"Since U Been Gone" is a song recorded by American singer
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne (born Kelly Brianne Clarkson, April 24, 1982), known professionally as Kelly Clarkson, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Rising to fame after winning the American Idol season 1, first season of ''Ameri ...
from her second studio album, ''
Breakaway'' (2004). The song, which was written and produced by
and
Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald, was released as the lead single from ''Breakaway'' two weeks before the album was released. It is an
uptempo pop rock
Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre and form of rock music characterized by a strong commercial appeal, with more emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than standard rock musi ...
and
power pop
Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a subgenre of rock music and form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, ...
power ballad
A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner. Balla ...
that infuses electronic sounds with a mixture of a soft and loud pop rock sound. Martin originally wrote "Since U Been Gone" with
Pink
Pink is a pale tint of red, the color of the Dianthus plumarius, pink flower. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, p ...
in mind, but she turned it down. It was then given to
Hilary Duff
Hilary Erhard Duff (born September 28, 1987) is an American actress, singer, author and businesswoman. She is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Hilary Duff, various accolades, including a World Music Awards, World Mus ...
, but she rejected the song because she could not reach its higher notes. The song was finally given to Clarkson after
Clive Davis
Clive Jay Davis (born April 4, 1932) is an American record producer, A&R executive, record executive, and lawyer. He has won five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a non-performer, in 2000.
From 1967 to 1 ...
convinced the writers to give it to her. Clarkson decided to add heavier guitars and harder drums to the song after noticing that the demo had an obvious pop sound. Lyrically, the song is written from a woman's point of view where she expresses her sense of relief with the end of her troubled relationship.
"Since U Been Gone" received acclaim from
music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...
who considered the song to be the highlight of ''Breakaway''. Critics also felt that it was one of the best pop songs in the last decade. ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason.
The magazine was first known fo ...
'' ranked it at number 482 of
the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring song ranking compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2 ...
in 2010 and at number 93 in the revamped 2021 ranking, while ''Billboard'' ranked it as the fifth greatest pop song of all time. "Since U Been Gone" was a commercial success. In the United States, the song peaked at number two on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100. It topped the US
Pop 100
The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009. It ranked songs based on airplay on Mainstream Top 40 radio stations, singles ...
for six consecutive weeks and the US
Pop Songs
Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/ CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played on a panel of Top 40 radio stations in the U ...
for seven consecutive weeks respectively. It was certified platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA) for shipments of over one million copies sold. It was also the fourth-bestselling song of 2005 in the US. "Since U Been Gone" was also a worldwide success, peaking in the top five in Austria, Australia, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. It also peaked in the top ten in Norway, Germany, and Switzerland.
Clarkson performed "Since U Been Gone" at the
2005 MTV Video Music Awards and at the
2006 BRIT Awards. It has been included on the set-list of Clarkson's many tours. The song's accompanying music video was directed by
Alex De Rakoff, which shows Clarkson ruining her ex-boyfriend's apartment. The music video was nominated for three awards in the 2005 MTV Music Awards, winning two out of the three awards namely
Best Female Video and
Best Pop Video. At the
48th Grammy Awards
The 48th Annual Grammy Awards took place on February 8, 2006, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning from October 1, 2004, through September 30, 2005. Irish rock band U2 ...
, the song won the award for
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. "Since U Been Gone" was covered by many artists, notably the American rock band
A Day to Remember
A Day to Remember is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Ocala, Florida, in 2003 by guitarist Tom Denney and drummer Bobby Scruggs. They are known for their amalgamation of metalcore and pop-punk. The band currently consists of voca ...
, indie rocker
Ted Leo
Theodore Francis Leo (born September 11, 1970) is an American singer and musician. He is the frontman and lead guitarist of the rock group Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, and in 2013, he and Aimee Mann formed the indie rock duo The Both.
Earl ...
as well as the Canadian indie rock band,
Tokyo Police Club, and used in the
musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film
Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...
''
& Juliet''.
Background and writing
In an interview for ''
Blender
A blender (sometimes called a mixer (from Latin ''mixus, the PPP of miscere eng. to Mix)'' or liquidiser in British English) is a kitchen and laboratory appliance used to mix, crush, purée or emulsify food and other substances. A stationary ...
'', Martin and Dr. Luke revealed that they had originally intended
Pink
Pink is a pale tint of red, the color of the Dianthus plumarius, pink flower. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, p ...
to sing "Since U Been Gone", however, she turned it down.
Dr. Luke also explained that
Hilary Duff
Hilary Erhard Duff (born September 28, 1987) is an American actress, singer, author and businesswoman. She is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Hilary Duff, various accolades, including a World Music Awards, World Mus ...
's management was interested in the song but rejected it because Duff could not reach the song's higher notes.
It was
Clive Davis
Clive Jay Davis (born April 4, 1932) is an American record producer, A&R executive, record executive, and lawyer. He has won five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a non-performer, in 2000.
