Scotty McCreery breaks a few Billboard records, plus a breakdown of this week's charts
Scotty McCreery's new album, Clear As Day, broke records this week by debuting at number one on the Billboard 200, proving that American Idol can still produce stars, even if it's been a while. Clear As Day is the first debut release from an American Idol winner to catapult to number one since Kelly Clarkson issued her first album, Thankful back in 2003. McCreery's record is also the first country release to debut at number one on the Billboard 200.
Scotty McCreery
McCreery's lead single, "I Love You This Big," was released in late May and peaked at 11 thanks to a huge push from end-of-season American Idol marketing. Considering that the song is nowhere on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart this month, the a number-one charting album from the Idol winner is a bit surprising.
It's not that McCreery doesn't have some chops, because he does -- his voice sounds creepily older than his baby face looks -- it's just that he seems like more of an album artist. With the exception of Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, Idol's biggest hits, album artists don't tend to do that well on the charts.
Regardless, if McCreery's chart run is to continue -- it's questionable whether he has the personality or gusto to sustain himself in the long run -- he'll have to separate himself from the Idol machine altogether and show some good ol' country charm. Otherwise he runs the risk of joining past Idol alums like Taylor Hicks, whose self-titled debut peaked at number two in December 2006. Wait... Taylor Who? Exactly.
Movers & Shakers: Adele holds steady behind McCreery at number two on the Billboard 200. Over on singles, Adele's "Someone Like You" holds at number one for a third week, posting more than two million downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The video for "Someone Like You" surely couldn't hurt sales either, with an emotive, black-and-white Adele singing her heart out on the sidewalks of Paris.
You know who else is having a good year? LMFAO. "Sexy And I Know It" moves up two slots from six to four this week, inching closer and closer to the top, while "Party Rock Anthem" continues its descent, falling from five to six. Other notable shifts include Dev moving from fourteen to eleven with "In The Dark," and Rihanna and Calvin Harris going from nine to seven with "We Found Love." Nicki Minaj also moves back up from sixteen to fourteen with "Super Bass," thanks to an inspiring guest spot on Ellen with that hip-hop young'un Sophia Grace. The best part of the clip (below) is when Nicki tells the superstar-in-the-making to put school first and music second (at the 2:30 mark).
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