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Janet Jackson- seen her in Milan, Italy in September- performs on tonight’s 37th Annual American Music Awards. Jackson is plugging her newly released, career-spanning compilation, Number Ones. (picture courtesy of AP/Antonio Calanni)

ABC’s American Music Awards opens tonight with a much-touted performance from Michael Jackson’s sister.

No, not LaToya- she’s much too busy cheering on her favorites from the audience on Dancing With the Stars. Janet Jackson, whose latest compilation, Number Ones, hit the streets this week in the USA, likely will perform her new single and a medley of classic hits (the latter which is nothing new for her, since it’s a prerequisite for any Janet Jackson tour since the 1990s).

Jackson released her first greatest hits compilation (Design of a Decade 1986/1996) back in 1995. The set peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and has scanned more than 2.4 million units in the USA, according to Nielsen SoundScan (that does not cover the estimated couple  of million sold through record clubs). Design contained 13 singles from Jackson’s 1980’s blockbuster releases, 1986’s Controland 1989’s Rhythm Nation 1814, and, because of licensing issues (Jackson had moved on from A&M to Virgin Records in 1993), just one single from 1993’s janet. (plus two new tracks).

The Virgin partnership lasted from 1993-2007; during that time, Jackson scored three multi-platinum-selling albums, with the top-seller,janet., selling more than 7 million copies. However, each album sold progressively less, and 2004’s Damita Jo and 2006’s 20 Y.O. only scanned less than 1.7 million between the two of them (her 2004 Super Bowl “wardrobe malfunction” probably did not help matters).  Jackson parted ways with Virgin and signed to Island/Def Jam, but that collaboration spawned just one record- 2008’s Discipline, which became her lowest seller since her first two albums back in 1982 and 1984.

Rumors are that Jackson signed a quiet deal to reunite with A&M. The timing could not be better, with Number Ones’ arrival.  A&M and Virgin partnered through Universal Music to release the collection of 33 Janet Jackson hits, most of which hit No. 1 on various Billboard charts and a couple around the world. The set also includes one new recording, “Make Me,” whose video premiered on ABC’s 20/20 this past Friday night.

As a matter of fact, Jackson has had a week-long promotional blitz with ABC: Wednesday’s Good Morning America previewed her In the Spotlight interview with Robin Roberts; that hour-long Spotlight interview aired Wednesday night, attracting nearly 7 million viewers; 20/20 aired the “Make Me” video Friday night; and, tonight, Jackson opens the American Music Awards with a very generous eight minutes of airtime.

Following brother Michael’s passing in June and his televised memorial service (where Jackson comforted Michael’s daughter as she broke down), Jackson has kept pretty mum in the ensuing months. In the past, she preferred not to discuss her family too much, but now, it’s something she cannot avoid. Jackson did open up to Roberts during her Spotlight interview, talking about how the family tried to intervene and help Michael with his prescription drug addiction, and the closeness to the brother who affectionately called her “Dunk.” She also confirmed that she no longer has romantic ties to record producer Jermaine Dupri (who was one reason she signed with Island/Def Jam, as Dupri held a management position with the label).

If Jackson is back at A&M, she’s come full circle. At age 43, she unlikely will dominate the charts as she once did (U.S. pop and rhythmic radio are extremely youth-driven, and balk at putting 40-plus acts in heavy rotation- see Madonna and Whitney Houston). However, if she reverses a creative downward trend that began back with 2001’s All For You and continued since (with less and less input from longtime producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis), there’s no reason she cannot remain a viable act, even in this era of declining album sales and cherry-picking favorite tracks at iTunes.

“Make Me” is fine as a fun, classic-Janet dance track, and moves her in the right direction. But, she will need more than that to rival her best work; she hinted that the music she is working on for her forthcoming album probably will have some “darker” themes, and not just the get-down, let’s-have-some-fun quality of “Make Me.”