From 1967 to 1 ...
who convinced Martin and Dr. Luke to give the song to Clarkson, even though they were initially reluctant. Davis said, "Max was looking to move on from what he had done with Backstreet Boys, and I really spent time convincing them that an 'American Idol' winner could bring all the feeling and passion that was required to the song."
According to MTV, Clarkson had already finished recording her materials for her second album, ''
Breakaway'' in late 2004 when she was advised by her
A&R to fly to Sweden to meet with Martin and Dr. Luke.
Both Martin and Dr. Luke were associated with pop music, but they wanted to produce rock songs. Realizing that her record had more of a rock influence, Clarkson finally agreed to collaborate with them."
"Since U Been Gone" was inspired by indie rock of the early 2000s. In an interview with ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'', Dr. Luke said:
That was a conscious move by Max and myself, because we were listening to alternative and indie music and talking about some song – I don't remember what it was. I said, "Ah, I love this song,' and Max was like, 'If they would just write a damn pop chorus on it!' It was driving him nuts, because that indie song was sort of on six, going to seven, going to eight, the chorus comes ... and it goes back down to five. It drove him crazy. And when he said that, it was like, light bulb. 'Why don't we do that, but put a big chorus on it?" It worked.
In ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason.
The magazine was first known fo ...
'' in 2011, Dr. Luke made more specific claims about what music had inspired the song:
Either the first or the second thing we did was "Since U Been Gone". We were listening to the Hives and the Strokes
The Strokes are an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1998. The band is composed of lead singer and primary songwriter Julian Casablancas, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond, Jr., Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikola ...
, and Max was like, ‘Why can’t they just write a hit chorus?’ And that’s what we did.
Despite these statements, the identity of the song is widely speculated to be the 2003 song "
Maps
A map is a symbolic depiction of interrelationships, commonly spatial, between things within a space. A map may be annotated with text and graphics. Like any graphic, a map may be fixed to paper or other durable media, or may be displayed on ...
" by
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000. The group is composed of vocalist and pianist Karen O (born Karen Lee Orzolek), guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. They are compleme ...
. "Maps" and "Since U Been Gone" share a similar guitar line in its
middle eight
The 32-bar form, also known as the AABA song form, American popular song form and the ballad form, is a song structure commonly found in Tin Pan Alley songs and other American popular music, especially in the first half of the 20th century.
Th ...
, and are both in the key of
G major
G major is a major scale based on G (musical note), G, with the pitches G, A (musical note), A, B (musical note), B, C (musical note), C, D (musical note), D, E (musical note), E, and F♯ (musical note), F. Its key signature has one sharp (music ...
. The first significant observation of this was in a satirical 2005
medley of "Since U Been Gone"/"Maps" by
Ted Leo
Theodore Francis Leo (born September 11, 1970) is an American singer and musician. He is the frontman and lead guitarist of the rock group Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, and in 2013, he and Aimee Mann formed the indie rock duo The Both.
Earl ...
, which went viral for using this part of "Since U Been Gone" to transition into "Maps". In 2006, ''Rolling Stone'' journalist
Rob Sheffield
Robert James Sheffield (born February 2, 1966) is an American music journalist and author.
He is a long time contributing editor at ''Rolling Stone'', writing about music, TV, and pop culture. Previously, he was a contributing editor at '' Blen ...
told "Maps" songwriter
Karen O about the similarity, to which she responded that it was "like getting bitten by a poisonous varmint" and that "if it wasn't
elly Clarkson it just would've been
Ashlee Simpson". The 2015 book ''The Song Machine'' by
John Seabrook claimed that the song was based on "Maps" as if it was a confirmed fact. In 2025, the music critic Dave Moore speculated that "
Hard To Explain" by
The Strokes
The Strokes are an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1998. The band is composed of lead singer and primary songwriter Julian Casablancas, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond, Jr., Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikola ...
was a more likely candidate, arguing that the instrumental on the verses is almost identical, that Dr. Luke had cited The Strokes as an influence, and noting the song's similarity to "Stroke Of Genie-us" by
The Freelance Hellraiser, a highly influential 2001 mashup of "Hard To Explain" with
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera ( , ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter, actress and television personality. Recognized as Cultural impact of Christina Aguilera, an influential figure in music and having received Public imag ...
's "
Genie In A Bottle".
"Since U Been Gone" was the last track that Clarkson recorded for ''Breakaway'';
it was recorded in Sweden. At first, Clarkson was not fully convinced by the prospect of recording the song saying, "It didn't have any lyrics and the melody really wasn't finalized ... the track was done on a computer, there was no band on it. My record label was freaking out about it and I was, like, why?" Clarkson also explained that when she first heard "Since U Been Gone", she felt that it sounded a little bit pop for her direction, and she decided to tweak the song musically by incorporating drums and guitars.
Clarkson told MTV that the song is about a relationship turned sour although it was going well at the very beginning.
