Idol Invigorates Country Charts

Noah Thompson (above), who won the latest season of ABC’s American Idol, scores his first No. 1 on the Country Digital Song Sales chart with “One Day Tonight.” The track by the 20-year-old from Louisville, Ky., sold 11,000 downloads in the week ending May 26, according to Luminate, after the show’s season finale aired May 22. Plus, Tennessee native HunterGirl, who was the runner-up, jumps to No. 2 with “Red Bird” (9,900).

Meanwhile, 2011 Idol champ Scotty McCreery earns his seventh Country Airplay top 10 as “Damn Strait” climbs 11-9 (15.6 million audience impressions, up 10%). The song follows “You Time,” which became his fourth No. 1 on the chart last October. Two other former Idol contestants also move up the list: 2005 winner Carrie Underwood rises 23-22 with “Ghost Story” (5.9 million, up 2%), and 2018 third-place finalist Gabby Barrett gains 31-29 with “Pick Me Up” (3.3 million, up 10%).