David Cook

S7 · Winner

As of July 22, 2026

David Cook releases music on his own label, Analog Heart Music. In July 2026 he announced U.S. tour dates from July 14 to 30 behind the single Bleed Me Dry, and The Villain, a three-track EP set for release on July 31, 2026, which continues a series of themed EPs that began with The Hero in 2025.⁠[1][2][3][4]

Career

Before the show

  1. 1999–2006Founded the Kansas City rock band Axium in high school; the band released three studio albums before it broke up in 2006.Axium⁠[4][14]
  2. May 6, 2006Self-released his first solo album, Analog Heart, before entering American Idol.⁠[4][10]

During or around the show

  1. May 2008In the week after his season 7 win, The Time of My Life debuted at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and 11 of his songs entered that chart.⁠[4]

After the show

  1. November 18, 2008Released his major-label album David Cook on 19 Recordings and RCA; it entered the Billboard 200 at number three and was certified Platinum.⁠[9][16]
  2. February 13, 2009–December 1, 2009Headlined The Declaration Tour, which was extended twice and ran to 153 shows.⁠[4]
  3. June 28, 2011Released his second major-label album, This Loud Morning, which entered the Billboard 200 at number seven.⁠[10]
  4. May 2012Confirmed that he had left RCA Records and was releasing music without a recording contract.⁠[4]
  5. March 24, 2015Signed a music publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music.⁠[4]
  6. September 18, 2015Released Digital Vein, his first album on his own independent label, Analog Heart Music.⁠[4]
  7. February 16, 2018Released the EP Chromance independently.⁠[10][17]
  8. April 16, 2021Released the EP The Looking Glass.⁠[4]
  9. 2025Released The Hero, the first EP in a planned series of themed EPs.⁠[3][4]
  10. July 8, 2026Announced U.S. tour dates from July 14, 2026, in Marion, Illinois, to July 30 in Fairfield, Connecticut, in support of the single Bleed Me Dry.⁠[2]
  11. July 22, 2026Announced the three-track EP The Villain for release on July 31, 2026, including the single Bleed Me Dry.⁠[1]

Discography

TitleTypeYearLabelRIAA certificationU.S. sales
Matter of Time⁠[14]AxiumAlbum2002
Blindsided⁠[14]AxiumAlbum2003
Alive in Tulsa⁠[14]AxiumLive album2004
The Story Thus Far⁠[14]AxiumAlbum2004
Analog Heart⁠[10]Album2006Self-released
The Time of My Life⁠[12]Single2008RCA / 19Platinum⁠[10][11][12]
Light On⁠[13]Single2008RCAPlatinum⁠[4][11][13]
David Cook⁠[10][16]Album2008RCA / 19Platinum⁠[9][10][11]1,319,000⁠[18]February 20, 2011
This Loud Morning⁠[10]Album2011RCA / 19
This Quiet Night⁠[10]EP2011RCA
Digital Vein⁠[10]Album2015Analog Heart Music
Chromance⁠[10][17]EP2018Analog Heart Music
The Looking Glass⁠[10]EP2021Analog Heart Music
The Hero⁠[4][10]EP2025Analog Heart Music
The Villain⁠[1]EP2026

Awards

Checked October 6, 2026; none found.

Other activity

  • April 3, 2018Made his Broadway debut as Charlie Price in Kinky Boots (April 3 to May 5, 2018) and returned for a second run from July 17 to September 9, 2018.⁠[4][19]

