Diana DeGarmo, David Hernandez, Kimberley Locke and Chikezie stopped by The Saturday Early Show on CBS yesterday to promote their "American Stars for the Holidays" tour, which launched last night. Watch Diana and David perform "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" below:
To close out the show, Kimberley and Chikezie sang "Last Christmas." The 15-city tour last night kicked off in Milwaukee and wraps up in Waukegan, Ill., on Dec. 21.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Diana & David H. - "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
Cook's sales in comparison
Now that the final first week sales are in for David Cook's debut album, let's take a look at how his numbers stack up against the sales and chart positions on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart of the six previous winners.
First Week Sales - Winners
1) Ruben Studdard - Soulful (416,569 - #1)
2) Carrie Underwood - Some Hearts (314,549 - #2)
3) Taylor Hicks - Taylor Hicks (298,199 - #2)
4) Kelly Clarkson - Thankful (297,000 - #1)
5) David Cook - David Cook (279,578 - #3)
6) Fantasia - Free Yourself (239,389 - #8)
7) Jordin Sparks - Jordin Sparks (119,119 - #10)
Cook's sales are extremely healthy when compared to the first week sales of other winners, but at the same time it cannot be said for certain that his album will do as well as others. Look at Ruben Studdard's figures compared to where it ended up. But on the flip side, look at Jordin Sparks' debut week take and now it is just shy of going platinum.
Total Sales - Winners
1) Carrie Underwood - Some Hearts (6.59 million)
2) Kelly Clarkson - Thankful (2.71 million)
3) Ruben Studdard - Soulful (1.79 million)
4) Fantasia - Free Yourself (1.77 million)
5) Jordin Sparks - Jordin Sparks (956k)
6) Taylor Hicks - Taylor Hicks (703k)
7) David Cook - David Cook (280k)
Although there are some very big shoes to fill, it should be easy to see that Cook's debut will easily pass Taylor Hicks' by the end of the year, though it will take a bit longer for it to pass Jordin Sparks. Regardless, it should finish just above Ruben's total unless it can't produce at least one hit single.
Friday, November 28, 2008
'Idol' odds 'n ends: Cook stars in Season 8 ad
The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:
>FOX launched a one-minute ad on television promoting the eighth season of Idol, which began running yesterday. The ad features David Cook and his "sweet dreams" of victory in addition to including a clip of "Light On" playing in the background.
>Four Idol alums will perform on the CBS Saturday Early Show tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. Chikezie, David Hernandez, Diana DeGarmo and Kimberley Locke will perform a song from their Christmas concert that kicked off today in Milwaukee.
>Eight Idol alums will band together to tour the nation in the IDOL Mania Live concert series. The tour kicks off Sat., Dec. 6 at the Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla. On the tour will be: Blake Lewis, Gina Glocksen, Justin Guarini, LaKisha Jones, Melissa McGhee, Mikalah Gordon, Rickey Smith and Vonzell Solomon.
>David Archuleta's AOL Sessions were added to AOL Music on Wednesday. In his sessions he performs "Crush," "A Little Too Not Over You," "Touch My Hand," "My Hands" and You Can."
>Clay Aiken appeared on Rosie O'Donnell's new variety show Rosie Live on Wednesday, when it premiered with a less-than-stellar audience of five million viewers. In their segment they discussed "things they had in common."
'Idol' BB 200: 'David Cook' #3 (12/6/08)
The power that is David Cook significantly rocked the Billboard Top 200 album chart for the chart week of Dec. 6 despite a great deal of competition. In its debut week, David Cook came in at #3 to lead all Idol-related entries, as it sold 279.8k copies.
This pushed last week's new entry, David Archuleta's self-titled album, down nine spots to #11 thanks to a 64% sales drop. It posted a weekly take of 66.4k units, putting its two-week total at 249.5k. Jennifer Hudson's self-titled debut was up next, falling #33-47 to 21k copies for the week. Its scant 3% sales dip put its total at a very healthy 455.6k.
Carrie Underwood's Carnival Ride saw a steeper decline as it shed 22% of its sales, coming at at #57 with a 23-spot plummet. The album's weekly take of 16.5k puts its total at 2.449 million units. David Foster's Hit Man CD/DVD combo followed, which features tracks by Katharine McPhee and Michael Johns, with a 25-spot drop to 12.1k copies for the week. After two weeks the album as collected 27.4k units.
Daughtry's album was the sole Idol-related entry to see positive movement for the week, as it gained 2% in sales to 6.5k copies despite a backward #107-109 chart position. It has now taken in 4.287 million since its release. Kellie Pickler's sophomore effort rounded out the albums by Idol alums, as it fell 30% to 6.1k copies for the week, putting its total at 107k copies. It fell 37 spots to #115.
Surprisingly, Jordin Sparks' debut album finally fell off the Billboard 200 from #188 last week after a year of release. It should return to the chart next week.
Full numbers and chart positions courtesy of tony on Pulse as follows:
003 --- David Cook - David Cook 279,578 234 999% 279,812
011 002 David Archuleta - David Archuleta 66,417 182,927 -64% 249,541
047 033 Jennifer Hudson - Jennifer Hudson 20,996 21,575 -3% 455,632
057 034 Carrie Underwood - Carnival Ride 16,459 21,098 -22% 2,448,818
071 046 Various Artists - Hit Man: D. Foster... 12,132 15,246 -20% 27,416
109 107 Daughtry - Daughtry 6,477 6,362 2% 4,286,670
115 078 Kellie Pickler - Kellie Pickler 6,104 8,761 -30% 107,008
Total sales are in bold.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Arch at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
David Archuleta braved the cold when he performed "Crush" at the 82nd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City in front of 3.5 million people in attendance this morning. Watch the performance below:
Arch has a lot to be thankful for today, as "Crush" officially went platinum with the revelation of yesterday's sales numbers.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
'Idol' Hot 100: "Crush" #23 (12/6/08)
In what seems more like Groundhog Day than Thanksgiving Day, David Archuleta's "Crush" was once again the top positioned Idol-related track on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of Dec. 6. The single fell two spots to #23 but still is in a healthy position.
Next up was Jennifer Hudson's "Spotlight," which actually rose #27-25. Carrie Underwood followed with "Just a Dream," which fell seven spots following a steep sales decline after the bump the song received from the CMAs dried up.
The two remaining Idol-related singles were held by David Cook, with "Light On" looking to exit the Hot 100 next week after falling #82-91. "Declaration," however, appeared on the Bubbling Under chart at #13 and should disappear on next week's chart.
