THIS IS MY NOW - JORDIN SPARKS/BLAKE LEWIS
The retail universe has dramatically changed from one year ago, where “American Idol” victory songs were carefully controlled by physical release — all but ensuring their debut at the top of The Billboard Hot 100. Because of hastily recorded studio versions of weekly performances this year, all tracks are available for download, including “This Is My Now,” the chosen melodic champ for winner Jordin Sparks and runner-up Blake Lewis, which bows on the Hot 100 at Nos. 15 and 18, respectively. While mainstream press reviews for the melodramatic ballad have been unkind — and so far, airplay seems scant — Sparks soars like an eagle with a consummate performance, while Lewis flaps his wings hard with an admittedly misfit tune. Meanwhile, the intriguing historic query remains to be seen: Do radio and a weary audience care about propelling TV’s No. 1 reality pageant into another chart-topper? Billboard
