Fans of “American Idol” season 13 winner Caleb Johnson won”t have long to wait for the newly crowned king”s debut album.
Johnson”s self-titled album will come out Aug. 12. Anyone remember a winner”s set coming out that quickly before? Not only that, the release date was announced mere hours after Johnson was throned last night.
Given that “Idol” no longer has the shiny new car smell it once had, 19 Recordings/Interscope Records, which is putting out the release, must want to strike while Johnson”s victory is still fresh in people”s minds. No word on when Interscope will release runner-up Jena Irene”s album.
Judge Harry Connick asked Johnson last week what kind of album he”d like to make and he replied, unsurprisingly, a rock album of originals. He”s off to a good start with his “Idol” finale song, “As Long As You Love Me,” written by The Darkness” Justin Hawkins and produced by Howard Benson.
Of course, we”ll see if that release date actually happens. Last season”s winner, Candice Glover, was initially slated to release her album even faster, in July 2013, but it didn”t surface until February 2014, and despite her having a great, soulful voice, the album hasn”t achieved much success, and, in fact, sold the least amount in its opening frame of any debut album released by an “Idol” winner.
Season 11 winner, Phillip Phillips, released his debut six months after his victory and the November album went platinum, in addition to single “Home” reaching quadruple-platinum certification. Phillips just released his second album last week.
Scotty McCreery, who won Season 10, also put out his debut album the fall after his win. Released in October 2011, “Clear As Day,” also went platinum. McCreery's fellow contestant, Pia Toscano, was shockingly eliminated early on in the competition and quickly signed to Interscope who couldn't capitalize on the immediate heat that surrounded the singer. After a single failed to catch fire, Toscano was dropped from Interscope last year.
Of course, before Johnson's album comes out, he'll take part in the obligatory American Idol Live tour, which starts June 24 in Binghampton, N.Y. and features this season's finalists.