Full chart positions courtesy of bks over on Pulse are posted below:
Hot 100
23 21 David Archuleta, "Crush"
25 27 Jennifer Hudson, "Spotlight"
36 29 Carrie Underwood, "Just a Dream"
91 82 David Cook, "Light On"
Bubbling Under
13 -- David Cook, "Declaration"
Digital sales roundup: "Crush" #19 (11/22/08)
The Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart saw an influx in tracks by David Cook this week as a result of the release of his self-titled album, but none were able to overthrow reigning champ among Idol alums, "Crush." The David Archuleta single dropped 36% to 45.8k for the week, moving back five spots #19. Its total has finally passed the million mark, standing at 1.038 million.
Next up was Carrie Underwood's "Just a Dream," which fell #30-48 post-CMAs, marred by a 42% sales dip to 22.2k downloads. It now has a total of 407.6k and should find its way to gold status just after the new year.
The rest of the chart belonged to Cook in terms of Idol representation, as three new tracks joined "Light On," which surprisingly took 27 steps backward to #98 by falling 47% in sales to 11.3k. The total now sits at 258.7k and most likely not reach gold status anytime soon (if at all).
Cook's highest-selling track for the week was "Declaration," which debuted at #75 with 16.2k downloads. He also saw "Permanent" (#122, 8.9k) and "Come Back to Me" (#148, 7.5k) debut.
Full numbers and chart positions courtesy of bks on Pulse as follows:
019 014 David Archuleta, "Crush" 45,845 -36% 72,001 1,037,502
048 030 Carrie Underwood, "Just a Dream" 22,219 -42% 38,502 407,640
075 --- David Cook, "Declaration" 16,176 999% 0 16,176
098 071 David Cook, "Light On" 11,286 -47% 21,127 258,653
122 --- David Cook, "Permanent" 8,897 999% 0 8,897
148 --- David Cook, "Come Back to Me" 7,528 999% 0 7,528
Total sales are in bold.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
HITS estimates: Cook 283.4k, Arch 62.9k
In its first week on the chart, David Cook's self-titled album will enter at #3 on the chart if HITS Daily Double's estimates from its building album sales chart hold.
David Cook is predicted to have taken in 283.4k copies, roughly 37k copies short of Nickelback's latest album Dark Horse. This number is a bit below HITS' own early predictions, which were at 300k as of Friday, but are significantly higher than IDOL LIVE's prediction of 236k.
In its second week on the chart, David Archuleta's debut album placed at #11, taking in another 62.9k copies following a hefty 65% drop. If the numbers hold, the album has taken in nearly 250k copies in two weeks.
Jennifer Hudson's self-titled album fell to #46 with another 20.9k copies, rounding out all Idol-related entries on the chart.
Finalized figures from Billboard should be out by Friday at the latest due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Out today: 'American Christmas'
An assortment of former Idol contestants tackle some of the most beloved Christmas tunes of all time on the compilation album American Christmas. The album, which is courtesy of indie label Chenoa Records in conjunction with EMI/Capitol, features songs by fan favorites like Jasmine Trias ("The Christmas Song"), Haley Scarnato ("Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas") and RJ Helton ("White Christmas").
Links to purchase American Christmas can be found below:
Albums
Various Artists, American Christmas
Amazon - ($13.99) - Buy
Amazon MP3 - ($9.49) - Buy
Barnes & Noble - ($17.99) - Buy
Best Buy - ($14.99) - Buy
Buy.com - ($15.88) - Buy
iTunes - ($9.99) - Buy
Target - ($13.99) - Buy
The iTunes version of the album also includes Ayla Brown's version of "Breath of Heaven" as a bonus track.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Leah LaBelle featured in new Keri Hilson video
Leah LaBelle, Season 3's 12th-place finalist, has managed to appear in Keri Hilson's new music video for her song "Turnin' Me On" as a backup dancer. Watch the video below (Leah is the one on *your* right in the scenes with Hilson and the two dancers):
Lil' Wayne is also featured in the video. Leah has previously covered Hilson's single "Energy" on her official YouTube channel.
Keeping up with Trenyce
Season 2's fifth-place finisher Trenyce has transitioned from soulfully serenading millions on Idol in 2003 to wowing audiences in musical theatre.
Following her departure from Idol, Trenyce was a frequent "talking head" on cable news shows like CNN Headline News' Showbiz Tonight to comment on all things involving the show, whether the topics were controversies or just analysis from a former finalist.
She was then able to foray into musical theatre, where she is currently expressing her talents in the national tour of Ain't Misbehavin', which kicked off in Elmira, N.Y. on Nov. 6. The show also stars Trenyce's fellow Season 2 peers Ruben Studdard and Frenchie Davis and just wrapped up its leg in Atlanta, Ga.
Trenyce and Frenchie also share a common bond in the fact that both are featured on the Christmas compilation American Christmas, which hits stores nationwide tomorrow. She is featured singing "Joy to the World." You can also listen to five of her original songs on her official music MySpace page.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Arch, Cook, Daughtry, Jordin at AMAs
The 2008 American Music Awards were full of slurred speeches, botched teleprompter readings, lip-synching and - most importantly - Idol alums, as three took home awards, four presented awards and one just didn't show up.
The AMAs were kicked off with a red carpet fest that was serenaded by David Cook and got Daughtry and David Archuleta to give their two cents to the camera. Later on, Cook showed up during the broadcast with less guyliner to introduce Taylor Swift as she performed "White Horse." Arch on the other hand was the butt of Jimmy Kimmel's jokes throughout the show, most of them referencing his age. He made a brief appearance when he presented the "Favorite Country Male Artist" award to Brad Paisley with Shallene Woodley that you can watch below:
Carrie Underwood, while M.I.A. for a leg of her Carnival Ride tour north of the border tonight, lost out to Swift in the "Favorite Female Country Artist" award but took home the "Favorite Country Album" award off the broadcast, leading her to thank the fans for the award via a blog.
While the girl in the yellow dress (Jordin Sparks) didn't take home anything during the show, she won "Favorite Artist - Adult Contemporary Music" prior to the broadcast and presented the award for "Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Artist" with a mole-less Enrique Iglesias.
But it was Daughtry that got the biggest on-show props. After presenting the award for "Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist" to Rihanna, the band took home "Favorite Band, Duo or Group - Pop/Rock" instead of Coldplay. One can argue that was a bit of a shock, but IDOL LIVE will take it. Watch the guys' acceptance speech below:
All in all the Idol alums represented well, just it's amazing with all the performances that were squeezed into three hours, none were able to secure a performance slot. Maybe next year...
