Clarkson's 'December' swirls in drama

Following a multiplatinum, Grammy-winning album can be daunting for any artist. Kelly Clarkson's path to releasing "My December" has been especially torturous.

While Clarkson has gotten plenty of publicity, it's doubtful it's the kind of media campaign the 25-year-old intended. But industry watchers say it's doubtful, too, that the turmoil will lead to the industry's dreaded f-word -- flop.

"It's sort of extraordinary to me that this much judgment has been passed before everyone has heard the album," said Sean Ross, who tracks the radio industry for Edison Media Research.

The former "American Idol" has had success since she released her first album, 2003's "Thankful," which sold more than 1 million copies. The multiplatinum "Breakaway" cemented her status as a bona fide artist outside of "Idol."

Tom Poleman, senior vice president of programming at Clear Channel New York, said of "Never Again," the first single: "Probably the best word is 'disappointing.' ... We were eagerly anticipating the song, but unfortunately it hasn't done as nearly as well as previous singles."

Yet, on the Internet, reaction appears positive. "Never Again" is still among the top 10 most popular downloaded songs on iTunes, while AOL said viewers rated both it and the new single, "Sober," around 9.5 out of 10.

"It is still a hit, which then raises the question of what is a hit record," Ross said. "If a hit record is only what radio plays, then [the song by] Corinne Bailey Rae ["Put Your Records On"] wasn't a hit record but it was a very successful sales story."