Taylor Hicks Album Sales in Trouble; Tour Tickets on Sale
Taylor Hicks has seen better days. Like when he was crowned the winner of American Idol last season.
Since then, however, the Soul Patrol has been stuck on neutral. With some music industry insiders claiming that Taylor's vocal stylings are too old, his debut album is on track to be the first by an Idol winner to fall short of one million units sold.
The self-titled CD, "Taylor Hicks," stands at 640,000 copies right now. It was released in December. Conversely, fourth-place finisher Chris Daughtry has already sold over a million copies of his debut disc.
Moreover, fellow American Idol champs Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia, Ruben Studdard, and Carrie Underwood all fared much better in their first couple months.
An exec from J Records, in an interview with the AP, blames the record's "longer burn" on the fact that the music is "much more adult." We'll keep you updated on Hicks' progress as his tour rocks on.
Fans, meanwhile, can purchase their Taylor Hicks tickets by clicking here.
March 1st, 2007 1:54 PM
Not quite sure why everyone keeps quoting Taylor as NOT HITTING PLATINUM status:
http://epk.radioandrecords.com//TaylorHicks/JustToFeelThatWay_0107/ac.asp
That link being from ARISTA RECORDS - now if they're smoking something over there at his record label then fine. But if I'm not mistaken Taylor Hicks went PLATINUM during his 2nd week - this was done after recording an entire album in SIX WEEKS and to then have that album debut without a single released. ANd now that the single HAS been released, it's barely played on any radio stations (to my surprise, since everyone demanded he throw in a few 'pop-style' hits to please all audiences).
Without throwing out at any other Idol contestants, it amazes me that the Winner of Season 5 seems to have been put on the backburner, while others are being 'pimped' to high heaven - which is fine, I'm happy for ALL of them - but it's wrong to step over the winner to accomodate the others.
So what is the point of American Idol if the Idol is not 'idolized'?
Signed,
Disturbed and Confused in NY
March 1st, 2007 11:32 PM
Hi I would just like to know since when is selling 640,000 albums BAD??A year ago all of us fans never heard Taylor Hicks or his music.and now it looks like he has 640,000 new fans....they can't all be SOUL PATROLERS since he got his break on American Idol. I think Taylor Hicks is doing just GREAT and will be in the Music Game for a long time to come. Cut him some slack already. This guy is a winner. I am seeing him in March and his tickets to his two concerts here in Chicago and Joliet have been sold out for months. Now please tell me what is NOT good about those statistics?
March 3rd, 2007 11:37 PM
Thank you, Jeannie!
It seems everyone's so busy overshadowing Taylor's success with other Idol successes - and I don't begrudge any of them, happiness to all...but Taylor won. Hands down.
Can't everyone just let him celebrate his new success without pigeon-holing him into yet ANOTHER competition with his Idol alumni?
Geez...
And I'll be seeing Taylor in Long Island on 4/7 and in NYC on 4/20 - and trust me, these shows are also sold out.
March 4th, 2007 9:47 PM
Taylor was awesome in concert in Jacksonville. Do I think his album was the best ever? No, but how many first albums are. Most of the time artists have very little control early on and it's not till their second or even third before we really see what they can do.
This thing is a marathon anyway...not a race. Taylor is original and there's always a place for originality.
March 5th, 2007 11:04 AM
Nobody "puts Taylor in a corner"
Poor American Idol and "little" Simon Cowell, do they see a decline in their fortunes?
Do we care, no way! Taylor knew he had a voice and with his ENTERTAINING and singing, brought joy and fire to " his soul patrol" and lovers of passionate preformers. They found a hero, an entertainer, a sweet unasumming, HARD WORKING artist who believed in the music and America chose him. We attend the sold out concerts and support our Idol. Why can't they?