Cook performs on red carpet at AMAs
A bunch of Idol alums popped up for tonight's 2008 American Music Awards show, with many being shown on the red carpet. David Cook was one of them, as he performed "Declaration" and "Light On," which you can watch below:
Daughtry and David Archuleta also got some face time during the pre-show. Stay tuned for a full wrap-up following the broadcast.
Poll of the week: 'Idol' alums win 3x at AMAs
Idol fans were hopefully optimistic - and correct - when they predicted Carrie Underwood, Daughtry and Jordin Sparks would each take home at least one award at tonight's 2008 American Music Awards.
A majority of IDOL LIVE readers correctly predicted the outcome at the awards show for the three Idol alums, with 23 votes (46%) going to the idea that all three would be victorious at the Las Vegas show that was broadcast on ABC. Not shown during the broadcast were Jordin's win for "Favorite Artist - Adult Contemporary Music" and Carrie's win for "Favorite Country Music Album," while Daughtry won for "Favorite Band, Duo or Group - Pop/Rock" during the broadcast.
We will now resume with the regularly scheduled debut album champion series. Voting will be open until 10 p.m. on Wed., Dec. 3.
Carrie, Daughtry & Jordin will win at least one award 23 (46%)
Carrie & Daughtry will win at least one award 11 (22%)
Carrie and Jordin will win at least one award 2 (4%)
Daughtry and Jordin will win at least one award 3 (6%)
Only Carrie will win one award 7 (14%)
Only Daughtry will win at least one award 0 (0%)
Only Jordin will win one award 1 (2%)
Carrie, Daughtry and Jordin will not win an award 3 (6%)
Total votes: 50
Phil Stacey leaves Lyric Street
Phil Stacey is the latest casualty of selling few copies of his debut album and joins a long list of Idol alums that have been either dropped or terminated their contracts due to low sales.
Billboard.biz reported that Phil and his label, Lyric Street Records, have parted ways. One can only imagine it is the result of Phil's debut album's sales, which have topped off at 36k copies since its April 29 release. Hopefully he can find a nice home at an indie label, or maybe he can become a songwriter.
Regardless of the drop, Phil is still scheduled to be serving as the grand marshal of the 2008 Nashville Christmas Parade. It will kick off at the corner of 6th and Broadway and will end at JP Field. The parade will be held on Fri., Dec. 5 at 7 p.m.
Friday, November 21, 2008
HITS predix: Cook 300k
In their revised sales predictions posted earlier today, HITS Daily Double had no change in its projected numbers for David Cook's self-titled album.
David Cook is still on track for a debut of 300k, which would be very promising. He will fight Nickelback's Dark Horse for the runner-up spot on the chart, as the Canadian band's album is also expected to pull in 300k.
HITS did not release any predictions for David Archuleta's album, which is in its second week of release. The album with the smallest total that received a prediction was AC/DC's new effort, which is looking to rake in 65-70k. Look for David Archuleta to pull in less than that when all is said and done.
'Idol' odds 'n ends: Chris Daughtry on 'CSI: NY'
The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:
>Chris Daughtry made an appearance on the 100th episode of CSI: New York this past Wednesday. He played the part of "Mac Taylor" - one of many in fact - and had approximately 50 seconds of actual airtime. Not bad for a lead singer of a multi-platinum band.
>In a last minute switch, David Archuleta fan site FansofDavid.com is reporting Jive is releasing "A Little Too Not Over You" over previously announced "Touch My Hand" as Arch's second single. Although "Hand" is still listed as going for adds on Dec. 9 on FMQB.com, the "reliable source" on FOD claims "fans make a difference" in determining singles. What actually happens remains to be seen.
>Jordin Sparks is now featured on WetSeal.com with her new clothing line for the company. Jordin is depicted in five of her creations on the home page.
>Michael Johns yesterday performed in concert at the Ayala Mall in Alabang Town Center, The Philippines. Among the songs he performed were "Purple Rain" and "It's All Wrong But It's Alright."
>David Cook and Clay Aiken both did sessions for AOL Music this past week. Cook performed "Bar-ba-sol," "Declaration," "Heroes," "Lie" and "Light On," while Clay performed "Ashes," "Everything I Don't Need," "On My Way Here," "Something About Us" and "Where I Draw the Line," which is the #1 video on AOL Music at the moment.
Gina Glocksen: "Taking the Keys"
Season 6's ninth-place finalist Gina Glocksen connects with her inner P!NK on her new song "Taking the Keys." Posted yesterday on her official music MySpace page, the song was supposedly co-written by fellow Season 6 finalist Chris Sligh. In a blog entry, Gina said:
"I've just been through the situation too often where I'm out with someone, and they embarrass the hell out of me, so, I wrote about it! I hope you'll share it and let it be known that i'm NOT even CLOSE to being "done" with music. I'm here to stay and this is just the beginning!"The track actually has a catchy sound to it and might be able to do something if the right approach is taken with Gina's career.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Jordin dropped by 19E
File this under things no one saw coming. According to HITS Daily Double's rumor mill, Jordin Sparks has reportedly been dropped by 19E management. Per HITS' site:
THE SPARKS ARE GONE: Simon Fuller's 19 Entertainment has terminated its management relationship with Jordin Sparks. The 19 Recordings label will continue as Jordin’s record company with its joint venture partner, Jive Records. (11/20p)So let's get this straight...Jordin's album is 50k copies away from going platinum, an album which, by the way, has spawned two Top 10 singles and another Top 20 single, has been nominated for an American Music award, two People's Choice awards, nominated for two MTV Video Music awards, four Teen Choice awards (winning one of them) and a few BET awards, launched her own clothing line and has contributed to many charitable causes, and that still isn't good enough?
So far there has been no comment released from Jordin's camp, so it will be interesting to hear their side of the story. It's also important to keep in mind this does not mean Jive Records has dropped her, she is still signed with them. This is just management, but still it's a bit surprising.
Arch's sales in comparison
Now that final first week sales are in for David Archuleta's debut album, let's take a look at how his numbers stack up against the sales and chart positions on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart of the six previous runners-up.
First Week Sales - Runners-Up
1) Clay Aiken - Measure of a Man (612,859 - #1)
2) Bo Bice - The Real Thing (226,976 - #4)
3) David Archuleta - David Archuleta (182,927 - #2)
4) Katharine McPhee - Katharine McPhee (115,761 - #2)
5) Blake Lewis - Audio Day Dream (97,500 - #10)
6) Justin Guarini - Justin Guarini (57,000 - #20)
7) Diana DeGarmo - Blue Skies (46,795 - #52)
So when it comes to first week sales, Arch is sitting in pretty good company especially considering the current state of the economy and the trend in declining album sales.
