http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2008/01/t...inner.html
It seems winning American Idol is no guarantee that you'll actually keep your major label deal. Just before Christmas, rumors began circulating that season 2's Ruben Studdard, who released three albums for J Records since 2003 (the latest, 2006's The Return, to modest sales), had been dropped. (Studdard continues his management contract with 19 Entertainment.) Now the Hollywood Insider hears that season 5 winner Taylor Hicks has also lost his J Records deal. "Taylor is going to record his next album on his own," said a label rep. "He is no longer on the J Records roster." Back in March 2007, we wrote about Hicks' performance on the charts and later analyzed several more Idol hits and misses. What does this mean for the latest winner, Jordin Sparks? Or, with season 7 kicking off on January 15, the franchise's star-making power?
Can't wait to read the feedback on this.
I'm a little mixed but mostly...
I just gotta 
Just read this myself. Very interesting. I would hope he would make a statement about this himself at some point. I think this is a good thing. He definitely needs our support more than ever.
I do agree that if this is true he needs to do a press release. Who better to support him than his loyal fans in the northeast! Bring it on!
I truely believe he is better off on his own.I think he has a VERY loyal
fan base and large enough also to make him very successful.I will not worry about him and I do hope he makes some kind of statement.
Interesting news. We keep hearing that the record business is not good right now, but how many other J Records artists sold 700,000 copies in 2007?
Of course it could be the best thing that ever happened to Taylor.
New England Soul Productions
Are we ready to roll?
Maybe I am dense but how is this the best thing for Taylor?
If he has a not record label is he not where he was before Idol?
Prior to Idol he recorded two albums on his own which were awesome; yes I love pre-Idol Taylor tunes! However they did not sell until he got the exposure of Idol.
My fear is that recording it on his own he will have to peddle it just as he did the two pre-Idol CD's.
You all know I love him dearly and will do anything I can to help his career but I just do not see the positive in this one so please 'splain.
grimsby -
For one he's got a ready-built nationwide fanbase that he did not have before that are willing to go above and beyond the call of duty. He has more money to invest in his career now than he had before. He can take more chances and be free to tour and record as he pleases. J-Records did nothing for him, so why bother letting them receive a cut of something they did absolutely nothing to promote.
Anyone got more positives?
"Taylor is going to record his next album on his own," said a label rep.
Rather like the way that is stated . . . . but not going to get too excited yet
Not exactly the first time we've been down this road with this.
Anyone remember a certain radio station - in Seattle wasn't it - at the end of the Spring tour.
Or the whispers this summer that Taylor was trying to buy out his contract.
There were media people saying immediately after the Rueben story broke that
Taylor would be next even though his sales far exceed others in the stable.
Those are just the recent ones that pop into my mind without any effort.
Guess I prefer my news to be actual news before I comment on it. So will wait and see.
Yes, good points.
However he received, by his own admission, advances on record sales, which the way I understand advances is if you do not earn the money you owe it back.
Secondly he had a contract for three albums; so if the contract has been absolved but mutual agreement some type of monetary concessions must have been made. (Pure conjecture on my part based on knowledge of contract law)
I agree completely that his CD was poorly promoted, not to mention the tour. Actually I am appalled at the lack of promotion the CD & tour received from the machine.
Furthermore I agree that they did not earn as large a take from Taylor's work as they got.
Also read somewhere that Elliot formed his own label & gets industry record setting 50% of all his CD's. Maybe Taylor will follow suit....