Debuting at #1 ... great. Remaining at #1 over both a Rod Stewart and an Eagles debut ... even better.

Billboard reports that American Idol 2 runner-up Clay Aiken's debut CD, Measure of a Man, held on to the top spot on the Nielsen SoundScan U.S. Album Sales chart (which is also the Billboard 200 chart) for the second straight week, with sales of 225,000 units for the week ended October 26. Although Clay's second-week unit sales dropped by almost two-thirds from the first week, they were still more than enough for the RCA album to fend off the debut of Rod Stewart's As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook II on RCA's sister label J Records (212,000 units), which placed second, and the Eagles' 2-CD The Very Best of the Eagles, on Warner (162,000 units), which was third.
Since the Rod Stewart CD features a much-hyped duet with Cher and is a sequel to his platinum album from last year, and since the Eagles' previous greatest-hits album is one of the all-time best sellers, with total unit sales on LP (!), 8-track (!!), cassette and CD of 28 million units, Clay's continued reign at #1 comes as somewhat of a surprise. Two-week sales of Clay's album now stand at 838,000 units, making its platinum certification (for sales of 1,000,000 units) in November a certainty.

However, it looks like Measure of a Man will fail to gain the top spot on the Nielsen SoundScan Canadian Album Sales chart, according to Jam! Showbiz. Celine Dion's French-language CD 1 filles & 4 types held onto first place for the second straight week with sales of 19,300 units; Rod Stewart debuted with sales of 18,200; and Clay fell to sales of 14,600 -- which was a smaller percentage decline than in the U.S., but large enough to make Clay's chances of reaching #1 north of the 49th parallel very doubtful.

Next week's big new releases are another greatest hits package, REM's In Time: The Best Of R.E.M. 1988-2003, and the Strokes' Room on Fire. Whether Clay can turn in a third week at #1 is questionable, considering the competition. Then again, two weeks at #1 in the U.S. during the holiday release season was unexpected by anyone except for Clay himself and the "Clay-mates." It looks like Clay may have been correct when he described his support as a revolution."

Nothing succeeds like success, and American Idol 2 runner-up Clay AIken has had a lot of it lately. According to Billboard, Clay's debut CD, Measure of a Man on RCA Records. ranked #1 in its first week on the Nielsen SoundScan U.S. Album Sales charts (which is the same as the "Billboard 200" album charts), with a stunning total of 613,000 units sold at SoundScan-reporting outlets for the week ended October 19.

Although Clay's album had been expected to reach #1, the total sales are almost equal to the two-week total of the smash-hit #2 CD (last week's #1), Ludacris' Chickens and Beer, which has sold 623,000 copies so far. By contrast, although American Idol 1 winner Kelly Clarkson's debut CD, Thankful, also debuted at #1, it sold only 297,000 copies in its first week.

In addition, the American Idol Christmas CD, American Idol: The Great Holiday Classics, which features Clay and Kelly on two songs apiece, debuted in the Nielsen SoundScan U.S. Album Sales charts at #72.

However, despite the smash success of Clay's single "Bridge Over Troubled Water" b/w "This Is The Night" in Canada, Clay's album only managed to reach the #2 slot on the Nielsen SoundScan Canadian Album Sales charts, according to Jam! Showbiz. Opening at #1 north of the border was Celine Dion's French-language album 1 filles & 4 types, with sales of 44,500 units. Measure of a Man sold 25,200 units for second place for the week -- still a significant increase over the 10,500 units sold in its first week by Kelly's Thankful, which opened at #7 in Canada.

Under rules established by the RIAA, a CD cannot be certified platinum (signifying sales of over 1 million units in the U.S.) until after it has been in release for over a month. Based on the first week's sales, look for Measure of a Man to be certified platinum in late November -- not too long before the time that Idol 2 winner Ruben Studdard's CD, Soulful, will be released ... and right around the time of the American Idol Christmas special on Fox, planned for Tuesday, November 25.

Nevertheless, Clay remains unpopular among vast elements of the media, including Salt Lake City Tribune columnist Dan Nailen, who expressed a wish to "suffocate" Clay with Clay Aiken pillowcases. Geez, we read a new book about Utah, and we thought there were more important issues going on in Utah (and neighboring Arizona) these days...

Clay’s Measure of a Man CD!

