David Cook Sizzles With Record Chart Debuts
Season seven “American Idol” champion David Cook will set a record for debut entries on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Digital Songs tomorrow as 11 titles enter the former, while 14 songs jump on the download tally. The onslaught is led by a No. 3 Hot 100 start for his original recording “The Time of My Life, ” which shifts 236, 000 downloads to easily take the No. 1 spot on Hot Digital Songs.
“Idol” runner-up David Archuleta lands three songs on both charts, led by his cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine” (No. 36 Hot 100, No. 16 on Hot Digital Songs, 71, 000).
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.
David Archuleta on his lyric flub and his vision for a debut CD
Idol’s season 7 runner-up discusses his desire to make a debut album that’s a little closer to Sarah Bareilles than, say, Dan Fogelberg, and also reveals his ongoing obsession with Billboard’s international charts. Enjoy!
David Archuleta wants to know: What was so great about ‘Imagine’?
I kid you not…as you’ll see in part 1 of our interview with this season’s American Idol runner-up, he’s still trying to understand why the nation went nuts over his week-two semifinal performance of John Lennon’s classic; part 2, meanwhile, finds him discussing the “magic rainbow” found in the lyrics of the season 7 victory anthem, “The Time of My Life.”
American Idol David Cook, Runner-Up David Archuleta Dominate Billboard Downloads Chart
He’s been the nation’s seventh American Idol for less than a week, but David Cook is already proving that, when it comes to marketable, bankable artists, he certainly fits the bill.
“The Time of My Life, ” the coronation song that Cook belted out at the close of last week’s “Idol” finale, opens at #1 on next week’s Billboard Hot Digital Tracks chart, which ranks the best-selling digital singles nationwide. With 236, 000-plus downloads, Cook bumps Rihanna’s “Take a Bow” from the top spot ‘ but that’s not all.
All told, 17 of the songs the 25-year-old Missouri guitarist performed during the show’s most recent season are sprinkled throughout the list, according to the latest SoundScan figures. Cook’s “Dream Big” follows at #7 (with 111, 000 downloads), while his rendition of U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” from the season’s final performance episode occupies the #9 position, having generated 97, 900 downloads. At #14, with 80, 000 downloads, it’s Cook’s cover of Collective Soul’s “The World I Know, ” while his take on Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” was downloaded 60, 000 times, earning it the chart’s #18 spot.
David Cook Visits Luke Menard in the Hospital
Preparing for the American Idol finale means long hours and hard work. But days before David Cook was declared the season seven winner, he dropped everything to visit with fellow Top 24 contestant Luke Menard in a Los Angeles hospital.
Menard, 29, was diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkin Lymphoma.
Idol’s Davids To Rock The Early Show
“American Idol” winner David Cook and runner-up David Archuleta will rock the audience outdoors this time around.
The newly-established stars will take things down a notch from the Nokia Theater in California to The Early Show plaza in New York where fans can see them up close and personal.
Archuleta’s performance airs Thursday, May 29 on the CBS morning show, and Cook’s concert will air on Friday, May 30. Check local listings for times.
David Cook looking at a Fall Release Date
After two years of releasing the debut albums from …American Idol winners in the Christmas rush, BMG is returning to a fall release for the newest champ, David Cook.
Cook has been signed to 19 Recordings/RCA Records and is preparing to start recording his debut album which is due for release in the fall.
Cook, who’s first single, “The Time Of My Life” skyrocketed to No. 1 on iTunes, will be recording his album over the summer while on the road with the American Idol Live tour. Tour kicks off on July 1 in Glendale, Ariz. ‘ hometown of last year winner Jordin Sparks ‘ and wraps Sept. 13th in Tulsa, Okla.
Jason Castro: catch him now on local TV/radio
Jason Castro is so busy; he has little time for rest. He was on Fox4 this morning singing Daydreamin’ Boy and Somewhere Over the Rainbow. See his local live radio interview schedule here. And see him in Rockwall tomorrow at his homecoming celebration!
`American Idol’ Owner CKX Agrees to Revised 19X Offer (Update3)
May 28 (Bloomberg) — CKX Inc., owner of the “American Idol” brand, said it agreed to a revised buyout offer valued at $1.19 billion from a group led by Chief Executive Officer Robert F.X. Sillerman, called 19X Inc.
The revisions include an increased breakup fee payable to CKX if the acquisition isn’t completed by a new deadline of Oct. 31, CKX said today in a statement. CKX will also conduct a new “go shop” period between 45 and 60 days while the company seeks better offers.
19X’s offer is for $12 a share. The $1.19 billion transaction value is based on 99 million common and preferred shares outstanding, the company said. 19X will also assume $100 million of debt.
Sillerman, who is chairman of both companies, had offered $13.75 when he originally proposed the buyout in June. He reduced the offer May 12, citing a “seismic shift in the buyout world since the time we originally entered into this transaction.”
Kellie Pickler “Maturity” Drawing Attention
Although not confirmed, it seems that Kellie Pickler has been through a breast augmentation since her days on Idol. Last week Pickler told Fox News, “It’s been two years since my first record came out. I still have my sassy and girly side, but I’ve been growing a lot ‘ in many more ways than one, ” she said while motioning to her chest. “Let’s just say I feel much more mature now.”
Jennifer Takes on Sex and the City
With an Oscar under her belt and a new dream role in the highly anticipated movie Sex and the City, it hardly seems possible that Jennifer Hudson was once known only as the girl voted off of American Idol.
The actress tells Parade.com’s Jeanne Wolf what it was like to work on the famed SATC set, dishing on everything from the clothes, to men, to even–get this–how she had to research the show because she’d never seen an episode!
US announces Sullivan delegation
The US Government has announced its high-profile delegation to the 8th Leon H. Sullivan Summit, to be held in Arusha next week.
A statement that was released to press by the American Embassy in Dar es Salaam yesterday said that Dirk Kempthorne, the US Secretary of the Interior, would head the delegation.
President George W. Bush today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to Arusha, Tanzania to attend the Leon H. Sullivan Summit VIII on June 2, 2008, read the statement, dated Tuesday, May 27, 2008.
Members of the delegation will include Mark Green, the US Ambassador to Tanzania, Jendayi Frazer, Assistant Secretary for African Affairs from State Department and John Simon, Executive Vice President of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.
Others are Michael Steele, former Lieutenant Governor and Maryland Chairman, GOPAC, Edward “Ward“ Brehm III, Chairman of the US African Development Foundation and a Singer, Melinda Doolittle.
American Idol Finalist Melinda Doolittle Teams with Ellie’s Run For Africa
American Idol finalist Melinda Doolittle will join the 4th annual Ellie’s Run for Africa as its Master of Ceremonies, Ellie’s Run organizers announced today.
Ellie’s Run For Africa — a family fun day including a 5K race, a kids – one mile fun run, outdoor games and African dancing and drumming — will take place on Saturday, June 14, 2008, at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, Tenn.
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Since its inception in 2004, Ellie’s Run for Africa (www.elliesrun.org) has raised over $100, 000 to provide education and health-related assistance in Kenya and South Africa.
Hey Guys, American Idol Isn’t Helping
So far, American Idol has introduced two successful female singers into the country format – Carrie Underwood and Kellie Pickler. Unfortunately, time has run out on the guys. A finalist from the 2007 season, Phil Stacey has sold just over 25, 000 copies of his self-titled debut album in the month since its release. Josh Gracin, who came in fourth in 2003, isn’t faring much better – less than 45, 000 in two months. The debut CD by Bucky Covington, the 8th place finalist of season six, started strong with “A Different World, ” but stalled at 345, 000 units. Not bad, I guess, considering the current record-buying climate. However, country still hasn’t had a male crossover champ yet – how long until Taylor Hicks, David Cook or Ruben Studdard gives Nashville a try?
Bucky Covington Makes Every Show Count
The summer months are marked by outdoor shows, and some of them ‘ including several festivals and Kenny Chesney stadium concerts ‘ have drawn 40, 000 or more people. It would be easy to get keyed up for a performance of that magnitude but then let down a bit for a show in a club for maybe 500 fans, but the best live artists give their all no matter the setting. Bucky Covington understands that well. He reached approximately 30 million people each time he performed as a contestant on “American Idol, ” but he also been reminded by Sawyer Brown lead singer that even small audiences can be crucial.
An American Idol Singer’s Prayer
George Huff may have lost the 2004 American Idol competition to Fantasia Barrino, but that didn’t stop the New Orleans native from flashing his brilliant smile. Television viewers and Idol judges alike were won over by the soulful singer’s contagious joy, which earned him the nickname “Smiling George.”
Last August, however, George’s famous joy was temporarily replaced by anxiety when Hurricane Katrina devastated his hometown. His mother and sister left town for Dallas, Texas, the Sunday before Katrina hit, but other members of his large family were forced to stay behind. George’s father, who is divorced from George’s mom, later described to him the view in the front of his house when the storm came. The waters blew his windows in immediately, and pushed the front door open. “A lot of my family didn’t make it out in time, ” George told TC, “but they were rescued from their homes and went to the Superdome. I praise the Lord that we all eventually got out safely.”
So You Think You Can Dance: The Judges Not Doing Their Happy Dance
While the judges on “So You Think You Can Dance” tend to be more straightforward, optimistic and knowledgeable about the subject matter than those on that other, more famous reality competition on Fox, it doesn’t mean that they don’t get crabby from time to time, and plenty of dancers on Wednesday night’s audition episode tested their patience. Subpar dancers with subpar attitudes were accused of wasting everyone’s time, of not really dancing, of executing a joke merely by being there. And on “SYTYCD” it’s not just the British chap who delivers the bad news: Mary Murphy was quite sharp-tongued on the episode, even having to be covered up by the censor’s blue button.
‘So You Think You Can Dance’ explores new frontiers
The second audition episode of So You Think You Can Dance brings us to two cities they’ve never held auditions in before and two people new to judging preliminary rounds. We’re one step closer to Vegas, peeps.
Salt Lake City, UT welcomes the crew with cold and snow. Joining Nigel and Mary Murphy for her first foray into judging is choreographer Mandy Moore (who quickly became one of my favorites in her first season with the show thanks to the Pasha/Sara “Body Language” and Neil/Sabra “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” numbers). Travis returns for the choreography round. Also, a great number of the folks auditioning are married and have all kinds of kids (one potential contestant has seven).
