Canadian Idol alumni album sales explained

This article shows the highest selling contestants from Canadian Idol and the highest selling American Idol albums. These sales are Canadian sales only.^[1]

Canadian Idol

CI Artists with CRIA certified albums

This first list only includes contestants with at least one certified album. (Canadian Sales ONLY) Gold, Platinum, and/or Multi-platinum

	Former contestant Total sales	Debut album	Second album	Third album	Fourth album	Fifth album
1.	Jacob Hoggard (Season 2, 3rd Place) 620,000	Hedley ^[2] (September 6, 2005) Universal Records 2× Platinum 200,000 Peak: #3	Famous Last Words ^[3] (October 30, 2007) Universal Records Platinum 100,000 Peak: #3	The Show Must Go (November 17, 2009) Universal Records 2× Platinum 160,000 Peak: #6	Storms (November 8, 2011) Universal Records Platinum ^[4] 80,000 Peak: #2	Wild Life (November 11, 2013) Universal Records Platinum 80,000 Peak: #4
2.	Kalan Porter (Season 2, Winner) 400,000	219 Days ^[5] (November 23, 2004) Sony BMG Records 2× Platinum 200,000 Peak: #4	Wake Up Living (August 28, 2007) Sony BMG Records 2× Platinum 200,000 Peak: #4
3.	Ryan Malcolm (Season 1, Winner) 178,500	Home^[6] (December 23, 2003) BMG Records Platinum 170,000 Peak: #4	Urgency (March 27, 2007) I Heart Records n/a 8,500 Peak: did not chart	Through These Walls (May 8, 2011) Brave Rekords^[7] n/a n/a Peak: did not chart
4.	Toya Alexis (Season 1, 6th Place) 159,000	S.O.B. Story (August 2, 2005) Plasma Records Platinum^[8] 159,000 Peak: did not chart
5.	Rex Goudie (Season 3, Runner-Up) 120,000	Under the Lights ^[9] (December 13, 2005) Sony BMG Records Platinum 100,000 Peak: #5	Look Closer (December 12, 2006) Sony BMG Records n/a 20,000 Peak: #19	One Hundred Pages Later (December 7, 2010)^[10] Fontana North n/a n/a Peak: did not chart
6.	Carly Rae Jepsen (Season 5, 3rd place) 117,600	Tug of War^[11] (September 29, 2008) Maple Records n/a 12,000 Peak: did not chart	Curiosity (February 14, 2012) 604 Records Gold 45,000 Peak: #6	Kiss^[12] (September 18, 2012) 604 Records Gold 58,000 Peak: #5	E•MO•TION (June 24, 2015) 604 Records N/A 2,600 Peak: #8	Dedicated (May 17, 2019) 604 Records n/a 13,000 Peak: #18
7.	Gary Beals (Season 1, Runner-Up) 110,000	Gary Beals (August 17, 2004) Liberated Entertainment Platinum 110,000 Peak: #10	The Rebirth Of... (June 9, 2009) Liberated Entertainment n/a n/a Peak: did not chart
8.	Eva Avila (Season 4, Winner) 90,000	Somewhere Else ^[13] (November 14, 2006) Sony BMG Records Gold 80,000 Peak: #6	Give Me the Music (October 28, 2008) Sony BMG Records n/a 10,000 Peak: #63
9.	Theresa Sokyrka (Season 2, Runner-Up) 80,000	These Old Charms (April 26, 2005) Maple Records Gold 70,000^[14] Peak: #4	Something Is Expected (September 5, 2006) Maple Records n/a 10,000 Peak: did not chart	Wrapped in Ribbon (November 5, 2007) Maple Records n/a n/a Peak: did not chart	Theresa Sokyrka (November 30, 2010) Maple Records n/a n/a Peak: did not chart
10.	Melissa O'Neil (Season 3, Winner) 70,000	Melissa O'Neil^[15] (November 22, 2005) Sony Music Gold 70,000 Peak: #14
11.	Brian Melo (Season 5, Winner) 52,000	Livin' It (November 27, 2007) Sony BMG Gold 52,000^[16] Peak: #14	The Truth (October 12, 2010) Rat Pack Records/Fontana North n/a n/a Peak: did not chart
12.	Rob James (Season 4, 7th Place) 50,000	McMaster & James (November 21, 2000) Sony BMG Gold 50,000 Peak: did not chart
13.	Tara Oram (Season 5, 6th Place) 50,000	Chasing the Sun (October 7, 2008) Open Road Records Gold 50,000 Peak: #8	Revival (July 19, 2011) Open Road Records n/a n/a Peak: #70
14.	Laurell John^[17] (Season 1, Semi-Finalist) 40,000	Into Your Love (2003)^[18] Polytel/PolyGram Gold 40,000 Peak: #1

