For the second-straight year new albums from the top two contestants of “American Idol,” are disappointing, despite the dominating ratings of the hit show.
Blake Lewis, a pop crooner who took second place in the most recent season of the hit reality TV series, sold just 97,500 copies of “Audio Day Dream,” his first album for 19 Recordings/Arista Records. It’s the lowest first-week sales ever for a debut album from an “Idol” runner-up.
The tepid opening on the Billboard charts this week comes just weeks after teen diva Jordin Sparks, the winner of this season’s “Idol,” notched a similarly dubious feat for a first place finisher from the show. Her debut album for 19 Recordings/Jive, released in November, sold 119,000 copies in its first week – the lowest opening ever from an “Idol” victor.
A year ago, adult contemporary act Taylor Hicks and pop singer Katherine McPhee, the top two contestants from the 2006 installment of the show, posted openings more in line with previous show finalists, but faded quickly on the charts.
Hicks, winner of “Idol” season 5, sold 298,000 copies of his debut in its opening week, but just under 700,000 copies in total, according to Nielsen SoundScan. McPhee, the runner-up, sold 116,000 copies of her debut album in its first week and just 362,000 copies overall.
That’s a far cry from the debut of original “Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson, who has sold over 3 million copies, or the 2005 debut of season four champ Carrie Underwood, whose “Some Hearts,” has sold close to 6 million copies. And, season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken has sold 3 million copies of his debut.
“For fans, [American Idol] is purely a piece of weekly entertainment,” said Keith Caulfield, an analyst and chart manager for music industry trade magazine Billboard. “Just because you are crowned the winner it doesn’t mean you are going to sell anything.”
That’s not to say “Idol” doesn’t remain a force on the pop charts. Rocker Chris Daughtry, who finished behind Hicks and McPhee in 2006, is poised to finish as the second-biggest selling artist of 2007.
His self-titled debut, released in November 2006, has sold over 2 million copies in the last 12 months and over 3 million copies overall. And Underwood has sold over 1.3 million copies of her latest album, “Carnival Ride,” since its release at the end of October.
The jury is still out on Sparks and Lewis despite slow starts. Sparks’ first single, “Tattoo,” is just now pushing into the top 10 of the Billboard singles chart, suggesting there is hope yet for her album.
“It’s hard to compete in the marketplace right now when people aren’t buying much of anything,” said Caulfield. “It all depends on the appeal of the artist and if there is a niche for the artist.”