 The song debuted after its first week of availability at number eighty @-@ nine on the Billboard Hot 100 , selling 24 @,@ 000 copies . It fell off the chart the following week , and remained off until it re @-@ entered at number ninety @-@ two on November 21 , 2009 . It peaked at number eighteen on the chart on the week of March 13 , 2010 . The song peaked at ten on the Mainstream Top 40 ( Pop Songs ) chart , becoming the first male American Idol winner to enter the chart 's top ten , and the fourth winner to achieve the feat following behind Kelly Clarkson , Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks , respectively . The song also peaked on the Adult Contemporary , Adult Pop Songs , and Christian Songs charts at nine , three and twenty @-@ one . As of December 2010 , " Live Like We 're Dying " has sold 1 @,@ 582 @,@ 000 digital downloads in the United States . The song was certified platinum by the RIAA on October 15 , 2010 . 
