David Cook — “Billie Jean” — #1 Song on iTunes

Thursday, March 27, 2008, 04:42 PM | David Cook

David Cook American Idol

Well, it’s official: David Cook’s Billie Jean is the #1 song on iTunes, beating Mariah’s Carey’s “Touch My Body”, Madonna’s “4 Minutes” and Leona Lewis’ “Bleeding Love”.

Congratulations David Cook! You are the new front-runner on American Idol!

David Cook — Audition on Rickey.org

Billie Jean

UPDATE:

1. Billie Jean — David Cook

13. We Will Rock You — Michael Johns
14. You’re The Voice — David Archuleta
15. Eleanor Rigby — David Cook
16. Let It Be — Brooke White
17. Hello — David Cook

20. Every Breath You Take — Brooke White

29. Hallelujah — Jason Castro
30. Imagine — David Archuleta
31. Total Eclipse of the Heart — Carly Smithson

33. Day Tripper — David Cook

40. Fragile — Jason Castro

47. The Long and Winding Road — David Archuleta

64. God Bless the U.S.A. — Kristy Lee Cook

68. Blackbird — Carly Smithson

74. Come Together — Carly Smithson

(These are the rankings for this week’s sales, as of 4:52 PM)

Also: “Eleanor Rigby” just passed “Imagine” in total sales, and “Hello” isn’t too far behind.

77 Comments for David Cook — “Billie Jean” — #1 Song on iTunes

1

That is so awesome!!!!!!!! Thanks for reporting, Rickey. I made my $.99 contribution to the David-Cook-at-#1 fund already. It’s excellent!

Daisy on March 27, 2008 at 4:46 pm
2

OMG OMG OMG OMG.. UNfriggenBELIEVABLE… HOLY MOLY!! That deserves high praise.. I do believe we may have to change our pool picks on who’s gonna win Idol!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Congratulations David.

ealbino on March 27, 2008 at 4:50 pm
3

This is good PR for American Idol!

Josie on March 27, 2008 at 4:56 pm
4

Oh my gosh! I don’t believe it! Hehe. :p Way to go, David!!!

GwendolynD on March 27, 2008 at 4:59 pm
5

I asked this in the other thread: Why is Cook charting on the itunes general catalog when Seacrest said last night that they would not allow idols to chart?

I’m glad the world is seeing what I saw from the start. GO, DAVID COOK!

laff on March 27, 2008 at 5:06 pm
6

Good for him! But people should really go support the original (MJ) and the cover (ex-Audioslave Chris Cornell).

On another note, Baby David needs to have another fantastic night and go up the ranks!

Akari on March 27, 2008 at 5:08 pm
7

Where are you getting those charts from? I’m confused!

Bouffe on March 27, 2008 at 5:15 pm
8

Akari ~ Baby David – that’s so cute! It sounds like a Mario-game character.

Daisy on March 27, 2008 at 5:27 pm
9

I have looked at iTunes all day, and see the list above starting with Mariah, but no David Cook at all. How do you get to the screenshot Rickey showed?

Jennifer_5150 on March 27, 2008 at 5:44 pm
10

I still don’t get the itunes charts for sales. You are assuming popularity bar is the cumulative sales. Then Hello has surpassed Jordin Sparks’ Tattoo ALREADY? What do you all think about that?

Virginia5 on March 27, 2008 at 5:55 pm
11

that freakin awesome! David Cook FTW!

insanitic on March 27, 2008 at 5:55 pm
12

great news! DC has been growing on me, and i’m glad to see that there is a new frontrunner for this season. much deserved. i hope he wins it.

sprout on March 27, 2008 at 5:56 pm
13

I thought Ryan said the idol songs were not allowed to chart, to avoid revealing too much and such?

