Because of You (3:39)

“Because of You” is a song written by pop rock singer Kelly Clarkson, David Hodges and Ben Moody, both formerly of Evanescence, and produced by Hodges and Moody. It is the fourth single (third in Europe) from Clarkson’s second album, Breakaway (2004). The song, which Clarkson wrote at age 16, discusses the difficulties she faced due to her parents’ divorce.

Critically, “Because of You” garnered positive reviews by music critics, who praised Clarkson’s vocals. The song became Clarkson’s most successful single around the world; in the United States, it peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over 1.5 million digital downloads. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

In 2007, Clarkson re-recorded the song as a duet with country music artist Reba McEntire for Reba’s album Reba: Duets (2007). The duet version was released in Summer of 2007, reaching a peak of #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, becoming Clarkson’s first official entry on that chart.