Clarkson was the first winner on the US TV show American Idol, and this was released as her first single after she performed the song on the show. In a sign of American Idol would influence the music industry, the song broke the record for the biggest jump to #1 in the history of the US Hot 100 chart when it soared 52-1 on the week of October 5, 2002. The record had been held for 37 years by the Beatles. In April 1964, "Can't Buy Me Love" rose from 27-1. Clarksons record was beaten in 2007 by Maroon 5's "It Makes Me Wonder," which went 64-1.
Jorgen Elofsson, who has written songs for many Pop acts including Westlife and Britney Spears, wrote this with John Reid of the House music act Nightcrawlers. The song was written specifically for the show, with lyrics about achieving a dream. Each of the American Idol finalists recorded the song in case they won. Clarkson took the prize over Justin Guarini with 58% of the vote.
This was the biggest selling single in the USA in 2002. It was not released in the UK.
In December 2006, this song was recorded by Leona Lewis, the winner of series 3 of the British reality show The X Factor. Her single set a record for the fastest-selling UK download when this shifted 50,000 copies in its first half hour of release and sold 571,000 copies in its first week, taking it to the top of the chart. Despite not being released until December 20, it ended the year as the UK's second best selling single, beaten only by Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy." (thanks, Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England, for all above) |