Bouffe on March 27, 2008 at 5:59 pm
14

GREAT NEWS!!! David Cook at the top, ahead of Mariah & Madonna! I’m very excited for Davids’ chances now of reaching the Final 2 & maybe…?

aprylette on March 27, 2008 at 6:00 pm
15

Daisy>
^^ I got really irritated since there are three Davids and I like all of them so I needed to differentiate them (ie. Baby David, D-Cook, and stripper!David). I’ve been using the term “Baby David” everywhere, and I hope it catches on~~

Akari on March 27, 2008 at 6:14 pm
16

About Madonna, I have no idea how David Cook defeated “4 Minutes”. That song is insanely catchy. I have been repeating on my wmp the moment I got it. Fear the power of AI!

Akari on March 27, 2008 at 6:16 pm
17

That is great news! Thank you Rickey for telling us. I do not understand about the charts either-but may be that was explained before and I missed it. Important thing is that he is #1.

Hi Sprout and Aprylette-names I know.

greennj on March 27, 2008 at 6:18 pm
18

I just listened to Chris Cornell’s version and it gave me chills.

daisawesome on March 27, 2008 at 6:32 pm
19

Woohoo! Go David Cook!
Also, check out Syesha’s studio version it’s super fabulous! I hope it catches on, her high notes are almost verging on whistle! I totally love it!

merlyhaggard on March 27, 2008 at 6:56 pm
20

Yeah!!!! David Cook is no. 1. I knew he will do good. His voice is sooooooooooooooooo sexy.

aoi-bara on March 27, 2008 at 6:59 pm
21

Chris Cornell’s version is charting at #38 and his album is #68. Nice bump for Chris Cornell on a cd that came last June. Woo

hollyg9211 on March 27, 2008 at 7:31 pm
22

That is FANTASTIC!!!
David Cook FTW

lauralunatic on March 27, 2008 at 7:32 pm
23

I could not believe when I hit PURCHASE on David Cook’s BILLIE JEAN version. This was the first time I have ever bought a single from the show. A reality tv show. And here the darn song is. In my iTUNES list! And what’s wrong with me? I can’t stop playing it!

Just let the man grow and develop naturally. I don’t want AI to rob him of his natural talents.

But it’s good to see his name on top of the charts. (Where are you finding these, Rickey?)
He’s been rocking the screen since we first laid eyes on him (although I’m glad the red streak is gone… he’s looking great).

Izzy on March 27, 2008 at 7:37 pm
24

Rickey: was the AUDITION clip the first time David Cook officially appeared on this site (not counting rumors of top contestants threads)? If so, I think I was the first person to make a comment about Cook:
http://www.rickey.org/?p=6948#comments

I can see now how wrong he was. He is no Blake Lewis. I think I said that because of the argyle sweater and hair. Not because of the voice. The voice was stunning, even then. (He sang LIVING ON A PRAYER.)

He says he is a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma in the audition clip. Why did I think he came from Missouri?

But here it comes. I feel a fandom coming on…..!

Izzy on March 27, 2008 at 7:48 pm
25

I plan on going and doing some purchasing over on Itunes, I love what David Cook has been doing lately.

HAve a question for any tech minded folks. Are these in MP4 or MP3 format? Last year I purchased Carrie’s version of Stand By You after the IGB event and it is in MP4 format and won’t download to my MP3 player. THis upsets me. Any way to convert or get some help? Please.? Thanks in advance.

JoviQueen on March 27, 2008 at 7:54 pm
26

*Dances*

Go Cook! Go Cook! Go Cook!

I’ve loved David since the beginning and I just LOVE all the praise he’s getting this week. It feels so good when someone you support starts turning heads. lol

dreamr on March 27, 2008 at 7:56 pm
27

No comment…feeling way to bitter at the moment!

ShellyShular on March 27, 2008 at 7:59 pm
28

JoviQueen:
I use a program called WMA MP3 Converter by Xilisoft to convert WMAs and M4As to MP3. You can try googling that…or you might find it on download.com.

I use a “trial” version, but it doesn’t seem to have a time limit. It just makes me click a button between each file that I’m converting. Unless I’m converting like a ton of files at once (which I never am lol), it’s not a problem. lol

dreamr on March 27, 2008 at 7:59 pm
29

How great for David. I hope he’s getting some cut from the sales.

