Fans of the new American Idol champion won't have to wait as long as usual to get her album.

In fact, they'll be able to pre-order it immediately after Thursday's finale, exclusively through iTunes -- a first for the show.

In a troubled season, "American Idol" ended up doing something right: For the first time since the epic second-season showdown between Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken, the finale (Fox, Wednesday and Thursday, 8 p.m. ET/PT) features the two best pure singers in the competition.

There's room for argument, of course, depending on how you rate Bo Bice, David Cook or even Amber or Angie, but there's no denying this battle is the kind of spectacle the show was designed for. But on the road to victory, are there any potholes Candice and Kree need to avoid?

Candice Glover and Kree Harrison already have recorded their singles, which they'll perform on tonight's episode (8 p.m. ET/PT, FOX). The winner's album will follow this summer, during the 40-show American Idols Live tour.

So once tomorrow's winner finishes her whirlwind promotional tour, you can bet she'll be in the studio until just before the tour kicks off June 29.

Typically, the Idol winner has had to wait about five months to release his or her album. Phillip Phillips' The World From the Side of the Moon, for instance, came out November 19 of last year, after he won Season 11 in May 2012.