Caleb Johnson Indeed Has Worst Sales Week Ever for “Idol” Winner

Unable to render last week’s projections inaccurate, Caleb Johnson’s “Testify” garnered only 11,000 purchases in its first week of availability.

Enough for a mere #24 spot on the Billboard 200 chart, “Testify” debuts with both the weakest sales frame and weakest inaugural chart position ever for a winning contestant’s first post-“American Idol” release.

Purchased 19,000 times in its first week, Candice Glover’s “Music Speaks” previously held the “Idol” low mark for a sales week. Lee DeWyze’s “Live it Up,” which debuted at #19, previously owned the worst debut chart position.

2014 has not been a good one for music competition series albums. In addition to the aforementioned Glover and Johnson albums, it also played host to “Count on My Love” from season five “The Voice” winner Tessanne Chin. That record moved just 7,000 copies in its first week, which was an all-time low for a winner’s post-“The Voice” debut.

Brian Cantor

Brian Cantor is the editor-in-chief for Headline Planet. He has been a leading reporter in the music, movie, television and sporting spaces since 2002. Brian's reporting has been cited by major websites like BuzzFeed, Billboard, the New Yorker and The Fader -- and shared by celebrities like Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj. Contact Brian at brian.cantor[at]headlineplanet.com.

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