CI Artists without CRIA certified albums

The following is a comprehensive list of other Canadian Idol alumni album sales and reflects that commercial success can be achieved through association with Canadian Idol and with post-Idol promotion, although the degree of success varies considerably:

	Former Contestant	Total Sales	Albums
15.	Audrey De Montigny (Season 1, 4th Place)	35,000	Audrey (2004) did not chart Si L'Amour Existe (2006) did not chart Take Me As I Am (2006) did not chart "Un Seul Instant" (2012) did not chart
16.	Jaydee Bixby (Season 5, Runner-up)	28,300^[19] ^[20]	Cowboys and Cadillacs (2008) #8 Easy to Love (2010) #8 Work in Progress (2013) did not chart
17.	Jason Greeley (Season 2, 4th Place)	12,000^[21]	Live...Love...Sing (2005) did not chart Jason Greeley (2009) did not chart
18.	Shane Wiebe (Season 2, 5th Place)	10,000^[22]	Shane Wiebe (2005) #71^[23] Into Your Light (2009) did not chart Christmas With You (2009) did not chart Restore the Wonder (2010) did not chart^[24]
19.	Katherine St-Laurent (Season 6, 9th Place)	5,000^[25]	Katherine St-Laurent (2011) did not chart
20.	Aaron Walpole (Season 3, 3rd Place)	3,000^[26]	Aaron Walpole (2006) did not chart
21.	Drew Wright (Season 6, 3rd Place)	2,000^[27]	Fall and Divide (2008) did not chart
22.	Mikey Bustos (Season 1, 8th Place)	2,000^[28]	Love Me Again (2004) did not chart Memoirs of a Superhero (2008) did not chart
23.	Suzi Rawn (Season 3, 4th Place)	950^[29]	Naked (2006) did not chart
24.	Theo Tams (Season 6, Winner)	300^[30]	Unexpected (2005) did not chart Give It All Away (2009) #29
25.	Brandon Jones (Season 4, 8th Place)	200	All for You (2007) did not chart
26.	Chris LaBelle (Season 4, Top 22)	90	Two Weeks Tuesday (2006) did not chart Bad Influence (2010) did not chart

