Céline Dion and Billboard #1 with Kelly Clarkson
While writing songs for new artists, Jörgen now also got the opportunity to work with one of the world’s most successful artists, Céline Dion. Her ninth English album, “A New Day Has Come”, included the song, “The Greatest Reward”, co-written by Jörgen and Andreas Carlsson, and was released on March 26, 2002. It became Dion’s first #1 debut in the US, peaking at the top spot in over 20 countries and eventually selling more than 12 million copies around the world.
Following the success of Pop Idol in the UK, American Idol debuted in the US on June 11th that same year. Twenty-five episodes were aired over 11 weeks and on September 4th Kelly Clarkson was crowned winner. Two weeks later her winning song,
“A Moment Like This”, was released.
Written by Jörgen together with John Reid, it became Jörgen’s first #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The single broke The Beatles thirty-eight year old record as the list’s biggest leap for a song, rushing from number fifty-two to number one in one week, a record she held for five years.
Four years later Jörgen would win one of the music industry’s most prestigious awards with the same song but with another artist.
By the end of 2002, Westlife had released their fourth album, the 19 track compilation, “Unbreakable: The Greatest Hits Vol 1”, which included six brand new songs, two of them co-written by Jörgen. Released on November 4th as the album’s first single, “Unbreakable” set a record by moving from #196 to #1 in only one week, the greatest leap in UK chart history.
The album came out a week later and also went to #1 and despite its late year release it became the 9th bestselling album of 2002 in the UK. The album re-entered the charts in 2007 and was re-issued in 2008 spending a total of 55 weeks on the UK Top 100 Albums chart. To date Westlife has sold more than 50 million records worldwide.
Jörgen in 2002 – an overview
3 UK Top 40 #1’s – “Evergreen” (Will Young), “Anyone of Us” (Gareth Gates) and “Unbreakable” (Westlife)
1 US Billboard Hot 100 #1 – “A Moment Like This” (Kelly Clarkson)
2 World records – “Evergreen” (Will Young)
UK’s Best-Selling Singles of 2002
#1 Anything Is Possible/Evergreen – Will Young (February, 2002)
#2 Unchained Melody/Evergreen – Gareth Gates (March, 2002)
#6 Anyone Of Us (Stupid Mistake) – Gareth Gates (July, 2002)
