[video] American Idol “Welcome Home” TV Special

In preparation for the upcoming season of American Idol, Fox and Idol producers put together a TV special that brought together past Idol winners to show where they came from and how far they’ve come since winning American Idol. Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks, David Cook, Kris Allen and Lee DeWyze shared their stories of becoming an American Idol.

New Video: American Idol’s Kris Allen ‘Truth’

Former American Idol winner Kris Allen has released the video for his current single ‘Truth’. We love this song! Definitely one of Allen’s best songs off of his debut album and it features Train frontman Pat Monahan.

The video is beautifully shot against the breathtaking desert as Allen plays the piano, guitar, and sings along with Pat. The chandelier shots at the end are pretty cool.

Check out Kris Allen’s video for ‘Truth’ –

Kris Allen and Allison Iraheta Return To Perform On Idol

Kris Allen and Allison Iraheta returned to Idol last night and performed during the results show.

Kris recently went to Haiti as a part of Idol Gives Back to aid in the relief effort and shared the footage from his trip while he performed ‘Let It Be’. You can download a copy of Kris’ performance on iTunes and all of the profits will be sent to Haiti.

Allison performed her new single ‘Scars’. The girl can definitely sing and she’s improved a lot since her days on Idol, but could someone hire her a media coach? Please! She’s so awkward and uncomfortable to watch.

Let The Numbers Speak For Themselves: Chris Allen Outsells Adam Lambert

If you pay attention to the press, it’s easy to think that Adam Lambert is easily outselling Idol winner Chris Allen. But, as it turns out, that isn’t the case at all!

Lambert may have had a bigger first week in sales than Allen, but, according to the numbers for their singles, Allen’s ‘Live Like We’re Dying’ has sold just under 500,000 downloads and is #27 on the Soundscan singles chart while Lambert’s For Your Entertainment has sold just over 200,000.

Let the numbers speak for themselves. Reports claim Allen is already working on his follow-up album.

Music Stars Reflect on 2009 And Talk Plans for 2010

Billboard caught up with some of our favorite celebrities and asked them about their personal highlights from 2009 and what they’re planning for 2010.

2009 has been year filled with new faces on the music scene. Will it prove to be the year of one hit wonders, or will we be hearing more from these new artists in 2010.

Here are some highlights from the Billboard interviews:

Ke$ha says 2009 was a whirlwind for her. The “TiK ToK” singer says she, “worked really, really hard for the moment she could say she was No. 1.” But what was the highlight of her 2009? She got to leave her waitressing job. She says she told her employers, “I quit, bitches!” In 2010, look out for her album “Animal” on Jan. 5, and soon thereafter, a big tour. “I’m just trying to cover the world in glitter, one country at a time.”

Adam Lambert is so over the controversy surrounding his bawdy performance at the American Music Awards in November (“It’s all in the past,” he says). 2009′s highlight for him was the “American Idol” finale. He calls getting to sing with Queen and Kiss “totally surreal.” In 2010, Lambert will be coming to a town near you, possibly starting with a spring tour that “pulls out all the stops: costumes, fire, dancers, the whole nine yards.”

Justin Bieber’s plans for 2010 include releasing the second half of his album so the “ladies… don’t have to wait.” He says his favorite moment of 2009 was getting to perform at Wembly in London, “even though I broke my foot. I’ll never forget it.” See the cast for yourself in the video as Bieber performs “Love Me” live in New York.

Jay Sean celebrated his first Hot 100 No. 1 in 2009. He says, “how many people manage to get a No. 1? It was such a blessing.” How did he react to finding out his single “Down” had topped the chart? “I dropped the phone!” Sean lets us in on the fact that he may possibly work with Taylor Swift in the new year.

Orianthi first wowed American crowds as the dexterous guitarist for Michael Jackson. She was prominently featured in the footage that makes up the doc “This Is It.” As you might guess, the Australian says that the best moments of 2009 for her were “getting to audition for Michael Jackson’s band and working with him. It was life-changing.” Up her sleeve for 2010 is the release of her debut album, “Believe,” which features a song with Steve Vai and “guitar solos on every track,” as well as a tour in Feb. or March.

The Fray were pleased with the warm reception to their self-titled second album in 2009, they say. But the top moment? Easy. The record was nominated for a Best Pop Vocal Album” Grammy on Dec. 2.

Kris Allen Performs Hip Hop Medley

We haven’t been hearing much about Idol winner Kris Allen. His debut album hasn’t performed well, which makes us wonder what happened to all of his fans from American Idol.

Allen performed a special Hip Hop medley this past weekend at the Z100 Jingle Ball. The medley included his well known cover of Kanye West’s ‘Heartless’ and Coolio’s ‘Gangsters Paradise’.

Maybe Allen should put out an album of all Hip Hop cover songs…

Check it out –

Idol’s Allison Iraheta Has Disappointing Debut

19/Jive/JLG Idol contestant Allison Iraheta’s debut album Just Like You had a disappointing debut by only selling 25-30k units. Ouch.

Adam Lambert ended up pulling more first week sales than both Allison and Kris Allen’s numbers together!

John Mayer Expected To Top Billboard 200

John Mayer is on track to debut at No. 1 with “Battle Studies,” which could sell somewhere between 275,000 and 300,000 copies by week’s end on Sunday (Nov. 22), according to industry sources. It will be the singer/songwriter’s second topper, following “Heavier Things” in 2003. “Heavier” bowed in the penthouse with 317,000 copies. Mayer’s last studio set, “Continuum,” entered the chart at No. 2 with 300,000 in 2006.

Next in line could be Casting Crowns’ “Until the Whole World Hears,” with possibly as much as 175,000 copies. After that, 50 Cent’s “Before I Self Destruct” and Norah Jones’ “The Fall” are vying for the third-highest debut, as each are estimated to sell around 150,000 copies.

Tween sensation Justin Bieber’s debut album, “My World,” could shift 100,000 copies while “American Idol” winner Kris Allen may see his debut effort move approximately 90,000 copies. Rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures seems on track to sell about 75,000 with its first effort and Leona Lewis’ second album, “Echo,” may sell 50,000 to 60,000, as will Paul McCartney’s new live set “Good Evening New York City.”

Adam Lambert Slams Gene Simmons

American Idol star Adam Lambert has fired back at criticism he received from Gene Simmons, calling the Kiss star “obnoxious” and “a d**k”.

Simmons criticized Lambert for ‘coming out’ as a gay man shortly after Idol wrapped in May, claiming the big reveal would hurt his career. Lambert ended weeks of speculation by declaring his sexuality just days after he lost the 2009 show finale to Kris Allen and Simmons insisted he should have kept the information to himself, because his homosexuality will now overshadow everything he ever does.

The Kiss star said, “He killed his career because now the conversation is not about his talent but about his sexual preference. He’s done.”

However, as he prepares to debut his first album, Lambert begs to differ – blasting Simmons in a new Rolling Stone interview.

He rages, “He’s (Simmons) obnoxious, and what a hypocrite – all he talks about is his sex life. He was being a d**k – and he’s not the greatest singer.”

Kris Allen Live On Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien

Idol winner Kris Allen has begun a promotional tour in support of his upcoming self-titled album, which is due out in less than a week. Allen got things underway by performing on the tonight show with Conan O’Brien.

Check out his performance of ‘Live Like We’re Dying’ –

Allen’s next stop will be Good Morning America’s fall concert series on November 17th, the day of his album release.

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