American Idol

AI Artists with CRIA certified albums

	Former contestant Total sales	Debut album	Second album	Third album	Fourth album	Fifth album	Sixth album
1.	Kelly Clarkson (Season 1, Winner) 940,000	Thankful (April 15, 2003) RCA Records Platinum ^[31] 100,000 Peak: #2	Breakaway (November 30, 2004) RCA Records 5× Platinum 500,000 Peak: #6	My December (June 26, 2007) RCA Records Platinum 100,000 Peak: #2	All I Ever Wanted (March 10, 2009) RCA Records Platinum 80,000 Peak: #2	Stronger (October 24, 2011) RCA Records Platinum 80,000 Peak: #4	Wrapped in Red (October 29, 2013) RCA Records Platinum 80,000^[32] Peak: #6
2.	Carrie Underwood (Season 4, Winner) 809,000	Some Hearts (November 15, 2005) Arista Nashville 3× Platinum^[33] 400,000^[34] Peak: #11	Carnival Ride (October 23, 2007) Arista Nashville Platinum 200,000 Peak: #1	Play On (November 3, 2009) Arista Nashville Platinum 80,000 Peak: #2	Blown Away^[35] (May 1, 2012) Arista Nashville Platinum 129,000 Peak: #1
3.	Chris Daughtry (Season 5, 4th Place) 320,000	Daughtry (November 21, 2006) RCA Records 2× Platinum ^[36] 200,000 Peak: #8	Leave This Town (June 14, 2009) RCA Records Platinum 80,000 Peak: #2	Break the Spell (November 21, 2011) RCA Records Gold 40,000 Peak: #13	Baptized (November 19, 2013) RCA Records TBA TBA Peak: #16
4.	Clay Aiken (Season 2, Runner-Up) 200,000	Measure of a Man (October 14, 2003) RCA Records Platinum^[37] 100,000 Peak: #2	Merry Christmas With Love (November 16, 2004) RCA Records Gold 50,000 Peak: did not chart	A Thousand Different Ways (September 19, 2006) RCA Records Gold 50,000 Peak: #6	On My Way Here (May 6, 2008) RCA Records n/a n/a Peak: #25	Tried and True (June 1, 2010) Decca/Universal n/a n/a Peak: #58	Steadfast (March 27, 2012) Decca/Universal n/a n/a Peak: did not chart
5.	Fantasia Barrino (Season 3, Winner) 200,000	Free Yourself (November 23, 2004) J Records 2× Platinum 200,000 Peak: did not chart	Fantasia (December 12, 2006) J Records n/a n/a Peak: did not chart	Back To Me (August 24, 2010) J Records n/a n/a Peak: did not chart
6.	Jordin Sparks (Season 6, Winner) 100,000	Jordin Sparks (November 20, 2007) Jive Gold 70,000 Peak: #12	Battlefield (July 20, 2009) Jive n/a 30,000 Peak: #10
7.	Adam Lambert (Season 8, Runner-Up) 87,300	For Your Entertainment (November 23, 2009) RCA Records Platinum^[38] 80,000 Peak: #8	Trespassing (May 15, 2012) RCA Records n/a 7,300^[39] Peak: #1
8.	Phillip Phillips (Season 11, Winner) 80,000	The World from the Side of the Moon (November 19, 2012) Interscope Records Platinum 80,000 Peak: #9	Behind the Light (May 19, 2014) Interscope Records n/a n/a Peak: #7
9.	David Cook (Season 7, Winner) 50,000	David Cook (November 18, 2008) RCA Records Gold^[40] 50,000 Peak: #11	This Loud Morning (June 28, 2011) RCA Records n/a n/a Peak: #23

AI Artists without CRIA certified albums

	Former Contestant	Total Sales	Albums
10.	Jennifer Hudson (Season 3, 7th Place)	49,000^[41]	Jennifer Hudson (2008) did not chart Hope for Haiti Now (2010) #1 I Remember Me (2011) did not chart
11.	Scotty McCreery (Season 10, Winner)	16,837	Clear as Day (2011) #4 - n/a Christmas with Scotty McCreery (2012) did not chart - 13,126 See You Tonight (2013) #25 - 3,711
12.	David Archuleta (Season 7, Runner-Up)	n/a	David Archuleta (2008) #14 Christmas from the Heart (2009) did not chart The Other Side of Down (2010) #68 Begin (2012) did not chart No Matter How Far (2013) did not chart
13.	Lauren Alaina (Season 10, Runner-Up)	n/a	Wildflower (2011) #22
14.	Kellie Pickler (Season 5, 6th Place)	n/a	Small Town Girl (2006) did not chart Kellie Pickler (2008) #67 100 Proof (2012) #36 The Woman I Am (2013) did not chart
15.	Ruben Studdard (Season 2, Winner)	n/a	Souful (2003) #37^[42] I Need an Angel (2004) did not chart The Return (2006) did not chart Love Is (2009) did not chart Letters from Birmingham (2012) did not chart
16.	Taylor Hicks (Season 5, Winner)	n/a	Taylor Hicks (2006) #43 Early Works (2008) did not chart The Distance (2009) did not chart
17.	Kris Allen (Season 8, Winner)	n/a	Kris Allen (2009) #50 Thank You Camellia (2012) #93
18.	Haley Reinhart (Season 10, 3rd Place)	n/a	Listen Up! (2012) #52
19.	Bo Bice (Season 4, Runner-Up)	n/a	The Real Thing (2005) #60 See the Light (2007) did not chart 3 (2010) did not chart
20.	Lee DeWyze (Season 9, Winner)	n/a	Live It Up (2010) #79 Frames (2013) did not chart
21.	Crystal Bowersox (Season 9, Runner-up)	n/a	Farmer's Daughter (2010) #90^[43] All That for This (2013) did not chart
22.	Danny Gokey (Season 8, 3rd Place)	n/a	My Best Days (2010) #95

