'Idol' Winner Phillip Phillips Sets Record, Nearly Ousts Kelly Clarkson with 'Home'

Phillip Phillips winning "American Idol" was certainly no accident: his first single, "Home," debuted at #2 on the Digital Songs chart this week with a healthy 278,000 downloads, according to THR. That also gives him the second-best digital sales week for any "Idol" contestant ever; the #1 spot belongs to Kelly Clarkson.

This begs the question: is Phillip Phillips the next true star to come out of "American Idol?"

In the show's 11 seasons, few contestants have been more than flashes in the pan or recording artists with cult followings. Kelly Clarkson is likely the biggest star to come from the show, along with Carrie Underwood. Others have had solid careers--Clay Aiken had two platinum records, Katharine McPhee is now on "Smash," and Adam Lambert has a small but loyal following--but none have matched the level of stardom that Clarkson and Underwood enjoy.

In fact, Underwood tops the list of alumni in terms of sales with over 13 million copies sold, with Clarkson behind her with 11.5 million. The third-highest seller is Chris Daughtry, who has managed only 6.6 million.

But with Phillips' single selling like hotcakes, he could quickly make his way to the top three. A lot of that will hinge on how his first full album turns out: Phillips was helped considerably by the fact that "Home" is one of the best songs--if not the best--given to an "Idol" finalist, just in terms of musicality and fitting the artist's style.

Plus, there's the matter of Phillips' looks: his fan base has been the loudest, decibel-wise, thanks to the screams from young girls as he takes the stage. This year's final managed to pull a record number of votes, despite the fact that the finale had nearly a third less viewership from last year's, perhaps due in part to Phillips' strong fan base.

Considering those ailing ratings, a solid career and a few multi-platinum records would be music to "American Idol's" ears.

Here's Phillips peforming "Home" in the Top 2 performance night, for those who missed it: