Tuesday, April 22, 2008

David Cook’s CD Hits #1 at Amazon

Over the weekend a 2006 CD by David Cook, “Analog Heart,” became the #1 downloaded album on Amazon.com’s MP3 service.

But after FOX News reported the story on its website, Amazon took the listing down. However, the FOX story was full of inaccuracies and speculation that made David look like a callous manipulator. Reporter Roger Friedman wrote:
“But if ‘Analog Heart’ is now being offered officially to proper downloading
services--and not on just mysterious indie platforms--then Cook has to be behind
it. That’s a first: an album out from an ‘Idol’ contestant before the contest
has concluded. What if he doesn’t win? More importantly what happened to
‘American Idol’ simply being a competition for totally unknown or undiscovered
artists?…It was one thing when Carly Smithson (nee Hennessey) was revealed to
have released an album five years ago. Bu for Cook to have one out now, I think,
disqualifies him as a true competitor…And P.S.: Isn’t this some strange way to
get around the ‘American Idol’ contract for management and a recording
contract?…Seems like that bartender from Omaha (David) was smarter even than
wily Simon Cowell.”
And I thought FOX News was supposed to provide fair and balanced reporting…

First of all, those of you who have been reading my “Idol” reports since season three know that this is not the first time a contestant has released a CD before the end of the competition. Remember the release of the CD by Pray for the Soul of Betty featuring Constantine Maroulis? And what about Half Past Forever featuring Chris Sligh? Taylor Hicks’ indie CDs were also released at different outlets during the show.

Second of all, we have no idea that David is behind this release. This could be the work of the indie studio that recorded it. And the proper downloading service? How do we know that Amazon didn’t pursue this so they could get a piece of the iTunes action?

Third, if this was a violation of the “Idol” contract, it wouldn’t happen--period. David is not going to do anything to jeopardize his chances of getting a major deal out of this.

And finally, the humble David I have seen over these past few weeks does not strike me as the master manipulator Mr. Friedman makes him out to be.

Personally, I think there’s a way more important question here. Does anyone else find it unusual that the report that started all the hub-bub that eventually caused Amazon to take down the listing was from FOX News?

Coincidence? I doubt it.

I’m just mad I didn’t get to it before it was taken down…