American Idol 2011 Winner Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina Sign With Mercury Nashville

June 1, 2011 Matt Boyer American Idol, Season 10 138

Well that didn’t take long at all. Scotty McCreery, the winner of American Idol 2011, and runner-up Lauren Alaina have both signed with Mercury Nashville, a label under Universal Music Group, according to an ad placed in yesterday’s Billboard Country Update.

Mercury Nashville boasts the quick successes of both artists:

“I Love You This Big” already over 173,000 digital downloads. Scotty has highest debut for a brand new artist’s first single since the chart converted to BDS data in 1990. 32* DEBUT, 3.1 million audience impressions in only 4 days of airplay.

“Like My Mother Does” already over 124,000 digital downloads.”

Nearly 300,000 downloads between the two of them in the past week is pretty impressive, but it’s hard to imagine McCreery getting the largest single debut for a new artist in over twenty years. I guess when you’re standing on the shoulders of American Idol anything is possible.

You can still download Scotty’s and Lauren’s albums and singles. Did you already contribute to their sales records?

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137 Comments

  1. Great! I’ve had my fingers crossed for Scotty since auditions. Couldn’t happen to a nicer kid.

    • I think Jaycee is a nicer kid…..it could happen to him…..so, I think it actually COULD happen to a nicer kid….

      One that Scotty didn’t backstab in a moment of weakness

      • Scotty didnot backstab anyone. watch the video where kid with owl glasses backstabbed Jaycee…Scotty apologized …when 24 were picked by judges….saying he should have stepped in and stood up for Jaycee…

      • So, he’s a good kid because he felt bad and apologized? I don’t get it…. he didn’t stand up for him — which to me is equivalent to all of them backstabbing them in the whole group…..

      • Then dont blame it solely on Scotty. He said he was sorry he didnt stand up for Jaycee. What else do you expect from him?????? Looking back on the tape, Scotty was not even standing near owl eyes and probably didnt even hear was was going on until Jaycee was dismissed

      • Scotty said in an interview that he wasn’t in the room when this initially happened. Also, he was 16 at the time and he was also looking for a spot. What do you expect a 16 year old to do…he was in over his head himself. Also…look at that man that he was to say he was sorry. The others didn’t. He won me over even more that day.

      • Bahoo2ooo…is affected by arrested development….disrespect is his/her life goal…so sitting at a computer making rude remarks, is a way of life for it….just consider the source and ignore stupidity

      • I never heard Scotty disrespect (or backstab) Jaycee or anyone else. In fact, he is the ONLY one of that whole group that stood up and appologized for not standing up for Jaycee when he was turned away. And good Old bahloo wants to put Scotty down of all people. Scotty is neither my favorite singer or performer. But, that is the moment I realized his charector is above most others on American Idol.

      • Unique yes? Unick? Probably not, voice is WAY too low for that……

        Now Durbin? Perhaps……ha!

      • No way is Scotty unique. Just need to listen to Randy Travis, Jeff Bates, Trace Adkins, Josh Turner…. THEY have unique deep awesome voices. Nice voice, but in no way is he unique.

    • I agree Cecil…especially if she crosses over to country/rock…
      is that still a term used nowadays?

      • Well…just wait and see what happens…if votes given during the program are an indicator for album sales…then I guess Scotty is the winner. Fans are loving him at his appearances thus far…for that matter…Lauren, too.

    • Lorene, I very much agree. While Lauren has a pleasant voice, there is nothing that unique about her and she is not that exciting of a performer.. I certainly do not see her having a lot (if any) of post Idol success. Same thing with James Durbin. He is a great performer, has a good voice, but nothing unique or marketable about him in the slightest.

  3. so what if they signed this contract? that doesn’t assure their success on showbiz anyway…

  4. I am so proud of these two they are both gonna go very far in the music industry I cant wait to buy there cds

    • In this world,jealous people and all those ones who
      wish him or her to fall are up there expecting the day that these wonderful kids will fail.
      For me,I love Scotty since the first time I saw him auditionning,and Lauren is very talented too.
      Dear Scotty, I wish you the best.

