Excerpts from: Billboard 2005 Year in music
(for American Idol previous contestants)
By Fred Bronson Since "Disco Inferno" (Shady/Aftermath/Interscope) placed 11th, 50 Cent just missed having two songs in the top 10. The only artist occupying two slots in the top 10 is Kelly Clarkson, No. 4 with "Since U Been Gone" (RCA) and No. 10 with "Behind These Hazel Eyes."
Clarkson is the main, but not only, reason that the "American Idol" franchise has made such a powerful showing on the year-end recaps. Contestants from the TV series are responsible for 17 year-end No. 1s, up from two in 2004 and 2003 and one in 2002. The honors are spread among all four "American Idol" winners and one runner-up.
Clarkson is responsible for nine of the 17 "Idol" No. 1s. She is the No. 1 artist on the Hot 100 Artists, Female recap. She has the No. 1 position on the Hot Adult Contemporary Songs recap--"Breakaway" (Walt Disney/Hollywood)--and is the No. 1 AC artist. She is also the No. 1 Adult Top 40 artist and the No. 1 Hot Dance Airplay artist. She has the No. 1 song on the Pop 100 Songs chart, "Since U Been Gone," which is also the No. 1 Pop 100 Airplay song and Clarkson is the No. 1 Pop 100 artist. Finally, "Breakaway" from "The Princess Diaries 2" is the top soundtrack single.
The second season "American Idol" winner, Ruben Studdard, has the No. 1 title on the Top Gospel Albums chart. "I Need an Angel" (J), and is the No. 1 act on the Top Gospel Albums Artist chart. Third season "Idol" Fantasia is the No. 1 Adult R&B artist and the No. 1 new R&B/Hip-Hop artist. Fourth-season "Idol" Carrie Underwood has the No. 1 title on Hot Singles Sales and on the online Hot Country Singles Sales recap with "Inside Your Heaven" (Arista), and also led the online Hot Country Singles Sales Artist recap. Second season runner-up Clay Aiken has the No. 1 Christian album, "Merry Christmas With Love" (RCA).
This is the fourth consecutive year that an "American Idol" singer has the best-selling single of the year. Underwood's "Inside Your Heaven" follows in the footsteps of Clarkson's "A Moment Like This" (2002), Aiken's "This Is the Night" / "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (2003) and Fantasia's "I Believe" (2004).