GirlyGirl45 on March 27, 2008 at 8:27 pm
30

#5, I heard Ryan say that about the regular charts too. Maybe we misunderstood?

I don’t get why Rickey’s numbers are so different from MJ’s though either. His numbers don’t have any season 7 idols anywhere near top 10. Done over a different time period maybe?

laureldj on March 27, 2008 at 8:28 pm
31

Does anyone know if the singer’s are getting a cut of the sales?

laureldj on March 27, 2008 at 8:28 pm
32

Izzy – you thought he was from Missouri because he is. His residence at the time of auditioning for AI was Tulsa, but he grew up in Blue Springs, Missouri and graduated from Central Missouri State Univ. (I think that’s the right college).

Rickey, how did you get this screenshot? I’m really curious. I have no doubt that these tracks are selling well, but that well?? Hmmm. That would be insane, but great. And, I hope the contestants are getting some compensation for these sales, too.

I have all of DCook’s tracks from iTunes and they are 100% love. He has a fantastic recording voice.

It’s amazing watching him transform into a star, right before our eyes. As long as BJ isn’t his AI peak, I will be happy.

SarahW on March 27, 2008 at 8:29 pm
33

Excellent! So happy for him and all of David Cook’s fans.

meddie on March 27, 2008 at 8:34 pm
34

joviqueen – itunes will download as mp4 or whatever annoying format apple has that won’t work on other mp3 players…i make them mp3 by burning them onto cd and then ripping them using windows media player. it’s a pain but finding converter software w/o paying or getting major virus scare is even more of a pain!

michelle on March 27, 2008 at 8:36 pm
35

OH, and DCook’s solo album analog heart is somehow still up on amazon if you’re interested in tossing some more cash david’s way thankfully those are just plain mp3. i don’t expect it to stay up for long…

michelle on March 27, 2008 at 8:39 pm
36

Very, very happy for David C.!!! He’s picked the best songs each week, and deserves to be at #1. His voice is incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sweetangel1051 on March 27, 2008 at 8:57 pm
37

The Idol songs are climbing steadily.

#11 Michael Johns — We are the Champions
#12 David Archuleta — You’re the Voice

Billie Jean still #1

Rickey on March 27, 2008 at 9:01 pm
38

Impressive!

But is this the first week they decided to include Idols singles for the main chart?

heavyblow on March 27, 2008 at 9:03 pm
39

This info is not available on iTunes anywhere that I can find. It must be that you have to figure out a trick to bringing up those results…something not very obvious.

onthebubble on March 27, 2008 at 9:20 pm
40

To SarahW @ #32: Thanks for the background info.

I feel myself slipping in too deep with someone on AI. I hate when this happens!

SOMEONE above referred to MJ’s American Idol blog. (I presume this is the one that says as a sub-heading: “I love this cheesy show.”) The poster above referred to MJ as a him. MJ is a him? Hah. I don’t know why I thought of MJ as a her!

Izzy on March 27, 2008 at 9:28 pm
41

MJ is a HER

Rickey on March 27, 2008 at 9:41 pm
42

Oh, I found the trick. It’s almost too easy.

onthebubble on March 27, 2008 at 9:51 pm
43

hmm, could anyone be so kind as to point out to me how you get the popularity listing that rickey has posted?

the idol songs don’t show up on the itunes top 100 for me. is there some specific search term i need to type in, then search for popularity?

DCook is taking oveeeeerrrrrr <3

trendy on March 27, 2008 at 9:55 pm
44

Click “Complete My album” under Quicklinks.

onthebubble on March 27, 2008 at 10:03 pm
45

Hi greennj!!

aprylette on March 27, 2008 at 10:15 pm
46

when i click complete my album it doesnt do that at all.. anyone know how to view those charts??

so happy for david cook, i think he’s greatttt loved him from the start

carolyn on March 27, 2008 at 10:18 pm
47

RICKEY– Thanks for letting me know I was right about MJ. I rarely get things right so I have to hold on to all the “right” things I can get!

