The ranking stuff is just fun to look at.  I don't think anybody is taking it super seriously.  I mean hovering around 100 sounds bad compared to Chris & Taylor (Kellie doesn't count since hers is out now...but Kellie was around 300 this far away from her release).  But then you look at say Fantasia's and....the fact is most people don't worry about this stuff.  Doing all the pre-ordering.  In some sense, we've still got the competition thing going.  And you know the media will do it.  Especially with Katharine & Taylor releasing the same day.

Anybody have an thoughts on whether it'll help, hurt, do nothing that they are coming out the same day?  You think it matters?  Will someone going to buy a Katharine CD decide to pick up a Taylor one because it'll be sitting right there next to Katharine's in most stores....OR (and this is what might happen to me)....you are going to walk into the store and see the two of them sitting there.  And you'll get the strange impulse to buy an extra copy or two to make the stack of CD's lessen a bit next to Taylor's.  In that sense...maybe it's a good thing.  It might make the Taylor fans & us do some silly things when we see the two of them sitting in the store next to each other.  Just a thought.

As for the direction of Katharine's album.  It isn't going to be heavily hip-hop.  There's just going to be some "hip-hop" beats in some of the songs.  She's still going to sing.  You'll still know it's her.  I think people are getting confused by this.  Not sure if all of you are familar with Beyonce but...that's what I'm thinking Katharine's "sound" is going to be like.  Something in that element.  It's more R&B/Soul/Pop like I think Greg said.  "Hip-hop" makes it sound like Katharine's going to be rapping or something.

Basically it comes down to this.  Do you trust Katharine or not?  Do you believe in her or not?  I both trust & believe that she knows what's best.  She COULD NOT do a standards album as her debut.  Down the road?  Sure.  But she's got to grab the market that buys tons of CD's.  And that's people between 12-34.  Once she's established herself as a big-time popular artist...then, if she wants, she could go do that jazzy album or that standards album some of you want.

But if she did a standards album out of the gates...she'd be stereotyped as "just a standards singer".  That's what a lot of people think she is anyway.  And that's why she's doing what she's doing.  She's determined to prove to everyone she can do popular music.  Does anyone remember what she said about why she chose to do BHATCT again in the finale?  Something about wanting to show everyone she can do Top 40 stuff...be on the radio...etc, etc.

And yeah, she sings the standards great.  A fresh-faced 22-year-old coming off American Idol does not make a standards album.  Not if she wants to be the next Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood she doesn't.  Katharine wants to be a STAR.  OK?  She isn't going to be a star doing standards.  Make of that what you want but it's the truth.