Until she offers a peek into her next album, let Number Ones remind why, as Robin Roberts noted on her show, Jackson is the Princess of Pop (at least in the USA) to brother Michael’s King of Pop status. While she may never rival Madonna for Queen of Pop (a title that Her Madgesty enjoys on a global scale), Jackson’s impact and influence on up-and-coming acts cannot be denied, nor can the consistently satisfying  work from her heyday years.  Hopefully, she’s just setting up for what will be a return to form come 2010.

The Queen of Pop rules the world yet again, as Celebration- a collection of 27 years’ worth of iconic tracks- ranks as the No. 1 album on Media Traffic’s Global Albums chart. 

Madonna is leaving Warner Bros. Records after a fruitful 27-year relationship on the highest of notes possible.

Celebration, a compilation of the pop icon’s illustrious era-defining hits, moves to No. 1 on the Media Traffic’s Global Albums chart, with 323,000 units (more than 208,000 copies come from the United States, UK, Canada and Japan alone). Media Traffic gather sales information from  more than 30 countries

Her Madgesty’s album, which comes in double-disc and single-disc editions, debuted at No. 1 in the UK last week, with more than 77,000 units sold (it slipped a notch to No. 2 this past week, with sales in excess of 52,000). In addition, the album lodges a second week atop Billboard’s Top European Albums chart.  The title track- one of two new recordings on the double-disc edition- was a top three UK single, and peaked at No. 2 on the Euro Singles chart.

No such luck in the USA, where the “Celebration” single peaked at No. 71 on the Hot 100. The carefree dance track failed to interest mainstream and rhythmic top 40 radio formats, but managed a mediocre No. 34 peak on Adult Top 40 radio. Nonetheless, the hits album sold more than 72,000 copies to enter the Billboard 200 at No. 7, becoming Madonna’s 18th top 10 album. Only Barbra Streisand, with 30, has more among female acts. (Incidentally, Babs landed her ninth No. 1 album this week, making her the only act to score No. 1 albums in five consecutive decades). Further adding to the celebration is the companion DVD of 47 videos, which debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Music Videos chart.

Prior to Celebration’s release, fans speculated about the tracks that would appear on the double-disc album. In addition to the two new tracks, the album houses 34 “songs that changed the world,” as Madonna’s official Web site touted. There’s no denying that a great number of those tracks in fact did have a huge impact, both commercially and culturally. However, not all of them would fall under the category of “songs that changed the world,” and in a future column, the tracklist will face dissection, in efforts to separate those world-changing tracks from the mere hits.

In the meantime, for Madonna and her Warner Bros. swan song, it indeed is a worldwide celebration- and one that probably will continue through the year-end holidays.

The Black Eyed Peas have been quite selfish on the Billboard Hot 100 as of late; between “Boom Boom Pow” and “I Gotta Feeling,” the quarter has not given any other act a shot at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for the last half-year. (picture courtesy of AP/Joan Leong) 

Gotta feeling that the Black Eyed Peas’ 14-week run atop the Billboard Hot 100 will cease this week? You’re not the only one.

The Peas’ ubiquitous summer anthem, “I Gotta Feeling,” just tied Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together” for the longest stay at the top of the chart this decade.  Aside from that impressive feat, the Peas have not budged from the top slot for the past 26 consecutive weeks: Prior to “Feeling,” “Boom Boom Pow” reigned for 12 weeks. This gives the Peas the record for most consecutive weeks at No. 1 in the Hot 100’s 51-year history.

To put the Peas’ streak into perspective,  just one other single has spent more weeks at No. 1 since 1958- Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day,” which dominated for 16 weeks. In addition to Carey and the Peas, four other singles have logged 14 weeks atop the Hot 100: Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You,” “Boyz II Men’s “I’ll Make Love to You,” Los Del Rio’s “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)” and “Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 1997,” the latter which rivals Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas,” as the biggest-selling single of all time.