External links

• Canadian Recording Industry Association.ca
• Myspace.com

Notes and References

1. Web site: Search Certification Database. Music Canada. 2019. September 3, 2019. (Requires search by artist or album, state 2010-02-12)
2. Web site: Audio Certifications Hedley . Canadian Recording Industry Association . 2010 . 2010-02-12 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100325202425/http://www.cria.ca/gold/0708_g.php . 2010-03-25 .
3. Web site: Audio Certifications Famous Last Words. Canadian Recording Industry Association. 2010. 2010-02-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20120407080019/http://www.cria.ca/gold/0308_g.php. 2012-04-07. dead.
4. Web site: Gold and Platinum Search . 2012-01-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120502114426/http://musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?st=&ica=False&sa=&sl=&smt=0&sat=-1&ssd=11%2F1%2F2011&sed=12%2F1%2F2011&ssb=Artist . 2012-05-02 .
5. Web site: Audio Certifications. Canadian Recording Industry Association. 2010. 2010-02-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20100310121902/http://www.cria.ca/gold/0105_g.php. 2010-03-10. dead.
6. Web site: Audio Certifications Home. Canadian Recording Industry Association. 2010. 2010-02-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20100325204036/http://www.cria.ca/gold/0104_g.php. 2010-03-25. dead.
7. Web site: Billboard - Music Charts, News, Photos & Video. billboard.com.
8. Web site: canada.com - Page Not Found. Canada.com. 2010-06-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20121108204403/http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=79274da4-f125-4cb5-8525-69d9295c075d&k=19357&p=3. 2012-11-08. dead.
9. Web site: Audio Certifications Rex Goudie. Canadian Recording Industry Association. 2010. 2010-02-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20101122131736/http://cria.ca/gold/0106_g.php. 2010-11-22. dead.
10. Web site: The Telegram. www.thetelegram.com. 2010-09-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20120325095959/http://www.thetelegram.com/Arts---Life/Entertainment/2010-09-20/article-1775795/Newfoundland-musician-hitting-streets-of-Toronto/1. 2012-03-25. dead.
11. Web site: Carly Rae Jepsen: The Billboard Cover Story. 25 June 2012. billboard.com.
12. Web site: Gold and Platinum Search . Music Canada. 2017-08-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20140222100627/http://musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?sa=Carly+Rae+Jepsen. 2014-02-22. dead.
13. Web site: Audio Certifications Somewhere Else . Canadian Recording Industry Association . 2010 . 2010-02-12 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071001143307/http://www.cria.ca/gold/1206_g.php . 2007-10-01 .
14. Web site: Theresa Sokyrka - Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos. Myspace.
15. Web site: Audio Certifications Melissa O'Neil. Canadian Recording Industry Association. 2010. 2010-02-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20120407065958/http://www.cria.ca/gold/0306_g.php. 2012-04-07. dead.
16. Web site: canada.com - Page Not Found. Canada.com.
17. News: Laurell on CBC Music. CBC News. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20051202030638/http://radio3.cbc.ca/#/bands/Laurell. 2005-12-02.
18. Web site: ♫ Into Your Love - Laurell Hubick. Listen @cdbaby. cdbaby.com.
19. Web site: Archived copy . 2010-07-06 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160306093724/http://jaydeebixby.com/jaydee_bixby_bio.pdf . 2016-03-06 .
20. Web site: Archived copy . 2013-09-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150906235330/http://www.fontananorth.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/FN000181_SMALL.pdf . 2015-09-06 . dead .