    • I cant wait to get one of James CD’s either
      but i still am getting Scottys and Laurens
      and wishing them great sucess and happiness for both of them.

  6. What about JAMES??? When is James signing a contract? I want to buy HIS CD, not the country bumpkin stuff!

    • dont be so rude
      they are talented and young and will do well
      so will James
      wish the best for all 3 of them

      • lannie, I swear, if you go to listen to a few of James’ iTune recordings, you just might eat those words. He sounds terrific in these in particular (which I purchased):

        * Don’t Stop Believing
        * While My Guitar Gently Weeps
        * Uprising

    • jamesdurbinofficial and haley… dot com is owned by UMG (universal music group)..contract is near….

  7. i am so happy for both of them
    and I will buy their CD’s and cant wait to hear both of them on the radio
    they will do well and I wish them luck and wishing them to do great. which I am sure they will. but I hope for them nothing but happiness and hope their dreams happen for them. Yea Scotty and Yea Lauren. go get it.

  8. Scotty will go far. He loves God no matter what happens and has given God the credit for his winning American Idol. You are a blessing, Scotty!!!!!

      • I am sure the God I believe in, is too busy looking after people more unfortunate that I

      • Hopefully one day science will be able to provide BRAIN DONORS it looks like you should be the first inline!!!!! SO SAD. HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHA

      • God is interested in every details of our lives… even in a simple singing contest or even on a karaoke show…

    • I happen to agree with american tragedy on this one…
      I don’t think God wastes time on singing contests…

      • I’m guessing he’s sort of busy too….

        I don’t think Idol plays in Heaven either, I would also think God would have not let JLo and Randy put Scotty in the Top 24…..and certainly wouldn’t have let June Bug in either.

        (just kidding ya’ll…….just kidding)

    • I am a life-long Christian who has enjoyed a lot of success in my life (including singing,)have also had some lows and experienced personal tragedies and losses of loved ones.

      Prayer and faith are wonderful and can help you through the turmoils but what helped me most was seeing that, even in the worst of times for me, there were still millions of people worse off than me.

      I neither credit God for my successes and nor do I blame him for my losses. I believe – that is my faith – just as others in this world believe in their Gods because that is their faith.

      There are many other things going on in this World for God and other various Deities to focus on than a reality singing show in the USA.

      The USA has 3.75% of the Worlds population and accounts for about 10% of the Christians in the World.

      You want reality? There it is so let’s put things in perspective when it comes to TV reality shows.

  9. Scotty and Lauren are incredible teens with great talents and a wonderful career ahead of them. So proud of them and soooo happy for them both. I personally will buy every dc they both make.

    • DC? Are they making a Scotty comic now?

      “The Adventures of Super McCreepy” and his trusty sidekick — “Mike – the Microphone”

      I can see it now — motion pictures, memorabilia, a live action movie starring Scotty — “as himself” –

      My heart is all fluttery just thinking about it…..

      • I have a hunch that your parents kick themselves every day of your life for not using protection that one time.

      • Good luck Pete! I wish you the best in life….and may the bird of paradise fly up your nose…..

  10. fantastic congratulations to Scottie and Lauren your great together .i hope to see you together as a couple soon

  12. Haley is performing on Regis and Kelly Thursday morning, check her out!

  14. can’t wait to buy SCOTTY’S CD BLESSINGS TO YOU SCOTTY AND YOUR FAMILY

  15. I m so happy for both of them, they deserve the best! Scotty is my favorite and I know he will go far.

  16. Good for them! I wish them every success.

    I have downloaded 8 of Haley’s songs and 3 of James’ from iTunes. I burned 2 CDs–have one for my kitchen and one for my car. I am in heaven!!!! Both sound absolutely fantastic.

    I have never been to and Idol tour show. But . . . I got so connected to all of them this season that I’d love to go. However, I checked the ticket costs in DC (closest to me) and wow–guess I haven’t been to a concert in a long, long time. Seats range from over $78 to a over $1600 (meet and greet pass). Good seats (not great) are $200 to $400+. I just can’t afford that kind of luxury right now. Sigh.