However, all good things eventually come to an E.N.D.(which, incidentally, is the title of the Peas’ current album, and stands for The Energy Never Dies). With declining airplay and sales, the Peas’ single likely will step aside for Jay Sean’s “Down” or Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the U.S.A.” “Down” currently sits at No. 2, and is a smash at mainstream and rhythmic top 40 radio, and continues to sell well. Cyrus’ single is a runaway smash at mainstream top 40, and leads as the top-selling digital song in the country.

Also in the hunt is Jason DeRulo’s “Whatcha Say,” which like Sean’s single, is hot at mainstream and rhythmic top 40 radio and also lacks notable urban radio support.  But, he’s a hot seller at iTunes and continues climbing in airplay points, so he could be a No. 1 challenger in the coming weeks.

One other single to watch is the new Britney Spears track, “3.” Released to radio just last week, it’s racking up major airplay at Spears’ core format (mainstream top 40).  If “3″ debuts on the forthcoming Hot 100 on airplay alone, it will see a major jump the following week, upon its digital release this Tuesday (much like her “Womanizer” jumped 96-1 almost one year ago).

“3″ is the sole new track on Spears’ upcoming Singles Collection, the second hits compilation of her 11-year pop career; her first, Greatest Hits: My Prerogative, was released just five years ago to disappointing sales (less than 1.4 million sold in the USA, according to Nielsen SoundScan). Aside from a single disc, Jive Records also will issue a box set containing 29 of Spears’ singles.

One act who does not look to be in No. 1 contention anytime soon is Mariah Carey. Last year, she landed her 18th No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 with “Touch My Body,” but no single since has posed a challenge. Not that she needs to add any more chart feats to her already impressive stats, but for an act who has placed so much emphasis and importance on the charts, it may be a tad disappointing, especially to the dedicated mega-lambs who place just as much importance (if not more) on her chart showing.

Carey’s lead single from her just-released Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, “Obsessed,” looks to have peaked at lucky No. 7 on the Hot 100; it’s the singer’s first single to peak between Nos. 6 and 10. Previously, every one of her top 10 hits also reached the top five. The second single from Memoirs- a cover of Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is”- has yet to burn up the charts, and more than likely will not match the success of the album’s lead single. Nonetheless, Carey has an upcoming buzzed-about supporting role in the upcoming film Precious, which has received a number of pre-release accolades. Not bad for the star of Glitter.

Mariah Carey was all smiles on the set of her new video for “Obsessed,” the lead single from her upcoming 11th studio record. She perhaps may be smiling less now that the track missed the top 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100 this week. (picture courtesy of Reuters/Allison Joyce)

Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus scored her fourth top 10 hit on Billboard’s Hot 100 this week- and in the process, left a veteran hitmaker out in the cold.

Montana’s “He Could Be the One,” from the Hannah Montana season three soundtrack, had virtually zero airplay in the last week, but sales of 150,735 copies were enough to place it at No. 10 on the new Hot 100. Right behind at No. 11 is Mariah Carey’s “Obsessed,” the lead single from her upcoming Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel album. 

Such a lofty entry would be considered a triumph for most acts, but for someone as chart-fixated as Carey, it’s a disappointment. The track sold 118,925 units in its first week of digital release, according to Nielsen SoundScan, far less than the 286,000 that greeted “Touch My Body,” the lead single from 2008’s E=MC2.

Why the relatively cold reception? For one, Carey- who publicly apologized for her less-than-stellar rendition of ”I’ll Be There” at Michael Jackson’s memorial service last week- has not given radio or the public much of a chance to miss her. Following 2005’s smash The Emancipation of Mimi, Carey didn’t release the follow-up until three years later. However, selling less than 1.2 million units, E=MC2 was a commercial disappointment, probably leaving Carey anxious to get back to her chart-winning ways. Despite spawning an 18th No. 1 hit in “Body,” none of E=MC2’s other singles placed all that well on the charts: “Bye Bye” topped out at No. 19, while “I’ll Be Lovin’ U Long Time” stalled at No. 58. Furthermore, a fourth single “I Stay in Love,” failed to chart on either the Hot 100 or Bubbling Under charts.

