Taylor’s CD sells fairly well
Variety.com - ‘Idol’ champs fill bill
It appears that a victory on “American Idol” is worth about 300,000 in album sales, and if you want a No. 1, you need to make sure the competition is sparse.
“Idol” season-five winner Taylor Hicks got the good news and bad news Wednesday when his debut sold 298,000 but came in at No. 2 behind Atlanta rapper Young Jeezy, whose sophomore disc “The Inspiration” (Def Jam) sold 352,000 copies in the week ended Sunday.
As sales go, Hicks wasn’t that far behind the debut of season-four winner Carrie Underwood, whose “Some Hearts” sold 315,000 in its first week.
Hicks’ self-titled disc barely edged the debut of Kelly Clarkson, whose “Thankful” moved 297,000 copies when it was released in April 2003.
The top dog among the “Idol” champs is Ruben Studdard, who sold 417,000 copies of his debut when it was released in December 2003.
Bringing up the rear for debut discs is Fantasia, whose sophomore effort got off to a shaky start last week, selling 133,000 copies to open at No. 19. Her debut, “Free Yourself,” sold 239,000 copies when it came out in November 2004.
In other words, Taylor won’t come in at #1, but he will arrive at a very strong #2. And he’ll still have sold a boat load of CDs that he wouldn’t have without IDOL.
December 21st, 2006 at 5:17 pm
I don’t know where you’ve mentioned this elsewhere, Augie, but earlier this week I heard that Carrie Underwood’s SOME HEARTS is the top-selling album of 2006.
December 22nd, 2006 at 6:53 pm
As much a fan of Taylor Hick’s I was when he was on the show - it didn’t translate into me liking him enough to actually buy his album. American Idol albums tend to be over-produced and kind of dull, and don’t really reflect the “energy” of what made you like the Idol in the 1st place. I bought Fantasia’s debut album & it was God-awful and swore never to do spend my hard earned cash on an AI cd again. From what I’ve read, the AI contract for the winners is very rigid, and essentially dictates the path the new “stars” must follow until that contract is finished. Witness Kelly Clarkson, who appeared to be lifeless and 2-dimensional until her AI contract finished and she went on her own - quelle difference !
December 23rd, 2006 at 10:33 am
I meant to write “whether you’ve mentioned this elsewhere,” not “where..”