• by Fern Siegel , February 20, 2008

"American Idol" has a new home--iTunes.

Fox Broadcasting, Fox Interactive Media, 19 Entertainment, FremantleMedia and Apple have partnered to cash in on the show's enduring popularity. This round, fan will get a chance to hear contestant performances from season seven at the iTunes Store.

Debuting with the top 24 semifinalists this week, customers can purchase songs from "American Idol" hopefuls for 99 cents per song. Viewers will be able to purchase the full video of the top 12 finalists' performances for $1.99, starting March 11.

Or, if fans want to beat the rush, they can pre-order performances of their faves from iTunes now.

"We're giving viewers another great way to enjoy America's brightest new stars from 'Idol,'" said Simon Fuller, creator of "American Idol" and founder of 19 Entertainment.

So intense is "Idol"'s appeal that the iTunes Store has created a special section for it that features the show's music and video performances. iTunes will also provide exclusive direct links from the free streaming performance videos on americanidol.com, which is home to MyIdol, the Internet's largest "American Idol" fan site.