American Idol digital singles sales scorecard from Kelly Clarkson to Adam Lambert

If you ever wondered how well CDs and singles did depending on whether or not an artist won American Idol, this is the place to find the answer.

Think you know which is the best-selling American Idol alum single? Think you know who has the most best-selling singles?

Ever since American Idol crowned Kelly Clarkson as its first winner, the show has had no end in sight. Thanks to AI we can say we had the pleasure to meet: Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, Kimberly Locke, Fantasia Barrino, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, Bo Bice, Chris Daughtry, Kellie Pickler, Katharine McPhee, Jordin Sparks, Blake Lewis, David Cook, David Archuleta, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert, among others.

Phew.

That was a mouthful. See how many artists have made it into our books of music royalty over the past eight years? Surely, not all of them have been that successful. And not all of them are that memorable, but many of them have had stellar sales and broken chart records regardless of winning the show.

Still in 2010, the leading ladies, those who won the show competition, seem to be doing the best in sales. Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood are truly the only two solo artists from the show that have amassed a tremendous amount of hits ever since their debuts. Clarkson is the best selling international idol with over 22.5 Million albums sold worldwide, and Underwood enjoys the title of best-selling “American Idol” with over 11 million copies sold in the US.

On this post we’ll be looking at the best-selling DIGITAL songs by the show’s artists. Adam Lambert became the latest AI alum to have a million selling song when “Whataya Want From Me” became the 26^th AI song to do so.

As we all know, digital sales is a big part in how the music industry is sustaining itself. But digital tracks didn’t come around until roughly 2003/2004, two years after the show debuted.

It wasn’t until November 2005 when a song sold over a million digital downloads.; the first song to do so being Gwen Stefanie’s “Hollaback Girl”.

NOTE: The following two songs set records before the digital era:

Kelly Clarkson’s 2002 release of “A Moment Like This/Before Your Love” sold roughly 1,047,000 copies.

Clay Aiken’s “This is The Night/Bridge Over Troubled Water” was the best-selling single of 2003 with over a million copies becoming the fastest-selling song since Elton John’s 1997 version of “Candle in the Wind”.

 

 

The list of the 26 best selling AI digital singles is as follows:

 

26. Kellie Pickler, released 2008 “Best Days of your Life” (1,011,000) Peak #46

25. Adam Lambert, released 2009 “Whataya Want From Me” (1,061,000) Peak #10

24. David Cook, released 2008 “Light On” (1,074,000) Peak #17

23. Kelly Clarkson, released 2006 “Walk Away” (1,094,000) Peak #12

22. Kelly Clarkson, released 2007 “Never Again” (1,106,000) Peak #8

21. Elliott Yamin, released 2007 “Wait For You” (1,113,000) Peak #1

20. Carrie Underwood, released 2008 “All-American Girl” (1,191,000) Peak #27

19. Daughtry, released 2007 “Over You” (1,273,000) Peak #18

18. Kelly Clarkson, released 2005 “Behind These Hazel Eyes” (1,310,000) Peak #6

17. Carrie Underwood, released 2009 “Cowboy Casanova” (1,311,000) Peak #11

16. David Cook, released 2008 “The Time of My Life” (1,328,000) Peak #3

15. Kelly Clarkson, released 2009 “Already Gone” (1,344,000) Peak #13

14. Kris Allen, released 2009 “Live Like We’re Dying” (1,350,000) Peak #18

13. Jordin Sparks, released 2008 “One Step At a Time” (1,377,000) Peak #17

12. Kelly Clarkson, released 2004 “Breakaway” (1,413,000) Peak #6

11. Jordin Sparks, released 2009 “Battlefield” (1,444,000) Peak #10

10. Kelly Clarkson, released 2005 “Because of You” (1,465,000) Peak #             7

9. Carrie Underwood, released 2005 “Jesus, Take The Wheel” (1,672,000) Peak #20

8. David Archuleta, released 2008 “Crush” (1,918,000) Peak #2

7. Daughtry, released 2007 “Home” (1,966,000) Peak #5

6. Jordin Sparks, released 2007 “Tattoo” (2,070,000) Peak #8

5. Daughtry, released 2006 “It’s Not Over” (2,103,000) Peak #4

4. Kelly Clarkson, released 2004 “Since U Been Gone” (2,235,000) Peak #2

3. Kelly Clarkson, released 2009 “My Life Would Suck Without You”  (2,311,000) Peak #1

Clarkson has the most entries on this list, with eight. The only tracks not included are the four from her first release, and last year’s “I Do Not Hook Up”.

 

2. Carrie Underwood, released 2006 “Before He Cheats” (2,986,000) Peak #8

Underwood has the second most entries alongside Sparks, with four. She’s the best-selling special genre Idol, since most of them are considered pop, whereas she’s country.

 

1. Jordin Sparks (ft Chris Brown), released 2008 “No Air” (3,127,000) Peak #3

Like previously noted, she’s tied for most entries on the list with four tracks.