If that were not enough, Carey also had a soundtrack single late last year that generated no interest. Tennessee’s “Right to Dream,” which with its quiet, restrained production, was a departure for Carey, did not come close to charting on the Hot 100. And, a collaboration with The-Dream on “My Love” got no higher than No. 82 earlier this year.

And now, “Obsessed”- a fairly generic slice of urban-pop, takes a swipe at Eminem, who has made some not-so-gentlemanly comments about his alleged relationship with Carey. The video (half of it, more like it) premiered at the end of NBC’s America’s Got Talent(hosted by her hubby Nick Cannon), and by the looks of it, likely won’t cause much of an upswing for the track. (Carey is scheduled to perform on the program August 5- but, judging by her past performance and their impact on sales, it also unlikely will provide much of a boost).

“Obsessed” is faring pretty well at urban and rhythmic top 40 radio, but mainstream top 40 has not jumped on the track as it has past Carey releases. The official impact date at the latter format comes later in the month, but no matter- for an act of Carey’s celebrity status, impact dates are formalities and don’t mean much of anything.

If “Obsessed” fizzles early, there’s little doubt that Carey will unleash the second single before the album drops. It likely will be a ballad, but even she cannot think she’ll score a hit along the lines of “We Belong Together” at this stage. That track spent 14 weeks atop the Hot 100, breaking airplay records in the process. While “Together” was the same old song, it was Carey’s best ballad in years and marked a remarkable commercial comeback for the diva.

Nowadays, Carey faces an ageist pop format (she’s either 39 or 40, depending on the source), and big airplay at top 40 radio will not come as easy as it once had. However, maybe she can score a top 10 hit with the second single, and add to her already impressive tally.

Both Carey and her mega-mega fans (affectionately known as lambs) should take comfort in any respectable level of success that comes her way. There is no law that says she has to score a No. 1 with each and every album release- but with the way she and fans obsess over her placement on the charts, perhaps they are reading a different lawbook than most.

The late Michael Jackson’s music continues to be picked up in droves following the singer’s death almost two weeks ago. (picture courtesy of AP/ Michael A. Mariant)

Other entertainment news going on in the world, but post-death coverage of Michael Jackson’s life continues to dominate headlines.

Whether it be about his troubled personal life or his music, Jackson remains the top entertainment news story. His memorial service- aired on some 19 networks yesterday- likely will result in even bigger sales for his musical catalog. Not that it needed the boost- last week, his albums sold 800,000 units, up 90 percent from the prior week.

Jackson’s Number Ones compilation sold 339,000 units, according to Nielsen SoundScan, up 215 percent from the prior week. The album ranks No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Comprehensive Albums chart, with Jackson’s Thriller at No. 2, selling 187,000 (up 86 percent). The 31st installment in the Now! That’s What I Call Music series debuts at No. 3 with 169,000, and, at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (which does not chart catalog albums).

On the new Top Pop Catalog Albums chart, Jackson again dominates. Last week, there was just one non-Jackson-related title in the top 10, but this week, Jackson comprises the entire top 10. Following Number Ones and Thriller in the catalog top 10 are The Essential Michael Jackson (125,000), Off the Wall (51,000), Dangerous (26,000), Bad (23,000), Jackson 5’s Ultimate Collection (10,000), Jackson’s Ultimate Collection box set (10,000), Invincible (8,000) and Greatest Hits: HIStory- Vol. 1 (7,000). An additional three titles come in at Nos. 16, 21 and22.

While Jackson’s album sales saw a huge increase, sales of individual digital tracks (including Jackson 5 titles) dropped slightly, from 2.6 million to 2.2 million. “Man in the Mirror” jumped “Thriller” as his top seller, climbing to No. 2 on Hot Digital Songs.

Where will Jackson’s sales stand in one week’s time?  Can they go even higher, possibly to 1 million copies sold in a week?

