K
Kain99
Guest
With Clay Aikens "Measure of a Man's" Oct. 14 release around the corner, it is now an incidental fact that Aiken did not actually win American Idol. Thirty-four million people watched last May as Ruben Studdard edged out Aiken by less than 1% of the votes.
After the Idol finale, interest in Aiken surged, and his startlingly sincere first single, This Is the Night, trounced Studdard's to become the best-selling single since Elton John's reworked Candle in the Wind.
Modern rock radio, which is dominated by hip-hop, nu-metal and irony, was overwhelmed by a wave of requests and was forced to play Aiken's song.
Rolling Stone put him on its cover and had to increase the print run to meet demand. Richard Sanders, executive vice president and general manager of RCA Records, caught on early to what he calls the "emotional connection" Aiken forged with the Idol audience, and he decided that regardless of who won on the show, RCA was going to sign Aiken.
After the Idol finale, interest in Aiken surged, and his startlingly sincere first single, This Is the Night, trounced Studdard's to become the best-selling single since Elton John's reworked Candle in the Wind.
Modern rock radio, which is dominated by hip-hop, nu-metal and irony, was overwhelmed by a wave of requests and was forced to play Aiken's song.
Rolling Stone put him on its cover and had to increase the print run to meet demand. Richard Sanders, executive vice president and general manager of RCA Records, caught on early to what he calls the "emotional connection" Aiken forged with the Idol audience, and he decided that regardless of who won on the show, RCA was going to sign Aiken.