21. Web site: Jason Greeley - Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos. Myspace.
22. Web site: Shane - Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos. Myspace.
23. Web site: The Official Shane Wiebe Website - News . 2010-07-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110721232846/http://www.shanewiebe.info/News.htm . 2011-07-21 . dead .
24. Web site: The Wiebes Music - News . 2010-05-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101030113206/http://thewiebesmusic.com/index.php/news . 2010-10-30 . dead .
25. Web site: Katherine St-Laurent Biography . 2012-09-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110912091153/http://www.katherinestlaurent.com/biography.html . 2011-09-12 . dead .
26. Web site: The Official Aaron Walpole Fan Page. www.facebook.com.
27. Web site: Fall and Divide - Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos. Myspace.
28. Web site: Filipino American Music Website - Poptimes Magazine | Introducing a Superhero: Mikey Bustos | His, Mikey, Canada, Canadian . 2010-04-07 . 2009-12-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091221102031/http://www.poptimesmagazine.com/index.php/Spotlight/Introducing-a-Superhero-Mikey-Bustos.html . dead .
29. Web site: CD Glut Hurts Music Sales. John. Intini. December 16, 2013. The Canadian Encyclopedia. September 3, 2019., from Maclean's, September 10, 2007
30. Web site: Lethbridge Herald - Theo heading home for a rest after a 'whirlwind' summer - Canadian Idol . https://web.archive.org/web/20110105032409/http://ctvforum.insinc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66664 . dead . 2011-01-05 . 2010-05-30 .
31. News: Kelly Clarkson - CRIA.
32. Web site: ARCADE FIRE SCORES THIRD CHART-TOPPING ALBUM. Tuch. Paul. 6 November 2013. 13 November 2013.
33. Web site: http://www.musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?st=&ica=False&sa=carrie+underwood&sl=&smt=1&sat=-1&ssb=Certification+Level&ssdir=descending. Music Canada.
34. Web site: CARRIE UNDERWOOD – BLOWN AWAY - Cheeky Monkey Sarnia – Record Store. www.cheekymonkeysarnia.ca.
35. Web site: Carrie Underwood Reveals Her New Album Cover! . 2012-03-29 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120406172646/http://reveal.carrieunderwoodofficial.com/ . 2012-04-06 .
36. News: Daughtry - CRIA. 2013-09-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20120225041920/http://www.musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?st=. 2012-02-25. dead.
37. http://www.cria.ca/cert_db_search.php?page=1&wclause=WHERE+artist_name+like+%27%25Clay%Aiken%25%27+ORDER+BY+cert_date%2C+cert_award+&rcnt=20&csearch=0&nextprev=1{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
38. Web site: Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA): Gold & Platinum - January 2005 . 2012-02-17 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120308151222/http://www.cria.ca/gold/0310_g.php . 2012-03-08 .
39. Web site: (no title). https://archive.today/20120712145718/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/2012/05/23/19791121.html. usurped. July 12, 2012. Canoe.
40. Web site: CRIA . 2009-06-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101215011930/http://cria.ca/gold/0109_g.php . 2010-12-15 . dead .
41. Web site: (no title). Winnipeg Sun.
42. Web site: 'Canadian Idol' Ryan Malcolm's album 'Home' debuts at #4 in Canada.
43. Web site: Crystal Bowersox's 'Farmer's Daughter' tops Lee DeWyze's first-week album sales - from Inside the Box - Zap2it . 2010-12-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110511144715/http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2010/12/crystal-bowersoxs-farmers-daughter-tops-lee-dewyzes-first-week-album-sales.html . 2011-05-11 . dead .