The song was officially released to mainstream radio stations in the United States on November 16, 2004, as the lead single of ''Breakaway''.
Composition
"Since U Been Gone" is a
bubblegum
Bubble gum (or bubblegum) is a type of chewing gum, designed to be inflated out of the mouth as a bubble.
Composition
In modern chewing gum, if natural rubber such as chicle is used, it must pass several purity and cleanliness tests. However, ...
and
indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand in the early to mid-1980s. Although the term was originally used to describe rock music released through independent reco ...
-influenced
pop rock
Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre and form of rock music characterized by a strong commercial appeal, with more emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than standard rock musi ...
and
power pop
Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a subgenre of rock music and form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, ...
power ballad
A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner. Balla ...
written and produced by Max Martin and Dr. Luke. The song, which is set in
common time
A time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, and measure signature) is an indication in music notation that specifies how many note values of a particular type fit into each measure ( bar). The time signature indicates the ...
with a moderate
tempo
In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for 'time'; plural 'tempos', or from the Italian plural), measured in beats per minute, is the speed or pace of a given musical composition, composition, and is often also an indication of the composition ...
of 132
beats per minute
Beat, beats, or beating may refer to:
Common uses
* Assault, inflicting physical harm or unwanted physical contact
* Battery (crime), a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact
* Battery (tort), a civil wrong in common law of in ...
, is written in the
key of
G major
G major is a major scale based on G (musical note), G, with the pitches G, A (musical note), A, B (musical note), B, C (musical note), C, D (musical note), D, E (musical note), E, and F♯ (musical note), F. Its key signature has one sharp (music ...
.
Popdose staff noted that the song contains an "electronics-enhanced sheen" over "
alt-rock
Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
's soft/loud dichotomy". The song also incorporates ringing guitars with plaintive lyrics and a huge chorus. It has a chord progression of G-Am–Em–F, and Clarkson's vocal range in the song spans two octaves from the low note of G
3 to the high note of G
5.
Film Laureate of
Blogcritics
Blogcritics is a blog network and online magazine of news and opinion. The site was founded in 2002 by Eric Olsen (writer), Eric Olsen and Phillip Winn. Blogcritics features more than 100 original articles every week, and maintains an archive of a ...
praised "Since U Been Gone" for its "high energy, vocally powered, pop/rock jam with a hook that is infectious". The same opinion was echoed by ''Entertainment Weekly'' staff who thought that the song highlighted Clarkson's "sublime" vocals and praised the song for its "addictive" hook. Dave Donnelly of Sputnikmusic compared the musical arrangements of "Since U Been Gone" to Clarkson's "
Behind These Hazel Eyes". He opined that the two songs allow the melodies to represent themselves because the tight musical arrangements complement Clarkson's vocals.
The song's narrative is in
first person, from the point of view of a woman who is relieved with the end of her relationship. Steve Lampiris of ZME Music lauded Clarkson's vocals as the heart of the song. He praised the way Clarkson sings the chorus, which implies that she was the one who ended the relationship. He also thought that the line "I can breathe for the first time/ I'm so moving on, yeah yeah" was believable "that either her ex is a total prick or she's deserves
'sic''">sic.html" ;"title="'sic">'sic''an Oscar nom."
In an interview with Dan Snierson of ''Entertainment Weekly'', it was noted that Clarkson sang "So together but so broken up inside/ 'Cause I can't breathe" in "Behind These Hazel Eyes", but in "Since U Been Gone", she sang "But since you been gone/ I can breathe for the first time." When asked whether she was a bipolar asthmatic, Clarkson responded that "Behind These Hazel Eyes" is about a dipstick who is unhappy because she has completely screwed up, and "Since U Been Gone" is an expression of relief because her ex is now miserable.
Response
Critical reception
Upon release, the song received universal acclaim from music critics. In his review for ''Breakaway'', Stephen Thomas Erlewine of
MSN considered "Since U Been Gone", "Walk Away", and "You Found Me" as the spine of the album. He added that the songs sound mainstream and youthful. Rohin of
Blogcritics
Blogcritics is a blog network and online magazine of news and opinion. The site was founded in 2002 by Eric Olsen (writer), Eric Olsen and Phillip Winn. Blogcritics features more than 100 original articles every week, and maintains an archive of a ...
gave a positive response to the song, emphasizing that "it is almost one of the best pieces of throwaway pop in recent history". He also thought that the song represents a song "that you can roll down the windows of your car and proudly headbang your way through a yellow light somewhere on a suburban side street." Sal Cinquemani of ''
Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yor ...
'' thought that Clarkson did a good impression of
Pat Benatar
Patricia Mae Giraldo (née Andrzejewski; formerly and still professionally Benatar ; born January 10, 1953) is an American singer and songwriter. In the United States, she has two multi-platinum albums, five platinum albums, and 15 US ''Billboa ...
in "Since U Been Gone". He concluded his review by emphasizing that ''Breakaway'' proves that Clarkson has successfully dodged the
sophomore slump
A sophomore slump (also known as a sophomore jinx or sophomore jitters) is when a sophomore fails to live up to the relatively high standards that occurred during freshman year.