Total Sales - Runners-Up
1) Clay Aiken - Measure of a Man (2.8 million)
2) Bo Bice - The Real Thing (688k)
3) Katharine McPhee - Katharine McPhee (375k)
4) Blake Lewis - Audio Day Dream (304k)
5) David Archuleta - David Archuleta (183k)
6) Diana DeGarmo - Blue Skies (167k)
7) Justin Guarini - Justin Guarini (143k)
Again, Arch's debut is already off to a good start, as it should easily pass the totals of Audio Day Dream and Katharine McPhee by Christmas.
'Idol' BB 200: 'David Archuleta' #2 (11/29/08)
New life was breathed into the Billboard Top 200 album chart for the chart week of Nov. 29 thanks to the release of David Archuleta's debut album. David Archuleta led all Idol-related albums on the chart by coming in at #2 with 182.9k copies for a total of 183.1k thanks to 200 copies sold through street date violations.
This meant Jennifer Hudson had to settle for second place among Idol alums, as her debut album was down 18% to 21.6k copies for the week, putting its total at 434.6k. It took a sizable drop on the chart, falling #16-33. Carrie Underwood on the other hand had an excellent showing thanks to her big night at the CMA Awards, as Carnival Ride sold 21.1k copies, up 80% from the previous week. It ricocheted 15 spots to #34 and now stands at 2.432 million.
Another new entry on the chart was David Foster's CD/DVD Hit Man: David Foster & Friends, which features live audio and video tracks from Katharine McPhee and Michael Johns. The album netted 15.2k copies, placing it at #46 for the week. Kellie Pickler followed with Kellie Pickler, which also was aided by the CMAs. The album increased 46% with 8.8k copies, placing its total just north of the century mark and causing a 12-spot jump to #78.
The final two Idol-related entries on the chart were once again mainstays Daughtry and Jordin Sparks. The former fell #94-107 with 6.4k copies, up 11% from the previous week while the latter fell #154-188 with 3.7k copies, down fractionally from the previous week.
Full numbers and chart positions courtesy of 2m on Pulse as follows:
002 --- David Archuleta - David Archuleta 182,927 999% 197 183,124
033 016 Jennifer Hudson - Jennifer Hudson 21,575 -18% 26,342 434,636
034 049 Carrie Underwood - Carnival Ride 21,098 80% 11,717 2,432,359
046 --- Various Artists - Hit Man: D. Foster... 15,246 999% 38 15,284
078 090 Kellie Pickler - Kellie Pickler 8,761 46% 5,986 100,904
107 094 Daughtry - Daughtry 6,362 11% 5,712 4,280,080
188 154 Jordin Sparks - Jordin Sparks 3,728 0% 3,744 952,702
Total sales are in bold.
Cook visits 'Regis & Kelly'
David Cook made an appearance on Live with Regis & Kelly yesterday in which he sat down for an interview with co-hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa before performing "Light On." In the interview Regis asked about the Idol tour (still on that?) and how Hillary Clinton asked people to vote for Cook while he was on the show. Watch the performance below:
He will next appear on Entertainment Tonight and have his AOL Sessions released on Fri., Nov. 21.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Poll of the week: Arch will represent S7 in champion finale
In the seventh and second-to-last installment of the debut album champion series for the IDOL LIVE poll of the week, David Archuleta's debut album beat out the rest of the offerings from Season 7. The runner-up's self-titled album raked in 402 votes, good for 68% of the entire total.
It did not come easily, though, as David Cook's self-titled debut mounted a late comeback, but fell short at 183 votes (305). No other album from a finalist managed to excite fans enough to vote for them, as Kristy Lee Cook, Brooke White and Carly Smithson all took in less than five votes each.
In this week's poll of the week, we depart from the debut album champion series for a few days to ask readers to vote for which scenario will most likely take place at Sunday's American Music Awards in terms of which Idol alum will win what. The poll closes at 8 p.m. on Sunday, right as the AMAs begin. The final installment of the debut album champion poll will begin at 11 p.m. following the end of the show's broadcast.
David Cook (David Cook) 183 (30%)
David Archuleta (David Archuleta) 402 (68%)
Songs From the Attic (Brooke White) 1 (0%)
Ultimate High (Carly Smithson) 1 (0%)
Why Wait (Kristy Lee Cook) 4 (0%)
Total votes: 591
'Idol' Hot 100: "Crush" #21 (11/29/08)
David Archuleta's "Crush" ain't goin' away-ee-ay-ee-ay-ee-ayy, as it rises one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of Nov. 29 to #21 and once again leads all Idol-related tracks. Arch also sees an entry on the Bubbling Under chart, with "A Little Too Not Over You" coming in at #14.
Back to the main chart, Jennifer Hudson's "Spotlight" does the opposite of "Crush," as it slips a spot to #27. Thanks to her big night at last week's CMA Awards, Carrie Underwood's "Just a Dream" increases #43-29, a 14-spot jump. This is the single's peak to-date.
On the other hand, Jordin Sparks' "One Step At a Time" continued to quietly drift toward the upper half of the chart, as it fell five spots to #46. Expect this to be its last week in the Top 50 barring a win at the upcoming American Music Awards.
Leaving the light on for Idol alums in the upper half of the chart, David Cook's "Light On" climbed #89-82. Look for a moderate jump in next week's chart thanks to renewed interest in the single due to the release of his album.
Full chart positions courtesy of bks over on Pulse are posted below:
Hot 100
21 22 David Archuleta, "Crush"
27 26 Jennifer Hudson, "Spotlight"
29 43 Carrie Underwood, "Just a Dream"
46 41 Jordin Sparks, "One Step At a Time"
82 89 David Cook, "Light On"
Bubbling Under
14 -- David Archuleta, "A Little Too Not Over You"
Kat performs "Somewhere" on 'The View'
Katharine McPhee was on The View this morning with producer David Foster to promote his new CD/DVD Hit Man: David Foster & Friends, which dropped last week. She performed "Somewhere," which is one of the tracks on the album. Watch the performance below:
The David Foster & Friends special that was taped back in May will air on PBS sometime in December.
Digital sales roundup: "Crush" #14 (11/15/08)
The representation of Idol alums was much healthier on the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart compared to the previous week thanks to the CMA Awards and the release of David Archuleta's debut album.