		Fri. October 17.2003 8:37 PM EDT
		Clay Aiken Acts, Thinks And Sings His Way Through Measure Of A Man   Singer says 'American Idol' prepped him perfectly for pop stardom.   by Corey Moss
			Clay Aiken (MTV News)

BEVERLY HILLS — When Simon Cowell suggested during "American Idol" that Clay Aiken was better suited for Broadway than pop stardom, the singer insisted theater was not his thing. While making his debut album, Measure of a Man, however, Aiken realized he was a natural thespian, at least in recording studios. "A lot of the stuff on the album I can't relate to," the 24-year-old former Raleigh, North Carolina, student explained. "There's some stuff about being scorned by someone and having a lot of angst and retaliation in a break-up and that type of a thing and I don't know anything about that. ... So when I start performing or singing the song, I try to put myself in the songwriter's place and it's really an acting job." Aiken's ability to find the perfect voice for classics like "Bridge Over Troubled Water" nearly won him "American Idol," but recording unfamiliar material from the same caliber of songwriters has not been as well-received. Reviews of Measure of a Man have used words like "cookie-cutter," "colorless" and "generic" to explain his selection of tunes. Or to be more accurate, the record label and management's selection of tunes. "They really picked a lot of the stuff for this album before the show was over," Aiken said. "It was more work, more compromising and it was a lot more thinking than I thought it would have to be. We had to do a lot of thinking about what type of songs we wanted to do and I had to work with Clive [Davis] and a lot more parties involved than I'd thought there'd be. So it was definitely a learning experience." Still, Aiken is happy with the album and even if half the 400,000 people who bought his "This Is the Night" single in the first week turn out for Measure of a Man, the album will be #1. And judging by the passion his fans, the Claymates, showed on the recent "American Idol" tour, his popularity has hardly dwindled (see "Ruben Studdard Confronted By Rabid Claymates At Tour Stop "). Aiken said he kept his diverse range of fans in mind while recording. "We just did what was me," he said. "We have teenagers that are fans up to a lot older than teenagers that are fans. And we didn't really try to specify an audience, because to do that you are neglecting some other group." On Measure of a Man, Aiken sings a song co-written by Enrique Iglesias ("The Way") and worked with several veteran producers, including Steve Morales (Christina Aguilera), Rick Nowels (Cher) and Desmond Child (Ricky Martin), whose contributions include the single "Invisible" (see "Clay Aiken Makes A Big Scene For 'Invisible' Video ") Clif Magness, who produced a lot of Avril Lavigne's Let Go, also did several songs with Aiken. "He's really one of the most creative producers that I've had the experience to work with," Aiken said. "We would get a demo of a song that sounds a certain way and a lot of the producers we would go to would turn the track into that very song, but he had the ability to take a track and hear it in a completely different way." Aiken, who was going to apply for "The Amazing Race" but was talked into "American Idol" instead, is excited to distance himself from the show a little, even though he loved the experience. "It prepared us for so much," he said. "It prepared us for the press thing, it prepared us for the recording studio thing, 'cause we recorded every single song that we sang on the show. It prepared us for the camera, for the audience, for the stage. It prepared us for critiques, obviously, too. It was really one of the best schools for this type of thing that you could possibly go through." Distancing might be a challenge, though, given that he and Kimberly Locke just moved in together in Los Angeles, and Aiken still hangs out with Ruben Studdard. "It isn't about competing," Aiken said about his relationship with the man who beat him for the "American Idol" title. "He wants me to do the best I can, so he'll give me a story about what he did and I'll say, 'That was a good idea' and I'll do it too, or vice versa. He's still working on his album, which will be out November 25 so pick that up. But pick up mine first!" This report is from MTV News.

		Fri. October 10.2003 9:40 PM EDT
		Clay Aiken Makes A Big Scene For 'Invisible' Video   Singer rounds up 800 Claymates for Hollywood shoot.   by Corey Moss
			Clay Aiken (RCA Records)

  BEVERLY HILLS — Clay Aiken feels especially close to "This Is the Night," and not just because the song sold nearly 400,000 copies in a week.

And not just because it trounced Ruben Studdard or pretty much everyone else, for that matter, becoming the second-best selling single of all time (see "Has America Changed Its Mind? Clay Beats Ruben On Singles Chart" ).

"It's what got me where I am in a way," Aiken said of the power ballad he premiered in the final weeks of "American Idol." "It's the song that tells the story of where I came from and the process that I went through in order to get here."

That said, the 24-year-old former Raleigh, North Carolina, student could not feel any more different about his next single, the up-tempo "Invisible."

"It's not one of those songs where the words necessarily stand out," Aiken said. "I think there are two types of songs. There's the ones that are fun to sing, fun to catch on to, fun to dance to. Then there are the ones that make you emote. A lot of the songs on the album are very emotive, but 'Invisible' is just a fun one, so why not put it out first and have fun with it."

The song, which features the chorus, "If I was invisible/ I would make you mine tonight," was co-written and produced by Desmond Child, who's worked with everyone from Bon Jovi, Cher and Alice Cooper to the Baha Men, Ricky Martin and original "American Idol" Kelly Clarkson.