It is commonly used to refer to the apathy of students (second year ...
but "Since U Been Gone" helped her establish her success. The staff of ''Slant Magazine'' later ranked "Since U Been Gone" at number thirteen in their list of Best Singles of the Aughts, writing that the song proves Clarkson's powerful ability as a vocalist as well as her versatility as an artist.
Stephen Thompson of
NPR Music
NPR Music is a project of National Public Radio, an American privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization, that launched in November 2007 to present public radio music programming and original editorial content for music ...
called the song "one of the decade's finest pop anthems" which is infused with energy, charisma and full-throated intensity.
Steve Lampiris of ZME Music opined that the song is "one of very few perfect pop songs released in the last ten years," stating that it is hard to determine the principal reason that makes the song very successful.
Gary Trust of ''Billboard'' thought that "Since U Been Gone" is a defining song of the 2000s. He commented on its status as a blueprint for female pop songs, as seen in song productions by artists such as
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( , born Destiny Hope Cyrus, November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and director. Regarded as a contemporary pop icon, Cyrus has been recognized for her evolving artistry and image reinventions. She is ...
,
Katy Perry
Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. She is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists in hist ...
and Pink. In 2014, Ryan Kailath of NPR Music argued that the song succeeded by borrowing from musical trends that preceded it, such as 1990s R&B and alternative rock. In 2015, Gary Trust of ''Billboard'' wrote that "Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone", co-written by Max Martin, especially helped lead to pure pop's reemergence, and the breakthroughs of Rihanna, Katy Perry,
aylor Swift and Lady Gaga would soon follow (as well as
ritneySpears' own revival)", stating that the song "began to erode hip-hop's early '00s reign, with women at the forefront of turning the tide."
Awards and recognition
At the
48th Grammy Awards
The 48th Annual Grammy Awards took place on February 8, 2006, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning from October 1, 2004, through September 30, 2005. Irish rock band U2 ...
, "Since U Been Gone" won the category of
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. At the 2005
Teen Choice Awards
The Teen Choice Awards were an annual awards show that aired on the Fox television network between 1999 and 2019. The awards, based on a popularity vote that could be overridden by the producerswho reserved the right to choose the winnerscovered ...
, the song won the category of Choice Single. It also won the award for Best Pop Sing-Along Song at the 2005 XM Nation Music Awards.
The song received a nomination in the category of Song of the Year: Mainstream Hit Radio at the 2005
Radio Music Awards but lost to
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...
's "
We Belong Together". At the 2005
Billboard Music Awards
The ''Billboard'' Music Awards are honors given out annually by '' Billboard'', a publication covering the music business and a music popularity chart. The ''Billboard'' Music Awards show has been held annually since 1990, with the exception of ...
, the song received nominations for two awards. It received a nomination for the Hot 100 Single of the Year but lost to Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" and for the Digital Song of the Year but lost to
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani Shelton ( ; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer.
Stefani rose to fame as a member and lead vocalist of the band No Doubt, whose hit singles include " Just a Girl", " Spiderwebs", an ...
's "
Hollaback Girl". In 2023, ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' named "Since U Been Gone" the fifth-best pop song of all time, the highest-ranked song on the list from the 21st century.
Chart performance
"Since U Been Gone" entered the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 70 for the week ending December 18, 2004. On its second week, the song moved to number 53, before jumping to number 38 the following week. During the week ending April 9, 2005, "Since U Been Gone" ascended to a new peak of number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. This made "Since U Been Gone" the first pop song by a solo female artist to reach the top two chart positions in 2005.
The song also became the first non-R&B/hip hop song by a solo female artist to reach top two on the chart since
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera ( , ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter, actress and television personality. Recognized as Cultural impact of Christina Aguilera, an influential figure in music and having received Public imag ...
's "
Beautiful" hit number two in February 2003.
Fred Bronson of ''Billboard'' noted that had "Since U Been Gone" moved to number one, it would become the 41st chart-topper for the ''
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...
'' franchise.
The song stayed in the top 10 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for 20 weeks. After the week ending March 26, 2005, the song topped the US
Pop 100
The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009. It ranked songs based on airplay on Mainstream Top 40 radio stations, singles ...
for six consecutive weeks, through the week ending March 26, 2005. It also spent seven consecutive weeks at number one on the US
Pop Songs
Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/ CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played on a panel of Top 40 radio stations in the U ...
. On the ''Billboard''s
Radio Songs chart, the song peaked at number four on April 23, 2005. "Since U Been Gone" was certified
platinum
Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA) on January 25, 2006.
As of September 2017, "Since U Been Gone" has sold 2,973,000 paid digital downloads.
