Interesting article about recording contracts that Idols receive:
Quote:Idol' moves toward lower payouts for runners-up
. . .
If Sanchez is given an album deal following the show, she will receive the same $175,000 bonus that Lauren Alaina was paid after placing second in the show's 10th season. But 19 Recordings Inc., which has the option to handle the albums and recordings of Idol contestants for several years after they appear on the show, has replaced a guaranteed album deal for the runner-up with a staggered "Development Period" that requires less music and pays out less in advances.
Sanchez could be paid as little as $30,000 if she is asked to perform four single songs, or $60,000 if she records an "EP" of between four and 10 songs. . . .
http://tv.yahoo.com/news/idol-moves-towa...10140.html
I wonder if the standard version of the Listen Up! album was contractual constrained in a way that limited it to ten songs. The article notes that music sales are becoming more oriented toward single songs rather than albums (makes since given the iTunes model). In that case Haley should do well since so many of the songs are good.
There are a lot of albums where I'm only interested in a couple of songs and buying a CD has sometimes felt like a fleecing -- but not any more since I download most of my music. Generally I'll take the A-sides à la carte, but in the case of Listen Up! give me the whole meal.
