With the 9th season of American Idol coming to an end, which is also Simon Cowell‘s last ever episode, Forbes decided to come up with a list of the top earning Idol alums over the past year. A sign of how much the record industry is going down is that when David Cook first won the competition he made $2 million that year while last years winner Kris Allen made a mere $672,000 in comparison during his first year. Lets get to the list shall we…
10. Kris Allen, $672,000
The Arkansas native gained traction with Idol fans with his acoustic version of Kanye West’s Heartless. He engineered a stunning upset over Adam Lambert last year. He signed with Jive Records and released a self-titled album that reached No. 11 on the Billboard 200. He’s been performing in Las Vegas and touring nationally.
09. Clay Aiken, $800,000
The Raleigh, N.C., native maintains a loyal following six years after finishing second on Idol. He has sold 4 million albums and penned a New York Times best-selling memoir. Aiken recently finished a run in Broadway’s Spamalot.
08. David Archuleta, $1.4 million
Defeated in the seventh season by David Cook, Archuleta went on to release a self-titled album on Jive records that reached No. 2 on the Billboard charts. He has played more than 100 live shows since Idol. Twitter followers: 372,000.
07. Jordin Sparks, $1.8 million
Entering Idol competition at age 17, Sparks was the youngest winner in the show’s history. The season six winner broke out with No Air, a duet with R&B vocalist Chris Brown. She has toured with Alicia Keyes and the Jonas Brothers. Sparks’ second album, Battlefield, debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard charts.
06. Jennifer Hudson, $2 million
Hudson ranks lower this year, falling from No. 2 on the 2009 list, due to slowing album sales and a light touring schedule. Yet she remains one of the most successful Idol alums. She placed just seventh in the third season but went on to win an Oscar in 2006 for her role in Dreamgirls. Her 2008 self-titled album, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, has sold over 750,000 copies. Earlier this year she signed on as the latest spokeswoman for Weight Watchers.
05. David Cook, $2.3 million
Three years ago David Cook was tending bar in Tulsa, Okla. After winning Idol’s seventh season in 2008, his first single, The Time of My Life, debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot 100, followed by a debut album, David Cook, which went platinum. He continues a lucrative endorsement deal with Skechers shoes.
04. Kellie Pickler, $4.3 million
Pickler was one of the hardest working Idol alums this past year, working a 100-date concert schedule. The season five finalist has sold 1.3 million records, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
03. Chris Daughtry, $5.4 million
After playing with a series of bar bands traveling around North Carolina, Daughtry made it to Idol’s final four in the fifth season. Since leaving the show he has sold 5.7 million copies of his two albums: a Grammy-nominated self-titled debut in 2006 and Leave This Town, released last year. Followers on Twitter: 159,000.
02. Carrie Underwood, $7 million
The Muskogee, Okla.-born country pop singer has won four Grammys, 14 Billboard Music Awards and five American Music Awards. Underwood has sold 9.6 million albums.
01. Kelly Clarkson, $8 million
Idol’s first winner also happens to be the show’s highest-selling alum. Since season one, Clarkson has sold 10.6 million albums (along with 16.1 million digital tracks, according to Nielsen SoundScan). Her latest single, Already Gone, hit No. 3 on Billboard charts. Currently touring in New Zealand, she’ll play the Lilith Fair music festival this month. Clarkson, 28, is now working on her fifth album.
I was surprised that Adam Lambert didn’t make the list seeing as how his album sold more than Allen’s, but apparently he hasn’t gone on tour yet which is where artists make their money from ticket sales and merchandising – not from record sales. I wasn’t surprised at all with the top 2, Kelly Clarkson is the only American Idol to make a name for herself worldwide so she will forever be the most successful Idol album.
source: In Pictures: The Year’s Top-Earning ‘Idols’ [Forbes]
Popularity: unranked [?]
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Tabloid Prodigy linked with Freaks N’ Links
Jennifer Aniston Is Hooking Up With Brad! – Popeater
Paula Abdul Holds Up well – City Rag
Photos Of Ricky Martin & His Boyfriend? – Holy Moly
Sienna Miller Is A Serial Monogamist? – F-Listed
Kendra Wilkinson Is Partyin’ It Up! – Celebrity Smack
Paris Hilton & Tinkerbell In A Hummer, In The Buff – Celeb News Wire
David Archuleta’s Dad Is A John – Fatback Media
Ashley Greene Is Still Available, Guys – ICYDK
Britney Spears Shops At The GAP – Websters Is My Bitch
Olivia Munn Does Playboy – The Superficial
Bar Refaeli In Italian GQ – Yeeeah!
T-Pain Goes Country – Meet The Famous
Robert Pattinson Hit By A Taxi In NYC – Hollywood Dame
Beyonce Cancels Very Expensive NYC Concert – Anything Hollywood
Sacha Baron Cohen Is A Well-Endowed Bull – Celebitchy
The Many Faces Of Ed Westwick – Seriously OMG
Justin Chambers Gives Good Splash – Socialite Life
Miley Cyrus Flirts With Aaron Carter – Allie Is Wired
Popularity: unranked [?]
The father of American Idol runner-up David Archuleta was charged for allegedly soliciting a prostitute.
On January 14, Midvale, Utah police raided a Reiki Massage parlor at 7350 South State Street on the basis that the parlor did not have a business license. Once inside, they identified that prostitution was taking place and there was one client receiving the services.
Inside they found a female masseuse and a male client. At that point, Midvale Police say an interview took place and the male client admitted to receiving sexual gratification from the female masseuse.
According to court documents, that one client was 47-year-old James Jeffrey Archuleta, the father of American Idol contestant David Archuleta.
He was cited with a Class B misdemeanor, soliciting prostitution and was fined $582. Court documents say Archuleta waived his right to counsel and entered a six month plea in abeyance.
James Archuleta’s attorney Eric Bauer said Archuleta never had sex or sexual contact with his masseuse. He also said it was the first time Archuleta had ever been to the establishment. He was there for a back problem.
He pled no contest to the incident and is trying and put it behind him. Archuleta’a attorney said he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
A back problem? I wonder if he was getting his back treated with David’s money?
Poor Archie!
source: David Archuleta’s Father Busted For Allegedly Soliciting a Prostitute [fox news 13]
Popularity: unranked [?]
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Allie Is Wired! linked with Allie’s Wired HOT Links - #214
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mr tabloid linked with Allie’s Wired HOT Links - #214