    Not sure if anyone else noticed, but on the Idol site there are videotaped “Diary” entries from the Top 10–talking about the upcoming tour and all answering some questions: (1) What will you change; (2)What do you feel you must take with you; (3) what city are you looking forward to seeing the most, etc. Very cute.

    • I saw those on YouTube, Pup…diaries from top 11, 8,and 7…. Also just a bunch of really cool little videos about everything and nothing.

    • I think that Haley’s “I’m Your Baby Tonight” by Whitney — is very underrated, the studio version is superb……

      • I didn’t download that one, but I will go and listen. (I didn’t think I was crazy about that one. But listening to the tunes has given me a much better appreciation for Haley’s voice. It is simply incredible. I just cannot fathom why everyone isn’t feeling it the way I do. She’s like the best thing since sliced bread!! That girl can wail!!!! I just love it.

      • Wow, I am listening to it now. I have NO memory of it being so damned good!! Wowwowowow! She’s just such a developed singer–so professional! What a sound!! The emotion in her songs is so contagious!

        I have to watch myself driving when “Call Me” or “Bennie and the Jets” is playing in my car. She just gets me moving!!!

    • If you want some videos of Haley pre-idol singing with her High School Jazz Band and the a Jazz Ensemble, there are some on You Tube and her High School Music Teacher has a website with more on it.

      She was a few months older than Scotty McCreery when she sang at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland with the High School Jazz Band and boy was she poised and professional.

      • David, I have seen them. When I first fell in love with her voice, I went looking. I found all the performances with her band. The one I loved best, though, was the one she did in 2008, sitting on her bed. The video is entitled, “Hailey Reinhart–Like A Star cover (2008).”

        Here’s the link, if Admin will allow that:

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIQWOJ2wgO0&playnext=1&list=PLFC19C620E3DB9EC7

        She’s just amazing–and so much softer in her style there, but you can still hear the rasp, jazz and blues in her. What a natural. You know, I think I like the way she speaks the lyrics in a song–both the phrasing and the styling–as much as her tone and incredible vocals.

      • @ Pup – I have that one as well but thanks for the nod, just in case I didn’t. I agree with you that is poignant.

        We taped her appearance on the Regis & Kelly show where she sung HOTRS and I would like to see some of these other “singers” start a song A cappella with perfect pitch and in key and then sing the song with just a pianist accompanying her.

        Her phrasing and ability to capture the essence of a song is incredible for a 20-year old. If you listen to all the greats, from Sinatra to Elvis to top artistes today, it is not so much the “voice” as it is their ability to have excellent phrasing and make you part of the song.

        She has that ability and, as much as I like Pia Toscano, she doesn’t have that “it” factor, despite an incredible voice.

        My wife had taped a number of Oprah’s final shows and she had Celine Dion on one of them. Celine sang Billy Joels’ “Lullaby” and was very gentle with the song and drew you into the song.

        I don’t know if you will see this but, with you, I agree that Haley will become a big star and am really looking forward to an album of hers which, based on previous Idol shows, will be sometime next year.

  17. I wish them both well but I am waiting for James & Haley’s CD and Casey’s if its jazz…….

    • me too Phyllis…
      that’s more to my liking than country…
      just my preference though

    • I think you’ll see Casey put out some singles first…….. First week without Idol, I’m getting the SHAKES!!

    • I’m happy for Scotty and Lauren, and it only makes sense that AI would promote them excessively at the moment. I really am ready for them to record/release Haley’s new single and I’m really interested to hear what her album will sound like, as well as James’, Pia’s, and Casey’s.

      I’ve enjoyed their music on iTunes, especially Haley’s. I was pleasantly surprised by the difference between the TV spin and her actual voice. Producers have a way of pushing us to see what they want us to see. When you remove the judges and just listen, it changes things entirely. BTW, she was GREAT on Regis and Kelly this morning!

