We’re just nine days from the premiere of American Idol, Season 7, and already bad news coming out of the music industry as previous winners Taylor Hicks and Ruben Studdard have been dropped by J Records.

Not a stunner although Studdard was a fairly decent seller for them early in his label stint. On the other hand, the Soul Patrol failed to ever give Hicks any momentum.

Posted today on monstersandcritics.com:

Winning or placing in the top reality show, “American Idol” is no guarantee the music buying public will continue to support the efforts of the chosen crooners.The dew is off the rose, as two past winners of “Idol” have lost their major label deals.

Just before Christmas, rumors began circulating that season 2’s Ruben Studdard, who released three albums for J Records since 2003 (the latest, 2006’s The Return, to modest sales), had been dropped.

However Studdard continues his management contract with 19 Entertainment.

Now the Hollywood Insider reports season 5 winner Taylor Hicks has also lost his J Records deal.

“Taylor is going to record his next album on his own,” said a label rep. “He is no longer on the J Records roster.”

What does this mean for the latest winner, Jordin Sparks?

More importantly, is it the beginning of the end for the profitable franchise heading into season 7 on January 15?

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Fact is struggling artists are dropped all the time from record labels, and there’s no doubt that Hicks and Studdard had a hard go of it from the outset. However, both singers are pretty much back to the drawing board, and I’m not sure there is anything short of an inspiring record that will bring these guys back to the forefront.

The underlying message to Idol and its contestants should be bring it or go home. We’ve seen Carrie Underwood do it and Kelly Clarkson and Chris Daughtry. Those cats aren’t getting dropped anytime soon, even with Clarkson’s disappointing album last year.

And for Idol, it means judges simply must start looking beyond technique and find stars. They’re out there, and while the show isn’t desperate for a new one just yet, they can’t have many more flops.