"We got the demo for it and we played it inside, outside, upside down. I mean, we played it everywhere," Aiken recalled midway through a marathon of interviews in the swanky lobby of his record label. "It's just a really catchy song. We decided to do it on the tour, and it had a lot of success on the tour, so it was without a doubt the one we wanted to make the first single."

Aiken shot the "Invisible" video over the weekend with director Diane Martel, best known for Christina Aguilera's early videos. While the song's title might provoke a high concept, the singer went more straightforward, inviting 800 fans — his Claymates — to a performance at Hollywood & Highland, a major outdoor shopping center and tourist attraction in Hollywood.

"When we did the video for 'This Is the Night' it was very small. The treatment was me alone and no one else," Aiken said of his clip, which was inspired by a photo shoot (see "Clay Aiken's 'Night' Video Says 'This Is The Soul' " ). "This is a big crowd, so I'm pumped about doing it. The energy will be really good."

As with the other "American Idol" contestants who have broken into the music business — Clarkson, Studdard and Justin Guarini — Aiken's album will be released just as the new single is hitting radio stations and before the video debuts.

Due Tuesday, Aiken's once self-titled release will now be called Measure of a Man, after one of his favorite songs on the album.

"It's a song that almost didn't make it to the album, because the sound of that song doesn't completely match all the other tracks," Aiken said of the song, which is meant to be sung to a woman. "But the message of the song, it's really powerful. It's about what is important when someone loves you. I mean, do they have to give you all the things? Do you have to be materialistic? Do you need gifts from them? When all of the gifts are gone and when the person's not the best-looking person in the world, them saying they love you, isn't that enough? And that's how you should measure a man."

Aiken will promote Measure of a Man with several high-profile performances, including the American Music Awards, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Billboard Music Awards and a fall "American Idol" special.

This report is from MTV News.

Woo hoo Lets hope Clay makes Music history,  and wins with his nomination at this years annual Ama Awards.
Notice theres no other idol nominees from American idol2.
Proving yet again he should have won the show  and was and is definantly not America's 2nd choice!
Clay is up for the best Male Artists in the Pop-Rock category.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Veteran performers, including Fleetwood Mac, Celine Dion and Cher, mixed with youngsters Clay Aiken and Avril Lavigne on the list of nominees for the 31st annual American Music Awards.

Dion received two nominations Tuesday, for favorite female pop-rock artist and favorite adult contemporary artist, where she's up against Cher and Norah Jones.

Jones, whose folksy, sensuous voice earned her five Grammys earlier this year, is also vying for favorite pop-rock album for her platinum debut "Come Away With Me."

No clear favorites emerged Tuesday, with two nominations each going to R. Kelly, Luther Vandross, Ashanti and Beyonce in the soul-R&B category, Shania Twain in the country category and Sean Paul and Missy Elliott in the rap-hip hop category.

Rapper Eminem also received two nods for favorite male rapper and for the soundtrack to his semi-autobiographical film "8 Mile."

The 20 awards will be presented during a ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Nov. 16, aired on ABC. Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel is the emcee.

The nominations are based on sales figures and radio play. Winners are selected by a survey of about 20,000 listeners. The nominees:

Pop-Rock:

--Male Artist: Clay Aiken, Kid Rock, John Mayer, Justin Timberlake.

--Female Artist: Celine Dion, Avril Lavigne, Jennifer Lopez.

--Band, Duo or Group: Fleetwood Mac, matchbox twenty, 3 Doors Down.

--Album: "Fallen," Evanescence; "Come Away With Me," Norah Jones; "Cocky," Kid Rock; "Justified," Justin Timberlake.

Soul-R&B:

--Male Artist: Ginuwine, Jaheim, R. Kelly, Luther Vandross.

--Female Artist: Aaliyah, Ashanti, Beyonce.

--Band, Duo or Group: B2K, Dru Hill, The Isley Brothers.

--Album: "Chapter II," Ashanti; "Dangerously In Love," Beyonce; "Chocolate Factory," R. Kelly; "Dance With My Father," Luther Vandross.

Country:

--Male Artist: Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw.

--Female Artist: Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Shania Twain.

--Band, Duo or Group: Alabama, Brooks & Dunn, Dixie Chicks.

--Album: "Unleashed," Toby Keith; "Tim McGraw & The Dancehall Doctors," Tim McGraw; "Melt," Rascal Flatts; "Up!" Shania Twain.

Rap-Hip Hop:

--Male Artist: Eminem, 50 Cent, Nelly, Sean Paul.

--Female Artist: Missy Elliott, Eve, Lil' Kim.

