Advertisement

‘American Idol’ Daily: Digits on the Davids

Share

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

For David Cook, David Archuleta and every citizen of ‘American Idol’ Nation, the moment of truth is at hand. A superstar (or two, or three) we were promised and now we learn whether a superstar (or two, or three) we have got. The show has ended, the tour has folded up its tent, the tracks recorded, the album shifts and we wait to hear from the marketplace whether it was all for naught.

And today the first album sales numbers for the first David out of the box (Archuleta) were released and for the Chosen One, the fulfillment of Idol prophecies of a ‘tween hero molded from the cradle in the show’s image, the record-buying public finally had their chance to speak and the results were ... very respectable.

Advertisement

David Archuleta debuted on the Billboard Top 200 in the No. 2 position, selling 183,000 copies, putting him second only to country/pop phenom Taylor Swift. Over at the always comprehensive and authoritative Idol destination MJ’s Big Blog, they have rounded up an impressive array of statistics on where the Chosen One’s debut places him in Idol launch history. According to their stats, 183,000 places Archuleta third in the first week sales of second place finishers (behind Clay Aiken and Bo Bice) and 10th in all debut weeks (a category led by Clay Aiken, Ruben Studdard and Carrie Underwood, his figures just edging Jordin Sparks out of the top 10.

MJ also points out that Archuleta’s numbers are at least 25% more impressive than they seem at first glance, given that album sales are off 24% this year from the same week last year. Archuleta’s single ‘Crush’ is also just 10,000 downloads shy of making platinum on the digital charts.

When next week’s numbers are released, expect a giant pile-up between David Cook, Swift, Nickleback and Beyonce, all fighting for the top slot. Tonight the Idol champion sits at the No. 2 slot on iTunes top albums listings, just below Nickleback.

And the rest of the busy day in American Idol after the jump.

-- Chris Daughtry made Idol history Wednesday night becoming, according to a fascinating list compiled by Newsday, the sixth Idol star to appear on sitcom or drama. Daughtry took his glistening dome to ‘CSI: NY’ where he guest-starred on the series’ 100th episode. Previous Idols who have made the leap from center of the entertainment universe to scripted walk-on’s include Justin Guarini (‘Run of the House’), Tamyra Gray (‘Boston Public’) and Constantin Maroulis (‘The Bold and the Beautiful’).

-- Having ‘Gone Country,’ Diana DiGarmo is going country. The season three runner-up told AmericanIdol.com that she is currently living in Nashville and working on an album in the country vein. But rather than seeing this turn as walking away from the pop world, DiGarmo said the new direction is actually a return to her roots. The site tells:

When she went to make her initial album, she wasn’t inspired by the pop artists of the time, and R & B wasn’t feeling like a good fit either. As Diana said, “I was in a musical rut.” After being on the show “Gone Country,” Diana is feeling renewed, and has fallen in love with music all over again. “It just fit perfectly,” Diana said, as life has brought her ‘full circle.’

Advertisement

-- Kristy Lee Cook is asking for your help to support her delightful and under-appreciated single, ’15 Minutes of Shame.’ Season seven’s lone country star sent a notice out on her fans on her myspace blog:

My single is in a bad spot right now the high 20’s which is a bad spot to be cause it can jump down to 30’s and back up when new songs come out.. So LETS GET THIS SINGLE UP THE CHARTS!!! Work everyone you know to request my single and lets see if we can get it up by MONDAY :O)What do you think? Can we all do it? Stations all over the US doesn’t have to be your state.. let me know ya’all !!! GOD BLESS, Your the best fans!

And God bless the USA! And hoping all Idol Nation will jump in to help out the only female kickboxer to ever make the top 10.

56 days to season eight!

-- Richard Rushfield

Advertisement