Move over U2 - Kelly is coming!

That would be Kelly Clarkson, the first American Idol winner with an amazing set of pipes and a new album that perfectly shows them off. 

 

Billboard, the American music bible, says that Clarkson is poised to dump U2 into the runner-up position with her release “All I Ever Wanted,” as daily sales figures are putting her in the lead with a projected end number of 200,000.

 

Which, of course, means that U2’s second week sales for "Horizon" will have dropped by way more than 50 percent, seeing that they sold some 480,000 copies in the first week. 

 

But don’t be fooled into thinking that Bono and the boys have released a dud.  Second week sales numbers inevitably crash back down to earth as the hardcore fans have already made their purchase, and shifting close to half a million albums in this day of illegal downloading and file sharing ain’t too shabby.

 

Bono railed against how music is so easily tossed around the Internet for free during a recent chat with USA Today.

 

“People think people like me are overpaid and over-nourished, and they’re not wrong. What they’re missing is, how does a songwriter get paid?” he asked.

 

“It’s not the place for rich rock stars to ask for more money, but somebody should fight for fellow artists, because this is madness. Music has become tap water, a utility, where for me it’s a sacred thing, so I’m a little offended (by illegal downloading).”

 

“The music business has been thrown to the dogs legislatively,” he said. “(That will change when) file-sharing of TV shows and movies becomes as easy as songs. Somebody is going to call the cops.”

 

U2 hits the road this summer for a tour that will take them around the world this year and next. 

 

They’re down to play two shows in their Dublin backyard, Croke Park, at the end of July. As Croker has permission from authorities to stage three concerts, it’s a sure bet that one more date will be added.