From the album, "Crush" led all other Idol-related tracks once again, gaining 24% in sales with 72k for the week, placing it at 991.7k in total, just under one million as IDOL LIVE predicted would happen a week ago. It subsequently rose five spots to #14.
Arch also saw album track "A Little Too Not Over You" and upcoming single "Touch My Hand" make appearances on the chart, with the former debuting at #79 with 17.3k and the latter at #134 with 10.3k. Look for quick exits for both tracks next week.
As mentioned, the CMA Awards really helped the two Idol-related country entries on the chart, with Carrie Underwood's "Just a Dream" jumping 31 spots to #30 and Kellie Pickler's "Best Days of Your Life" debuting at #121. "Dream" sold 38.5k units for the week, up 100% from the previous week, for a total of 385.4k while "Days" sold 11.7k downloads up from 895 the week before. Its total is now 27.9k.
"Light On" also saw an increase in sales by 17% thanks to the launch of the music video and the anticipation of David Cook's album release. It sold 21.1k downloads for a total of 247.4k, and fell #67-71 on the chart.
Full numbers and chart positions courtesy of bks on Pulse as follows:
014 019 David Archuleta, "Crush" 72,001 24% 58,265 991,657
030 061 Carrie Underwood, "Just a Dream" 38,502 100% 19,234 385,421
071 067 David Cook, "Light On" 21,127 17% 18,089 247,367
079 --- David Archuleta, "A Little Too Not Over You" 17,296 999% 0 17,296
121 --- Kellie Pickler, "Best Days of Your Life" 11,656 999% 895 27,886
134 --- David Archuleta, "Touch My Hand" 10,321 999% 0 10,321
Total sales are in bold.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
HITS etimates: Arch 180.5k, Jennifer 23.8k
David Archuleta's self-titled album debuted at #2 according to HITS Daily Double's building album sales chart made public today.
The album posted 180.5k copies in its first week according to estimates, which is substantially below the company's 225-240k prediction, and even below IDOL LIVE's prediction of 221k.
Jennifer Hudson's debut album was pushed down to the second-highest entry by an Idol alum, coming it at #26 with 23.8k copies.
Carrie Underwood rounded out the remaining Idol-related entries with Carnival Ride, which saw a considerable boost in sales thanks to last week's CMA Awards. Estimates put it at #33 with 21.4k copies.
Finalized figures from Billboard should be out by tomorrow evening.
Cook hits the talkshow circuit
David Cook began making the rounds to promote his new album last week when he premiered his music video for "Light On" on one of the final episodes of MTV's Total Request Live on Wed., Nov. 12. He then performed the single on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Fri., Nov. 14. Watch the performance below:
Yesterday, he found time to sing "Deck the Halls" with Stephen Colbert and Diane Sawyer on ABC's Good Morning America. On the show he always performed "Light On," which can be watched below, and "Heroes." In introducing Cook, Sawyer got her facts mixed in saying "not since the Beatles has any artist had this many hits pop up right away off of a new album."
GMA
He will next be performing "Light On" on Live with Regis and Kelly tomorrow at 9 a.m. ET.
Out today: 'David Cook'
The sole Idol-related release today was David Cook's self-titled post-Idol album. Links to purchase David Cook can be found below:
Albums
David Cook, David Cook
Amazon - ($9.99) - Buy
Barnes & Noble - ($13.29) - Buy
Best Buy - ($9.99) - Buy
Buy.com - ($9.98) - Buy
iTunes - ($9.99) - Buy
Target - ($9.99) - Buy
Walmart - ($13.88) - Buy
There is a bonus track on the special edition available at Walmart called "Breathe Right." If you have not yet downloaded your copy or received it in the mail (i.e. if you're going out to the store later on to pick up your copy), make sure you check out Cook's Walmart Soundcheck session in the meantime.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Keeping up with Amy Davis
Although she was the first semifinalist to be discarded during the seventh season of Idol, Amy Davis took everything in stride and has continued to pursue a career in music.
Even though the former Maxim.com "hometown hottie" was not able to make a memorable mark with her rendition of "Where the Boys Are," Amy is making an impression on fans of Christmas music by contributing her version of "The First Noel" to the Idol compilation American Christmas. The album will be out on Tues., Nov. 25 courtesy of Chenoa Records and EMI/Capitol and is available to pre-order on Amazon.com.
In the meantime, Amy has four covers up on her official music MySpace page including Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" and "Patty Griffin's "Heavenly Day."
On her MySpace she wrote that she is currently working on writing more material and has a video of her performance at Cinescape's "Christmas in August" celebration embedded on the page. Whether or not you liked her on the show, it would serve you well to check out what she's currently up to and how she sounds in the studio.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Album review: Cook's 'David Cook'
The latest ‘Idol’ champ, David Cook, steps into his role as mainstream rocker on his self-titled debut major label album. Finally able to move on from his “magic rainbows,” Cook really nails the target with this album, produced by veteran Rob Cavallo.
Kicking things off with the fired-up rock anthem “Declaration,” Cook surely knows how to wet the appetites of his fans. “Declaration” would be the perfect follow-up single choice because it is practically designed with radio in mind.
Something that is extremely noticeable on ‘David Cook’ is the lyrics. Having wrote or co-wrote 10 of the songs, Cook’s songwriting talents were not wasted compared to what is found on most ‘Idol’ debuts. This is especially seen on “Heroes,” where Cook emphasizes his love by suggesting “all these heroes come and go / but you’re still standing.”
As for mid-tempos, “Life on the Moon” is perhaps the best track of this kind on the album, as it displays Cook’s aptitude for conveying emotion into his work. Although it is not half bad itself, the album’s first single, “Light On,” pales in comparison as a mid-tempo track.
On “Mr. Sensitive,” aspects of a major motion picture’s raising theme song come to mind, and would perhaps be a perfect fit on a superhero film’s soundtrack. The hard rock instrumentation meshes surprisingly well with Cook’s controlled vocals. In addition to “Mr. Sensitive,” Cook really digs into the grungy depths of rock on tracks like “Bar-ba-sol” and the hidden track “Kiss on the Neck” and does not come off sounding pretentious.
On “Come Back to Me,” Cook trades in authenticity for radio-friendly fare in the form of a Bo Bice-lite track that would be a perfect fit for Hot AC radio. While “Lie” would also be an ideal single due to its hook, it is able to retain validity in the context of the rest of the album’s tracks. But the weakest track is without a doubt “I Did It for You,” which has such generic lyrics and a bland sound that it is almost embarrassing to see it tacked onto the album.
