in the key of G major. Yeah Yeah Yeahs songwriter Karen O said noticing the similarity was "like getting bitten by a poisonous varmint". "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 and indie rock-influenced pop rock and power pop power ballad written and produced by Max Martin and Dr. Luke. The song, which is set in common time with a moderate tempo of 132 beats per minute, is written in the key of G major. Popdose staff noted that the song contains "electronics-enhanced sheen" which infuses an appropriate dichotomy between the loud and soft sound of alternative-rock. 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 G3 to the high note of G5. Film Laureate of Blogcritics 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