IDOL LIVE predix: Katharine McPhee's 'Unbroken'

The first album release from an Idol alum in the new decade comes in the form of Katharine McPhee's delayed sophomore effort Unbroken, which hits stores and digital retailers everywhere tomorrow. This is Kat's first release with Verve Forecast, following her debut via RCA in January 2007.

Besides the big changes in music stylistically, the album is also accompanied by different expectations sales-wise compared to Katharine McPhee. The latter opened at #2 with 116k copies, largely thanks to Kat just coming off a runner-up finish on the fifth season of Idol and a growing single in "Over It." This time around, however, there is no Idol excitement and Unbroken's lead single "Had It All" is only gradually moving up Mediabase's airplay chart and Billboard's AC chart.

Still, Kat's album will benefit from a lack of competition, as Ke$ha's debut LP will be the only direct threat. Plus, she's going to be out and about on the talk show circuit over the next few weeks, kicking off with a visit to Conan O'Brien's Tonight Show on NBC tonight.

Still, album sales in the dead of January have not traditionally been big sellers, and so it will not be a surprise if Unbroken does not open with eye-popping tallies. Still, there's a good chance of a consistent seller in Unbroken, especially if "Had It All" continues to rise on the charts, and so a debut week bow of 20k is most likely in store, with chart placement around #20.