In June 2008, after he finished as the runner-up on the
seventh season of
American Idol, Archuleta signed with
Jive Records and
19 Recordings and began work on his debut album. His
2008 self-titled debut went on to sell 762,000 copies domestically, according to
Nielsen SoundScan, with breakout single "Crush," which has sold 1.9 million, peaking at number two on the US
Billboard Hot 100. After that, he released the holiday album
Christmas From the Heart, which sold 246,000 copies, and worked on his book
Chords of Strength: A Memoir of Soul, Song, and the Power of Perseverance, published in June. For his next release, Archuleta tapped "Crush" writers
Emanuel Kiriakou and Dave Hodges, who contributed two songs, as well as co-writers Sam Hollander and Dave Katz, among others. Archuleta said that his goal with the album was to make it as representative of himself as possible. He co-wrote on ten of the album's twelve tracks and explained that he wanted to introduce listeners to his goofy, dorky, and somewhat weird personality. While his first album featured many strong pop songs, he felt that this album was far more personal. He further commented: "Most of the songs on the album represent thoughts and experiences that I've personally gone through. I hope this album helps people understand more of where I'm coming from as an artist and as a person. It's about moving forward in life, making progress in accomplishing your goals and dreams while appreciating what life has given you." ==Promotion==