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Access Atlanta > American Idol Buzz > Archives > 2008 > January > 11
Friday, January 11, 2008
1/11: Paula Abdul at the Super Bowl?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
TV Guide’s Michael Ausiello, who loves to get a scoop, wrote an exclusive that there are talks for Paula Abdul to perform at the Super Bowl Feb. 3. E! got a confirmation from Abdul’s rep.
I haven’t seen her sing in years so this would be quite a coup if it were to work out. And as noted in the story, she hasn’t released an album in 13 years. Tom Petty is the halftime entertainment. Others set to perform are Mary J. Blige and Maroon 5. It’s not clear if she’d be part of that halftime show or be one of the pre-show entertainers. She did do a song on Randy Jackson’s upcoming CD.
Jordin Sparks will sing the National Anthem. The game happens to be in Glendale, Ariz., her hometown and don’t forget, her dad was a former NFL player. (Her single “Tattoo” is currently No. 6 on the top 40 charts. Her album is at No. 44 on the Billboard Top 200. Bizarrely, the week after Christmas, Elliott Yamin’s xmas “Sounds of the Season” sold enough to jump to No. 32, not far from Daughtry at No. 26.)
And Ken Barnes at USA Today listed the top best-selling “Idol” performers to date here. The top 20 are Kelly Clarkson (9.4 mil), Carrie Underwood (7.9 mil), Clay Aiken (4.8 mil ), Daughtry (3.6 mil), Ruben Studdard (2.5 mil), Fantasia (2.3 mil), Bo Bice (706,000), Kellie Pickler (702,000), Taylor Hicks (699K) and Josh Gracin (695K), Elliott Yamin (563K), Jordin (473K), Kat (366K), Bucky (317K), Blake (286K), Kimberley Locke (231K), Diana DeGarmo (166K), Justin (143K), Tamyra (123K) and Mandisa (69K). That’s more than 35 million albums sold right there.
Top downloaded artists: 1-Kelly Clarkson (8.9 mil) 2-Carrie (5.8 mil) 3-Daughtry (4 mil) 4-Jordin (1.5 mil) 5- Elliott (1.1 mil) 6- Kat (993K) 7- Kellie (720K) 8-Fantasia (638K) 9-Blake (580K) 10- Josh (553K) 11- Bo (457K) 12-Clay (446K) 13-Taylor (330K) 14- Bucky (252K) 15- Ruben (230K) 16- Kimberley Locke (132K) 17- Diana DeGarmo (87K) 18- Mandisa (52K) 19- Melinda (38K) 20- Paris (30K)
Speaking of Diana, I spoke with her for 35 minutes yesterday, by far the longest stretch I’ve ever done so. I’ll post some of her thoughts next week and more for sure on January 25 when “Gone Country” debuts. And yes, she is serious about going country. This was not a lark for her at all as it may have been for, say, Bobby Brown or Dee Snider.