As expected, sales of Michael Jackson’s albums skyrocketed in the three days following his unexpected death at the age of 50.

Three Jackson albums topped the 100,000-unit mark- Number Ones, The Essential Michael Jackson and Thriller (which was re-released last year to commemorate its 25th anniversary). In fact, they were the only albums in the USA to scan more than 100K, according to Nielsen Soundscan, marking the first time since SoundScan started tracking sales in 1991 that a catalog title sold more than a current album. Being catalog titles, however, renders them ineligible to chart on the Billboard 200; the three titles do lead Billboard’s all-encompassing Comprehensive Albums chart.

One Michael Jackson album did debut on the Billboard 200 this week- compilation Gold, which like most albums in the Gold series never made it onto the big chart upon its 2008 release, entered at No. 191.

On Top Pop Catalog Albums, Jackson/Jackson 5 titles hold down the top nine positions, more than any other act in the chart’s 18-year history. After his top three sellers, finishing in positions four through nine and selling notably less were Off the Wall, the Jackson 5’s Ultimate Collection, Bad, Dangerous, Greatest Hits: HIStory- Vol. 1 and Jackson’s 2004 box set The Ultimate Collection. All in all, Jackson’s albums sold more than 415,000 copies last week, nearly 40 percent more than what his albums had sold from the beginning of the year through June 21.

Jackson’s songs also moved massive amounts last week (2.6 million); on the Hot Digital Songs chart, Jackson/Jackson 5 titles occupied no less than 25 slots on the 75-position listing. The top five sellers were “Thriller” at No.2, with 167,000, followed by “Man in the Mirror” at No. 3 (165,000), “Billie Jean” at No. 4 (158,000), “The Way You Make Me Feel” at No.6 (136,000) and “Beat It” at No. 7 (134,000).

Jackson’s musical catalog will continue seeing big sales, but not to the extent of the immediate commercial reaction to his death.

The late Michael Jackson takes a look at the “Man in the Mirror”- the track from 1987’s Bad album resonates with the public now, possibly more than ever.

Following wall-to-wall coverage of Michael Jackson’s unexpected death last week, it’s no shock that the public is purchasing his music and videos in droves.

Retail outlets are running low on Jackson stock, and Jackson titles dominate online sales charts at amazon.com and iTunes.

Whereas most people would expect classics like “Billie Jean,” ”Thriller” or “Beat It” to top singles sales charts, its’ 1987’s “Man in the Mirror” that jumped to the top of many worldwide listings: Over the weekend, “Man” climbed to No. 1 on iTunes’ top 100 songs chart (where roughly half the digital chart were Jackson songs), and finished as Jackson’s highest-ranked title (No. 11) on the official UK singles chart. “Man”- which topped its original UK peak of No. 21- accomplished the latter on the strength of just two days of sales following his Thursday passing.

Jackson landed a record-breaking 20 singles in the UK’s top 75 this week, and also dominated the albums chart. His Number Ones compilation returned to the chart at No. 1, followed by Thriller at No. 7, the King of Pop compilation at No. 14, Off the Wall at 17, The Essential compilation at 20, Thriller 25 at 45 and Bad at 59.

“Mirror”- which Jackson did not have a hand in composing- tells us that if we want to make change for the better in our lives, in the world, we must start with ourselves. Despite all of Jackson’s personal and legal dramas, there’s no debating that his music impacted and influenced loads of artists, fans and worldwide citizens. In the wake of Jackson’s death, listeners apparently are relating even more to the song’s poignant lyrics.

Like a slew of Jackson titles, “Man” also has enjoyed huge gains in radio play compared to a week ago. According to U.S. airplay tracker Mediabase, “Man” registered 2,516 spins at radio over the last seven days; one week ago, it had just 27 spins over the course of a week. While a huge gain, six other titles are enjoying even bigger spikes: “Billie Jean” (+3,879 spins); “Thriller” (+3,228); “Rock with You” (+2,967); “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough” (+2,767); and “P.Y.T.” (+2,661). Right behind “Man” is ”Beat It,” up 2,457 spins from last week.

