news article 16 december

[Inside Australian Idol]

Guy rewrites history
December 16, 2003


AS Guy Sebastian gets set for his spot on World Idol in London, back home he is dominating the charts in a record way.


Guy Sebastian and Kelly Clarkson

Sebastian's album Just As I Am stormed to the top of the charts as predicted, selling 163,000, according to sources.

This has never been done in the history of the ARIA charts in just one week.

It shipped 350,000 copies from record company BMG, which means it has gone five-time platinum in one week.

To put this in perspective, Powderfinger's hit album Vulture Street has also gone five-times platinum, but it was in the charts for 23 weeks.

Sebastian's rise to the top of the charts has come at Delta Goodrem's expense, with her album Innocent Eyes falling to No. 2 after spending 27 weeks at No. 1.

It will be interesting to see if Goodrem can reclaim top spot in the next couple of weeks.

She is now up to 910,000 sales, so that magical one million mark is very close.

Sebastian's single Angels Brought Me Here is No. 1 for the third week in a row, with Goodrem's Predictable at No. 2 for the second week.

Australian Idol runner-up Shannon Noll's cover of What About Me went to radio yesterday and will be released in early January.

Herald Sun

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[Inside Australian Idol]

Guy just zooms to top spot
Emma Chalmers, entertainment reporter
16dec03

LESS than a month after he was launched as Australia's newest pop act, Guy Sebastian has made a stunning debut at the top of the music charts.

Yesterday, the national ARIA charts revealed the Australian Idol winner's debut album Just As I am had reached the No.1 spot after only a week with sales of more than 400,000 and five times platinum accreditation.

It took Brisbane band Powderfinger's album Vulture Street 22 weeks to reach equivalent sales.

Just As I am's success ousted pop princess Delta Goodrem's Innocent Eyes album from the No.1 spot, where it has sat for an Australian record of 27 weeks.









Sebastian's debut single, Angels Brought Me was also at No.1 spot on the singles charts this week with 350,000 sales.

Sebastian celebrated his ARIA win in London where, overnight, he competed in the World Idol contest, which will be telecast on Channel 10 on Boxing Day.

Channel 10 announced yesterday that Elton John would perform at the World Idol final results show, which will be staged in London on New Year's Day.

Grundy Television, the maker of Australian Idol, has revealed plans are under way for Idol 2, with auditions to be held nation-wide in April next year.

Idol hopefuls will be invited to register online in January to help streamline the audition process, which last year attracted 10,000 people.


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