• Record Label: RCA
  • Release Date: Oct 24, 2011
Metascore
62

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 11
  2. Negative: 1 out of 11
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  1. Oct 25, 2011
    60
    Clarkson remains a slightly wearying one-note artist--she's a wounded lover, bellowing her pain and scorching the earth. But wow--that voice.
  2. Nov 1, 2011
    50
    The album suffers from a heavily produced electro-sheen, and ends up feeling more manufactured than magical.
  3. Nov 17, 2011
    60
    On her fifth album she mercifully avoids the monotonous dance-pop trend in favour of a timeless pop-rock sound that occasionally flirts with the dance floor.
  4. Oct 28, 2011
    40
    So while Stronger has its redeeming moments, they mostly come when Clarkson does what she is renowned for doing and has already done better. It is a little too heavy on the balladry and serious tones, which are the same things that doomed her other two slightly lesser received albums.
  5. Oct 25, 2011
    60
    As on her past albums, not all the songs on Stronger are worthy of what Clarkson brings to them vocally.
User Score
6.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 149 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 92 out of 149
  2. Negative: 46 out of 149
  1. Feb 8, 2012
    1
    Unoriginal and unflavoured pop music. Sure, she is a good singer, but is her music good, does it inspire people? No. There's no charisma orUnoriginal and unflavoured pop music. Sure, she is a good singer, but is her music good, does it inspire people? No. There's no charisma or personality. Full Review »
  2. Oct 24, 2011
    1
    What a boring collection of bland, generic, and sleepy pop music. There's no diversity whatsoever and the entire album sounds like one long,What a boring collection of bland, generic, and sleepy pop music. There's no diversity whatsoever and the entire album sounds like one long, dragging song. Everything sounds the same. Only song that is probably tolerable is "Mr. Know It All," which also is kind of bland and typical Kelly Clarkson. Overall very disappointed. Seems like she'll never top "Breakaway" Full Review »
  3. Aug 30, 2013
    3
    Continuing her progression from individual to manufactured pop artist, Clarkson sheds almost all emotion and control in her second consecutiveContinuing her progression from individual to manufactured pop artist, Clarkson sheds almost all emotion and control in her second consecutive album to eliminate her personality. Marketed best as the pop-friendly stepsister of P!nk, Stronger has elements of her previous self, sacrificed and diced into fragments of could-have-beens. Tracks such as Dark Side attempt to imitate her Breakaway/My December hybridization. While Einstein and What Doesn't Kill You follows said formula with the aforementioned, married to her debut sound on Thankful. Once again we're suffered to be alienated from Clarkson's powerful vocals, and forced to bear through shrills and shrieks that pollute the album. If this album is an allusion to Clarkson becoming Stronger, than I suspect her next album will allow zero creative control from Clarkson, and consist of more chart fodder, with lyrics akin to a Katy Perry reject. Full Review »