Those who can… Cook!

Izzy on March 27, 2008 at 10:19 pm
48

the complete my album link does not do that for me either.

could someone who knows give us a pointer? rickey? anyone?

trendy on March 27, 2008 at 10:26 pm
49

No kidding? It doesn’t? In the top half of my screen it shows that I “don’t have any eligible albums for complete my album” and in the bottom half of my screen it has a tabbed listing in which the first tab is “Today’s Top Songs.”

onthebubble on March 27, 2008 at 10:26 pm
50

P.S. I am using iTunes version 7.6.1.9 for Windows, which I just downloaded yesterday.

onthebubble on March 27, 2008 at 10:27 pm
51

‘Those who can… Cook!’
lol aw i love that Izzy!

[and i don't think we've 'met'.
hah, cyber-introductions...]

trendy on March 27, 2008 at 10:28 pm
52

onthebubble:
i guess i’ll just have to take your word for it- i just went and downloaded the update you mentioned, and still i’ve got nothing.

it’s as if the bottom tabbed listing just doesn’t appear on mine. instead of the split-screen top and bottom, i’ve only got a full screen. how bizzare!
thanks for your help though =]

trendy on March 27, 2008 at 10:52 pm
53

To Trendy # 51:
Has anyone ever truly met an adopted screen name?!

But glad you like the Cook Phrase. I can take the heat and I want to be in his kitchen…. !

Izzy on March 27, 2008 at 10:52 pm
54

ahhh, thanks onthebubble…it works for me, wonder why everyone’s itunes is acting differently?

i still wonder what timespan these sales are over…like are they last 24 hrs, last 7 days…?

michelle on March 27, 2008 at 10:59 pm
55

Izzy:
How true…but I feel at least now we are introduced!

Always happy to meet a fellow DCook fan.
…He’s kind of getting me way to captivated
and fangirly whenever he’s onstage every week- but I love it. <3

trendy on March 27, 2008 at 11:03 pm
56

Izzy ~ Love the catch-phrases. I’m with you – let me in the kitchen!

Daisy on March 27, 2008 at 11:09 pm
57

Michelle- I’m guessing the timespan might be just the last 24 hours, since it says “Today’s Top Songs”.

onthebubble on March 28, 2008 at 12:01 am
58

This is so harcore. Loves it.

-ewgs
http://www.xanga.com/ewgs
idol judging

ewgs on March 28, 2008 at 1:27 am
59

oh gosh, duuuhhh thx onthebubble

michelle on March 28, 2008 at 3:01 am
60

I don’t understand it. I don’t see one “cocky” (their word, not mine) fan here on Rickey’s David Cook thread. Why does this have to be turned into a you vs them thing? Can’t someone be praised for a great performance? Why can’t the man be given his due?

When did the announcement that David Archuleta was the presumptive winner go out? Did AI send e-mails out to say as much? This is not a knock against him. I just must have missed the moment where the show turned into “American Archuleta” and Friends. There have been many contestants up on the stage that want to win and have the opportunity to do with the right mixture of perfomance, singing quality, personality and fan connection. No one turned it into the Melinda Show last year even though it was supposed to be a given that she had the best voice. So much for that. It’s not fair to the contestants to presume the spotlight shines in only one direction. Let them all have their moment in the sun. You would want it if you were up there, singing for your life. You don’t think Chikeze said “Hey, I’ll sing this song tonight because this show is really all about ______” (insert favorite here). No. They ALL want to win. Competition is what this show is. Not a campfire singalong!

