Idol Chartwatch, April 27: There’s a New Idol in Town!

Season 5’s eighth-place finisher, Bucky Covington, becomes the sixth from that group to crack the Billboard charts with his or her debut CD. Bucky’s self-titled album sold 61,000 copies to debut at #4 on the Billboard 200. The CD tops the Country Albums chart and is #6 on Internet Album Sales and #23 on Digital Album sales.

According to Billboard, Bucky’s debut is the biggest on the Top Country Albums chart by a new male artist since Billy Ray Cyrus’ Some Gave All was released in 1992, selling 90,000 copies. The CD is authentic, down-home country/rock, and Bucky’s vocals are right at home. Congrats to Bucky and his fans.

Last week’s CMT awards have given Carrie Underwood’s Some Hearts another sales boost. This week, the CD has jumped from #14 to #9 on the Billboard 200. It remains #4 on the Country chart and is #8 on Digital Album Sales.

Daughtry rounds out the top ten, coming in at #7. The CD is #9 on the Internet Album Sales chart, #5 on the Digital chart, and #2 on the Rock chart.

This week, Now! That’s What I Call Music 24, featuring Daughtry’s “It’s Not Over,” dropped to #3 on the Billboard 200. It remains #1 on the Compilation charts and also charts on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart (#10).

Kellie Pickler’s Small Town Girl also saw a nice jump this week, going from #142 to #118 on the Billboard 200, a 24-spot increase. The album remains #23 on the Country listing.

Elliott Yamin has slipped a couple of spots to #62 on the Billboard 200. It’s #3 on the Independent Album chart. The album also appears on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart (#40).

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

• Katharine McPhee is up a couple of spots to #108 on the Billboard 200
• Fantasia is starting to make a move back up the charts, going from #192 to #166 on the Billboard 200. The album is #30 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart.
• The Happy Feet soundtrack on which Fantasia appears with Patti LaBelle and Yolanda Adams is #102 on the Billboard 200, #4 on the Soundtrack chart, and #25 on the Internet Album sales listing.
• Ruben’s The Return is also up, moving from #85 to #79 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart.
• Dreamgirls, featuring Jennifer Hudson, is up as well, moving from #132 to #126 on the Billboard 200. It’s #5 on the Soundtracks chart, and #37 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The deluxe edition is #98 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart.
• TobyMac’s Portable Sounds featuring Mandisa (“Lose My Soul” with Kirk Franklin) rose from #103 to #75 on the Billboard 200, and is #22 on the Top Rock Albums chart.
• 2007 Grammy Nominees, which features Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” as well as Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day” and K.T. Tunstall’s “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree,” is #91 on the Billboard 200 and #3 on the Compilations chart.
• Wow Gospel 2007, which features George Huff’s “You Know Me,” is #180 on the Billboard 200, #8 on the Compilation chart, and #4 on the Top Gospel Album chart.
• Wow Gospel 2006 featuring George Huff’s “Brighter Day” is #40 on the Gospel listing.
• Totally Country 6, which features Carrie Underwood’s “Some Hearts,” reappears on the Billboard 200 at #198. It’s #10 on the Compilation list and #38 on the Country chart.
• Now That’s What I Call Music 22 (Now 22) featuring Kelly Clarkson’s “Walk Away,” along with 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,” is #23 on the Compilation chart.

This Week’s Idols’ Singles’ Charts

It was another incredible week for Idol singles. Kelly Clarkson’s brand-new one, “Never Again,” is breaking out all over the charts. It’s #1 on the Bubbling Under (the Hot 100) chart, so expect it to appear on the Hot 100 next week. This week, the single hit the Hot 100 Airplay chart at #58, the Pop 100 at #57, and the Adult Top 40 at #21. It’s up 13 spots to #23 on the Pop 100 Airplay list.

Incidentally, last week Kelly picked up the ASCAP Award for song of the year for “Because of You,” sharing the honor with Mary J. Blige’s “Be Without You.”

