[Wolfstar]

I understand what you're saying...that the experience of listening to a performance in a theater is different from watching the same performance on TV. But Simon, Paula and Randy are supposed to be pros who can evaluate singers in auditions, during which accoustics and other conditions often are not ideal. In other words, unlike the average person in the theater, they are theoretically supposed to have a practiced ear for distinguishing good vs. poor performances. Yet all-too-often their comments do not sync with the quality, or lack thereof, of a performance. So either they are not as qualified as they claim, or they lie when it suits the production values of the show.

BTW, I also think their evaluations often follow the votes, not the other way around. In other words, once the voting begins and they get a sense of who is selling with the public, they adjust their comments accordingly.

[Netizen]

Bucky Covington’s self-titled album debuts atop the country chart

http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/bucky-covington-self-titled-album-debuts-atop-country-chart-5080.php

By Christopher Rocchio, 04/26/2007

Add Bucky Covington to the growing number of American Idol fifth-season finalists to have their first album debut atop the charts.

Covington’s self-titled debut album, which was released by Lyric Street Records, opened at No. 1 on The Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The country album was released on April 17 and moved 61,000 units in its first week of sales, also ranking it at No. 4 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The 29-year-old North Carolina country-crooner was the eighth-place finisher from Idol’s fifth season and was also the eighth finalist from that season to sign a recording contract. During his time on Idol, Covington stuck to the country genre as much as possible, singing his own renditions of songs by artists including Tim McGraw, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Garth Brooks. He released his first single, “A Different World,” in January, and it currently sits at No. 22 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.

Covington’s first-week sales of 61,000 albums may not be as impressive as some of his fellow Idol 5 finalists, but he’s still in good company.

Fourth-place finisher Chris Daughtry’s self-titled debut album dropped in October and sold 680,000 copies in its first week; runner-up Katharine McPhee released her first album in early February and moved 116,000 copies; champ Taylor Hicks’ self-titled debut effort was released in early December and sold 298,000 copies; third-place finisher Elliott Yamin’s self-titled debut was released earlier this month and sold 90,400 copies; and sixth-place-place finisher Kellie Pickler moved 79,000 copies of her debut effort “Small Town Girl” in early November.

Covington has a busy summer ahead of him, as he’ll kick-off a six-month tour on April 26 in Monterey, CA. He’s also scheduled to teach a special Master Classes when Idol Camp — the reality show’s new performing arts summer camp for young kids — opens in Northfield, MA on July 7.