This is a list of songs released for sale from the show American Idol, consisting of recordings of coronation songs by winners and runners-up of the show, live and studio recordings by contestants, songs from the American Idol CDs, as well as special singles released by the show such as those for Idol Gives Back and specially-recorded boot songs. Songs released by Idol alumni in post-Idol career are not included here. See American Idol alumni single sales for a list of some of those releases.
In the first few seasons, songs were released as physical CD single which may contain one cover song and one original song. However, after Season 5 physical singles were no longer released, and songs were available only as digital downloads starting Season 6. The digital downloads were only available initially via American Idol official website during the season towards the end of Season 5 and all the final rounds of Season 6, but were then made available from iTunes after the Season 6 ended. In all subsequent seasons all performances were made available in iTunes during the season and after the season has ended.
The digital songs sold during the season were not eligible to chart, and their sales figures were not released. Any number listed for those songs would be solely based on units sold after the finale.
All Hot 100 singles
The following Idol songs have charted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Entry date | Single | Artist | Peak | Sales | RIAA cert. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 21, 2002 | "A Moment Like This" (b/w "Before Your Love") |
Kelly Clarkson (Season 1, Winner) |
[1] | 1738,000 (Digital)[2] 627,000 (Physical)[3] |
[4] | Gold
May 3, 2003 | "God Bless the USA" | American Idol Finalists (Season 2 Finalists) |
[5] | 4[6] | 310,000 (Physical)[7] | Gold
June 28, 2003 | "Flying Without Wings" (b/w "Superstar") |
Ruben Studdard (Season 2, Winner) |
[8] | 2[9] 737,000 (Physical)[3] |
790,000 (Physical + Digital)[10] | Gold
"This Is the Night" (b/w "Bridge over Troubled Water") |
Clay Aiken (Season 2, Runner-Up) |
[11] | 1[3]
52,000 (Digital)[12] |
960,000 (Physical)[13] | Platinum|
July 10, 2004 | "I Believe" | Fantasia (Season 3, Winner) |
[14] | 1[9] 406,000 (Physical)[3] |
559,000 (Physical + Digital)|
July 17, 2004 | "Dreams"
(b/w I Believe/Don't Cry Out Loud) |
Diana DeGarmo (Season 3, Runner-Up) |
14[15] | 23,000 (Digital)[3] |
202,000 (Physical)
|
May 7, 2005 | "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" | American Idol Finalists (Season 4 Finalists) |
39[16] | [17] | 115,100 (Physical)|
July 2, 2005 | "Inside Your Heaven" (b/w "Independence Day") |
Carrie Underwood (Season 4, Winner) |
[18] | 1[9] 459,000 (Physical)[3] |
880,000 (Physical + Digital)[19] | Gold
July 9, 2005 | "Inside Your Heaven" (b/w "Vehicle" featuring Richie Sambora) |
Bo Bice (Season 4, Runner-Up) |
[20] | 252,000 (Digital)[3] |
349,000 (Physical)
[21] | Gold
June 10, 2006 | "Wanted Dead or Alive" | Chris Daughtry (Season 5, 4th Place) |
43[22] | [23] | 103,000 (Digital)|
"Takin' It to the Streets" | Taylor Hicks (Season 5, Winner) |
69[24] | [25] | 71,000 (Digital)||
July 1, 2006 | "Do I Make You Proud" | Taylor Hicks | [24] | 1[9] 464,000 (Physical)[3] |
709,000 (Physical + Digital)|
July 15, 2006 | "Over the Rainbow" | Katharine McPhee (Season 5, Runner-Up) |
12[26] | [27] | 131,000 (Digital)|
"My Destiny" | Katharine McPhee | 60[26] | 98,000 (Digital)[3] |
169,000 (Physical)
||
