Lee Dewyze Has Lowest Debut from Any American Idol Winner or Runner Up
Lee’s debut album “Live It Up” did not live up to expectations as its first week sales are less than half of what the previous season’s American Idol winner (Kris Allen) debut last year.
It’s also interesting to note that all the runner ups from the past 8 seasons of American Idol sold higher with Clay Aiken holding the record for the highest debut by an American Idol contestant in history with a whopping 613,000 albums sold in the first week.
Check out this compilation from USA Today:
2009
No. 11, Kris Allen, Kris Allen (80,000)
No. 3, Adam Lambert, For Your Entertainment (198,000)
2008
No. 3, David Cook, David Cook (280,000)
No. 2, David Archuleta, David Archuleta (183,000)
2007
No. 10, Jordin Sparks, Jordin Sparks (119,000)
No. 10, Blake Lewis, Audio Day Dream (98,000)
2006
No. 2, Taylor Hicks, Taylor Hicks (298,000)
No. 2, Katharine McPhee, Katharine McPhee (116,000)
2005
No. 2, Carrie Underwood, “Some Hearts” (315,000)
No. 4, Bo Bice, “The Real Thing” (227,000)
2004
No. 8, Fantasia, Free Yourself (240,000)
No. 52, Diana DeGarmo, Blue Skies (47,000)
2003
No. 1, Ruben Studdard, Soulful (417,000)
No. 1, Clay Aiken, Measure of a Man (613,000)
2002
No. 1, Kelly Clarkson, Thankful (297,000)
No. 20, Justin Guarini, Justin Guarini (57,000)
It only happened twice when the runner up bested the winner in album sales. In 2003, Clay Aiken sold 32% higher than Ruben Studdard and just last year (2009), Adam Lambert sold 60% higher than Kris Allen.
I wonder how Crystal Bowersox‘s debut album “Farmer’s Daughter” will perform on Billboard 200 when it debuts on December 14.
@jean many more than talaga? LOL
This is sad for Lee. In fact, he was one a couple of hours ago on the Kathi Lee and Hoday Today Show. But, Lee just doesn’t have the charisma that Adam and Clay has. Clay sold many more than Ruben because Clay WAS the true winner of AI2 and the ultimate ‘American Idol’. He was just what the producers were looking for when the show was conceived for America.
oo dapat itigil na ang AMERICAN IDOL, sayang lang yung show, e tatapatan pa ng X-FACTOR yan ni simon na dadaigin ang A.I.
so sad 🙁 i love him…
so sad 🙂 i love him….
mas matinndi pa si CHa!!
tpos nag no.1 pa sa yung pyramid sa Japan..
waley na ang American Idol dahil sa gLee…
highest debut nga si CLay but Kelly holds the Total!!
mas malaki pa ang album sales ni charice nung debut niya- 43,000
talagang palubog na ang american idol, siguro last season na talaga yung next
This breaks my heart!! I love Lee & think he deserves so much better.