Archuleta "Crushes" Cook in Single Showdown

• Aug 21, 2008 11:07 PM ET
• by The Idol Chatters

If the American Idol finale showdown between David Cook and David Archuleta was the title fight that Archie's ill-fitting boxing garb suggested, then consider this the rematch. And for now, there's a new champion.

According to E!, Archuleta's first single, "Crush," debuted at No. 2 on the Hot 100 singles chart, a knockout blow to Cook's No. 3 bow in June with "The Time of My Life." Archuleta becomes the first Idol runner-up to best the winner in head-to-head single competition since Clay Aiken outsold Ruben Studdard in 2003.

"Crush" is the highest-debuting song by an Idol contestant that was never performed on the show, and it joins joining Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone" as the only other non-debut single from an Idol to chart at No. 2.

But it's not all bad news for David Cook. "The Time of My Life" sold 236,000 digital copies in its opening week, compared to Archie's 166,000. Plus, Cook made SoundScan-era history when 11 of his songs made the Hot 100 at one time, second only to the Beatles' 14 in 1964.

Don't look for the battle of the Davids to go anywhere soon - Round 3 of this fight is (tentatively)scheduled for November when both of their debut albums are set to drop. Somebody get Michael Buffer on the phone. - Adam Bryant