May 12, 2007 | "I'll Stand by You" | Carrie Underwood | [28] | 6[29] | 339,147|
"Up to the Mountain" | Kelly Clarkson featuring Jeff Beck |
56[28] | [30] | 46,196||
June 9, 2007 | "This Is My Now" | Jordin Sparks (Season 6, Winner) |
15[31] | [9] | 334,000|
"You Give Love a Bad Name" | Blake Lewis (Season 6, Runner-Up) |
18[32] | [33] | 192,000||
"A Broken Wing" | Jordin Sparks | 66[34] | [33] | 52,000||
"I (Who Have Nothing)"" | Jordin Sparks | 80[35] | [33] | 44,000||
"Time of the Season" | Blake Lewis | 99[36] | [33] | 39,000||
April 26, 2008 | "Praying for Time" | Carrie Underwood | 27[37] | [38] | 87,286|
"Shout to the Lord" | American Idol Finalists (Season 7 Top 8 Finalists) |
43[37] | [39] | 55,745||
"Many Rivers to Cross" | Annie Lennox | 80[37] | [39] | 29,159||
June 7, 2008 | "The Time of My Life" | David Cook (Season 7, Winner) |
[40] | 31,482,000[41] | [42] | Platinum
"Dream Big" | David Cook | 15[43] | [44] | 145,000||
"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" | David Cook | 22[43] | [44] | 125,000||
"The World I Know" | David Cook | 28[43] | [44] | 96,000||
"Imagine" | David Archuleta (Season 7, Runner-Up) |
36[40] | [44] | 80,000||
"I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" | David Cook | 42[45] | [46] | 60,000||
"Billie Jean" | David Cook | 47[47] | [46] | 56,300||
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" | David Archuleta | 58[48] | [44] | 61,000||
"In This Moment" | David Archuleta | 60[49] | [44] | 61,000||
"Always Be My Baby" | David Cook | 67[50] | [46] | 46,600||
"Hello" | David Cook | 73[51] | [46] | 42,300||
"The Music of the Night" | David Cook | 77[52] | [44] | 36,000||
"Eleanor Rigby" | David Cook | 92[53] | [44] | 28,000||
"I'm Alive" | David Cook | 99[54] | [44] | 25,000||
June 6, 2009 | "No Boundaries" | Kris Allen (Season 8, Winner) |
11[55] | [9] | 343,000|
"Heartless" | Kris Allen | 16[55] | [56] | 412,000||
"Mad World" | Adam Lambert (Season 8, Runner-Up) |
19[57] | [58] | 256,000||
"Ain't No Sunshine" | Kris Allen | 37[55] | [56] | 125,000||
"A Change Is Gonna Come" | Adam Lambert | 56[57] | [59] | 63,000||
"Apologize" | Kris Allen | 66[55] | [59] | 59,000||
"No Boundaries" | Adam Lambert | 72[57] | [60] | 68,000||
"One" | Adam Lambert | 82[57] | [59] | 46,000||
"Falling Slowly" | Kris Allen | 94[55] | [59] | 38,000||
March 13, 2010 | "Let It Be" | Kris Allen | 63 | [61] | 86,000|
June 12, 2010 | "Beautiful Day" | Lee DeWyze (Season 9, Winner) |
24[62] | [9] | 186,000|
"Hallelujah" | Lee DeWyze | 44[62] | [63] | 118,000||
"Up to the Mountain" | Crystal Bowersox (Season 9, Runner-Up) |
57[62] | [64] | 63,000||
"Falling Slowly" | Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze |
66[62] | [65] | 85,000||
"The Boxer" | Lee DeWyze | 88[62] | [64] | 37,000||
June 11, 2011 | "I Love You This Big" | Scotty McCreery (Season 10, Winner) |
11[66] | [67] | 915,000[68] | Platinum
"Like My Mother Does" | Lauren Alaina (Season 10, Runner-Up) |
20[66] | [69] | 398,000||
June 9, 2012 | "Home" | Phillip Phillips (Season 11, Winner) |
[70] | 65,400,000[71] |
4× Platinum[72] |
"We've Got Tonite" | Phillip Phillips | 97[70] | [73] | 58,000||
June 1, 2013 | "I Am Beautiful" | Candice Glover (Season 12, Winner) |
94[74] | [74] | 48,000|
May 20, 2015 | "Beautiful Life" | Nick Fradiani (Season 14, Winner) |
93[75] | [75] | 50,000|
Bubbling Under Hot 100 singles
The following songs failed to reach the Hot 100, but managed to make the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles charts.
