[cub]

Good decision. Although the year long wait helped Leona, other artists like Leon Jackson and Joe McElderry suffered poor sales by being out of the public eye for a year.

The winner of this year's X Factor will release their album as soon as possible, according to reports.

The Sun claims that Simon Cowell has pushed the release date forward to avoid the lacklustre sales experienced by last year's winner Joe McElderry, who failed to reach number one in the UK album chart with Wide Awake.

Traditionally, winners such as Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke have spent a year working on their debut LP, before returning to launch it on the show the following year.

A source told the paper: "Joe was virtually forgotten by the time he was launched this year."

Cher Lloyd, Mary Byrne, Matt Cardle, One Direction and Rebecca Ferguson will battle it out in tonight's semi-final for the chance to compete in next week's final.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s103/...ase-album.html

[Marc]

Bit rushed!

I'm assuming they will have a load of songs shoved their way to record!

[Jordan.]

This is probably better actually, seems like they disappear for ages whislt the runner ups are getting all the hits.

[Iceman]

Get them to do a covers album with maybe 2 new songs release that quick and let them get down to working on a second one.....

[Adamw92]

I think they should at least give them until summer and have the album released in July or something

[Zippy]

It's a bit silly when the runners up release stuff first and steal their thunder. I know they have a period where the runners up are not allowed to release anything but its not long enough.

The long wait can only work if the winner is strong and memorable. Plus they need a really strong first single to smash back onto the scene with. Leona and Alex had all that. Joe didnt.

[Jack_]

Hm, not sure if I like the idea. I think part of the reason behind the October releases was so that they could promote it on the XF Live Shows, if they release it earlier they have to go it alone. Of course that's not the only reason - more time for recording and production is beneficial but I'm sure the promotional opportunities offered by an XF performance is too much to miss.

Having said that, if they scheduled the first single release around the end of May/start of June, the winner could perform on the BGT Semi-Finals. Then the second single and album could come mid-October and there could be an XF performance as usual.

[Tom4784]

I doubt it's going to happen as rush releasing an album is just as bad as waiting too long and Simon knows that, plus with the release date they've got now it gives Simon the chance to promote them on X Factor.

[Smithy]

They say this every year and it never happens, so you can expect the winners album sept '11

[Shaun]

I'd say it would affect quality...but I've heard Spirit and Wide Awake, and the others hardly set the critics alight

[Zippy]

JLS, Diana and Olly all did well without XF promotion so you can release much earlier. And taking longer to record an album doesnt guarantee quality. Leona's first album had many boring, forgettable tracks on it. Luckily, it had a couple of very strong songs to sell it.

[Z]

I think it'd be for the best if they did do that. They can only afford to wait for a year if the winner has a fantastic voice (Leona, Alexandra) or can be marketed as a sex symbol (Alexandra), otherwise nobody is going to bother caring after a year long wait. You don't need a year to record an average album, you need maybe 6 months to record a couple of surefire hits and a bunch of filler and then you can afford to take time to record a proper album, at least that's how I see it.

[Jords]

Im glad, stops other XF contestants that didnt win stealing the limelight first, only fair.

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by Adamw92

I think they should at least give them until summer and have the album released in July or something

Um, No.

By then everyone has forgotten them.

[Tom]

It will obviously be in May to coincide with Britain's Got Talent