March 5th, 2007 1:09 PM
TAYLOR IS THE AMERICAN IDOL HE IS DIFFERENT, HE IS UNIQUE HE IS A GREAT SINGER HE IS ORIGINAL AND ONE OF THE MOST ENTERTAINING PEOPLE I HAVE EVER WATCHED. I DO NOT GET AWED EASILY BUT SINCE BUT HE TOTALLY MESMERIZES ME. I ALSO HEARD MANY TIMES HIS ALBUM WENT PLATINUM AND AM VERY DISSAPPPOINTED IN RADIO STATIONS ETC FOR PLAYING HIM DOWN AND PLAYING UP DAUGHTRY AND KATHRINE MCFEE. I DONT SEE ANYTHING IN HER AT ALL AND DAUGHTRY IS GOOD BUT HEARD IT BEFORE AND WILL HEAR IT AGAIN ALL THE SAME. HE MUST HAVE WON FOR SOME REASON HE HAS ALOT OF FANS I GEO TICKETS TO SEE HIM IN LONG ISLAND BUT I JUST GOT THEM THEY WERE SOLD OUT IN MINUTES. WE THE SOUL PATROLERS KNOW WHAT TALENT IS AND WILL STAND BEHIND OUT MAN FOR EVER ASW LONG AS HE WANTS TO MAKE MUSIC WE EILL BE BUYING IT. I WISH PEOPLE WOULD SEE HIM FOR THE VERY SPECIAL PERSON HE IS.
March 7th, 2007 8:46 AM
Taylor is certified platinum NOT buy albums sold but by albums shippped. Big difference. In the meantime, Daughtry is about to be certified double platinum by CD's SOLD. He's sold more than 1,800,000 units and again this week is #1 in the Billboard charts. When a 4th place finalist outsells by far the winner of AI, I consider Taylor Hicks a flop.
March 13th, 2007 7:31 AM
hello guys how are u ,i wish u fine and good ,
so wana say that the idols are just rocking i mean there are great ,so i wish them best and good luck ,
and i really have a request that plz put i dols songs in the website so that every one can listen to ,bcz i really like to to listen to there songs epecially carrie underwoods song i love it ,but i really dont have the website to donwload her songs so plz do something.
ok best of luck .
sameer
March 13th, 2007 7:35 AM
hi Taylor man u are outstanding i mean u are cool man ,u are sach a great singer man which i really like u and ur vioce man it is just rocking ,
and plz tell us about ur new allbum man bcz we all waiting for that .so hope u will take it out ,so best of luck man bye take care.
sameer...
April 3rd, 2007 9:43 PM
Excuse me if I am repeating some others here but I find it completely unfair and unprofessional for AI to completely leave Taylor out. I am certain that it was because he had some demands of his own and of course they seem to like the ones they can mold to what they want. And they said it was "America's Vote". That certainly rubbish. Look now at what is happening to the show, decline is not the word. This year has become a joke with the whole Sanjaya thing.
Taylor earned and is deserving of his win and all the powers to be should be helping him. I heard rumors that radio stations have been told not to play the song JTFTW, as well as the DJ's managers have told them they can't play it. What is that all about.
Those of us that love Taylor will always be there for him. I am going to two concerts and those were also sold out in hours.
Come on let's get real. The powers to be have something against Taylor and they are doing this.
We have to keep requesting and buying and getting others to buy his music. I have seen videos of his solo tour and he is absolutely electrifying.
I could go on but this whole things makes me so angry.
April 15th, 2007 10:05 AM
Quiero comentarles que desde venezuela apoyamos a Taylor!!! nos encantan su musica, carisma, voz, en fin... tiene un gran numero de fans qu ya estamos organizando nuestro viaje para poder ir a verlo en vivo en sus conciertos, tambien estamos comprando sus cd por internet para que nos lo hagan llegar hasta este pais... como ven Taylor es internacional a llegado a conmover hasta otros paises del mundo y les aseguro que no es solo aqui... Hay que apoyarlo asi es que crecen las personas y no recalcando cosas negativas... Taylor te queremos, sigue adelante con tu musica, tus ideas, tu yo!