Entry Date | Single | Artist | Peak | Sales |
---|---|---|---|---|
July 5, 2003 | "Superstar" | Ruben Studdard | 12[76] | |
June 10, 2006 | "Moody's Mood for Love" | Elliott Yamin (Season 5, 3rd Place) |
1[77] | 25,000[23] |
"Think" | Katharine McPhee | 21[78] | 21,000[79] | |
June 9, 2007 | "This Love" | Blake Lewis | 2[80] | 38,000 [33] |
"When the Stars Go Blue" | Blake Lewis | 10[81] | 31,000 [33] | |
"I Need to Know" | Blake Lewis | 19[82] | 23,000 [33] | |
April 26, 2008 | "Don't Stop The Music" | American Idol Finalists | 23 | 14,040[39] |
June 7, 2008 | "Little Sparrow" | David Cook | 1[83] | 24,000 [44] |
"Hungry Like the Wolf" | David Cook | 3[84] | 23,000 [44] | |
"Innocent" | David Cook | 4[85] | 23,000 [44] | |
"Hallelujah" | Jason Castro (Season 7, 4th Place) |
13[86] | 19,000 [44] | |
"Day Tripper" | David Cook | 14[87] | 19,000 [44] | |
"Longer" | David Archuleta | 15[88] | 19,000 [44] | |
"All Right Now" | David Cook | 18[89] | 18,000 [44] | |
"Think of Me" | David Archuleta | 19[90] | 18,000 [44] | |
"Angels" | David Archuleta | 24[91] | 17,000 [44] | |
"Happy Together" | David Cook | 25[92] | 17,000 [44] | |
June 6, 2009 | "Cryin'" | Adam Lambert | 2[93] | 35,000 [59] |
"Slow Ride" | Allison Iraheta (Season 8, 4th Place) and Adam Lambert |
5[94] | 34,000 [59] | |
"What's Going On" | Kris Allen | 7[95] | 21,000 [96] | |
"To Make You Feel My Love" | Kris Allen | 13[95] | 26,000 [59] | |
"The Tracks of My Tears" | Adam Lambert | 17[93] | 26,000 [59] | |
"Feeling Good" | Adam Lambert | 21[93] | 25,000 [59] | |
"You Are So Beautiful" | Danny Gokey (Season 8, 3rd Place) |
25[97] | 15,000 [96] | |
June 12, 2010 | "Everybody Hurts" | Lee DeWyze | 4 | 22,000 [98] |
"Black Velvet" | Crystal Bowersox | 24 | 15,000 [98] | |
"Me and Bobby McGee" | Crystal Bowersox | 25[99] | 14,000 [98] | |
June 9, 2012 | "Volcano" | Phillip Phillips | 9[100] | 49,000[73] |
"Stand by Me" | Phillip Phillips | 24[100] | 24,000[101] | |
April 30, 2015 | "Falling" | Trent Harmon (Season 15, Winner) |
16[102] | 52,000[103] |
Year-End Hot 100 singles
The following songs ranked in the Year-End charts for the Billboard Hot 100.
Year | Single | Artist | Rank |
---|---|---|---|
2002 | "A Moment Like This" | Kelly Clarkson | 39[104] |
2003 | "This Is the Night" | Clay Aiken | 47[105] |
"Flying Without Wings" | Ruben Studdard | 88[106] | |
2005 | "Inside Your Heaven" | Carrie Underwood | 71 |
2006 | "Do I Make You Proud" | Taylor Hicks | 99[107] |
2008 | "The Time of My Life" | David Cook | 69[108] |
2012 | "Home" | Phillip Phillips | 49[109] |
2013 | "Home" | Phillip Phillips | 46[110] |
Send-off songs
Starting Season 5, when contestants in the final rounds are eliminated, a video of their journey through the contest was shown, accompanied by a song as a send-off. The song is also commonly called the "boot song".
Season | Single | Artist | Peak | Sales | RIAA cert. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 | "Bad Day" | Daniel Powter | 1[111] | 3,000,000[112] | 3× Platinum[113] |
6 | "Home" | Daughtry | 5[114] | 2,349,000[115] | Platinum[116] |
7 | "Celebrate Me Home" | Ruben Studdard | — | ||
7 | "Hollywood's Not America" | Ferras | 62[117] | ||
7 | "Best Days" | Graham Colton | — | ||
8 | "Home Sweet Home" | Carrie Underwood | 21[118] | 300,000[119] | |
9 | "Leave Right Now" | Will Young | 81[120] | 50,000[98] | |
10 | "Don't You (Forget About Me)" | David Cook | — | 33,000 | |
11 | "Please Remember Me" | Scotty McCreery | — | 58,000[121] | |
12 | "Gone Gone Gone" | Phillip Phillips | 24 | 2,000,000[122] | Platinum[72] |
13 | "Breakaway" | Eliminated contestant | — | — | — |
"—" denotes the song did not chart in Hot 100. | |||||
References
- ↑ Billboard Hot 100 – Kelly Clarkson
- ↑ Trust, Gary (September 10, 2017). "Ask Billboard: Kelly Clarkson's Career Sales & 'Wild Thoughts' About Rihanna". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 How the American Idol coronation singles stack up, part 1
- ↑ "American single certifications – Kelly Clarkson – A Moment Like This". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 – God Bless The U.S.A
- ↑ Sale Of 'American Idol' Finalist CDs Raises $185,000 Archived November 21, 2010, at the Wayback Machine $155,000 raised at 50 cents each, giving 310,00 units sold.