Whereas Jackson’s musical catalog charted alongside current releases on the official UK albums and singles charts, they will not do so in the USA. Billboard does not allow older tracks on the Hot 100 singles chart, unless a record label actively promotes it, or if it’s an actual re-release (older titles appear on Hot 100 Recurrent Singles). However, any title is eligible for the Hot Digital Songs chart, and, judging by iTunes’ top 100, Jackson’s music should be ubiquitous this week.

Jackson’s albums, in turn, will not chart on the Billboard 200, but on Top Pop Catalog. In addition, they will be scattered all over Billboard’s Comprehensive Albums chart, which includes both catalog and current titles.

As longtime fans continue to mourn (and celebrate) the King of Pop, others may be giving he and his musical legacy a chance they did not give him while he was still living. It’s unfortunate that sometimes it takes death to make people appreciate what was in front of them all along.

The many faces of Michael Jackson, from 1971-1990. The 50-year-old pop icon and legendary recording artist passed away today after suffering cardiac arrest. (image courtesy of AP)

In the same day that television icon Farrah Fawcett passed away at age 62, yet another icon reportedly has died.

Fifty-year-old Michael Jackson- one of the biggest and most influential music superstars of all time- suffered cardiac arrest at his Los Angeles home this afternoon. Neither family members or hospital spokespeople initially released an official statement, but news outlets- and a Los Angeles coroner, per CNN- report that Jackson was rushed to UCLA Medical Center but did not respond to attempts at resuscitation and passed away.

The Eternal Peter Pan (who never had much of a childhood himself) had been prepping for a number of concerts in London, and, recently, expressed discontent with having to put on 50-something shows, rather than the 10 for which he thought he signed on. Eerily, he reportedly said that doing that many shows would kill him.

A monumental loss to the entertainment and music industries, Jackson’s impact and influence- whether as a member of the Jackson 5 or as a solo artist- undoubtedly will carry on for generations to come. He broke down race barriers on MTV in the early 1980s, and while his continuously morphing face, personal hardships and scandals have overshadowed his music in the last 15 years or so, his best work stands among the best ever recorded: Off the Wall and Thriller remain definitive musical moments, with Thriller still holding the title as the world’s best-selling album of all time. And, despite recycling his renowned choreography time and time again, few rival his dazzling stage presence and performance capabilities- witness his groundbreaking Moonwalk.

While Jackson was frail and not the picture of perfect health (tabloid outlets speculated on a prescription drug addiction, and a Jackson family attorney flat-out acknowledged as much to CNN today), this sad news came out of nowhere. Music icon, pop culture phenomenon, humanitarian, father of three- R.I.P., King of Pop.

All smiles whenever she has new product to sell to her adoring fans (aka lambs), Mariah Carey released her new single to radio this week. (picture courtesy of Reuters/Lucas Jackson) 

Believe it or not, Mariah Carey’s new single “Obsessed” does not detail her fixation on dominating the music charts.Rather, the urban-tinged track- the first single from her upcoming Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel album (due August 25)- seemingly takes as a swap at rapper Eminem, who recently made more musical inferences about his supposed relationship with Carey on a track titled “Bagpipes From Baghdad.” In that track from his chart-topping album Relapse, Eminem warns Carey’s hubby, “Nick Cannon better back the f— up. “I’m not playin. I want her back, you punk.”Striking back and possibly alluding to Eminem’s admitted battle with drugs, “Obsessed” boasts lines like, “It must be the weed, it must be the E. ‘Cause you be poppin’, you get it poppin’.” Furthermore, while never naming Eminem, the track contains a line asking the real MC to stand up, referencing Em’s “The Real Slim Shady.”

Allison Iraheta- who missed out on American Idol’s top three this season- already has secured a record deal, joining winner Kris Allen and runner-up Adam Lambert at 19 Recordings. (picture courtesy of PR Newswire/Jive Records)

Season eight’s crop of American Idol finalists are wasting little time putting their musical futures into motion.

