Clarkson, TV’s ‘Idol’ Winner, Has No. 1 Single

Television star Kelly Clarkson is now officially a pop star. The winner of the “American Idol” talent competition leaps from the airwaves to the top spot on the singles chart this week with her ballad “Before Your Love,” which sold 236,000 copies in its debut week. The Fox network show was followed rabidly by millions, and more “Idol”-related events are on tap in coming weeks: A full album by the 20-year-old Clarkson, and a disc and concert tour featuring the “American Idol” finalists.

On the album chart, the grim hard rock of Disturbed takes over the top spot, with the Chicago band’s “Believe” debuting at No. 1 with 284,000 copies sold during the week that ended Sunday, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Disturbing Tha Peace, an Atlanta hip-hop collective, scored the second-highest debut with “Golden Grain,” which sold 95,000 copies to rank No. 6. The other top 10 debuts were by Lifehouse’s “Stanley Climbfall” at No. 7 and Kenny G’s “Paradise” at No. 9. The other positions in the top 10 are held by, in order, Dixie Chicks, Avril Lavigne, Nelly, Eminem, Norah Jones and Toby Keith.

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