Clay Aiken
News (Page 5)

Looks like Clay Nation will get a special Christmas present this year.

That's right, the one and only Clay Aiken will be appearing on the NBC daytime drama Days of Our Lives as himself. To quote the Claymate who brought this fact to our attention, "OMG!" Clay will be playing himself, People has learned exclusively.

What could be better, really?

On the show, the American Idol phenomenon will perform "Everything I Have," a song from his new album, as part of a private concert for Steve (Stephen Nichols) and Kayla (Mary Beth Evans) in the local Salem club called Dune.

Aiken, whose album A Thousand Different Ways was released last month, will also have his version of "O, Holy Night" from his hit 2004 album, Merry Christmas with Love featured in the episode, which will tape November 14 and air on December 22.

Somehow we're predicting a spike in TiVo sales around then...

One thing we've learned about Clay Aiken fans:

They're quick to come to their hero's defense.

On Monday, the music blog Idolator ran a poll in its "Cover-Song Showcase Showdown," pitting Raleigh, N.C., homeboy Aiken against rapper Joe Budden.

The poll asked which cover of Mr. Mister's "Broken Wings" is superior, the version by Clay Aiken on his new album, A Thousand Different Ways, or Joe Budden's interesting freestyle rap version.

By late Tuesday afternoon, Budden was outpolling Aiken 63.1 percent to 39.9 percent, with fewer than 200 total votes cast.

Figuring Clay Nation could use a nudge, we posted a link to the contest in the "On the Beat" blog and a challenge to the Claymates: "So are you really going to let this stand?"

Two hours later, the results were (not surprisingly) dramatically different -- a total landslide with Clay Aiken getting 91.6 percent to Budden's 8.4 percent.

By Thursday afternoon, our man had racked up more than 1,600 votes, while Budden had yet to crack 100. Take that, Joe!

Devoted as they are, Clay Aiken fans not only honor their favorite singer, but each other! In the Claymmys (the group's annual contest for best pictures, stories, blends, etc.), our very own Idol Fanatic won the People's Choice award for best story. Her account of what it means to be a Clay Aiken fan, entitled "My Secret Life as a Middle-Aged Groupie" won out.

We've repurposed it below. Enjoy:

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"I’ve got the music in me, sweet music in me; I’ve got the muuuuu-sic in MEEEEE!"

These words could well be my life’s theme, as I have always liked or been involved in some sort of music. From the ear-splitting screeches of Violin 1 in fourth grade, to the constant practicing of piano and flute through middle school and on into college, I have been playing or singing since I was young.

So why haven’t you heard of me on Broadway, or seen my name on the Pollstar charts? Well, let’s just say that while the music may be IN me, what comes OUT of me isn’t always something you'd pay to hear! God just asks of us to make a joyful NOISE unto the Lord. He doesn’t say anything about it being on tune, in tempo, or in perfect harmony.

That is why I pay to hear others who are in tune, play magnificently, or can do the soft shoe while singing brilliantly. Concerts are a source of joy for me. Be they rock or classical, I have always shelled out the bucks for the musical acts that intrigued me.

Chicago, Three Dog Night, Bob Dylan (in Paris, no less!), Little River Band, Elton John, the Beach Boys, Billy Joel, Simon and Garfunkel, Gordon Lightfoot, Bare Naked Ladies, Train, Jars of Clay, Kelly Clarkson, Sandi Patty, Point of Grace, Itzhak Perlman -- the list of performers I’ve seen in concert goes on and and on.

I've purchased many albums, cassettes, and now CDs of these artists, and even have a deck of Beatles trading cards tucked away in a safe deposit box. While I may purchase a ticket to see a favorite artist if they pass through town, I’ve never made the effort to travel long distances to see them in concert.

If they come, I’ll go. If not, then I’ll catch them the next time they pass through town.

So what possessed me, in 2004, to get on a plane the day after Thanksgiving to fly to a concert? Two words: Clay Aiken.

My name is Michelle, and I am a card carrying member of the Clay Nation -- a Claymate, for short! It all started out in such innocent fashion. Season One of American Idol sucked my family into the vortex of reality TV, and we couldn’t wait for Season Two to begin.

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Buoyed in large part by Clay Aiken and his devoted fans, Jimmy Kimmel Live drew its largest weekly ratings in two years during the week of the North Carolina singer's visit.

Clay stopped by the show on Tuesday, October 26, as part of his whirlwind promotional tour for A Thousand Different Ways.

Thanks to George Lopez and Clay Aiken, that night's show gave Kimmel his second-highest ratings ever for a single telecast. The program was up a staggering 18 percent over the previous year's ratings for that week.

The October 26 Jimmy Kimmel Live audience, which numbered more than 2.34 million TV viewers (and hordes of eager fans who showed up in-person) ranked second only to the February 6, 2003 telecast when ABC aired a Michael Jackson special in primetime.

Clay's album sales may be falling short of expectations, but with fan devotion like this, you can't think that trend will last long.