This week, 19 Recordings announced deals for winner Kris Allen, runner-up Adam Lambert and fourth-place finisher Allison Iraheta. Allen’s and Iraheta’s debut albums will be released via Jive Records, while RCA Records will issue Lambert’s. All three records are expected to be released in the fall, after the 50-city Idol tour has run its course.

Currently, third-place finisher Danny Gokey does not have a deal. Is that surprising, given that Idoljudge Paula Abdul had predicted (on more than one occasion) that he would join Lambert in the finals? Not really- Gokey demonstrated little in the way of excitement, and mostly came off as a talented karaoke warbler rather than a promising artist. That does not mean he will not ink a deal with 19- after all, plenty of less-than-grand Idol finalists went on to release albums in their post-Idol lives.

Landing a deal and releasing an album, however, does not ensure a successful career. Only a few Idol finalists have gone on to true superstar-level sales (at least 3 million copies scanned, according to Nielsen SoundScan): Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry. Clarkson’s debut sold more than 2.7 million, but it was her sophomore album Breakaway that sold more than twice that amount (6.1 million) and spawned five hit singles (her third album- All I Ever Wanted- recently produced a No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart). Underwood’s debut album has sold more than 6.7 million, with her sophomore effort selling 2.9 million. Daughtry’s debut- still residing on the Billboard 200 albums chart- has sold more than 4.4 million; his band’s second album is due for release next month.

In regards to 17-year-old red-haired rocker Iraheta and enjoying a successful post-Idol career, fellow fourth-place finisher Daughtry should be the model she (as well as Allen and Lambert) looks to, rather than some who finish in the top or runner-up slots. For instance, Clarkson might have gone on to multi-platinum success, but first season runner-up Justin Guarini barely sold 100,000 of his debut album.

Season five’s one-two punch of Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee fared worse than anyone, with their debut albums combined selling less than 1.1 million units. Season six runner-up Blake Lewis saw his debut sell just 300,000- but, heck, that’s a smash compared to season three runner-up Diana Degarmo, whose first and only album sold a meager 166,000.

Idol winners Ruben Studdard and Fantasia each sold 1.8 million of their debuts, but follow-up efforts have not been nearly as successful. Season two runner-up Clay Aiken actually has the third-highest album sales among Idols, but that’s over six releases- his best seller remains his debut, which sold 2.8 million. Among his other releases, only his 2004 holiday album cracked 1 million copies.

American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert- who has ended speculation about this sexuality in a new Rolling Stoneinterview- has signed a record deal with 19 Recordings/RCA Records . (picture courtesy of AP/Dan Steinberg)

Album sales in general have been dimishing at a consistent pace over the last few years, but winners of Idol’slast couple of seasons have fared respectably enough. Season six’s Jordin Sparks started with the lowest sales debut for an Idol winner, but enjoyed legs, selling more than 1 million to date, while last season’s champ David Cook has sold nearly 1.2 million copies of his debut album.

Going platinum in this day and age probably would be music to season eight’s Idol’s ears. And since Allen, Lambert and Iraheta rank among the strongest finalists in Idol’s history, strong commercial fortunes should await. The one everyone will be watching more than others, though, will be Lambert, who via a Rolling Stone interview, officially has stepped out of the closet (you may have heard a little something about that during this week’s showbiz gossip).

Now, anyone without a pair of blinders on knew the dude was gay, but will his quickie acknowledgment have any negative impact on his potential success? We sure hope not. After all, aside from the most important aspect that should dictate his career- his obvious and exciting talent- he didn’t waste much time talking about his sexuality once Idol was over, unlike a certain other contestant who denied he was gay for years and only confirmed the fact last year.

You may not have voted him this year’s Idol, but, America, give him major props for not being ashamed of who he is, and forging a daring path to what hopefully will be a bold, dramatic career.