Update 3: Now that Nick Fradiani has been crowned the fourteenth “American Idol” winner, single “Beautiful Life” is no longer the potential coronation single. It is this year’s “Idol” victory single.
On the heels of Fradiani’s victory over Clark Beckham, the song is now up to #5 on the all-genre iTunes single sales chart. It was positioned at #27 when Wednesday’s results show hit the airwaves.
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Update 2: Moments before FOX’s two-hour “American Idol” finale hit the airwaves, contestant Nick Fradiani’s potential coronation single “Beautiful Life” was positioned at #27 on the all-genre iTunes sales chart.
Contestant Clark Beckham’s “Champion” followed at #43.
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Update: As of 12:45PM ET Wednesday, Nick Fradiani’s “Beautiful Life” continues to outpace Clark Beckham’s “Champion” on iTunes.
The respective “Idol” singles are positioned at #27 and #38, respectively, on the all-genre iTunes sales chart.
Unlike NBC’s “The Voice,” FOX’s “American Idol” does not ascribe voting power to iTunes sales. The chart positions only speak to each song’s appeal to music buyers.
“Idol” will reveal its fourteenth victor during Wednesday’s two-hour results show.
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While iTunes activity does not contribute to the “American Idol” vote, it does allow audience members to demonstrate their preferences.
Thus far, buyers prefer contestant Nick Fradiani’s potential coronation single “Beautiful Life” to Clark Beckham’s “Champion.”
As of press time, which comes thirty minutes after the culmination of Tuesday’s west coast “Idol” broadcast, Fradiani’s “Beautiful Life” is positioned at #40 on the all-genre iTunes single sales chart.
Beckham’s “Champion” is #57.
Because iTunes is only one forum in which viewers can state their preferences — and not even one that impacts the vote — one should not view the advantage for Fradiani’s song as proof that he will win this year’s “Idol” crown.
Last year’s iTunes hierarchy perfectly demonstrates the hazard of such an assumption. Contestant Jena Irene’s “We are One” held a far more considerable sales advantage over Caleb Johnson’s “As Long As You Love Me” — #87 to #223 shortly after the finale aired — but Johnson ended up winning the competition.
Fradiani and Beckham performed the songs during Tuesday’s final “American Idol” performance show. The winner will be crowned during Wednesday night’s two-hour broadcast.