COLUMBIA, FOX TEAM UP ON GLEE, SONGS STORM ITUNES CHART

The partnership between Columbia Records and Twentieth Century Fox on the new musical comedy series Glee, from Nip/Tuck creator Ryan Murphy, is already off to a fast start after last night's "preview" of the show following American Idol.

Two of the songs immediately shot to the top of the iTunes charts. The Glee cast version of Journey's “Don’t Stop Believin’” is currently #2 on the Top Songs chart, while a cast version of Amy Winehouse's “Rehab” is at #28. “Don’t Stop Believin’” shot up the iTunes Top Songs chart before the East Coast broadcast had even concluded. More than 10 million viewers tuned into the the show, making it the #1 series debut of the season among female teens, the second-highest debut of the season on any network and the #1 topic on Twitter. Additional bonus preview tracks of future songs from the series are scheduled for a late summer release. The first soundtrack album will be released this fall (TBA).

Columbia/Epic Records Group Chairman Rob Stringer, along with Fox music head Geoff Bywater and label consultant Glen Brunman, were all instrumental in putting together the deal.

Glee features a selection of hits from genres spanning pop, R&B, hip-hop, country, Broadway and rock and roll. The L.A. Times has called the show “a lighthearted satire with a deep emotional center that is often reflected in its wide-ranging songbook,” and Entertaiment Weekly said “it’s witty and high-spirited… a canny mix of American Idol with scripted punchlines and excellent acting.”

Murphy says the show “is about a passion for music and how it can inspire people to great heights. Anything goes in the musical world of McKinley High. All kinds of people and all kinds of music come together to change people's lives. There are no borders, no boundaries, no formats—just great songs and the joy that performing and experiencing them can produce."

Added Columbia/Epic Label Group Chairman Rob Stringer: “Glee is a smart and challenging yet totally mainstream platform for the most innovative use of classic and contemporary pop seen on television. We are thrilled we have the opportunity to be partners on this show’s musical journey!”

Added Columbia Records Chairman Steve Barnett: “Glee will be a key focus for our A&R, marketing and sales teams. We have a unique opportunity to build a great musical franchise.”

Twentieth Century Fox Television Chairmen Dana Walden and Gary Newman credited head of music Bywater with doing “a fantastic job of bringing Columbia Records to the table,” adding that “Rob [Stringer]’s energy and passion for what we believe will be an exciting and long-lasting music brand was incredibly impressive. Columbia is a worldwide music powerhouse, and we couldn’t ask for better collaborators on the musical extensions of this series.”

As part of the promotion, Fox will be the exclusive sponsor of Clear Channel’s popular iheartradio application for the iPhone and BlackBerry today and tomorrow to promote the show's preview.

Glee follows an optimistic high school teacher, Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison), as he tries to refuel his own passion while reinventing McKinley High School's glee club by challenging a group of outcasts to realize their star potential. The Freaks and Geeks-style cast includes Mercedes (Amber Riley), a forceful diva-in-training; Arty (Kevin McHale), a geeky guitarist; Kurt (Chris Colfer), a dramatic soprano; Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz), a punk rocker; and self-proclaimed “star” Rachel (Lea Michele), a perfectionist firecracker.

McKinley’s cruel high school caste system prevents the glee club from flourishing, so Will recruits Finn (Cory Monteith), the quarterback with movie star looks, to join the group even though he wants to protect his reputation with his holier-than-thou girlfriend, Quinn (Dianna Agron), and his arrogant teammate, Puck (Mark Salling). With harsh criticism from everyone, including Will’s tough-as-nails wife Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig) and McKinley's egotistical cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch), he is determined to prove them all wrong and lead the glee club to the nationals.