David Archuleta’s first single, “Crush,” was released Aug. 12, and it debuted at #2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, better than David Cook’s #3 debut position on the same chart for “Time of My Life” in June.

Archuleta’s single had 166,000 downloads, and represents “the best chart debut in more than 18 months” and “the best opening by an ‘American Idol’ finalist with a song not performed on the show,” Billboard reports.

However, as E! News reports, “his show single ‘Imagine’ actually underperformed with a No. 36 debut,” and David Cook’s “did better in the download department, selling 236,000 digital copies in its opening week.”

Still, David Archuleta is higher on the chart than David Cook was, and while this would be the perfect occasion for Archuleta to tell Cook to suck it, he is as humble as always, although at least not on television. “I was like, maybe it will get to the top 40. I just can’t believe it,” he told the Los Angeles Times. He’s presently working on his album. “I used to have days off, but now when I have a day off, I have to just work on the album. I don’t feel overwhelmed or anything. I’m finally living my dream,” he said.