Archive for May, 2008
Syesha Mercado – The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet – VIDEO
One last video from this week’s NYC media tour–Syesha Mercado appears on The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet on Friday. Poor Syesha. When she taped Live with Regis and Kelly on Thursday. Rickey from Rickey.org was there.
Sadly, he was the only fan waiting for her…
More from Syesha–Her Idolatry interview with Michael Slezak is up.
Video After the JUMP…
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Idol Headlines for 5/31/08
Jacko was too scared to sing
MICHAEL Jackson pulled out of a huge TV comeback à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ with stagefright.
Jacko, 49, was to sing live on the final of American Idol in front of a TV audience of 27 million.
But 24 hours before the show in Los Angeles he bottled out, saying: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“I canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t do it. Everyone will hate me.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ A source said: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“This was his big chance but he got stage-fright.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Spice Girls guru Simon Fuller is helping Jacko with his comeback, say insiders.
“Idol” winner Cook scores digital hit with “Life”
LOS ANGELES (Billboard) – It’s the first time songs performed on “American Idol” have been made available for immediate download on iTunes — and the audience’s ability to make an instant-gratification purchase has paid off handsomely for winner David Cook.
“I loved my time on the show, but I’ve been looking forward to just being able to get back to the creative process of writing and recording,” he says. “It’s going to be interesting to be able to play a song and not have to wonder where ‘camera A’ is.”
For most of June, Cook will focus on rehearsals for the American Idols Live tour, which features the top 10 finalists and runs for almost three months. The trek begins July 1 in Glendale, Arizona, and wraps September 13 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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David Cook – Nightline – VIDEO
The video overload continues! David Cook appeared on tonight’s Nightline in their Playlist segment. David talks about the music he listened to while growing up, and reveals what it is in music that moves him.
After the JUMP…
Idol Billboard Update for Issue 6/7/08
Holy crap, it took me hours to put together, but here it is, this week’s Giant F*cking Idol Billboard Update! Whew! I covered David Cook’s major takeover of the Billboard Charts in this post, but there’s more!
Before I summarize the charts, Kirsten found some interesting stats on the Idol downloads, and I want to share them, ’cause they are pretty impressive.
- Idol generated more than 1.5 million sales in the four days after the finale show.
- Winner David Cook was most popular. He sold 942,000 downloads alone, or more than 60% of the total.
- The 1.5 million Idol sales worked out to be about 25% of all sales last week in the USA.
- According to Kirsten’s calculations, Cookie sold 15.7% of all downloads in the US last week. Archie sold 5.4% of all US downloads.
Here’s the breakdown of the other Idols who sold downloads last week:
- Runner-up David Archuleta sold 323,000 downloads.
- Jason Castro with 64,000
- Brooke White with 47,000
- Michael Johns with 40,000
- Carly Smithson with 33,000
- Syesha Mercado with 18,000
- Kristy Lee Cook with 10,000
- Chikezie with 5,000
Sales numbers for ALL the Idol downloads last week can be found here.
Sales numbers compiled by Kirsten
Now, on with the chart summary, After the JUMP…
David Cook on His Album and Tour Set List – New Release Now Available at Amazon for Pre-Order
The 4th and 5th installments of David Cook’s Idolatry interview for Entertainment Weekly has some fun little tidbits that are worth noting.
The Tour Set List: David reveals the set list to Michael Slezak, and it’s basically a mini-concert of his Idols Greatest Hits, including “Billie Jean,” “Hello”, “Always Be My Baby” and “Time of My Life” (which Jessica Shaw makes him call “Magic Rainbow”-Har). The fifth song is “not yet set in stone,” according to David. Duets and collaborations may include Carly Smithson performing Heart’s “Barracuda” with David backing her on guitar and Jason Castro on drums. That has the potential to be all kinds of awesome.
About the Upcoming Album: David says he’d like to “acknowledge as much of the music I wrote before this as possible” but realizes that it’s a give and a take compromise between artistic integrity and mass appeal. However, he insists, “If I listen to a song and I don’t feel like it’s me, there’s no reason for me to sing it, I’ll fight for that.” For the record, he claims to really like “Time of My Life” even if the “magic rainbow” lyric isn’t one he’d have written himself. “I like the 6/8 time signature” he says, “I think instrumentally it’s a great song.” Choosing his battles carefully, I say.
“I feel like I started the season with a 5 card hand,” says David, “And I maybe showed everybody 3 of those cards.”
A Change of Plans for Rock Night: David originally planned to sing “All Along the Watchtower” for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame show, but changed it after he worked up a slower arrangement for “Baba O’Riley.” The original arrangement for “Baba O’Reily” was closer to the Who version, and after he changed it, he decided that he didn’t want to perform two slow songs. He finally settled on “Hungry Like a Wolf” as his second song. Tis a pity, I think.
The Album is Available for Pre-Order: By the way, it appears that “Time of My Life” will be featured on David’s upcoming album. That’s according to Amazon.com where the album is already available for pre-order
Corrected: “Baba O’Reily” and “Hungry Like the Wolf” were sung During Rock week, not IGB night.
Jason Castro’s Rockwall Texas Homecoming
While David Cook and David Archuleta continued their whirlwind media tour of NYC yesterday, Jason Castro celebrated with his friends and family in Rockwall TX.
The Dallas Morning News covered it, and there are plenty of photos and first hand accounts here.
And here is a video of Jason performing “Over the Rainbow” and “Deep in the Heart of Texas.” Enjoy!
ETA: An original song by Jason!
