http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17888559/site/newsweek/

"American Idol" used to be the search for a single superstar. But now the show is turning them out by the bunch. Walk into a record store, and the top-selling singles in the country are from past "Idol" performers. Chris Daughtry, who came in fourth, leads the pack for last season, having sold 2 million albums. On a nearby shelf you can find records from winner Taylor Hicks, runner-up Katharine McPhee and a made-over Elliott Yamin, who finished third. There are more releases coming from the less popular contestants: Bucky Covington (April 17), Paris Bennett (May 8) and Ace Young (this summer). That means season five paved the way for a record-breaking eight albums.


Normally, an abundance of product dilutes a brand. But "Idol" might be having its best music year yet—in total, the above artists have sold 3.7 million records. "It's kind of early, but I can't recall any other year when we'd sold so many units by March," says Iain Pirie, who heads 19 Entertainment in the United States, which signs "Idol" stars. Seventh-place finisher Young has a theory why there have been so many success stories: "If you're an 'Idol' fan, you're going to pick them all up and give them a shot."