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Actually, I'm getting a few different numbers for some, also according to USA today, as of Jan. 2008.

Once again, here's a link to the most recent numbers from Nielsen SoundScan. These numbers are more recent than the earlier articles you both referenced.

Nielsen SoundScan describes itself as an "information system that tracks sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada. Sales data from point-of-sale cash registers is collected weekly from over 14,000 retail, mass merchant and non-traditional (on-line stores, venues, etc.) outlets. Weekly data is compiled and made available every Wednesday. Nielsen SoundScan is the sales source for the Billboard music charts."

Sales figures quoted in news articles may or may not be the latest. They may or may not combine sales for singles and albums. They may or may not include digital downloads and international sales. Nielsen SoundScan numbers are considered throughout the industry to be definitive.

BTW, I also thought that Kellie Pickler, Josh Gracin and Elliott Yamin would have shown up in the top 10 AI alumni, but they don't -- at least not yet. Sales figures are not static. They change daily, and with each new single and album release. So each new dataset should be viewed only as a snapshot, not a definitive statement of who has and has not had (or will or will not have) a successful career post-AI.

Another BTW: Elliott Yamin and Josh Gracin did not get AI contracts. They went out and did it the old fashioned way, by signing with smaller labels, making music they believed in, and then went out and marketed through hard work. They didn't have the benefit of access to the huge marketing departments of the Sony-BMG stable of labels. For this reason, I consider them exceptionally successful even if their current sales totals don't put them among the biggest selling AI alumni (yet). I was a supporter of both Elliott and Josh during their time on the show, and in the years sonce. In some respects, I'm more proud of them than all the others. They may or may not ever be superstars, but they've carved out nice careers for themselves.

Underwood most popular "Idol," Castro overrated

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Country singer Carrie Underwood is the all-time most popular "American Idol" winner, and dreadlocked Jason Castro was voted the most overrated contestant this season, according to a poll released on Monday by AOL Television.

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Archuleta's rendering of John Lennon's "Imagine" in February was rated best of the season by 35 percent of those taking part, with Cook's rock version of the Michael Jackson hit "Billie Jean" in March also getting 35 percent.

The AOL Television poll, conducted May 9-16, received more than 1.3 million votes.

Underwood, the 2005 "American Idol" winner who went on to win Grammy, American Music, Billboard and Country Music Association awards, was voted the most popular "Idol" by 54 percent of those taking part.

Kelly Clarkson, who won the first season in 2002, was second with 26 percent of votes.

Castro, the mellow guitar-playing Texan who made it to the final four round of contestants this year, topped the list of most overrated singers of the 2008 season with 28 percent of votes. Some 35 percent rated his performance of the Bob Dylan classic "Mr. Tambourine Man," in which Castro flubbed the lyrics, the worst of the year.

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