      • She sang House with just a pianist and her A cappella start was pitch and key perfect.

  18. James Durbin should have won by a landslide. I recorded it so I could fast forward through Scottys smirky faces.

  19. There is nothing special or sensational about the two finalists getting recording contracts following American Idol and, in fact, it is part of the winners guarantee.

    I wish both of these kids success but the reality is that if you take the previous 9 Seasons, there are some very telling and consistent stats.

    Of the previous 18 finalists only 5 have been successful to-date so that is a success ration of 27.8% – call it 28%.

    Out of the 107 Finalists in the previous 9 Seasons, 30 have had some form of success either with records or musicals and that is also 28%.

    Now, this does not include 4 of last years finalists who may up that ratio.

    Casey James who finished 3rd last year, was one of the opening acts in March 2011 for Sugarland on their recent tour and is currently completing his debut album in Nashville, which will be a country rock album.

    Aaron Kelly (who was just 17 when he was eliminated in 5th place) is also in the finishing stages of his debut album, also a country one out of Nashville. He is being managed by the same stable that includes Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill, and Keith Urban as its’ stars.

    Siobhan Magnus released a single “Beatrice Dream” on May 1 ahead of her debut album due Oct 2011 and it is also being produced in Nashville but is more of a rock/pop album, based on the first single.

    Lacey Brown released a 5-Song EP yesterday also out of Nashville. I have listened to it and am still not sure about it but will listen again. It has a feel of Alison Krauss about the music with the unique voice that Lacey has adding a little different tone to the EP.

    Danny Gokey from Season 8 also toured with and opened for Sugarland. His debut album released last October was a Country Album that went to #3 in the Country Charts and #4 in the Billboard Charts.

    His 2nd Album is due out later this year and he is schedule to be an opening act on Taylor Swift’s Speak Now World Tour.

    So, as others have commented, having a record deal is no guarantee of success. Just ask David Archuleta, whose debut album went Gold and he won 9 Musical Awards in the 3 years following his 2nd place finish. He has no management company and neither does he have a recording contract at the moment.

    The record label that has signed Scotty and Lauren is part of the Universal Music Entertainment Group that owns Jimmy Iovine’s Interscope-Geffen-A&M Company. Sugarland, Billy Covington, Ashton Shepherd and Easton Corbin are some of the better known acts that record on the label.

    I wish them well but it will be a long, hard road in a very competitive business.

  20. @ David: Thanks for giving me a better appreciation of the complex, difficult nature of the music business. I had read all the posts on this board about AI’s success rate with contestants (whether they were Idol winners or not). But I certainly did not know the amount of detail you are sharing. That’s really interesting. Guess the contestants’ real-music world “education” is just beginning.

    I’m going to try to find Siobhan’s song on YouTube!

    Thanks again!!!

    • Hi Pup:

      I bought it on i-Tunes because they usually credit it against the future Album and I really liked Siobhan when she was on Idol.

      Make sure you watch the Official Video that her studio recorded in Nashville. The song has some of her glassblowing high notes. 🙂

      Not sure whether you liked Casey James or not but while you are on You Tube search “Casey James on tour with Sugarland” and you will find a few of his live performances on the tour.

      • I loved Casey James. I saw a recent video (during this season, I went looking for some reason). In it, he was outside, talking with looked to be a smallish group of fans. He was talking about his first release, and then began playing his guitar and launching into a song. (Can’t recall if that was the one or not, though). Sounded great.

        I wish someone would help him spruce up his hair and clothing choices. I think changes there would seriously help his image.

    • @ Pup:

      You are correct that it is an education and, in some cases, a tough love one.

      If you go back to Season 2, the 7th Placed Contestant was Kimberly Caldwell and she has just released her debut album on April 15, 2011 some 8-years later.

      The 6th placed contestant that year was Carmen Rasmussen who released her debut Country album in 2007, which I have, and it was a good album but did not sell.

      That same year, she had a book released in which she discussed upholding values, as a Mormon, while in the entertainment industry.

