Hot 100 First-Timers: ‘American Idol’ Winner Chayce Beckham Debuts With Breakout Single ‘23’

Xander Zellner
·3 min read
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Chayce Beckham was crowned the winner of ABC’s American Idol in 2021, and now, he’s officially a Billboard Hot 100-charting artist.

The country singer earns his first entry on the Jan. 13-dated chart as “23” debuts at No. 71. It opens with 13.3 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 16%), 4 million official U.S. streams (up 10%) and 1,000 downloads sold in the Dec. 29-Jan. 4 tracking week, according to Luminate.

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The song, released in 2021 via 19 Recordings/BMG/Wheelhouse, also holds at its No. 20 high on the Hot Country Songs chart. Radio-wise, it stands at its No. 14 best on Country Airplay.

Beckham performed “23” live on-air during his Idol season. He had written the song a year prior, and became the first champ to win the competition performing an original song.

Beckham, from Apple Valley, Calif., joins a long line of Idol alumni to debut on the Hot 100, a list dating back to Kelly Clarkson’s first-season win in 2002 (when the show aired on Fox). Of the show’s 21 total seasons, 14 winners have charted at least one Hot 100 hit.

Here’s a recap of every Idol winner’s first song to debut on the Hot 100. (Some artists below debuted multiple songs in their first weeks on the chart.)

American Idol Season, Winner, First Hot 100 Entry (Peak Position, Year)

  • Season 1, Kelly Clarkson, “A Moment Like This” (No. 1, 2002)

  • Season 2, Ruben Studdard, “Flying Without Wings” (No. 2, 2003)

  • Season 3, Fantasia, “I Believe” (No. 1, 2004)

  • Season 4, Carrie Underwood, “Inside Your Heaven” (No. 1, 2005)

  • Season 5, Taylor Hicks, “Takin’ It to the Streets” (No. 69, 2006)

  • Season 6, Jordin Sparks, “This Is My Now,” “A Broken Wing,” and “I Who Have Nothing” (Nos. 15, 66 and 80, 2007)

  • Season 7, David Cook, “The Time of My Life,” “Dream Big,” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” “The World I Know,” “I Don’t Want To Miss a Thing,” “Billie Jean,” “Always Be My Baby,” “Hello,” “The Music of the Night,” “Eleanor Rigby” and “I’m Alive” (Nos. 3, 15, 22, 28, 42, 47, 67, 73, 77 and 99, 2008)

  • Season 8, Kris Allen, “No Boundaries, “Heartless,” “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Apologize,” “Falling Slowly” and “Ain’t No Sunshine” (Nos. 11, 16, 37, 66 and 94, 2009)

  • Season 9, Lee DeWyze, “Beautiful Day,” “Hallelujah,” “Falling Slowly” with Crystal Bowersox, “The Boxer” and “Beautiful Day” (Nos. 24, 44, 66 and 88, 2010)

  • Season 10, Scotty McCreery, “I Love You This Big” (No. 11, 2011)Season 11, Phillip Phillips, “Home” and “We’ve Got Tonight” (Nos. 6 and 97, 2012)

  • Season 12, Candice Glover, “I Am Beautiful” (No. 93, 2013)

  • Season 14, Nick Fradiani, “Beautiful Life” (No. 93, 2015)

  • Season 19, Chayce Beckham, “23” (No. 71 so far, 2024)

The Idol winners who haven’t yet debuted on the Hot 100 are Caleb Johnson (season 13), Trent Harmon (15), Maddie Poppe (16), Laine Hardy (17), Just Sam (18), Noah Thompson (20) and Iam Tongi (21).

“23” became Beckham’s first overall chart entry when it debuted at No. 1 on Country Digital Song Sales in 2021 after his Idol win. He has charted one additional song on Country Airplay: “Can’t Do Without Me,” with Lindsay Ell, reached No. 46 in 2022. Also that year, his EP Doin’ It Right hit No. 21 on the Heatseekers Albums chart.

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