- ↑ "American single certifications – American Idol finalist – Flying without Wings". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ↑ Billboard Hot 100 – Ruben Studdard
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Paul Grein (October 24, 2012). "Chart Watch Extra: Phillip Phillips' Idol Record". Chart Watch. Yahoo Music. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
- ↑ "American single certifications – Ruben Studdard – Flying without Wings". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ↑ Billboard Hot 100 – Clay Aiken
- ↑ Week Ending Sept. 26, 2010: Moving Forward, Falling Back
- ↑ "American single certifications – Clay Aiken – Bridge over Troubled Water". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ↑ Billboard Hot 100 – Fantasia
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 – Diana DeGarmp
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 – When You Tell Me That You Love Me
- ↑ Billboard Top 100 Single Sales chart September 17, 2005
- ↑ Billboard Hot 100 – Carrie Underwood
- ↑ "American single certifications – Carrie Underwood – Inside Your Heaven". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ↑ Billboard Hot 100 – Bo bice
- ↑ "American single certifications – Bo Bice – Inside Your Heaven". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 – Wanted Dead Or Alive
- 1 2 Idol Chatter 11-09-2006 (archived post)
- 1 2 The Billboard Hot 100 – Taylor Hicks
- ↑ Idol singles sales report
- 1 2 Billboard Hot 100 – Katharine McPhee
- ↑ A brief update on Kat's singles sales
- 1 2 Maroon 5 Makes 'Wondrous' Jump To Lead Hot 100
- ↑ Billboard Hot Digital Songs June 2, 2007
- ↑ Billboard Hot Digital Songs May 19, 2007
- ↑ Billboard Hot 100 – Jordin Sparks
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 – You Give Love A Bad Name
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Idol downloads 2: Rating the theme nights by sales
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 – A Broken Wing
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 – I (Who Have Nothing)
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 – Time Of The Season
- 1 2 3 Leona Lewis Returns To No. 1 On The Hot 100
- ↑ Billboard Hot Digital Songs – May 3, 2008
- 1 2 3 Billboard Hot Digital Songs – April 26, 2008
- 1 2 David Cook Sizzles With Record Chart Debuts
- ↑ Paul Grein (July 10, 2013). "Week Ending July 7, 2013. Songs: The Actress in the Top 10". Chart Watch. Yahoo.
- ↑ "American single certifications – David Cook – Time of My Life". Recording Industry Association of America.
- 1 2 3 "David Cook sizzles on pop chart". Reuters.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Barnes, Ken (June 11, 2008). "Idol download domination diminishes". Idol Chatter. USA Today. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
- ↑ 'American Idol' champ David Cook's debut single sells 236,000 copies
- 1 2 3 4 American Idol David Cook, Runner-Up David Archuleta Dominate Billboard Downloads Chart
- ↑ Taking Peaks, Part 3: Nos. 50–26
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 – Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 – In This Moment
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 – Always Be My Baby
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 – Hello
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 – The Music Of The Night
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 – Eleanor Rigby
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 – I’m Alive
- 1 2 3 4 5 Billboard – Kris Allen
- 1 2 Gary Trust (January 16, 2013). "Ask Billboard: Kris Allen Sales". Billboard.com. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 "Adam Lambert – Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2015.
- ↑ Bonus SoundScan numbers for Kelly Clarkson, David Cook, more!
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Idol Chatter 6-3-2009
- ↑ Idol Chatter 6-10-2009
- ↑ Idol Chatter 03-10-2010
- 1 2 3 4 5 Trust, Gary (June 3, 2010). "Chart Beat Thursday: Lee & Crystal Rock On". Billboard. Billboard Magazine.
- ↑ Carrie Underwood tops Idol downloads; Adam Lambert on the rise
- 1 2 Carrie Underwood, Lee DeWyze top week's 'Idol' track sales
- ↑ "Carrie Underwood dominates 'Idol' tracks". USAToday. USAToday. June 16, 2010.
