, this album is painfully bland. At least half the songs have the same I V vi IV chord progression, the production is pretty uniform throughout, and her lyrics are just as happy and dull as you'd expect from someone who just had a baby. So basically, you'll either love it all or hate it all. To be fair, there's nothing here that's downright bad, per se, but there's also nothing edgy or creative (except the vocal sampling in Take You High, perhaps), and an hour of songs that sound like countless others you've heard before is just tiresome.… Expand
  4. screambluemurde
    Mar 3, 2015
    4
    I'm a really huge fan of Kelly, but I hate to admit that this is her worst record to date. Her voice is in perfect form but the songs are forgettable. There are too many ballads. The only highlight is Heartbeat Song.
  5. Sam123
    Mar 3, 2015
    6
    This is a stale CD that comes across as so junior high. The only really memorable song is "Run Run Run." Honestly, I think a better name for this album would have been "Weaker." ;)
  6. KTX05
    Mar 4, 2015
    6
    What's been bugging me about all of the reviews for this album is that they're so focused on comparing Kelly to other artists. Kelly has, in my opinion, a voice that should be considered one of the all-time greats; she can belt (and out-belt) with the best and she truly -feels- her music.

    That being said, Kelly isn't really an 'artist', per say. "All I Ever Wanted" and "Stronger" felt    What's been bugging me about all of the reviews for this album is that they're so focused on comparing Kelly to other artists. Kelly has, in my opinion, a voice that should be considered one of the all-time greats; she can belt (and out-belt) with the best and she truly -feels- her music.

    That being said, Kelly isn't really an 'artist', per say. "All I Ever Wanted" and "Stronger" felt more like a 'best of' compilation off a season of Idol than actual albums, not to say that there weren't great moment on both of them.

    This fact is what makes "Piece by Piece" so exciting to me. It sounds like Kelly isn't just moving her sound forward, but actually making a cohesive album in the process; all of these songs belong together. Not only that, but Kelly's also making some great leaps forward in 'artistry' as well.

    "Take You High" sound like nothing she's recorded before and for the first time in awhile it sounds like she's trend-setting instead of trend-chasing. The song is a true album and career high. Then right after that comes "Piece by Piece," a track that feels like one of the most genuine moments Kelly's ever record. A few lyrical stumbles here and there, but for the most part the track rings true...and her voice is phenomenal.

    But with all the highs come a few lows: "Run Run Run" is beautifully sung, but a bit sleepy, "I Had a Dream" is a tad too self-important and not quite catchy enough, and "Dance With Me" is a lot of fun, but runs a little long.

    All that being said, though, this is one of Kelly's stronger efforts. "Invincible" and "Someone" could make for great singles, and every track assisted by Sia is, as excepted, strong and well delivered. This isn't Kelly's manifesto (that might have been "Breakaway"...might be an album yet to come) but it shows a performer slowly becoming an artist.    … Expand
  7. spongeswift
    Nov 21, 2017
    6
    Piece By Piece ends up being a below average pop album. Most of the songs were just plastered onto the album with no catchy beats or meaningful lyrics whatsoever, and the only thing keeping me from giving this album an even worse review was the song Piece By Piece. That song was a 10/10 masterpiece. You can just feel the moments conveyed by the song. But sadly the rest of the album is meh.Piece By Piece ends up being a below average pop album. Most of the songs were just plastered onto the album with no catchy beats or meaningful lyrics whatsoever, and the only thing keeping me from giving this album an even worse review was the song Piece By Piece. That song was a 10/10 masterpiece. You can just feel the moments conveyed by the song. But sadly the rest of the album is meh. Not as good as it could have been.… Expand
  8. someonewhocares
    Aug 25, 2022
    4
    Heartbeat Songs is really the only standout track on this album for me. Piece By Piece could've easily been her best ever album but most of the other songs sound like recycled electropop fillers or just simply are bland and quite stiff in its production and sometimes in Kelly's vocal performance.

Awards & Rankings

46
#46 Most Discussed Album of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
63

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. NOW Magazine
    Mar 5, 2015
    60
    Take You High, Dance With Me and Nostalgic find her ceding the floor to a few grating drops, builds and chopped-up vocal samples as well as some trendy 80s synth rhythms. Those diversions aside, this is another Kelly Clarkson album that's all about maximizing her big steamroller of a voice.
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  2. Boston Globe
    Mar 3, 2015
    70
    Clarkson can, of course, sell all of this and sounds great doing it. But the cumulative effect of all that bigness can be wearing by album’s end.
    Read full review
  3. The A.V. Club
    Mar 3, 2015
    50
    Piece By Piece sounds energized during these looser moments; it’s hard to shake the feeling the album would’ve been far better had it taken a few more risks.
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