•As of March 2007, "Idol" contestants have sold 10 million singles and 23 million albums since the show debuted in 2002, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

•Commercial singles by "Idol" winners generally sell between 200,000-300,000 or more in the first week, according to Billboard

•Season 3 is the season with the most charted finalists (seven), followed by Season 5 (with six)

•Through Season 5, twenty-five "Idol" singers in all appeared on a Billboard chart (26 if you count audition reject William Hung)

•As of April 2007, at least seven "Idol" alumni are affiliated with Nashville labels: Carrie Underwood, Josh Gracin, Kimberley Locke, Kellie Pickler, Bucky Covington, Mandisa, and Carmen Rasmusen.

•Eight albums from “Idol” competitors have gone Platinum (two each by Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken, one each by Carrie Underwood, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino and Chris Daughtry).

•Five “Idol” competitors have had No. 1 singles: one each from Clarkson, Aiken, Barrino, Underwood and Taylor Hicks

•Five consecutive “Idol” finalists have had the best-selling single of the year

•Clarkson has had the biggest-selling album of all “Idol” winners (Breakaway), at more than 5.7 million copies

•Studdard has had the biggest seller in its debut week (Soulful), with 416,500 copies

•2006: Carrie Underwood became the first solo female artist to have the No. 1 album of the year since 1996

•2007: Underwood became the first female country artist to achieve four No. 1 singles from her debut album

•Taylor Hicks had the best-selling title of 2006 with "Do I Make You Proud" / "Takin' It to the Streets", the fifth consecutive time an "Idol" finalist has had the best-selling single of the year.

•Runner-up Katharine McPhee had the second best-selling single of 2006 with "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" / "My Destiny".

•The American Idols tour gross doubled from $8 million to $16 million from the first year to the second, and grossed a best-yet $35 million in 2006

•All told, five Idols tours have grossed nearly $90 million and moved more than 2 million tickets

(Sources: Billboard: Chart Beat Chat; 26 January 2007; Billboard: 'American Idol' Yields Chart-Toppers, Grammy Winners And Oscar Honorees; 24 March 2007; Billboard: AMERICAN IDOL: THE 'AMERICAN' WAY; 20 January 2007; Great American Country: Carrie Underwood Scores Fourth No. 1; April 13, 2007; http://www.gactv.com/gac/nw_headlines/article/0,,GAC_26063_5480401,00.html; Billboard: Nashville Label Snaps Up Another Former 'AI'; 14 April 2007; Billboard: Chart Beat; 18 January 2007; E! Entertainment: Idol Back for Round Six; 6 Nov 2006 02:43:11 PM PST)