Last year’s top two struggle

bostonherald.com
By Jed Gottlieb
Friday, January 11, 2008

Voting is free. CDs are not. These simple facts may reveal the waning popularity of “American Idol” alumni.

Almost 75 million people slammed “Idol” with votes following the 2007 finale to show their support for winner Jordin Sparks and runner-up Blake Lewis. But when it comes to forking over cash for Sparks’ and Lewis’ debut albums, “Idol” fans seem to have forgotten their fervor.

On the eve of “Idol’s” seventh season - a season some consider a make-or-break situation for the still hot but slumping show - many past winners are looking like losers.

Sparks holds the record for the worst-selling CD debut for an “Idol” winner. Released in November, her self-titled album entered the charts at No. 10, selling just 119,000 copies in its first week. Blake Lewis’ “Audio Day Dream” also started at No. 10 a few weeks later, only to disappear from the charts by the new year. While Sparks’ showing was a disappointment, Lewis could turn into a latter-day Justin Guarini.Or worse, a new William Hung; Sparks’ sales are on par with the endearingly awful season three reject’s.

Sparks and Lewis can take some consolation in the failures of those that came before them: past winners Taylor Hicks, Ruben Studdard and Kelly Clarkson, as well as runner-up Katherine McPhee, all had rough years.

Hicks, the silver-haired soul patrol leader who won in 2006, and McPhee recently parted ways with J Records, basically a euphemism for being kicked out the door. Both are without labels. The pair follow 2003 king Studdard, who lost his contract with J Records last year after his latest album, “The Return,” stiffed.

Even original “Idol” Clarkson saw her impressive star fall a bit after her much-publicized tussle with label head Clive Davis over the artistic direction of her third release, “My December.” After releasing two albums with a total of 9 million in sales, her June 2007 album has sold a relatively weak 737,000 copies.

As season seven opens, “Idol” producers confront the reality of slumping sales of its past champions and falling ratings for the 2007 season. Ratings for last year’s finals were down almost 20 percent. If “Idol” is to continue its juggernaut success, it will need to put all the pieces back together: memorable rejects like Hung, a dark horse like Sanjaya Malakar and, most importantly, a winner and runner-up worth getting excited about.