As for the complaints about David Cook singing covers, I have to ask: what do you think they are ALL singing? Until this becomes “Original Songs American Idol,” they are all covers of some artist who got there first. What the judges are asking for is the contestant to embrace the essence of the song, eat it up alive and spit it out to the audience with a passion as if it were the last song to be sung in the universe. We’re not trying to forget Celine Dion or Jeff Buckley or Leonard Cohen or Stephanie Mills or Luther Vandross, Chris Cornell, or even Michael Jackson. We know they’re out there and they’ve made recordings and made money from their recordings. These contestants are out there showing how they would entertain and record and creating a relationship with their audience. They’re not out to to steal a version. If that were the case, copy right laws would prevent ANY song from being covered on American Idol.

You don’t have to begrudge another artist’s success in any given week. You may have a favorite but that doesn’t make every other contestant up there target practice. Why can’t they all get their props when props are due?

Izzy on March 28, 2008 at 4:04 am
61

how does anyone get to see the song list on the charts?

Help?

totallyme on March 28, 2008 at 5:49 am
62

Sorry for mistaking MJ for a he. Bad assumption from someone who goes to a “feminist” women’s college. I could lose my card for that!

Not giving away the secret?

That’s ok — I’d rather come here to find out than do it myself anyway.

laureldj on March 28, 2008 at 9:03 am
63

Amen Izzy!!! Some of these Archie fans are just over the top (and a few are quite a bit scary in their pedophiliac-tinged rantings…..) They bash David Cook because they know that he probably presents the only real challenge to their boy wonder becoming the next AI.

uktwirl on March 28, 2008 at 9:18 am
64

Izzy… what are you rambling on about?

heavyblow on March 28, 2008 at 9:21 am
65

I just tried looking at “Complete my album” on the computer where I use iTunes to sync w/my iPod, and discovered I couldn’t see the lower half of the screen w/the charts like I could on my other computer. The only difference is that I have albums to complete on this computer…whereas the other computer just has a clean install of itunes with no songs, hence no albums to complete. By the way, Rickey might be getting his info some other way, because his charts say “weekly sales” (i.e., not just “today’s” top songs).

onthebubble on March 28, 2008 at 10:03 am
66

Izzy, you had a true Sally Field moment up there in #60. *high five*!

laff on March 28, 2008 at 10:05 am
67

Izzy:

i couldn’t agree more. i was having a similar problem with a few other fans over in the comments of the ‘itunes top 20 and weekly charts’ post. it just seems like a few fans find it their duty to never ever say a single positive thing about anyone else or it’s like they’d be disowning their favorite.

we’re trying to be respectful… i hope others can see that and do the same!

trendy on March 28, 2008 at 10:30 am
68

Izzy, that #60 was awesome! I need some water….

GwendolynD on March 28, 2008 at 11:03 am
69

hear hear, #60!

for all this flap over covers of covers, everyone seems to have forgotten that david a’s own breakout performance, imagine, was most likely an uncredited eva cassidy cover. but i’m not gonna go into any of archie’s fan threads and yell about it, cause it really isn’t a big deal. ehhhh ::shrug::

michelle on March 28, 2008 at 1:53 pm
70

Wow that’s incredible! Good for him!

s0x_prisoner on March 28, 2008 at 3:04 pm
71

Yes, Izzy @ #60!! Yes!!

And how true @ #69, michelle!

aprylette on March 28, 2008 at 6:51 pm
72

Laurel: No need to apologize for your confusion. I was confused too. It was just as risky for me to presume MJ is a woman. I could also lose my good standing in the card-carrying progressive feminist club myself for making gender presumptions! I should know better.

Thanks for the support from
UKTWIRL, LAFF (do you mean a “you like me, you really really like me!” moment or a NORMA RAE standing on the table, fist-raised union protest moment?!), TRENDY, GWENDOLEN D, MICHELLE and APRYLETTE (and anyone else who nodded along but was too shy to post).

HEAVYBLOW– Here’s another presumption I should not make but… It’s Friday and I’m feeling liberated. When you ask what I am “rambling about,” should I hear the snark in your online voice or did I miss your genuine zing?