Where Cook really comes into his own is on the album’s ballads, especially “Permanent” and “Avalanche.” On “Permanent,” a vulnerable Cook utilizes his reserved vocals in conjunction with piano and stringed accompaniment. This is a side of him his fans do not see as often as one might expect, so it is definitely a pleasant surprise. While a little more forgettable, “Avalanche” is another example of Cook’s ability to adapt musically to a more heartfelt persona.
The album’s final standout comes in the form of “A Daily AntheM,” which is a spirited, uplifting piece of work that gives hope to a brighter day. And then there’s the inescapable “The Time of My Life,” which Cook has little choice but to include to cap off an otherwise solid album.
Without a doubt, David Cook puts his best foot forward on ‘David Cook,’ and the result of his dedicated work and moving vocals is hard to deny. Expect big things from the ‘Idol’ alum in the future.
David Cook will be available to purchase in stores and online on Tues., Nov. 18.
Friday, November 14, 2008
'Idol' odds 'n ends: Michael Johns to release "Another Christmas"
The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:
>Michael Johns will release a Christmas song to iTunes on Dec. 9 called "Another Christmas." Proceeds will go to an unnamed charity.
>Jennifer Hudson yesterday posted a blog entry on her official music MySpace page thanking fans for their support during this difficult time. The message read:
I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughts and prayers during>An anonymous source told OK! magazine that Paula Abdul wants off Idol after the upcoming eighth season so that she can "develop new TV projects." Suddenly the Kara DioGuardi hire doesn't seem so odd.
this difficult time. My sister and I take great comfort and strength from your
love and concern.jhud
>David Cook did some charity work the week before the release of his debut album when he attended the fourth annual Do the Wright Thing gala at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City, where he performed. Proceeds raised at the event benefit New York Mets third baseman David Wright's charity.
>It was announced that Katharine McPhee will perform "Somewhere" on The View on Wed., Nov. 19.
HITS predix: Arch 200-210k
After originally predicting David Archuleta's debut album would pull in 225-240k copies in its first week, HITS Daily Double has lowered expectations in its revised predictions put out today.
The company is now guesstimating David Archuleta will take home anywhere between 200-210k copies for its debut week, which would still be good for runner-up position on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart behind Taylor Swift's Fearless.
A number in this range would indicate IDOL LIVE's prediction of 221k copies was in fact on the high end, whereas it was originally looking to be on the low end of its actual sales total.
'Idol' BB 200: 'Jennifer Hudson' #16 (11/22/08)
In the final week before David Archuleta's debut album sweeps the nation, Jennifer Hudson's debut album led all Idol-related albums on the Billboard Top 200 album chart for the chart week of Nov. 22 for what may be the last time it holds that honor. Jennifer Hudson slipped two spots to #16 thanks to a 17% decline in sales for the week. It sold an additional 26.3k copies, which puts its total take at 413.1k copies.
Carrie Underwood's Carnival Ride was next, selling 11.7k copies, or a 7% jump in sales, but remained at #49. Next week should see another sales increase thanks to the CMA Awards, as her total of 2.411 million copies will be even more substantial. Kellie Pickler's sophomore effort continued its downward spiral, falling 12 spots to #90 with a 13% sales decrease. It sold 6k copies for the week and now has a total of 92.1k copies.
Daughtry's debut saw a 10% sales increase for the week, which explains its #102-94 advance on the chart. Its total now stands at 4.274 million after factoring in the 5.7k copies it took in for the week. And once again rounding out the chart entries by Idol alums is Jordin Sparks' Jordin Sparks, which slipped eight spots to #154 as a result of minuscule 1% sales decline. It sold 3.7k copies for the week, placing its current total at 949k.
Full numbers and chart positions courtesy of 2m on Pulse as follows:
16 14 Jennifer Hudson - Jennifer Hudson 26,342 -17% 31,752 413,061
49 49 Carrie Underwood - Carnival Ride 11,717 7% 10,986 2,411,261
90 78 Kellie Pickler - Kellie Pickler 5,986 -13% 6,846 92,143
94 102 Daughtry - Daughtry 5,712 10% 5,172 4,273,744
154 146 Jordin Sparks - Jordin Sparks 3,744 -1% 3,767 948,980
Total sales are in bold.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Carrie, Diana react to Paula's fan's suicide
Upon hearing the news that an obsessed fan of Paula Abdul's named Paula Goodspeed committed suicide just blocks away from the judge's house on Tuesday night, Carrie Underwood and Diana DeGarmo offered condolences to the family of the fan. Below is video of the Idol alums' responses from last night's Country Music Association Awards courtesy of Entertainment Tonight:
The only comment out of Abdul's camp was that she was "shocked and saddened" to hear of the suicide.
'Idol' Hot 100 - "Crush" #22 (11/22/08)
Still in command of all tracks by Idol alums on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of Nov. 22 was David Archuleta's "Crush," which slipped two spots to #22 for the week. This was the first time the single charted out of the Top 20 since the chart week of Nov. 1.
Jennifer Hudson's "Spotlight" lingered in the Top 30 for the week, falling #25-26, while Jordin Sparks' "One Step At a Time" slipped out of the Top 40, down six spots to #41. Carrie Underwood's "Just a Dream" also slid two spots, coming in at #36. It should theoretically see a slight boost next week thanks to her performance at last night's CMA Awards.
Daughtry followed with its "What About Now," which fell a hefty 12 points to #71. It looks like the single will be out of the chart by the end of the year. Bucky Covington saw his *third single "I'll Walk" slip #77-70, which marks the continuation of a wildly erratic stay in the lower half of the chart.
David Cook's "Light On" finished off the representation of tracks by Idol alums on the chart, as it fell #80-89. Barring a mini-boost from next week's album release or a serious resurgence at radio, look for the single to have its final week on the chart.
Full chart positions courtesy of 2m over on Pulse are posted below:
Hot 100
22 20 David Archuleta, "Crush"
26 25 Jennifer Hudson, "Spotlight"
41 35 Jordin Sparks, "One Step At a Time"
36 34 Carrie Underwood, "Just a Dream"
71 59 Daughtry, "What About Now"
77 70 Bucky Covington, "I'll Walk"
89 80 David Cook, "Light On"
*thanks for catching that cathy anne!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Carrie has a big night at CMA Awards
Carrie Underwood had a night to remember at the 42nd annual Country Music Association Awards. In addition to serving as co-host with Brad Paisley, Carrie stole the show with her heartfelt performance of "Just a Dream" and took home the award for Female Artist of the Year for the third year in a row. She was also nominated for Album of the Year but lost out to George Strait. Watch her performance below:
Kellie Pickler also performed at the awards ceremony, belting out "Best Days of Your Life" for the audience at the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tenn. Watch the performance below:
In addition to Carrie and Kellie, Diana DeGarmo attended the show, though she did not have an active role. Unfortunately, Kristy Lee Cook could not attend because "15 Minutes of Shame" did not make the Top 20 at country radio in time.
