"American Idol" winner Phillip Phillips earns the highest debut on the Digital Songs chart this week as his "Home" bows at No. 2 with 278,000 downloads sold according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Even better: It's the second-best digital sales week ever for any "Idol" contestant. Only Kelly Clarkson's 2009 song "My Life Would Suck Without You" had a bigger frame, when it debuted with 280,000 downloads.

That may come as a surprise, considering the lengthy careers -- and stellar sales -- of such successful "Idols" as Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. Underwood's best sales week for a song came in 2009, when her "I Told You So" (featuring Randy Travis) started with 125,000.

"Home" also marks the biggest sales week for any "Idol" winner's coronation single since SoundScan began tracking downloads in 2003. It surpasses David Cook's "The Time Of My Life," which debuted with 236,000 in 2008.

Phillips' arrival this week is also the fourth-largest debut of the year. It trails Justin Bieber's "Boyfriend" (521,000), Maroon 5's "Payphone" featuring Wiz Khalifa (493,000) and Katy Perry's "Part of Me" (411,000).

Phillips also debuts on Digital Songs at No. 41 with "We've Got Tonight" (43,000) and No. 54 with "Volcano" (35,000).


As for the rest of the top 10 on the Digital Songs chart this week, Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" sits tight at No. 1 for a second frame, selling 301,000 (up 3%). Maroon 5's "Payphone" holds at No. 3 (265,000; down 6%) and Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know" (featuring Kimbra) drops two spots to No. 4 (just under 264,000; down 9%).

Nicki Minaj's "Starships" falls one to No. 5 (153,000; down 12%) and fun.'s "We Are Young" (featuring Janelle Monae) is down 5-6 (149,000; down 8%). Pitbull's "Men in Black III" theme "Back In Time" jumps 11-7 with 147,000 (up 47%) and Rihanna's "Where Have You Been" climbs 13-8 (146,000; up 48%). The latter was performed by the diva on the May 23 season finale of "American Idol." Pitbull's tune benefits from "MIB's" opening in U.S. theaters on Friday, May 25.

Justin Bieber's "Boyfriend" slips 7-9 (144,000; up less than 1%) and Flo Rida's "Wild Ones" (featuring Sia) closes out the top 10 at No. 10 -- down four spots -- with 135,000 (down 11%).

Digital track sales this past week totaled 25.98 million downloads, up 4% compared to last week (24.95 million) and up 5% stacked next to the comparable week of 2011 (24.69 million). Year to date track sales are at 571.28 million, up 7% compared to the same total at this point last year (536.14 million).

YEEESSS Carly! still snagged that #1 on HDS

I was just in the process of making this thread.

Phillip. Let me make a separate thread for that achievement.

Do you guys think Carly has any chances to dethrone Gotye?

Had GG been released on Tuesday, she would have sold almost 180k

Too fast for you again!

Don't worry, I'll let you have that Phillip thread.

not this week, but probably in 2-3 weeks when Gotye finally peaks on all three factors (airplay, sales, and streaming)

WHYB 13-8 or 13:9

I don't think WHYB will be in top 10 this week...

Nope. I did the math, by taking 75% of Mediabase AI. Under the old formula, she'd have to sell 59K more, and she only got a 37K advantage.

Besides On Demand... Which, for that, their difference would hardly make up for anything, as they're really too close in streaming for that to make a difference for her.

If it weren't for Justin, she'd have gotten it next week, most definitely. Now, it's uncertain...

I think Carly will hit #1 today

That's like 9 weeks at #1 for STIUTK.

If it weren't for On Demand, she'd have more points than Bieber.

Justin has no streaming or radio airplay points. That's laughable to think hes a threat

And it deserves even more.

It deserves it, honestly. The song is a definite 6M seller.

Boyfriend is at #5 on Spotify

At least not this week, and the next ones is uncertain too since Justin will screw her chances of going #1 the following week, maybe in 2-3 weeks she'll get it.

They mean for 'Die in Your Arms'

Someone knows what are the total sales of "Part of Me"?