Bucky Covington’s “A Different World” is also making impressive strides. It debuted on the Hot 100 this week at #63, the Pop 100 at #68, and the Hot Digital Songs chart at #64. It’s #22 on the Country chart.

Kellie Pickler’s “I Wonder” showed up on the Bubbling Under (the Hot 100) at #9 and is #25 on the Country chart.

Daughtry’s “Home” has jumped significantly on all the major charts again this week. On the Hot 100, it has gone from #31 to #23, and moves from #68 to #50 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. It’s #19 on the Pop 100, #22 on Pop 100 Airplay, #18 on the Adult Top 40, #15 on the Hot Digital Tracks chart, and #16 on the Hot Digital Songs chart.

“It’s Not Over” slipped a bit this week, but is still certainly getting a lot of airplay and downloads. It’s #20 on the Hot 100, #14 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, #14 on the Pop 100, #9 on the Pop 100 Airplay chart, #2 on the Adult Top 40 listing, #19 on the Adult Contemporary chart, #22 on Hot Digital Tracks, and #23 on Hot Digital Songs.

Here’s how the rest of the Idols’ singles did this week:

• Carrie’s “Before He Cheats” has also moved up this week. It appears on the Adult Contemporary chart for the first time (#24), and is #11 on the Hot 100, #20 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, #10 on the Pop 100, #17 on the Pop 100 Airplay chart, #7 on the Adult Top 40, #8 on Hot Digital Tracks, and #10 on Hot Digital Songs. “Wasted” remains #1 on the Country chart. It’s #40 on the Hot 100, #34 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, #62 on the Pop 100, #50 on Hot Digital Tracks, and #54 on Hot Digital Songs.
• Kimberley Locke’s “Change” is #12 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The remix version is #10 on the Hot Dance Play chart.
• Elliott Yamin’s “Wait for You” is up this week, from #91 to #78 on the Pop 100 and from #48 to #42 on the Pop 100 Airplay chart.
• Katharine McPhee’s “Over It” is #46 on the Hot 100, #26 on the Pop 100, #29 on the Pop 100 Airplay chart, #40 on the Adult Top 40, #22 on the Hot Digital Tracks chart, and #23 on the Hot Digital Songs list. Her “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” / “My Destiny” remains #20 on the Single Sales list.
• Taylor Hicks’ “Just to Feel That Way” move up one spot to #20 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
• Fantasia’s “When I See You” continues to climb. It’s up 13 spots to #86 on the Hot 100, and is #55 on the Hot 100 Airplay Chart, #14 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles chart, #14 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Airplay chart, and #13 on the R&B Adult airplay list.
• Ruben Studdard’s latest single, “Make Ya Feel Beautiful,” is #33 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles, #33 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Airplay chart, and #6 on the R&B Adult airplay list. “Change Me” is #12 on the R&B Adult airplay list.
• Jennifer Hudson’s “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going” is #49 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles chart, #49 on the R&B Airplay chart, and #9 on the R&B Adult airplay list. The dance remix of the song is #39 on the Dance Club Play chart.

The Power of Idol

Tim McGraw’s “When the Stars go Blue” re-entered the Digital charts this week at #39 after last week’s performance of the song by Blake Lewis. “Jesus, Take the Wheel” also returned to the digital chart at #63, possibly inspired by LaKisha’s performance. Will we see a resurgence of interest in Fantasia’s “I Believe” next week? Martina McBride’s “Anyway” reappeared on the same chart at #24.

Upcoming New Releases

Kimberley Locke’s long-anticipated sophomore CD, Based on a True Story, is set for release next Tuesday, May 1. Paris Bennett’s Princess P will follow on May 8. Mandisa’s first single, “Only One World,” will be released to radio May 11, and the CD single drops on May 22. Her album is expected out July 31.

Also of note, next week Dreamgirls is being released on DVD. Expect the CD to jump back up the charts as more people experience this film for the first time.

And that’s it for Chartwatch this week!

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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