AMERICAN IDOL - LAMBERT'S UNRELEASED CD ALREADY A HIT

LAMBERT'S UNRELEASED CD ALREADY A HIT

Demonstrating once again that the mini-industry that has formed around the American Idol TV contest does not depend on first-place winners, season eight's runner-up contestant Adam Lambert's new album has shot to second place on Amazon.com's sales list -- behind Barbra Streisand's new jazz album, Love Is the Answer. But whereas Streisand's album was released on Tuesday of this week, Lambert's isn't scheduled for release until November 24 -- and his label, RCA Records, made no official announcement that the CD could be pre-ordered, suggesting that the Amazon sales were instigated entirely by word-of-mouth. The Lambert CD has moved ahead of new and upcoming CDs from Madonna, the Beatles and Susan Boyle. A single from the album, "Time for Miracles," is expected to be released this month. Meanwhile, American Idol winner Kris Allen's first single, "Live Like We're Dying," has made only a so-so debut; his first album is due to be released on November 17.

01/10/2009