Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Sam James has released Shinedown, the song he pitched on Songland. (NBC Photo)

In fact, the song reached the Top 40 on the iTunes country chart when it was released earlier this month.

“As an independent artist….man. You don’t know what this means to me,” Sam wrote on Instagram. “This song was a labor of love.”

Sam, a Season 3 contestant on The Voice, wrote the song with Carlo Colasacco and James Slater. Carlo also produced it.

On the first episode of “Songland,” Sam was one of four artists to present songs for John Legend to record.

Sam’s was the first rejected. Not because it wasn’t good, but because it wasn’t a good fit for the Voice coach.

An estimated 5.5 million people watched the “Songland” premiere. “Songland’s” fourth episode will air Tuesday with The Jonas Brothers” as the musical guests.

Here’s “Shinedown.”