Idol Chartwatch, August 4: Music News and Billboard Blues

Breaking music news! Clay’s upcoming album has a title! Entertainment Tonight reported that the 14-track CD (which you can pre-order directly to the right of this article) will be called A Thousand Different Ways, and will feature 10 covers and four new songs. It’s set for release on September 19. The ET segment featured clips of Clay’s photo shoot for the album. And yes, he still has the “emo” haircut!

Ruben Studdard’s CD, The Return, will drop on September 26. The title reflects the title track, “The Return of the Velvet Teddy Bear.” We also have learned that Kellie Pickler’s album is now due out on October 31. That’s before either Taylor or Katharine. Certainly, this is subject to change.

First, let’s look at Taylor and Katharine’s singles. Taylor’s “Do I Make You Proud” / “Takin’ it to the Streets” remained at #1 on the Single Sales chart for the seventh straight week. “Do I Make You Proud” was down to #78 on the Hot 100. It was #64 on the Pop 100 and #18 on the Adult Contemporary listing.

Taylor’s sales figures are as follows. This week, 11,000 physical copies of the single were sold. There were 3,200 downloads of “Do I Make You Proud” and 1,100 downloads of “Takin’ it to the Street.” In seven weeks, the single has sold 408,000 copies. Downloads total 111,000 for “Do I Make You Proud” and 68,000 for “Takin’ it to the Streets.”

Katharine McPhee’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” / “My Destiny” remained at #2 on the Single Sales chart this week. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” was #74 on the Pop 100.

Katharine’s single sold 8,000 copies this week. There were 2,000 downloads of “My Destiny” and 3,300 for “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” So far, in five weeks, her single has sold 111,000 physical copies, with 65,000 downloads of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and 45,000 of “My Destiny.”

Bo’s “The Real Thing” was #20 on the Adult Contemporary list and #17 on the Adult Top 40.

Carrie Underwood’s “Don’t Forget to Remember Me” was #66 on the Hot 100, #42 on the Hot 100 Airplay, and #3 on the Country chart. “Before He Cheats” was #44 on the Country chart.

Kelly Clarkson’s “Walk Away” was #8 on the Adult Top 40, #66 on Hot Digital Songs chart, and #20 on the Adult Contemporary chart. “Because of You” was #5 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

Josh Gracin’s “Favorite State of Mind” was #19 on the Country chart. Miranda Lambert’s “New Strings” was #29 on the Country chart.

Mario Vazquez’ first single, “Gallery,” returned to the Hot 100 at #89. It was #46 on the Pop 100 and #31 on the Pop 100 Airplay. Mario is doing very well!

Three new albums debuted in the top five this week, pushing our Idols even further down the list. American Idol Season Five Encores dropped again, ending up at #132 on the Billboard 200 and #6 on the Top Soundtracks list.

Carrie Underwood’s Some Hearts was down two spots to #24 on the Billboard 200, but remained #5 on the Country chart. Kelly Clarkson’s CD, Breakaway, dropped seven spots to #58 on the Billboard 200. Miranda Lambert’s Kerosene was up to #167 on the Billboard 200 and #33 on the Country Chart.

Here’s how the rest of the Idol-related compilation albums charted this week:

• Now That’s What I Call Music #22 (Now 22) featuring Kelly Clarkson’s “Walk Away,” along Nick Lachey’s “What’s Left of Me,” Teddy Geiger’s (from The New Partridge Family) “For You I Will (Confidence),” Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day,” and K.T. Tunstall’s “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree,” was #2 on the Billboard 200, #1 on the Compilation chart, and #13 on Internet Album sales.
• Now That’s What I Call Music #21 (Now 21) featuring Kelly Clarkson’s “Because of You” was #35 on the Billboard 200, and #2 on the Compilation chart.
• Wow Gospel 2006, featuring George Huff’s “Brighter Day,” was #20 on the Top Compilation chart and #6 on the Gospel listing.
• Now That’s What I Call Music #20 (Now 20) featuring Kelly Clarkson’s “Behind These Hazel Eyes” was #19 on the Compilation Chart.
• The Gospel featuring Tamyra Gray’s “Now Behold the Lamb” was #16 on the Gospel chart.
• Totally Country 5 featuring Miranda Lambert’s “Kerosene” was #60 on the Country chart.

And that’s Chartwatch for this first week in August. Yawn!

Donna Reynolds is a freelance writer based in Syracuse, New York. While entertainment sustains her emotionally, she earns her daily bread by writing and editing web copy. Check out her new website at www.idolthoughts.net. Donna loves mail, so shoot her an email at foxydonna@earthlink.net.

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