Internationally, "Since U Been Gone" was a commercial success. In Australia, the song debuted and peaked at number three on February 13, 2005. It was certified
platinum
Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...
by the
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival Records (Australia), Festival, Sony Music ...
(ARIA) for shipments of over 70,000 units. In New Zealand, Since U Been Gone debuted at number 18 on the week ending March 21, 2005. Three weeks later, it peaked at number 11 and matched that position for three non-consecutive weeks. On July 16, 2005, "Since U Been Gone" debuted and peaked at number five in the United Kingdom, and as of April 2023, the song sold over 1,200,000 copies there.
In Ireland, it entered the
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is the Republic of Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) and compiled on their behalf by the Official Charts Company. Chart rankings are ...
at number eight on the week ending July 7, 2005 and peaked at number four three weeks later. Elsewhere in Europe, the song was also a success; it peaked at number three in Austria, number seven in Switzerland, number nine in Norway, number 10 in the Netherlands, and number 16 in Sweden.
Music video
Background
The music video for "Since U Been Gone" was directed by Alex De Rakoff and filmed in early November 2004.
Clarkson told MTV that she conceived the idea of the video after assuming that revenge is what every girl wants to do when their boyfriend cheats on them. She added, "You know, 'Why don't I just go trash her house?
..And so I do it in the video. All I do is break stuff. It's a cool job. I could get used to this."
Clarkson expressed that in the music video, viewers would get to see her act out of character. She explained, "In the beginning, I'm like tipping things over and smearing mud all over the walls and it seems like my apartment, but it ends up being the other girl's that he's with, so it's a humorous video."
The music video premiered on ''
Total Request Live
''Total Request Live'' (commonly abbreviated as ''TRL'') is an American television program that premiered on MTV on September 14, 1998. The early version of ''TRL'' featured popular music videos played during its countdown and was also used as ...
'' on November 16, 2004.
Synopsis
The music video begins with Clarkson sitting on a couch in an apartment's living room, holding a heart-shaped locket in her hand. The next scene shows Clarkson in the bathroom where she fixes her face in the mirror, she opens the medicine cabinet and tossing all the pills in the medicine cabinet over her shoulder and messing all the bathroom items on the floor, squirting the toothpaste into the sink. When she gets to a container of birth control pills, she turns on the water in the sink, snaps the pills out, and drops them down the drain. Clarkson then starts to take other items; she throws a container of makeup powder spray in the air and smears a container of facial mud mask on the wall. During the chorus, Clarkson and her band perform the song for a dancing crowd in a club. After the first chorus, Clarkson walks into a room full of closets. She cuts up dresses, rifling through the closets and pulling out clothes, destroying them and singing in a pile of them. After the second chorus, she walks into a bedroom and begins to tear the pillow on the bed, filling the room with feathers. The scenes of Clarkson singing with her band then alternate with a montage of her destroying the apartment, breaks the glass window from the door, breaks the vase, television, clock, fridge, lights, microwave, phone, furniture, and chair. Later, Clarkson takes a framed photo of her ex-boyfriend with another girl in the living room, before pushing a tall CD rack over. She then smashes the framed photo through a glass table, breaking it in half. Having decimated the apartment, Clarkson walks out the door and down the hallway with a hat on her head, just as her ex-boyfriend appears with his girlfriend, walking arm in arm. Clarkson hides her face as she walks away from them. The final scene shows the couple seeing their damaged apartment in shock and the scene of the locket swinging.
Reception and accolades
Stephen Thompson of NPR Music was disappointed with the music video because it "undercuts its message to an alarming degree: The words say 'Since you've been gone / I can breathe for the first time,' but the pictures say, 'Breaking up with you necessitates destroying all of your property.'"
On the other hand, Johnni Macke of
E! felt the video was amusing and Clarkson was "at her rocker prime." She added, "It features the tomboy side of the singer messing up her ex's closet, destroying his bed and getting some major revenge by destroying his place." At the
2005 MTV Video Music Awards, the music video received nominations for three awards; it won
Best Female Video and
Best Pop Video, and received a nomination for the
Viewer's Choice Awards but lost to
Green Day
Green Day is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Rodeo, California, in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, with drummer Tré Cool joining in 1990. In 1994, their majo ...
's "
Boulevard of Broken Dreams".
MusicOMH
''MusicOMH'' (stylized as ''musicOMH'') is a London-based online music magazine which publishes independent reviews, features and interviews from across all genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B.
History
''MusicOMH'' was founded an ...
ranked the music video as the 86th best video of the last decade. In February 2012, the music video received a ''
Pop-Up Video'' treatment by
VH1
VH1 (originally an initialism for Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network that launched on January 1, 1985, and is currently owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global's networks division based in New Y ...
which shows "pops up" bubbles containing trivia, witticisms and borderline sexual innuendos throughout the video.
