Got a few “American Idol” fans on your Christmas list? Haven’t been able to figure out just what to get them? Well, several of the artists that have graduated from America’s No. 1 show released albums in the past year, so a wish list of albums released in 2011 just might help you check off at least a few of those “Idol” fans (“a few” because if they’re avid “Idol” fans, they just might have all the albums released by alums this past year).
From most recent to oldest:
Daughtry: Break The Spell — The Season 5 fourth-place finalist released his third album on Nov. 21. It’s standard Daughtry, part rocker, part balladeer. Bound to go just as platinum as the band’s first two albums.
Watch Daughtry’s “Crawling Back To You” video.
James Durbin: Memories of a Beautiful Disaster — The Season 10 finalist — who also happened to finish in fourth place — released his first album the same day as Daughtry. Durbin brought heavy metal to the “American Idol” stage and his album thus far seems to reflect a hair metal vibe.
Kelly Clarkson: Stronger — The Season 1 winner said she felt that this was her best album yet. It debuted strong at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, already favored with a Top 10 single, “Mr. Know It All.” Released on Oct. 24, Will Clarkson’s fifth album be the first to go platinum since her second, Breakaway (did so six times)?
Lauren Alaina: Wildflower — “American Idol” judge Steven Tyler’s favorite artist from Season 10 dropped her first album on Oct. 11 and saw it debut at No. 5 on the Billboard 200.
Scotty McCreery: Clear As Day — The Season 10 winner looks as if he’s going to have a successful career. His first album, released on Oct. 4, debuted at No. 1 (making him the youngest to do so with a first album in the Nielsen SoundScan Era) and has sold half a million copies to date.
David Cook: This Loud Morning — This Season 7 winner seemed to take forever to release his sophomore album, but he finally got around to it on June 28. The album debuted at No. 7.
Jennifer Hudson: I Remember Me — Following on the heels of a deal with Weight Watchers, Oscar-winning J-Hud released her much anticipated second album. She and her sveldt self debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Not bad for a seventh-place finalist (Season 3).
These weren’t all of the “American Idol” alumni that released albums this year — just some the bigger names and three of the Season 10 finalists. But they will do as a starter list.
See more American Idol 2011 album suggestions for Christmas.
Of course, you could go hard core and give out some of the many “Idol” Christmas albums that are available from David Archuleta, Katharine McPhee, Elliot Yamin, Clay Aiken, and others.
