Going Gold!

[wishfulclicking]

In yet another sign that Glee has gone from
smash comedy hit to cultural phenomenon, the cast's rendition of Journey's
"Don't Stop Believin'" has just been certified Gold for digital sales in
excess of 500,000 downloads, and to date, over two million Glee songs have
been purchased online. Seven songs from Glee now occupy spots in the top 200
of iTunes Top Songs chart and Newsweek recently observed that the Fox series'
"rabid online fanbase has given the show's music a life of its own." It's
this fervor for the music that prompted the New York Times to say "from
'Cabaret' to Kanye, Songs of 'Glee' are a hit" and the Los Angeles Times to
add "this comedy has become music to our ears."

On Tuesday November 3, Glee: The Music, Volume 1 hits stores. This highly
anticipated debut soundtrack will feature 17 songs heard in Glee's first
season (see below for full track listing). Glee has set itself apart as one
of the few scripted television shows to feature music so prominently and
successfully. Entertainment Weekly recently stated that Glee was able to
accomplish this "by making music so catchy and addictive, it's taken on a life
- and revenue stream - of it's own." They also went on to proclaim "the
snarky, theatrical series is a cult phenomenon on its way to becoming a
national obsession."

How big can cult followings be? I think Glee has a very strong, active fanbase that is willing to engage with it on multiple levels (tour, CD purchases), but I would be very surprised if it got any larger.