Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Phillip Phillips announced today that his debut album has gone gold.

That signifies 500,000 copies sold of “The World from the Other Side of the Moon” in about seven weeks.

The album debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 and was still at number four last week.

Of course, those sales have no doubt been helped by the enormous popularity of “Home,” Phillip’s coronation song.

It’s still in the top 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100 — 28 weeks after its release.

Little wonder Phillip and Idol mentor Jimmy Iovine are featured on the cover of this week’s Billboard magazine as part of a piece entitled “Reviving Idol’s Star Factory.”

In truth, after post-Idol fizzles by Kris Allen and Lee DeWyze, that star factory was reignited last year when Scotty McCreery’s debut album hit number one on Billboard and sold more than a million copies.

Can Phillip follow up on his “Home” success?

We’ll find out soon. In addition to appearing on Wednesday’s Season 12 Idol premiere, Phillip will debut his new single tomorrow on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live.

The song is “Gone, Gone, Gone,” and I’ve embedded it below.

Also, remember, tickets are now on sale for Phillips’ Wednesday, May 15, show at the Pullo Center, Penn State York. Head here for details.