Well, I can't say that I am surprised... 'Idol' Clarkson's Single Sets Billboard Record As expected, "American Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson's debut RCA single, "A Moment Like This," has made the biggest single-week leap to No. 1 in the history of Billboard's Hot 100. The single sold 236,000 copies in the U.S. during its initial week at retail, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and the track rockets 52-1 on the new Hot 100, to be posted tomorrow (Sept. 26) on Billboard.com. Nelly's "Dilemma" featuring Kelly Rowland had been No. 1 for seven-straight weeks. "We're in uncharted territory," Billboard director of charts Geoff Mayfield says. "It's unusual to have a retail single to begin with and it's even more unusual to have one sell decent numbers. This is the first one to sell more than 200,000 [in a single week] since 1999, so those are pretty big accomplishments." "Sam Goody sold more copies of the Clarkson single in one day than the chain has sold of any one single in the past three years," a spokesperson for the chain told Billboard Bulletin. Jim Kaminski, rock buyer at Tower Records in New York, adds, "It caught me by surprise, actually, because I didn't think it was going to be that popular, especially [in Manhattan]. I thought the show was more of a suburban thing. But we've sold all of our first shipment." There's plenty of "Idol"-related activity on the horizon. A compilation album featuring songs from other "Idol" contestants, including "Moment," is due Oct. 1 via RCA. A six-week trek North American tour, which will feature Clarkson, Justin Guarini, and the eight other "Idol" finalists, kicks off Oct. 8 in San Diego and runs through Nov. 20 in Seattle. Clarkson's debut set, originally scheduled for a Nov. 26 release, has been pushed back until 2003. Man, it is a shame that with new releases by groups like Coldplay, Beck, Peter Gabriel, Underworld, etc. coming out that all people want to buy is stuff like this because they saw it on TV. Jeff was exactly right about the music industry.....it doesn't matter if you write good songs, have good musicianship, etc. As long as you look the part, then you will be a success. Oh well, I'll keep going on and enjoying the stuff that is not popular like Beck, Coldplay, Gabriel, etc. Something tells me that stuff will be more enduring than the American Idol shlock.
I wanted Kelly to win, but I really don't like that song. Also, she may not have been the most talented out of the group.
The sad part about it is, her sh*tty song is replacing an even sh*tt*er song at top...I listened to about 30 seconds of that Nelly/Kelly song before I wanted to veer my truck into the nearest brick wall. I say we put a mandatory minimum age of 21 on all music purchases, so these brainwashed teenagers don't buy this crap and continually flood our airwaves with this powderpuff neo-pop crap... BTW...Peter Gabriel is still around? Does he still make those cool videos? It doesn't get much better than two raw, dancing chickens... <i>I wanna be...........................you sledgehammer!</i>
People who look at the top of the Billboard charts for good music remind me of people who wander along beaches with metal detectors looking for buried treasure.
Christ, you guys are f'n anal about pop radio. All your great prestigious bands like Coldplay and Beck have had hit records, they just don't depend on pop radio to play their songs (although Pop radio does play Coldplay a little bit). These guys get played on ROCK radio, see, because they are ROCK, with not many pop influences. While I hate that American Idol song with a PASSION, I don't see how it hurts these "great" artists like Coldplay and Beck. Its funny, everyone talks about how just because a song is "popular" doesn't mean its good...But then a lot of you guys act like just because a song isn't popular, by default its just the most freakin awesome song in the world.
You hate Dilemma by Nelly and Kelly? That's one of my favorites. "no matter what I do, all I think about is you, even when I'm with my boo, boy, you know I'm crazy about you" hahaha
BTW, if you guys want something to complain about with the music industry, read this article: http://www.salon.com/ent/feature/2002/09/18/idol_contract/index.html This american idol chick has signed her career away! She's contractually obligated to appear on "World Idol" for a whopping paycheck worth $1400!
Manny... the kind of ppl that would buy the Idol songs are not the kind of ppl who listen to Beck or Coldplay or any other of the artsy-rock bands you guys like..So what does it matter? It doesn't really effect their sales. My favorite style of music has NEVER been at the top of the charts..but that doesnt mean Im gonna begrudge anyone the ability to buy whatever crappy style of music happens to be popular at the time.. As long as your favorite bands still make the music that you like, why does it concern you? Someone let me know when Iron Maiden gets the #1 slot..that will be the final sign of the Apocalype..
In defense of Manny (did I just say that??), I think his main beef is that if record companies keep churning out the factory produced neo-pop (my own term, don't ask), that his favorite bands will become discouraged at the lack of notoriety they get and quit making music....or, a worse case scenario, succumb to the whims of record company execs for more money and fame, which would be defined as "selling out" in most circles (Smashmouth, anyone?). Of course, with all the independent labels out there, I seriously doubt that the good music will just up and disappear in liu of neo-pop. People will just have to look a little harder to find it... Hey, ya gotta vent at SOMETHING, right?
Rockets2K and SCF, I know what you are saying is right. I just can't get over how a show like that helped an artist sell that many copies of a song. And I know that music is all about taste, but it still bothers me, for some reason, to see the general public buy stuff like the American Idol when there is a world of stuff out there that many do not know about. I guess I would just like to talk to more people who like some of the same artists that I like. Why I feel that way? I have no idea.
That is a big part of it, but also the notoriety, too. There is so much great music out there that many people have no idea about because all they know is the manufactured stuff like Britney, BSB, NSuck, American Idol girl, etc.
This surprised me as well. I don't see how it's worth that kind of sales. Isn't this an old song anyway? They really didn't even change it up from the origional.
I didn't really care for the whole American Idol thing but this girl has an excellent voice so I don't think it's fair to knock her talent. She's not a Britney chested lip sync show even if she's going to be forced to produce pop trash for a while.
I got yer back Smokey! I hope she sells a billion records and makes everyone that hates her music suffer. I heard her get interviewed and people call up Dallas radio stations to talk about what kind of person she is/was, and I just hope she does well - she seemed that cool of a human being from what I heard.