Poll of the week: Sparks fly for Jordin
In the sixth installment of the debut album champion series for the IDOL LIVE poll of the week, Jordin Sparks' debut album decimated all competition. Jordin Sparks took home 47 of the total 67 votes, or an overwhelming 71%.
Surprisingly, Blake Lewis did not place second in the poll, rather his Audio Day Dream had to settle for third place with six votes (8%). Instead, Phil Stacey's debut self-titled album was runner-up with seven votes, or 10% of the poll's total take. No other album included in the poll was able to muster more than two votes.
In this week's poll of the week, readers will be asked to vote for their favorite debut album from a Season 7 alum. You have exactly one week to vote.
Jordin Sparks (Jordin Sparks) 48 (71%)
Audio Day Dream (Blake Lewis) 6 (8%)
Phil Stacey (Phil Stacey) 7 (10%)
Running Back to You (Chris Sligh) 2 (2%)
Automatic (Brandon Rogers) 1 (1%)
From the Strange to the Stranger (Leslie Hunt) 1 (1%)
One (Sarah Burgess) 2 (2%)
Total votes: 67
HITS estimates: Jennifer 25.2k, Carrie 11.5k
Jennifer Hudson's debut album was once again the top Idol-related entry on HITS Daily Double's building album sales estimates chart, which was published yesterday.
Jennifer Hudson was able to pull in another 25.2k copies for the week, representing a sales decrease of 23%. In the rankings, the album fell #13-16. Carrie Underwood's Carnival Ride was the only other album by an Idol alum on the chart, as it jumped 2% in sales to 11.5k copies for the week. The album also jumped two spots to #44.
Expect finalized figures from Billboard sometime later this evening.
Arch on 'Regis & Kelly'
David Archuleta visited Live with Regis & Kelly this morning to perform his hit single "Crush." A short and not very informative interview with Regis Philbin followed the performance. Watch both below:
One could argue the anticipation of Kelly Ripa's dance routine with the New York Knicks girls that followed the performance was a bit more exciting, but it's good to see Arch out there promoting his album everywhere he can.
Digital sales roundup: "Crush" #19 (11/8/08)
On a very abbreviated Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart, David Archuleta's "Crush" once again led all Idol-related tracks. It fell four spots to #19 despite rising in sales by 4% to 58.3k downloads. Its total now stands at 919.7k, and should just miss the million mark on next week's chart.
Jordin Sparks was the only other Idol alum to have single sales released. Her "One Step At a Time" continued to chug along and posted sales of 25k for the week, down just 7% from last week. It fell #43-49 and has a total of 955.9k, and should pass the all-important million mark by the beginning of December.
Full numbers and chart positions courtesy of bks on Pulse as follows:
19 15 David Archuleta, "Crush" 58,265 4% 56,065 919,656
49 43 Jordin Sparks, "One Step At a Time" 24,998 -7% 26,966 955,905
Total sales are in bold.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Arch hits the talkshow circuit
David Archuleta began making the rounds promoting his debut album last Thursday when he appeared on NBC's Tonight Show with Jay Leno to perform "Crush." Watch the performance below:
That was the calm before the storm. Today he hit NBC's Today Show and MTV's Total Request Live. Watch those performances below:
Today
TRL
Arch also stopped by the Virgin Megastore in New York City for an autograph signing and he will be on Live with Regis & Kelly tomorrow at 9 a.m. By the way, Arch's official music MySpace page got a makeover today, so make sure you check it out.
Listen to 30-second clips of 'David Cook'
The release of David Cook's album is still a week away, but 30-second clips of his tracks have popped up on David-Cook.org.
The selection of tracks seems to be a good one based on the clips, with a nice mix of heavy rock tracks and lighter fare that would be suitable for Hot AC radio. "Life On the Moon" is an early standout. Look for a full review of the album from IDOL LIVE sometime later this week.
David Cook hit shelves and online shopping carts everywhere on Tues., Nov. 18.
Out today: 'David Archuleta,' 'David Foster & Friends'
There were two major Idol-related albums released today in the form of David Archuleta's debut album David Archuleta, and the CD/DVD combo of David Foster's concert special Hit Man: David Foster and Friends, which features performances by Katharine McPhee and Michael Johns. Links to purchase both can be found below:
Albums
David Archuleta, David Archuleta
Amazon - ($9.99) - Buy
Barnes & Noble - ($13.29) - Buy
Best Buy - ($9.99) - Buy
iTunes - ($9.99 regular, $12.99 deluxe) - Buy
Target - ($9.99) - Buy
Walmart - ($9.72) - Buy
David Foster, Hit Man: David Foster and Friends
Amazon - ($17.99) - Buy
Barnes & Noble - ($20.99) - Buy
iTunes - ($11.99) - Buy
Target - ($17.99) - Buy
Walmart - ($20.88) - Buy
Katharine is featured on two tracks on Foster's album, including her live performances of "Somewhere" and her duet of "The Prayer" with Andrea Bocelli. Video of both of Katharine's performances are included on the DVD, while video of Michael's performances of "Beauty" and "Man in Motion" are featured on the DVD.
As for Arch's album, there are bonus versions at iTunes and Walmart.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Carrie, Jordin receive People's Choice noms
American Idol and its offspring are heavy contenders at the 35th annual People's Choice Awards, as Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks are each up for two awards. While Idol will most likely walk home with a win for Favorite Competition / Reality Show after taking the category in 2004, 2005 and 2006, Carrie has stiff competition in both categories she's nominated in (Favorite Female Singer and Favorite Country Song for "Last Name"). Carrie is also one of 32 celebrities up for Favorite Star 35 & Under.
