The optimism proved correct–the “Glee” cover of Katy Perry’s smash “Teenage Dream” annihilated the sales record previously set by “Don’t Stop Believin'” to reign as the group’s fastest-selling single to date.
Billboard confirms that the song, an all-male cover with new cast member Darren Criss on lead vocals, garnered a whopping 214,000 paid downloads in its first week, besting the “Don’t Stop” mark by an impressive 37,000 downloads.
As the most-downloaded song of the week, the cover is certain to make a big impact on the Billboard Hot 100. The aforementioned Journey cover started at number four following the show’s May 2009 premiere, although the fact the chart also takes airplay into account means that a higher debut for “Teenage Dream” is not necessarily a lock.
Other hot downloads this week included Ke$ha’s “We R Who We R” (191,000), the Black Eyed Peas’ “The Time (Dirty Bit)” (170,000), Katy Perry’s “Firework” (161,000) and P!nk’s “Raise Your Glass” (160,000).