Sources

19 sources

  1. New Music Alert - The Villain EP Drops Digitally! — DavidCookOfficial.com, published July 22, 2026. Label or artist. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (3)
    • Post body: “David Cook's new EP, THE VILLAIN, arrives on all major streaming platforms on Friday, July 31!”
    • Post body: “Featuring three tracks — including his brand-new single”
    • Post dated Jul 22, 2026, paragraph 1: “David Cook’s new EP, THE VILLAIN, arrives on all major streaming platforms on Friday, July 31!”
  2. David Cook announces Bleed Me Dry Tour! — DavidCookOfficial.com, published July 8, 2026. Label or artist. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (5)
    • Post body: “David is hitting the road this month in support of his new single”
    • Upcoming Tour Dates list, last entry (first entry 07/14 – Marion, IL): “07/30 – Fairfield, CT”
    • Post date (Jul 8, 2026) and body: “Big news—David is hitting the road this month in support of his new single”
    • Upcoming Tour Dates list: “07/14 – Marion, IL”
    • Upcoming Tour Dates list, last entry: “07/30 – Fairfield, CT”
  3. David Cook announces new music on the way! — DavidCookOfficial.com, published February 18, 2025. Label or artist. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • Post body: “Get ready for a series of brand-new music, with multiple themed EPs dropping throughout the year.”
    • Post body: “The first EP, titled THE HERO, is officially on the way”
  4. David Cook (singer) — Wikipedia, updated September 9, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (8)
    • Career, 2012-2016 section: “Digital Vein was released on September 18, 2015, through Cook's own independent label, Analog Heart Music.”
    • Lead sentence: “born December 20, 1982”
    • Infobox, Born line (birth_date): {{Birth date and age|1982|12|20}}
    • Career, 2008-2009 section: “The single was certified platinum on January 20, 2010.”
    • Career, 2012-2016 section: “he was without a recording contract, having departed from RCA”
    • Career, 2012-2016 section: “On April 30, 2013, Cook released a new single, "Laying Me Low", through XIX Recordings”
    • Career, 2012-2016 section: “through Cook's own independent label, Analog Heart Music”
    • Early music career: “Axium, however, broke up in 2006 and David Cook moved to Tulsa where he joined Midwest Kings, a band he once opened for.”
  5. American Idol season 7 — Wikipedia, updated July 29, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • Elimination chart row David Cook: Pl. 1, Winner in the Finale column (5/21); ratings table episode 'Season 7 Finale', May 21, 2008
    • Lead section: “David Cook was announced as the winner on May 21, 2008, defeating runner-up David Archuleta”
  6. List of American Idol finalists — Wikipedia, updated June 10, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Contestants table, row David Cook: season 7, place finish Winner
  7. Cook Wins in David vs. David Battle — ABC News, published May 22, 2008. News report. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Article text: “In a surprise win, David Cook won "American Idol" in last night's season finale by 12 million votes.”
  8. Chart Watch Extra: The American Idol Alumni Association — Yahoo! Music (Chart Watch, Paul Grein), published March 20, 2009. News report. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (3)
    • Ranked list, entry 8: “8. David Cook , 1,029,000.”
    • Paragraph before the list: “Each artist's name is followed by their total album sales tally, through this week.”
    • Ranked list, entry 8: “This tally also includes Cook's pre- Idol debut album, Analog Heart , which has sold 2,000 copies.”
  9. 'David Cook' Certified Platinum — DavidCookOfficial.com (archived by the Wayback Machine), published February 4, 2009. Label or artist. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • Announcement: “David Cook's self titled debut cd has been certified platinum by the RIAA for sales exceeding 1 million units.”
    • Announcement: “David Cook (19 Recordings / RCA Records)”
  10. David Cook discography — Wikipedia, updated June 25, 2025. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (8)
    • Studio albums table, Certifications column: “RIAA: Platinum”
    • Singles table, The Time of My Life row: “RIAA: Platinum”
    • Studio albums table, Analog Heart row: “Label: self-released”
    • Studio albums table, David Cook and This Loud Morning rows: “Label: RCA Records/19”
    • Studio albums and Extended plays tables: “Label: Analog Heart Music”
    • Studio albums table, Analog Heart row: “Release date: May 6, 2006”
    • Lead: “Cook's second major label album This Loud Morning was released on June 28, 2011, and debuted at number seven in the Billboard 200.”
    • Extended plays table, Chromance row: “Released: February 16, 2018”
  11. RIAA Gold & Platinum search: David Cook — RIAA. Official record. Cited by another source; not opened by our researchers.
  12. The Time of My Life (David Cook song) — Wikipedia, updated December 12, 2025. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • Release and reception section: “The RIAA certified "The Time of My Life" Platinum on December 12, 2008 for selling over 1 million digital downloads”
    • Infobox, released and label
  13. Light On — Wikipedia, updated January 1, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • Certifications table, United States row: “Platinum”
    • Infobox, released: “September 30, 2008 (iTunes)”
  14. Axium — Wikipedia, updated November 18, 2025. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (7)
    • History section: “David Cook formed Axium in his junior year of high school alongside drummer Bobby Kerr.”
    • Infobox, years active; live album personnel: “David Cook (vocals, guitar)”
    • History and Discography sections: “David Cook formed Axium in his junior year of high school alongside drummer Bobby Kerr.”
    • Discography, Studio albums: “Matter of Time (2002)”
    • Discography, Studio albums: “Blindsided (2003)”
    • Discography, Live albums: “Alive in Tulsa (2004)”
    • Discography, Studio albums: “The Story Thus Far (2004)”
  15. Axium MySpace page (archived copy, 2008-02-03) — Axium. Label or artist. Retrieved October 7, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • General Info, Band Members: “David Cook - Vocals, Guitars”
    • About Axium: “Formed in 1999, AXIUM is a four-piece rock group from mid-America.”
  16. David Cook (album) — Wikipedia, updated September 15, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • Release section: “The album debuted at the number-three spot on the Billboard 200 chart with sales of 280,000 copies in the United States.”
    • Infobox
  17. David Cook to Make Broadway Debut as Charlie Price in Kinky Boots Beginning April 3, 2018; Chromance EP Available February 16, 2018 — DavidCookOfficial.com, published February 16, 2018. Label or artist. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • First paragraph: “David Cook's brand-new EP, CHROMANCE was released today.”
    • First paragraph
  18. Week Ending Feb. 20, 2011: Albums: An Early Birthday Present — Yahoo! Music (Paul Grein, Chart Watch), archived by the Wayback Machine, published February 23, 2011. News report. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Albums commentary: “his 2008 debut, David Cook (which has sold a healthy 1,319,000 copies)”
  19. David Cook Announces Fall Acoustic Tour; Returns to Broadway's Kinky Boots — DavidCookOfficial.com, published July 9, 2018. Label or artist. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Post body: “David is now set to reprise his performance in the starring role from July 17 through September 9”

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