I’m rambling in the Cook Thread. Where it belongs. Those thoughts were posted after I read all of the comments posted in the Archuleta thread sent last night. I respected the sanctity of that area and did not insert my comments there. I’m not one to divide and conquer. This is silly. They are singers. Not rival religious or political factions. This is not even a Hatfied vs McCoy long-standing family feud. Seriously. I love American Idol just as much as the rest of the Rickey Crew. I try not to get in too deep to one contestant. It’s happened before and I don’t want to ever get so attached that someone else’s life becomes more important than my own for the next few months!

That being said: I think David Cook has that intangible IT factor. I’m glad I have a horse in this race but I’d like him if I heard him singing down the street at the local pub. Getting to know the contestants as much as we do is the part of AI I like best. Yes, you do feel a personal commitment after watching the contestants grow and change week after week. BUT… this is a contest and a SHOW.. not reality. We don’t know them (unless you’re a true family member). We say we love them and we fight for them and cry for them and laugh with them but they are only contestants on a screen. Getting splattered against a wall for saying Cook’s star is rising is really insane. Again: I did not get the memo that told the world this was Archuleta’s or Carly Smithson’s or any other contestant’s show. If we are to believe the votes are counted and the voting is NOT manipulated, then let the singers sing and compete and let them all get the attention and spotlight they deserve. I respect others’ opinions and I hope they treat mine with equal dignity.

That’s all.

Izzy on March 28, 2008 at 7:43 pm
73

Izzy, I meant any Sally Field movie moment when she breaks into one of her long, dramatic, triumphant monologues, lol.

laff on March 28, 2008 at 11:23 pm
74

Laff: yup, I’m writing long. Hopefully not too long. Or boring.

I know one post is not representative of a group but one poster in the You’re the Voice Archuleta thread (#72, I think) said (stupidly, of course) that David Cook fans are “ugly” and will die “tragically.” (This is the sort of flaming comments that bring me down when I come online to dish AI talk. No one else called the poster on it either, so either it’s considered funny or cute or both. To what length are people in denial about the merits of someone’s future career as pop star. Making death wishes against another contestant’s fans for that? Is that what Archueta is all about? I don’t think so. Like his voice if you choose and make him your star…but igsnay on death fantasies of Cook fans. Wow. So out of hand!

Not taking this stuff seriously, Poster?
Come on. Stop this nonsense.

Izzy on March 29, 2008 at 2:40 am
75

Izzy – Even though that post you mention sounds like it came from a teenager, I wouldn’t put it past 1 of the older fans in the Archuleta adoration club to make that comment based on the thread-hopping onto David Cook topics for the purpose of spewing vitriol. You won’t find many of David Cook admirers over on any Archuleta-focused thread & even when Archuleta performed just fairly on You’re The Voice, there was no brow-beating of this kid in his fan space, by David Cooks’ peeps. He had a not-so-great-night & we generally don’t believe in ‘rubbing it in & we didn’t. We prefer embracing the ascending success of our own.;)

But the jealousy displayed by several extreme Archuleta fans have prompted them to reveal their less than stellar sides. This is rather striking considering their affection is for a very young guy who seems to be of good character, therefore I am certain he would frown on statements that support causing harm to another fan! Some fellow Archuleta fan should have neutralized that vile statement lest they appear petty & silly.

In a heated competition as this has NOW become, we’re all experiencing the underbelly of extreme fanaticism from a few, however at it’s mildest.

aprylette on March 29, 2008 at 11:38 am
76

Izzy – so much word to those posts!! Thank you for that.

And you’re welcome for the background info. I’ve apparently let myself get too invested in a contestant on this d@mn show, once again. Heh.

Oh yeah – as Rickey said, MJ the blogger is a she. But I’ve seen some fans starting to refer to Michael Johns as MJ as well, just because it’s easier, I guess. Kinda like I refer to David Cook as DC or DCook sometimes, maybe. So maybe that’s what got you confused??

SarahW on March 29, 2008 at 6:57 pm
77

3 songs on there!
go david cook!

LCMdanca94 on April 21, 2008 at 7:21 am