Carrie Underwood loses title of top earning 'American Idol' alum
Jan 6th 2016 6:43PM
Carrie Underwood just got "blown away!"
The 32-year-old country singer is no longer Forbes' Top Earning American Idol alum, after holding the coveted title in both 2013 and 2014. The publication's 2015 list revealed a surprising name has risen to the top of the "American Idol" food chain: Adam Lambert.
The Season 8 runner-up, who released his third solo album in June 2015 and has been known to perform with Queen in his spare time, banked a solid $10 million in pre-tax income last year, which officially knocked Underwood out of her spot. The "Ghost Town" singer's earnings are a Forbes high for the "American Idol" group and it is also a career high for him.
While "American Idol" has failed to produce bankable stars in recent years, the show's top alums haven't exactly been resting on their laurels. Forbes released a Top 5 ranking of the show's top earners, and their salaries are nothing to mock. Carrie Underwood pulled in $8 million) and was followed by Chris Daughtry ($6 million), Phillip Phillips ($5 million), Scotty McCreery ($4 million), and Kelly Clarkson ($4 million).
In most cases, the talent's tours brought in their big salaries followed by their album sales.
With "American Idol" entering it's 15th and final season on Wednesday, only time will tell if they can eek out one more top earner.
Adam Lambert...the modern edgy artist with an old rock soul.
We will know how well this tour is doing by the end of day Friday. Since this is really only being promoted by word-of-mouth -- it is doing really well. BUT Adam fans are very well and very tightly connected online. We'll see what it does when it moves to a general sale. I think almost all of these venues will sell out and I believe that is the intent.
The biggest mistake an artist can make is to book venues that they cannot sell 80%+ tickets in. Not only do you not make as much money but the artist gets tagged with "can't sell tickets"/"no demand".
ETA: They have absolutely not done that with the TOHT.
Just bought my ticket for the Chicago show on March 23! Going with two Glambert friends. As for venue, I totally agree that it's far better to FILL a smaller venue than to 1/2 or 1/3 fill a larger one. I think the TOH venues were carefully chosen to make sure they get sold out. A full house is a FUN house!
Revista Zoom @revistazoompe Jan 12 El pop rock se llama Adam Lambert: Dicen que las estrellas del mundo artístico salen cada cierto tiempo y pare... bit.ly/1W4PF1F
Translated from Spanish by Bing Wrong translation? Pop rock is called Adam Lambert: say that the stars of the art world come out every so often and stop... bit.ly/1W4PF1F
This person didn't do their homework.. doesn't mention TOH or the tour, but does mention Take One as a "pre-album", then goes on to say that he is currently touring with Queen and is their vocalist, with no mention of his solo career.
ITA. Seems like a good chance of a Sunday show being added.
One venue that sold surprisingly fast -- and many tickets at $500 -- was Sands, Bethlehem, PA. I logged on right when the ticket sale started and more than half the venue was in the presale, maybe 70% -- almost all gone now.
That's great because I want John Moser to eat his words!!!!!
In all fairness, while I share your general sentiments towards ambivalent and at times spiteful Mr Moser, it will be impossible to prove him wrong with this TOH stop in Bethlehem on 2/28. What Moser said was that Adam was unlikely to sell out the 6000 people main stage at the Lehigh Valley festival, given that Wiles-Barre was not a complete sell-out in December (even though it was around 95 % or so). This venue in Bethlehem only proves that Adam can sell out 2K with ease, which even John Moser is not going to doubt. But it says nothing about 6K.
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Jumping topic now:
Re: That Polish interview: Yes, that was some aggressive probing, but here is the deal:
a) The guy had done his homework, and we often complain that reporters don't have that. He knew the albums, had listened to enough interviews to know when Adam tended to get evasive, and he prevented that by asking his questions more precisely and by following up, and having the knowledge to do so, whether it was about Adam's catalog, the song-writers involved, or any other topic. He was able to stay with Adam during those follow-ups. Most interviewers are not. Adam could not just get a way with talking about spending two months in Sweden. This guy asked the specifics for Ghost Town or the writing process.
b) Here is the crux for me: This interview was more informative, and addressed points, that we fans had previously discussed among ourselves. But was it more enjoyable for that? No, it wasn't. It felt like an interrogation, rather than an interview. And what is the point of that? Make Adam seem less of a whatever...songwriter, musician, etc....really?
c) If he was trying to bring Adam down, then who was his audience? Adam fans, or the general Polish public? The fans would not appreciate an interrogation trying to pull any glamour or sparkle off Adam's armor, and any general listener out there, would not care what Sterling Fox did or did not do. Fox created an average emo-rock song, that without Adam and the Swedish rhythm producer machine, never would have made it out of Napa Valley, that's what he made. But it was a song with potential, Adam saw that, and the rest is history. Mr Sterling is making good money off of Ghost Town. It is all good.
d) So what does this interviewer try to prove with all his probing? Good question.
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'This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you'
from the song 'Vincent', by Don McLean