Live performances
Clarkson performed "Since U Been Gone" at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. Her performance garnered positive reviews from critics, who considered it one of the highlights in the event. Performing barefoot,
Clarkson sang the song as rain cascaded onto the audience. Clarkson told ''
People
The term "the people" refers to the public or Common people, common mass of people of a polity. As such it is a concept of human rights law, international law as well as constitutional law, particularly used for claims of popular sovereignty. I ...
'' that one of her favourite moments on television was performing "Since U Been Gone" at the MTV Video Music Awards, saying "I hate being all dressed up, so the fact that I was soaking wet with mascara smeared all over my face was definitely the highlight of my evening!" Becky Bain of
Idolator thought that the performance was Clarkson's most memorable live performances
while Kelefa Sanneh of ''The New York Times'' thought Clarkson's performance was very solid despite the feeling that she sounded better dry than drenched. Clarkson performed the song on ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' in 2005, along with the
2006 BRIT Awards which took place in
Earls Court, London.
"Since U Been Gone" has been performed by Clarkson in all of her tours since the
Breakaway Tour. It was included in the setlist of her
My December Tour as an encore. While performing at
Mohegan Sun Arena
The Mohegan Sun Arena is a 10,000 seat multi-purpose arena in the Uncasville, Connecticut, Uncasville area of Montville, Connecticut, Montville, Connecticut located inside the Mohegan Sun casino resort. The arena facility features of configurab ...
,
Uncasville, Connecticut
Uncasville is a village in the town of Montville, Connecticut, United States. It is located in southeastern Montville, at the mouth of the Oxoboxo River where it flows into the Thames River. The name is now applied more generally to all of the ...
, Clarkson performed "Since U Been Gone" and let the audience sing the song's chorus. Clarkson's performance of the song at the
Beacon Theatre, New York City stirred crowd into a frenzy, causing the show to be closed abruptly. During her
All I Ever Wanted Tour, Clarkson performed the song at the
Hammerstein Ballroom
The Hammerstein Ballroom is a ballroom located within the Manhattan Center at 311 West 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The capacity of the ballroom is dependent on the configuration of the room; it seats 2,000 people for theat ...
, where Caryn Ganz of ''Rolling Stone'' remarked that "the room turned into an electric sea of flailing arms and pogo-ing heads." In 2011, Clarkson performed "Since U Been Gone" as well as "
Mr. Know It All" on ''
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. The show ran for nineteen seasons from September 8, 2003, to May 26, 2022, in which it broadcast 3,339 episodes. It was produced by ...
'' while promoting her fifth album, ''
Stronger''. At the ''
VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul'' television special, Clarkson performed a medley of "
You Keep Me Hangin' On", "
Spotlight", "
Real Love", and "Since U Been Gone" with
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Qu ...
and
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981), also known by her nickname J.Hud, is an American singer, actress, producer, and talk show host. Having received List of awards and nominations received by Jennifer Hudson, numerous accolades for ...
. The song was also performed by Clarkson during her 2012
Stronger Tour. While touring at the
Times Union Center
MVP Arena (originally Knickerbocker Arena, and then the Pepsi Arena and Times Union Center) is an indoor arena located in Albany, New York. It is configurable and can accommodate from 6,000 to 17,500 people, with a maximum seating capacity of ...
,
Albany, New York
Albany ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It is located on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River. Albany is the oldes ...
, Clarkson performed the song with a musical arrangement. Grey Haymes of
Times Union remarked that the song was "re-made and re-modeled with a throbbing, fuzzed-out bassline and an irresistible techno pulse as the foundation for her hook-filled pop song." He also added that it was one of the several surprises from the concert.
Cover versions and use in media

"Since U Been Gone" has been covered by many artists. On September 27, 2011,
Joseph Gordon-Levitt covered the song in the style of
Axl Rose
W. Axl Rose ( ; born William Bruce Rose Jr., February 6, 1962) is an American singer and songwriter. He is the lead vocalist and lyricist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, and has been the band's sole constant member since its inception in ...
on ''
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show was the third installment of the '' Late Night'' franchise. Hosted by Jimmy Fallon, ''. The song was also covered by American musician
Butch Walker in his 2005 album, ''
Cover Me Badd''. Dave Donelly of Sputnikmusic praised Walker's cover for sticking closely to Clarkson's version. American metalcore band
A Day to Remember
A Day to Remember is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Ocala, Florida, in 2003 by guitarist Tom Denney and drummer Bobby Scruggs. They are known for their amalgamation of metalcore and pop-punk. The band currently consists of voca ...
recorded their own version of "Since U Been Gone" which was included in the reissued version of their album, ''
For Those Who Have Heart
''For Those Who Have Heart'' is the second studio album by the American rock band A Day to Remember, and their first for Victory. It was released on January 22, 2007 by Victory. For the album, the band had a line-up change swapping drummer Bobby ...
''. Indie rock artist
Ted Leo
Theodore Francis Leo (born September 11, 1970) is an American singer and musician. He is the frontman and lead guitarist of the rock group Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, and in 2013, he and Aimee Mann formed the indie rock duo The Both.
