• Clay Aiken's final college course led to launch of Bubel/Aiken Foundation

  December 10, 2003
  Sometimes the best stories take place behind the scenes. Thanks to the controversy about Clay Aiken's graduation this month, we just learned one of them.

• Original 'Idol' runner-up Justin Guarini dropped by RCA Records

  December 3, 2003
  According to numerous media reports, American Idol runner-up Justin Guarini has been dropped from RCA Records after disappointing sales of his debut album. In comparison to the hit debut albums of fellow Idol alumni Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken, which have each sold well over one million copies to date, Guarini's self-titled "Justin Guarini" album has sold only 134,000 domestic copies since its June release.

• Clay Aiken CD certified double platinum, while Clay prepares for graduation day

  November 21, 2003
  Not many graduating collegians can claim to have two platinum records. But then again, not many graduating collegians are Clay AIken.

• Clay Aiken wins American Music Awards "Fan's Choice" award

  November 17, 2003
  Clay Aiken might have lost last spring's American Idol 2 viewer voting contest to Ruben Studdard, but his devoted fans apparently made sure that Clay wouldn't fall just short a second time. Powered by the efforts of his "clay maniacs," Aiken took home the American Music Awards Fan's Choice award on Sunday night, beating out 50 Cent, Justin Timberlake, and Beyonce among others. The award is the only AMA award where the winner is determined by online fan voting.

• Strategy shift: RCA to release commercial CD of Clay Aiken's "Invisible" single

  November 15, 2003
  RCA should have listened to us in the first place. When you have an artist who only gets respect at the cash register, make use of it.

• 'World Idol' competition planned for holiday season, with eleven 'Idols' and world-wide voting

  November 13, 2003
  Pop Idol creator Simon Fuller has finally achieved his dream: a one-night face-off among winners of Pop Idol versions from around the world, to be called World Idol.

• Clay Aiken CD drops to #8 in U.S. as total sales top 1 million units

  November 12, 2003
  Billboard reports that, in a week dominated by new releases, the debut CD from American Idol 2 runner-up Clay Aiken has dropped to eighth place on the Nielsen SoundScan U.S. Album Sales charts (which also serve as the Billboard 200) in its fourth week of release. The CD, Measure of a Man, sold 113,000 copies for the week ended November 9 -- a 19% drop from its sales during the previous week.

• Ryan Malcolm is #1 for 5th week, will sing "Let It Snow" on Idol Xmas TV special

  November 10, 2003
  CTV's Canadian Idol winner Ryan Malcolm's debut single, "Something More," once again was #1 on the Nielsen SoundScan Canadian Singles Sales chart for the week ended November 2. The ViK. single has now held on to the top slot for five striaght weeks.

• Clay Aiken CD falls to third in U.S. ... but is only 741 copies from first

  November 5, 2003
  E! Online reports that Clay Aiken's CD Measure of a Man has fallen to third place on the Nielsen SoundScan U.S. Album Sales chart for the week ended November 2 after two weeks in the top slot. However, the gap between Clay and the top two CDs, which also were released by labels in the BMG Music Group, is only 741 copies.

• 'Idol' winners Ryan Malcolm and Kelly Clarkson remain 1-2 in Canada single sales

  November 3, 2003
  Canadian Idol winner Ryan Malcolm retained his position atop the Nielsen SoundScan Canadian Singles Sales charts for the week ended October 26 ... and once again, American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson remained close behind.

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