--Band, Duo or Group: Black Eyed Peas, Bone Crusher, Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz.

--Album: "Under Construction," Missy Elliott; "Get Rich Or Die Tryin,"' 50 Cent; "Dutty Rock," Sean Paul; "8 Mile," Soundtrack.

Adult Contemporary:

--Artist: Cher, Celine Dion, Norah Jones.

Latin Music:

--Artist: Kumbia Kings, Ricky Martin, Luis Miguel.

Alternative Music:

--Artist: Coldplay, Linkin Park, Metallica.

Contemporary Inspirational:

--Artist: Steven Curtis Chapman, MercyMe, Third Day.

 

WHAT THE HECK IS A ZEOFLICK?
It is a groovy little movie that you can create with your very own photos and send it to your friends and family!
It is easy! All you have to do is...
UPLOAD your personal photos ADD your own message
SYNCH it all to Clay Aiken music: This is the night and
SEND it to ALL OF YOUR friends!

The so called saga of Ruben vs. Clay, continues
News that Clay Aiken, the "American Idol" runner-up's CD will be released a month before "AI's" grand-prize winner, Ruben Studdard, reports AP music writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody.
Even though Aiken's CD will come first, October 14, as of now, it is still untitled.
On the other hand, Studdard's "Soulful," arrives on November 11. Studdard, who's taking the so-called rivalry in stride, tells why it makes sense.
"He got his album done fairly quickly; with me, I had my own press junket, so studio time was very limited," Studdard told the AP.
"It just don't make no sense for Clay to have his album chillin' when he could just do his thing," he said. Studdard said it's been difficult juggling the schedules of his producers with his own. But he said he wasn't worried about the delay.
"I just want to be able to do the best possible project I possibly can. I don't want to just come out with an 'American Idol' souvenir album, you know what I'm saying?"
Studdard, is on the "American Idol" national tour along with Aiken and other stars of the Fox television talent show.

Okay so its on the lips of everyone still.
Its in the News, even those at rollingstone magazine are probably wondering.
How many of you have heard the news reports or seen the so call gay looking pictures..
Some of those pictures are seen in our clay galleries. You be judge.
American Idol can start a a career off but by all accounts it can also destroy one, just look at
some of the idols who were down-trodden like frenchie.
Luckily for Clay the  "Clays Gay" scandal hasn't caused his fledgling careere to suffer at all!
With the pre-release taste of his single CD Bridge Over Trouble Water and This Is The Night all Clay fans are drooling with anticipation of the release of his Albumin the fall.
The albums songs are said to be the perfect mix for Clay,  his mp3 stream here displays his vocals perfectly in its raw non studio performance and wecan only begin too imagine at how wonderful the song will sound on the album.
Okay with all that said I am stillcurious to what my clay fan friends think too, is he or is he not gay?
I think I might look into what people think about this more.
OKay I am so in love with Clays This Is The Night Song so I am posting the Lyrics for everyone to enjoy.
The Lyrics  are gorgeous!



Artist: Clay Aiken
Buy The Album: Measure of a Man

Song: This Is The Night

Lyrics:

When the world was in upside down
I could take all the time I had
But I'm not gonna wait
When a moment can vanish so fast
Cause every kiss is a kiss you can never get back
Lift me up in your arms
If you told me that's where heaven is
(Well, you'd be right)
I've been waiting forever for this
This is the night
When the answer to all my dreams
Is as close as a touch away
Why am I here holding back what I'm trying to say
Lift me up in your arms
If you told me that is where heaven is
(Well, you'd be right)
Hold me close to your heart
I will go with you to the end of the Earth
(And we'll fly)
I've been waiting forever for this
This is the night
This is the night where we capture forever
And all out tomorrows begin
After tonight we will never be lonely again
Lift me up in your arms
If you told me that is where heaven is
(Well, you'd be right)
Hold me close to your heart
I would go with you to the end of the Earth
(And we'll fly)
I've been waiting forever for this
This is the night

Clay Aiken to sing at Miss America pageant

 

	Raleigh native Clay Aiken

Another North Carolinian is heading to the Miss America Pageant, but with a lot less controversy.

"American Idol" finalist Clay Aiken will sing his signature song, "This Is the Night," at the September 20th pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Aiken will be one of the opening acts in the three-hour show.

In 2002, the state sent an unprecedented two candidates to the pageant amid a dispute over the Miss North Carolina crown.

Aiken, "American Idol" winner Ruben Studdard and other finalists from the Fox show have been touring the country this summer with "American Idols Live!"

Aiken is scheduled to release his first album in October and has
recently established the Bubel-Aiken Foundation to work on behalf of people with disabilities.