Earl ...
recorded an acoustic version of "Since U Been Gone" for a videotaped web session, a few hours after watching the song's music video, which included an interpolation of "Maps" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. He commented, "It's just one great hook after another. I also really appreciate the more advanced pop pastiche aspects of it. It's written in a way that is so transparent in terms of drawing from a lot of what's vaguely edgy and popular right now, but put together in such a perfect little package. It's undeniable." A cover of the song by Canadian indie rock band
Tokyo Police Club was included in their "Ten Days, Ten Covers, Ten Years" project where they covered a song every day for ten days. "Since U Been Gone" was sampled in
Girl Talk's "Here's The Thing" on his 2008 album, ''
Feed the Animals''. The song was included as the opening track of the ''
American Idol 10th Anniversary – The Hits'', a compilation album that celebrates 10 years of ''
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...
'' which features tracks from nine winners of the show. The song was parodied on
MadTV
''Mad TV'' (stylized as ''MADtv'') is an American sketch comedy television series created by David Salzman, Fax Bahr, and Adam Small. Loosely based on the humor magazine '' Mad'', ''Mad TVs pre-taped satirical sketches were primarily parodie ...
as "Since We Were On" in a skit about the various performers who came after Clarkson on
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...
.
"Since U Been Gone" has also been covered by contestants from reality television singing competitions. The song was performed by Todrick Hall on the
eighth season of ''
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...
''. Despite fulfilling the judges' desire to hear something original, his rendition of the song drew criticism from the judges, with
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell (; born 7 October 1959) is an English television personality and businessman. He has judged on the British television talent competition shows ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003), ''The X Factor (British TV series), The X Factor UK ...
commenting that Hall seemed like a dancer trying to sing. On November 26, 2011, Amelia Lily performed the song on the
eighth series of ''
The X Factor UK''. Her rendition was praised by the judges;
Louis Walsh
Michael Louis Vincent Walsh (born 5 August 1952) is an Irish music manager and television personality. He has managed Johnny Logan (singer), Johnny Logan, Boyzone, Jedward and Westlife, four of Ireland's most successful pop acts in the 1990s an ...
felt that her performance was effortless while
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene Rowland (born February 11, 1981) is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's List of best-selling girl groups, best-selling gir ...
remarked that "Amelia Lily hits those notes in her sleep!" The song was also covered by Luke O'Dell on the
third season of ''
The X Factor Australia''. On June 13, 2012,
John Legend
John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He began his musical career working behind the scenes for other artists, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Every ...
and his duet partner, Meleana Brown, covered "Since U Been Gone" in ''
Duets''. Katy Kroll of ''Rolling Stone'' lambasted their cover for being "pitchy" and "almost unlistenable", Gord Craig of ''
Leader-Post'' felt that Brown did not deliver her best although she sounded great with Legend. In the third season of ''
The Sing Off'', the winning group
Pentatonix
Pentatonix (abbreviated PTX) are an American a cappella group from Arlington, Texas, consisting of vocalists Scott Hoying, Mitch Grassi, Kirstin Maldonado, Matt Sallee, and Kevin Olusola. Characterized by their pop-style arrangements wit ...
sang a "mastermix" of "Since U Been Gone" and "
Forget You". All three judges were impressed with
Ben Folds commenting "You guys gave voices to the instruments" while
Shawn Stockman, praising the rhythm and percussion section, renamed Kevin and Avi "Meat and Potatoes".
"Since U Been Gone" was performed by
Ester Dean and
Skylar Astin in the 2012
musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film
Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...
comedy film
The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...
, ''
Pitch Perfect''. Lanford Beard of ''Entertainment Weekly'' noted that the song was used during the audition sequences in the film, writing "Set to Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone," it arranged the singers in a clever a cappella tapestry that simultaneously landed laughs and showed off their talents." Christy Lemire of ''
The Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...
'' was positive of the song's incorporation in the film during the audition process due to its beautiful editing which makes "it feels like a fresh take on the tried-and-true, bad-first-date montage." The song was used in twelfth season of Brazilian
soap opera
A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...
''
Malhação''. The song was also used in the first season of ''
Supergirl
Supergirl is the name of several fictional superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original, current, and most well known Supergirl is Supergirl (Kara Zor-El), Kara Zor-El, the cousin of superhero Superman. Th ...
,'' and in ''Unpregnant.'' The song is used the musical ''
& Juliet'' a coming-of-age story, coming-of-age Musical theatre, stage musical featuring the music of Max Martin. For the ''& Juliet (Original Broadway Cast Recording)'', Clarkson re-recorded the song along with the Lorna Courtney who plays Juliet.
Legacy
As of 2014, the song has appeared in more than 40 different albums either remixed or in its original format. The song propelled Clarkson to success in mainstream pop music and was regarded as a
power pop
Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a subgenre of rock music and form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, ...
milestone in the 2000s.