      She never released another album and now has two children, the youngest of which is 9-months old.

      I am sure Carmen, one of the 73% who “did not make it” will tell us that it was fun and that her life is very successful.

      Two years earlier she had married Bradley Herbert, the son of Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert

  21. james should have won… my famly bought the tour tickets the exact nite he was voted off… shuch a shame… out of the top two, lauren definetly should have won! there was so much talent this season and it really kind of went to waste! im not sayin scotty was bad, im just sayin alot, and i mean ALOT of people were much better than him this season… whose with me?! durbin should’ve had the crown and he will be much more sucessful! scotty will have his popularity in country for a while but james will DOMINATE the rock and metal charts… he just has the chris daughtry symtem! GO JAMES! YOUR TALENT WILL RISE!

  22. remember, in the long run idol is NOT about talent. it’s a popularity contest and the winner is the one who gets the most thumbs working across the keyboards of souped up cell phones. look at those who got voted off early on who could sing rings around the 2 finalists. scotty and lauren do have talent but they have a long way to go before they’re considered brilliant. let’s just see how long their record deals last. and not to worry, james, pia, and haley will sign somewhere. they’re too good to be passed over

  23. Well LateObserver this I can at least make sense of without having to DECIPHER your secret code to figure what your’e trying to say dude!!! GREAT to see you back from your TRIPPPPPP!!! Coondog was even worried about you man!

    • Brick, you didn’t make a “Reply” mistake. You just didn’t want to make LateObserver jumpy by appearing too close to him! (I’ll be lurking, but appear minimally).

      • Based on my thorough observation :).., brick did make a reply mistake. Actually I want to share a tip on how to prevent such a thing. However, I assume he has a relatively high intelligence 🙂 that I think he could handle it easily. 🙂

    • Incidentally, because recently I have felt uncomfortable with my current username, I would probably change it at the next post. You can recognize my new username by a slight notice of the content, because both of you (brick and coondog) have been familiar with my characteristic. 🙂

  25. This is the first Idol for me…I cannot believe the remarks that were made about all the contestants….not just Scotty and Lauren….hurtful things..from supposedly mature adults…like gay racial tainted remarks screamers..poledancer…fat…bitch…screecher… hick…bumpkin…and on and on….compeled to put these remarks out there and call them opinions…all music experts…feeding off of each other to compel others to respond with a nastier feedback…lt is shameful how some of you excerise your freedom of speech…most likely under an alias…then there are those who dont sit at a computer 24/7 to make sure their opinions are aired…they go to the tornado areas…flood areas..hospitals…camps for the disabled…battered kids and moms…Vets hospital…All voltuntary giving their time…without any complaining….lending helping hands…hope this post gets to some of you..and shame to others

  26. i new from the start scotty was the winner. what a great country singer. one of the best ive heard. cant wit for his album to come out. go scotty.

  27. Dear all,

    The Season has over, so why everybody still bashing the former contestant? they all have a marvelous talent, just please pay a bit more respect.

    Everybody has their own idol, no need to said something terrible to other contestant that not your idol…

    This is the show is all about, they gave you a wonderful show that allow you to pick your own idol, but not cursing to the other contestant, we are people should be united and pay others talent…

    cheers…

  28. Just watched Haley on Regis and Kelly. I really hope she is able to realize some of her dreams. She is an amazing vocalist and I loved this performance more than the studio version because it was more jazzy and sultry. And…she is beautiful!

    • I wish my best for all contestants in their future,
      Scotty always impress me during the show week after week,and I’m really glad he win AI.
      Now is time for all these young and talented contestants to present us their own style.
      I would like to see more often Scotty without Lauren,after all he is the one who win.

    • from an international global perspective Hayley appeals to a more sophisticated urban audience.

  31. That is a very pleasant suprise for the both of them buri have to say that I was with Lauren the whole time.

    • Couldn’t agree more! Love his deep voice very much and also his personality! He deserves the winning and the huge record deal!

  35. Thanks! You just helped me fix this darn door knob!!! Couldn’t figure out how to take it off.

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