David Cook on the Early Show – VIDEO
David Cook performs for the Early Show. Hear David Cook with an English accent!
Idol Headlines for 5/30/08
David Cook on arranging songs, fighting the ’smug’ label, and baiting cougars!
David Cook fans, the wait is over! In part 1 of his Idolatry interview with Jessica Shaw and me, the reigning American Idol champ admits he “put a wall up” for the first two weeks of the season 7 semifinals; in part 2, he gives a detailed breakdown of how he came up with his fantastic arrangement of Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby”; and in part 3 (after the jump), the rocker dude discusses his transformation from average guy to world-class cougar bait! (Check back tomorrow for two more Cookie interview segments, plus our chat with Syesha Mercado!)
‘Idol’ winner Cook reaps 940,000 downloads
Up Close: David Cook is in the House!
(this interview uses the reader questions posted from fans)
Rockwall rolls out red carpet for Jason Castro
The usually quiet suburb of Rockwall became a hyperactive screamfest Thursday as thousands of Jason Castro fans came to watch the city’s favorite son give his homecoming performance.
Teenage girls were nearly reduced to tears when they saw Mr. Castro and his signature brown dreadlocks.
“Oh my gosh! I touched his hair,” squealed 16-year-old Jennifer Walthall.
Jennifer participated in Mr. Castro’s free concert parade with her fellow cheerleaders from Rockwall High School.
So You Think You Can Dance – Charleston, SC Washington, DC – Auditions
I didn’t mention Cat Deely in my last recap. She’s so efficient an unobtrusive, it’s easy to blow by her. I don’t mean that in a negative way. She keeps the action moving in a likable and friendly way and has a nice rapport with the contestants.
The guest judge for Charleston is Tyce Diorio.
More Recap, with Video After the Jump…
Clay Aiken to Be a Father!!!
UPDATE: People is reporting that the story is indeed true.
“The story is true,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Bill Vigars, a Vancouver-based rep for David Foster, told PEOPLE Wednesday, of the TMZ.com report that Aiken, 29, impregnated David’s sister, music producer Jaymes Foster. “It is true Clay is the father. She was artificially inseminated by Clay. She’s due in August.”
Congratulations Clay!
Well TMZ says so. It it must be true! From Access Hollywood:
The former à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ alum will be the father of Jaymes Fosterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s baby, the sister of record mogul David Foster. Jaymes, who was reportedly artificially inseminated, is due in August. The two live together in LA. Jaymes was married for 23 years, but has no children. When contacted by Access Hollywood, a rep for Clay wasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t immediately available for comment. Last month during an interview with Billy Bush, Clay said he has worked with Jaymes for years. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“[She] is the executive producer of the [new] album,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Clay told Billy. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s been my executive producer for the last two years.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬
Clay is such a mensch! I mean if it’s true. And if it is true, so what? This sort of thing happens all the time. All the time. So much for Clay managing to keep his private life private. That can of worms? It’s just been opened back up!
Billboard Chart Preview – Issue 6/7/08
I’m working on the mega Billboard chart I compile every week. With all the new additions, it’s going to take me awhile. In the meantime, I thought you all might want to take a look at the charts mentioned in Billboard article.Check out the Hot 100, Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles, and Hot Digital Songs Chart, after the JUMP…
With the Season 7 competition coming to a close last Wednesday, Billboard is finally able to include the iTunes singles in their chart count. With the official numbers in, there’s now confirmation of what fans had already managed to figure out. The Season 7 Idols are doing very well, indeed, on the charts.
None of the tunes that made this week’s chart were available for sale the entire week. The Idol performance and studio recordings were pulled last Thursday, while the songs from finale week, David Cook’s coronation single, “Time of My Life” went on sale Thursday.
Keeping the short week in mind, makes David Cook’s virtual takeover of the Hot 100 and the Hot Digital Songs chart, all the more impressive. “Time of My Life” debuted at #3 on the Hot 100 and #1 on Hot Digital songs. He’s got a total of 11 songs on the Hot 100, 14 on Hot Digital Songs, and 6 songs on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. David Archuleta lands 3 songs each on the Hot 100, Bubbling Under Hot 100, and Hot Digital Songs Charts. Jason Castro’s “Hallelujah” charts on the Hot 100 Bubbling Under chart.
With so many songs on the charts this week, Cookie set some records:
Cook’s takeover of the Hot 100 shatters the mark for debuts set by Miley Cyrus (as Hannah Montana) in the Nov. 11, 2006, issue, when she placed six new titles on the list. The 11 songs on the chart are the most in a week by any artist in the Nielsen Music era, which began in December 1991 when the chart converted to Nielsen BDS and Nielsen SoundScan data.
His haul also marks the most placements on the list since the Beatles charted 14 songs on the Hot 100 in the week of April 11, 1964.
The 14 tracks on Hot Digital Songs also gives Cook a record for debuts and total songs on that three-year-old chart, besting Hannah Montana’s total output (8) on the Nov. 11, 2006 chart, and Bon Jovi’s six debuts in the May 19, 2007, issue.
Read the rest of this entry »
David Archuleta – Mornings with Mike and Juliet – VIDEO
David Archuleta appears on Mornings with Mike and Juliet. He calls the paparazzi “creepy”. Heh. Even creepier? Juliet pinching Archie’s cheek. Patronizing much?
Video After the Jump…:
Syesha Mercado performs on Live with Regis and Kelly – VIDEO
Syesha Mercado appears on Live with Regis and Kelly.
Video After the Jump…
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