Maura Johnston from ''Billboard'' asserted that "the song inspired covers from all corners—
Ted Leo
Theodore Francis Leo (born September 11, 1970) is an American singer and musician. He is the frontman and lead guitarist of the rock group Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, and in 2013, he and Aimee Mann formed the indie rock duo The Both.
Earl ...
, Kidz Bop—and helped prime the pop world for tracks like
Pink
Pink is a pale tint of red, the color of the Dianthus plumarius, pink flower. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, p ...
's "Who Knew" and Paramore's "Misery Business", not to mention later Clarkson hits like "My Life Would Suck Without You". ''Entertainment Weekly'' put it on its end-of-the-decade "best-of" list, saying, "Can anyone do bitter better? Nothing packs more romantic rage than the original Idol's 2004 kiss-off to a coldhearted ex." The song was ranked by ''Pitchfork Media'' as the 21st best track of the 2000s; they wrote that "'Since U Been Gone' gave us one of the most blunt rallying cries of the last ten years, a perfectly realized sing-along chorus that will be a karaoke staple for years." In 2014, ''The Atlantic'' magazine dubbed "Since U Been Gone" as the best pop song of the past decade.
Bill Lamb of About.com ranked the song as the 29th best pop song of all time, expressing that "Kelly Clarkson has stated that she insisted on adding the rock feel to the recording. The result was a record that captured the prevailing sound of mainstream pop with near perfection." ''NME'' placed it at number 135 on its list of the "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years",
writing "What should have been a slice of American schlock power-pop turned into a brilliant kiss-off, in any genre." ''The A.V. Club'' staff rated the song as one of their favorite gleeful breakup songs, writing "The minute that bass and drum machine start, this song is an anthem of the scorned, a call to self-actualization, and an instant hands-in-the-air dance party." ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason.
The magazine was first known fo ...
'' ranked "Since U Been Gone" at number 482 of
the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring song ranking compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2 ...
in 2010, and later at 93 in the 2021 revamped ranking, whose readers listed it as the ninth-ranked single of the last decade.
The AOL Radio Staff put the song at number 10 on their list of 10 Best Break Up Songs. "Since U Been Gone" has also appeared in several ''Billboard'' lists; in March 2013, it was ranked at number one on its list of Top 100 American Idol Hits of All Time.
In April 2017, it appeared at number two of ''Billboards 100 greatest choruses of the 21st century and is also one of Clarkson's biggest ''Billboard'' Hot 100 hits.
The song has been ranked 342nd by ''Billboard'' on its 600 most massive smashes over the chart's six decades.
Track listings
* CD single
# "Since U Been Gone"
(radio edit) – 3:08
# "Since U Been Gone"
(AOL live version) – 3:16
* CD maxi single
# "Since U Been Gone"
(radio edit) – 3:08
# "Since U Been Gone"
(AOL live version) – 3:16
# "Miss Independent"
(AOL live version) – 5:12
# "Since U Been Gone"
(Enhanced CD video) – 3:10
* Dance Vault Mixes
# "Since U Been Gone"
(Jason Nevins Rock da Edit) – 3:20
# "Since U Been Gone"
(Jason Nevins Ambient) [Candlelight Mix] – 3:29
# "Since U Been Gone"
(Jason Nevins Club Mixshow) – 5:34
# "Since U Been Gone"
(Jason Nevins Club) – 7:39
# "Since U Been Gone"
(Jason Nevins Dub) – 7:20
# "Since U Been Gone"
(Jason Nevins Radio Edit Instrumental) – 3:50
# "Since U Been Gone"
(Jason Nevins Radio Edit Acappella) – 3:37
# "Since U Been Gone"
(Jason Nevins Reprise) – 5:11
Credits and personnel
Credits are adapted from the liner notes of ''Breakaway''.
Recording
* Recorded by
, Dr. Luke and Lasse Mårtén at Maratone Studios, Stockholm, Sweden.
Personnel
*
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne (born Kelly Brianne Clarkson, April 24, 1982), known professionally as Kelly Clarkson, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Rising to fame after winning the American Idol season 1, first season of ''Ameri ...
– backing vocals, lead vocals
* Dr. Luke – producer, writer, instruments
*
– producer, writer
* Olle Dahlstedt – bass, guitar, drums
* Serban Ghenea, Şerban Ghenea – mixing
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
Certifications
Release history
See also
* List of Billboard Mainstream Top 40 number-one songs of 2005
* List of number-one dance airplay hits of 2005 (U.S.)
References
{{Authority control
2004 songs
2004 singles
2000s ballads
American power pop songs
A Day to Remember songs
Bubblegum pop songs
Pop ballads
Rock ballads
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Kelly Clarkson songs
MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video
Music videos directed by Alex De Rakoff
RCA Records singles
Song recordings produced by Dr. Luke
Song recordings produced by Max Martin
Songs written by Dr. Luke
Songs written by Max Martin
Sony BMG singles
Breakup songs