- 1 2 Yahoo Chartwatch 06-01-2011
- ↑ "Billboard Country Update" (PDF). Billboard. February 18, 2014.
- ↑ "American single certifications – Scotty McCreery – I Love You This Big". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ↑ Mansfield, Brian (May 16, 2012). "'Idol' performance boosts J-Lo's sales". Idol Chatter. USA Today. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
- 1 2 Billboard Hot 100 – Phillip Phillips
- ↑ Michele Amabile Angermiller and Shirley Halperin (December 10, 2015). "American Idol' Final Season To Be Four Weeks Shorter Than Last". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media.
- 1 2 "RIAA – Gold & Platinum Searchable Database". RIAA.
- 1 2 Mansfield, Brian (June 7, 2012). "Phillip Phillips sells another 100K of 'Home'". Idol Chatter. USA Today. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
- 1 2 Grein, Paul (May 22, 2013). "Week Ending May 19, 2013. Songs: Idol's Diminishing Returns". Chart Watch. Yahoo Music. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
- 1 2 "Hot 100 Chart Moves: Fifth Harmony Scores First Top 20 Hit". Billboard. May 22, 2015.
- ↑ "Ruben Studdard – Bubbling Under". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2015.
- ↑ "Elliott Yamin – Bubbling Under". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2015.
- ↑ "Katharine McPhee – Bubbling Under". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2015.
- ↑ Idol Season 5 downloads: The standings – archived post
- ↑ Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles – This Love
- ↑ Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles – When The Stars Go Blue
- ↑ Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles – I Need To Know
- ↑ Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles – Little Sparrow
- ↑ Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles – Hungry Like The Wolf
- ↑ Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles – Innocent
- ↑ "Jason Castro – Bubbling Under". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2015.
- ↑ Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles – Day Tripper
- ↑ Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles – Longer
- ↑ Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles – All Right Now
- ↑ Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles – Think Of Me
- ↑ "David Archuleta – Bubbling Under". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2015.
- ↑ Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles – Happy Together
- 1 2 3 "Adam Lambert – Bubbling Under". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2015.
- ↑ Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles – Slow Ride
- 1 2 "Kris Allen – Bubbling Under". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2015.
- 1 2 "American Idols dominate weekly sales charts". USA Today. Archived from the original on September 26, 2018.
- ↑ Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles – You Are So Beautiful
- 1 2 3 4 "Lee DeWyze lands six tracks on SoundScan Top 200". USA Today. Archived from the original on October 8, 2013.
- ↑ "Crystal Bowersox – Bubbling Under". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2015.
- 1 2 "Phillip Phillips – Bubbling Under". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2015.
- ↑ Mansfield, Brian (May 30, 2012). "Phillip Phillips puts up big 'Home' numbers". Idol Chatter. USA Today. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
- ↑ "Trent Harmon – Bubbling Under". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2015.
- ↑ Bjorke, Matt (April 19, 2016). "Top 30 Digital Singles Report: April 20, 2016". Roughstock.
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 – A Moment Like This
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 – This Is The Night
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 – Flying Without Wings
- ↑ Year end Hot 100 Songs
- ↑ "Hot 100 Songs". Billboard. January 2, 2013.
- ↑ "Best of 2012 – Hot 100 Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
- ↑ "Hot 100 Songs:Year-End most popular songs across all genres". Billboard.
- ↑ "Bad Day – Daniel Powter". Billboard.
- ↑ Paul Grein (July 27, 2010). "Week Ending July 25, 2010: It's Every Rapper For Himself". Yahoo Music (Chart Watch). Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
- ↑ "American single certifications – Daniel Powter – Bad Day". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ↑ "Home – Daughtry". Billboard.
- ↑ Grein, Paul (March 27, 2013). "Chart Watch Extra: Phillips Takes Idol Title". Chart Watch. Yahoo. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
- ↑ "American single certifications – DAUGHTRY". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ↑ Ferras – Chart history | Billboard Hot 100
- ↑ Flo Rida Tops Hot 100, Carrie Underwood's 'Home' Debuts High
- ↑ Idol Chatter 06-03-2009
- ↑ "Leave Right Now – Will Young". Billboard.
- ↑ Brian Mansfield (May 30, 2012). "Phillip Phillips puts up big 'Home' numbers". Idol Chatter. USA Today.
- ↑ Grein, Pauk (May 28, 2014). "Chart Watch: Meet Iggy Azalea!". ChartWatch. Yahoo Music.