April 20th, 2007 9:38 AM
Not sure what is the problem with TH. He is nowhere to be found in any of the Billboard charts (see http://mjsbigblog.com/idols-on-the-charts/) but many of the idols who released CDs before and after him are there. Unfortunately, in spite of winning season five, his vocal range is very limited and, as a singer, he is just average at best. He is, however, a great entertainer and that is why he won idol over much better and talented singers. I guess acting goofy does not sell CDs. His so-called "platinum" album is over 300,000 copies shy of selling one million...and it may never sell that many. By the way, 60O,000-plus CDs sold does not mean that many new fans. My bet is that many of the so-called Soul Pratrolers bough a bunch of copies each just to raise the total sales for their idol. On the bright side, he is much better off than he was before American Idol. Too bad that he, and some other "idols," has spoken in less than favorable terms about the show. That is not the way to thank those who made you a star, I suppose.
June 12th, 2007 7:13 PM
It's been clear from the get-go that Taylor was not supported by the American Idol 'machine.' That old buzzard (Clive something-or-other) essentially tells the judges who to 'push' to the audience and that's the direction they go. I have nothing against Jordin Sparks. She's a talented young woman, but she's also a cookie-cutter pop star who sounds like everyone else which is what the show is now promoting. TOB (the old buzzard) basically dissed Taylor during this years finale and fawned over Carrie Underwood to the point that Carrie seemed uncomfortable and commented that it was time to find out who this years IDOL was. It seemed like the Carrie Underwood show. Taylor is unique. He's talented. He's not a 20 something woman who shows ample amounts of breast and legs and that may be the real issue here since they talk all season about being unique but still push and promote artists like Gwen Stefani's, Fergie, etc. Katharine McPhee (aka the DIVA) didn't fair so well either but Clay Aiken (another 2nd placer) has done very well. Daughtry is great but his songs all sound alike. It's ridiculous to think, as one blogger alleged, that a few people bought most of Taylor's album's to artificially increase sales. Who has that kind of money? Why is it so hard to believe that he has fans and his fans are supporting him. The problem is that radio stations cater to a specific demographic that apparently wants all its music to sound like hip-hop pseudo-rap crap. Taylor isn't going to appeal to that crowd. He's also in good company. There was a time when Elvis and other great artists couldn't get played because of industry biases. If he keeps up his grassroots touring and self promotion, he can still make it. If he does, he doesn't need to thank IDOL for anything. All they've done is stand in his way and punish him because America chose him. If he's so without talent, why did he win? Huh, Simon? Huh Clive?
August 2nd, 2007 3:12 AM
Taylor Hicks is pretty crap..whOOoa!
September 22nd, 2007 4:40 AM
You are doing a wonderful thing here on the Internet. I wish you the very best. Kindest regards.
December 2nd, 2007 12:21 AM
I am amazed at how well Taylors album did with no single coming out when it was released and without proper support from his label, who did not support his radio play and did not keep his album in the stores for a proper length of time. You would have to ask them their reasons.
People should not forget the thousands of his first two independent albums of almost entirely orignal songs that he sold during this same time period. Taylors a huge talent and hes doing great.
January 18th, 2008 3:12 AM
i think talyor hicks is great and i love him i knew he was going to win the frist time i heard him sing and i think the people at american idol should have done more to push his album forward i mean he won not mcfee and they should do more for him
April 18th, 2008 1:23 PM
Oh, well...I guess some are meant to have substantial career. And others, like Taylor Hicks, are one-hit-wonders. Oh, well. Shit happens!
May 6th, 2008 7:18 PM
Taylor is a very talented singer and songwriter. He is very true to his style. All American Idol wants is popstars to win. They keep saying that they want original artists.....but that is a bunch of bull. Look at Chris Daughtry....he isn't original at all.....If you don't do things Clive Davis's way or Simon's, who by the way gets a percentage of the winnings.......you are ignored. Like Taylor getting dropped from his label. Same thing happened to Bo Bice......probably because neither wanted to become "popstars" Taylor will always be #1 in my book.......Its refreshing to see an artist stand up for what he believes and not be a sellout!
May 14th, 2008 9:55 PM
Soul Patrol, Soul Patrol, Soul Patrol... Keep on singing Taylor, we all love you weather your the top seller or not I voted more for you than any other of any season and you still have my vote I saw you in Kansas City concert and will see you again any time your close to my home. I love your music and can't wait for the next cd to be released, just keep em coming.
LadyRose