GLEE Cast to Release Solo Albums Next with Lea Michele First?

Billboard is reporting this morning that while plans are already underway for the GLEE cast to do a concert tour of the country in the summer of 2010, that also part of Columbia Records deal with FOX is that the label has options to sign the cast members to solo deals, though they aren't immediately rushing to do this. 

They report that Lea Michele has already been sitting with record label executives and that ""Lea has tried different songs and already thought, 'Maybe I like doing rock,' " Murphy says. "Her album is not going to be Broadway stuff. She'll sit with producers and come up with her own concept"

In this week's episode, Michele sings "Defying Gravity" from WICKED, a preview of which is available here. 

Columbia Records and Twentieth Century Fox Television continue to release select songs on iTunes featured in episodes of GLEE, including cast versions of Young MC's "Bust A Move," Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" and Sisqo's "Thong Song." In addition to those three new songs, cast versions of Jill Scott's "Hate On Me," The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On," Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown's "No Air," Avril Lavigne's "Keep Holding On," Queen's "Somebody To Love," Heart's "Alone," Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'," "Maybe This Time" from "Cabaret," Cline Dion's "Taking Chances," Rihanna's "Take A Bow," Carrie Underwood's "Last Name," Jazmine Sullivan's "Bust Your Windows," Kanye West's "Gold Digger," REO Speedwagon's "Can't Fight This Feeling," Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It" and Duffy's "Mercy," as well as mash-ups of Bon Jovi's "It's My Life" with Usher's "Confessions Part II" and Beyonc's "Halo" with Katrina and the Waves' "Walking on Sunshine," are also available for purchase via all digital service providers.

On Tuesday, Nov. 3, Columbia Records and Twentieth Century Fox Television will release "Glee: The Music, Volume 1," the first in a series of soundtracks that feature music heard in the first season of the critically acclaimed series on FOX. "Glee: The Music, Volume 1" will feature spectacular renditions of several chart-topping hits.

GLEE, the genre-defying new musical comedy series, follows an optimistic teacher who against all odds and a malicious cheerleading coach attempts to save McKinley High's Glee Club from obscurity while helping a group of aspiring underdogs realize their true star potential. Starring Dianna Agron, Chris Colfer, Jessalyn Gilsig, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Kevin McHale, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Matthew Morrison, Amber Riley, Mark Salling and Jenna Ushkowitz, GLEE is produced by Ryan Murphy Television in association with 20th Century Fox Television. Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan are co-creators of the series. Murphy, Falchuk and Dante di Loreto serve as executive producers, while Ian Brennan serves as co-executive producer.