text: Clay Aiken - Biography - Akazoo
  ... read moreAlthough he never actually won AMERICAN IDOL, finishing second to soul heavyweight Ruben Studdard at the conclusion of the show's second season in 2003, crooner Clay Aiken was able to parlay his inoffensive brand of easy-listening pop and fresh-faced charm into a successful career that ultimately...
  That same month, Aiken's debut single, "This Is the Night," made history by shooting to number one on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. It sold more than 392,000 copies during its first week, besting Elton John's previous record for "Candle in the Wind 1997." In October 2003, Aiken returned to the spotlight and issued his full-length studio debut, The Measure of a Man. Once again, the little guy with the big voice made a big splash, and The Measure of a Man sold 613,000 copies while climbing to number one on Billboard's Top 200 during its first week of release. Aiken's first holiday effort, Merry Christmas with Love, followed in November 2004. The album debuted at number one on Billboard's Top Holiday Albums chart, giving Merry Christmas with Love the biggest debut week sales figures for a Christmas album in SoundScan history. Aiken released A Thousand Different Ways in September 2006 and made his Broadway debut in early 2008, playing the role of Sir Robin in Spamalot. On My Way Here arrived that same year, featuring a track penned by OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder. Aiken released Tried & True, a collection of standards from the '50s and '60s, in 2010 on the Decca label. In 2012, on the heels of his appearance on NBC's Celebrity Apprentice, Aiken released the album Steadfast, featuring tracks off Tried & True as well as a few more of his favorite songs to sing in concert. Also included was his original single "Bring Back My Love." ~ MacKenzie Wilson & Andrew Leahey~ Rovi