Jordin, whose hit duet "No Air" with Chris Brown will also have to stave off Rihanna's "Disturbia" and Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl" in the Favorite Pop Song category, while Madonna and Justin Timberlake's "4 Minutes" and Natasha Bedingfield and Sean Kingston's "Love Like This" will both try to prevail in the Favorite Combined Forces category. Below are all Idol-related categories:
FAVORITE COMPETITION / REALITY SHOW
American Idol
Dancing with the Stars
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
FAVORITE FEMALE SINGER
Alicia Keys
Rihanna
Carrie Underwood
FAVORITE POP SONG
"Disturbia" by Rihanna
"I Kissed A Girl" by Katy Perry
"No Air" by Jordin Sparks featuring Chris Brown
FAVORITE COUNTRY SONG
"Last Name" by Carrie Underwood
"Love Story" by Taylor Swift
"Take Me There" by Rascal Flatts
FAVORITE COMBINED FORCES
"4 Minutes" by Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake
"Love Like This" by Natasha Bedingfield featuring Sean Kingston
"No Air" by Jordin Sparks featuring Chris Brown
Fans can now vote in all categories by visiting PCAVote.com. The show will air on CBS on Wed., Jan. 7 at 9 p.m. ET. It will be hosted by Queen Latifah.
Jordin's 'Sparks' clothing line to hit stores Nov. 19
Jordin Sparks' very own original clothing line, appropriately called 'Sparks,' will launch on Wed., Nov. 19, courtesy of the women's specialty retailer Wet Seal. Per a press release issued this morning, the clothing line will predominately be a selection of dresses for the holiday season and will come in sizes XS through XL.
The CEO of Wet Seal, Ed Thomas, called Jordin a "great role model" because she has "not lost sight of who she is" since achieving stardom.
The retailer has hundreds of stores across the United States and will also make the clothing line available for purchase on its Web site.
Keeping up with LaToya London
LaToya London may have been considered one of the favorites on the third season of Idol, but she was not able to keep her bright fire of megastardom alive following the conclusion of the season with a fourth-place finish. She has, however, found a niche career in musical theatre, which has served her very well thus far.
LaToya released her debut album, Love & Life, in Sept. 2005 on Concord Music Group (Peak Records). It has sold roughly 58k copies to date, which is not stellar but is surely better than a lot of other albums by Idol alums. It spawned three singles including "Appreciate," which hit #8 on the Billboard Singles Sales Chart.
Now known to her fans as "London," LaToya can be found starring as Nettie in the U.S. tour of Oprah Winfrey's musical The Color Purple, which is currently playing at the Sacramento Community Center Theatre in Sacramento, Calif., and will wrap up in Boston on June 28, 2009 at The Wang Theatre.
Prior to the tour, LaToya starred in the Chicago production of the show. Also on the performing arts front, LaToya starred in the comedic stage show Issues: We All Have 'Em and the musical Beehive in 2006.
She is currently looking for a home for her sophomore album after getting out of her three-album record deal with Concord/Peak Records.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Album review: Arch's 'David Archuleta'
At only 17, David Archuleta did what only six others have been able to accomplish - finish as runner-up on ‘American Idol.’ The culmination of his work since ‘Idol’ is embodied in his self-titled album, which follows Kristy Lee Cook’s ‘Why Wait’ as the second album to be released by a finalist from Season 7.
‘David Archuleta’ kicks off with “Crush,” the stylized mid-tempo single that reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Crush” sets the mood for the rest of the album, letting listeners know that they are in for a teen pop treat.
Next up is “Touch My Hand,” the album’s second single, which continues where “Crush” left off. The track features an angelic chorus that gives the listener a feeling of soaring miles in the air, not to mention the fact that it has a pretty catchy hook. Proof that there’s only enough room for one song on the album with the word “hand” in the title, “My Hands” falls a bit flat lyrically but is still able to maintain itself musically, though.
Another mid-tempo that shows off Archuleta’s vocals is “Barriers,” which has a throwback-meets-2008 sound despite suffering from an annoying echo in the chorus. But the most annoying track is without a doubt “A Little Too Not Over You,” which features Akon-like “eh eh”s and “oh oh”s. The R&B-tinged track would be much better without these ad-libs because Archuleta’s vocals are in top form on the song.
“Running,” on the other hand, combines a clap track with ‘90s pop aspects and a piano melody. The track is extremely dated and does not belong on this album. Another song that should have been kept off the album is “Don’t Let Go,” which is nothing but straight-up teen pop slosh. “Your Eyes Don’t Lie” is not necessarily as bad, but this Wallflowers-light track does not belong with the rest of those on the album, and the whistle loops are downright juvenile.
Archuleta strikes up the radio-friendly factor with “Desperate” features New York underground influences and heavy guitar riffs that really give the song a serious atmosphere. The synths, although seemingly out of place, actually really do a lot to enhance the track.
On the ballad front, Archuleta offers up “You Can,” which lacks elements that many classic power ballads have but the track invokes a style in the form of Colbie Caillat, which is unbelievably well suited for him. But his strongest track is unquestionably the ballad “To Be With You,” which includes stringed accompaniment and the most tender vocal performance Archuleta has done up until this point.
Archuleta caps off his debut with “Angels,” one of his most critically-acclaimed performances on ‘Idol.’ Although it does not have the same effect here as it did eight months ago, it still serves a purpose of transitioning his career from ‘Idol’ to now.
Even though this is not the highest quality debut album for a runner-up (that title belongs to Clay Aiken’s ‘Measure of a Man’), David Archuleta surely holds his own and will see a long and fruitful career ahead of him.
David Archuleta will be available to purchase in stores and online on Tues., Nov. 11.
'American Christmas' set for Nov. 25 release
After testing the waters last November with an independent soft release for Idol Christmas compilation American Christmas, Chenoa Records is pairing up with EMI for the re-release of the disc with an expanded tracklisting and assortment of Idol alums.
The album will be released in stores nationwide including Walmart and Borders and is currently available to pre-order on Amazon.com. Below is the official tracklisting:
01) Alexis Stone Lopez - Winter Wonderland
02) Frenchie Davis - Silent Night
03) Jasmine Trias - The Christmas Song
04) Ayla Brown - Grown Up Christmas List
05) Trenyce - Joy To The World
06) Nikki Mckibbin - All Alone With The Christmas Lights
07) Vonzell Solomon - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
08) Haley Scarnato - Have Yourself A Very Merry Christmas
09) RJ Helton - White Christmas
10) Lindsey Cardinale - Away In A Manger
11) Maynard Triplets - O'Holy Night
12) Amy Davis - First Noel
Bonus Tracks
13) Alexis Stone Lopez - An American Christmas
14) Ayla Brown - Breath of Heaven (iTunes only)
The CD's launch party will take place on Fri., Nov. 14 at The Factory in West Hollywood, Calif., at 8 p.m. It will feature performances by Amy Davis, The Maynard Triplets and RJ Helton among others.
Six songs from the album can be listened to on American Christmas' official music MySpace page including Alexis Stone Lopez's "An Amercican Christmas" and Frenchie Davis' "Silent Night."
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