What happens when the worlds of Clay Aiken and Martha Stewart collide, as they will today when our man appears on the mogul's TV show? American Idol Worship's correspondent offers her take, along with the recipe Clay will reportedly be baking with his Granny Aiken.

Ladies and gentlemen, that thunderous sound you're hearing is not an approaching hurricane, tsunami, or herd of buffalo rumbling across the plains... it is the sound of thousands of Claymates stampeding over to the local Win Dixie, Safeway, Stop & Shop or Piggly Wiggly to buy the ingredients for hot pineapple salad.

What in the heck is hot pineapple salad, anyway?

Is it a southern specialty handed down for generations in the Aiken family? And why would anybody want to try it? It sounds disgusting!

Suffice it to say, when Clay Aiken does his cooking episode on the Martha Stewart Living show, you can bet that every Claymate worth their oh-fish-you-all fan club membership card is going to be cooking right along with him on TV.

A promotional clip aired yesterday on Martha Stewart Living, and if that wasn't enough to send the Clay Aiken fans into a lather, the publication of the actual recipe on Martha Stewart's official website this morning has caused discussions of the gravest order today.

Texans are baffled by an ingredient list that calls for medium-sharp cheddar cheese, as they haven't seen it in stores. A fan from Maryland only knows of New York extra-sharp cheddar. Will that work as well?

The Oregonian knows all about cheese flavor grades due to the Tillamook and Bandon cheese-making factories practically in her backyard, and is offering overnight shipping to her ingredient-challenged friends. So do we need Clay's size 13 sneakers to crush the Ritz crackers in the sleeve? All for one, and one for all these Claymates!

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Yesterday's American Idol Picture of the Day showcased a confused Kelly Clarkson, a bored Randy Jackson and a politician embroiled in scandal. That's difficult, if not impossible, to top, but we like today's image just the same.

Below, we have new-look Clay Aiken, who's making the rounds promoting A Thousand Different Ways after spending most of the last year and a half outside the public eye, and two fans who happen to be singers themselves -- not to mention actresses. And sisters!

Flanking Clay are Haylie Duff, 21, and her better-known, younger sister, Hilary Duff, 19. Good to see the ranks of Clay Nation continue to swell!

The USA Today American Idol blog has an intriguing range of comments on the general topic of Clay Aiken's album sales, which we discussed yesterday.

Widespread reports of insufficient stock at retail stores, conflicting accounts of many of his fans buying multiple copies, the feeling that his record label, RCA, and its CEO, Clive Davis, have abandoned Clay -- there's no shortage of debate about our man and his musical direction.

The covers concept for Clay's new album, A Thousand Different Ways, has taken some criticism in the media, and if you are among those who believe it's hurting Clay's sales, Davis certainly must take responsibility for the idea of the album.

But on the flip side, Clay has talked at length about the concept and why he believes in it, so who are we to say?

What we really find fascinating are the reports of RCA abandoning Clay, who has been a strong revenue-producing artist, but again, we're not exactly privy to the internal politics of the relationship there.

Maybe Clay Aiken could truly thrive if he escaped RCA and made a different sort of album? Maybe the superstar-level sales are still on the way? It's all conjecture at this point, honestly, but the ongoing debate is certainly interesting and we'll continue to follow it.

Despite having sold upwards of 285,000 copies of A Thousand Different Ways in under two weeks, Clay Aiken's new album is (perhaps prematurely) being called a commercial disappointment by some.

On the one hand, Clay's debut album, Measure of a Man, solid 613,000 copies in its first week alone, 400,000 more than ATWD netted. Some have also theorized that recording primarily covers on ATWD may be hurting its credibility.

We're not sure either estimation is accurate. Remember that MOAM hit stores right after he won the hearts of millions on American Idol, so that type of success may never be equaled.

There's also the question of whether Clay Aiken fans follow the typical industry sales patterns -- in which the weekly units moved fall off steadily after the initial buzz fades. Aiken may be more likely to sell albums over the course of a few months (rather than only in the first 2-3 weeks) than most artists.

It's also worth noting that in this digital age, the recording industry as a whole is posting 5 percent annual dropoffs. So with the notable exception of Ms. Kelly Clarkson, it seems fairly likely that any artist would see slightly disappointing numbers. We'll keep you updated on any new data or analysis that comes along.

American Idol Worship has come across an online account of a Clay Aiken record release event in Los Angeles. Here's the eyewitness account:

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More than 125 fans gathered at the Burbank Hilton Hotel and Convention Center to listen to Clay Aiken's new album, A Thousand Different Ways, eat some food, talk about their favorite Idol, raise money for his Bubel/Aiken Foundation, and engage with some very special guests.

Also, there were 300 ATDW CDs that had been pre-sold and then handed out that night.

Fred Bronson of Billboard Magazine, who has become the icon of industry statistics and predictions for Los Angeles-area Aiken fans since Clay’s first CD release, was there to exchange and inform.

Fred’s friendship with Clay Aiken and his experience in the business make him a desirable person to have around at an event of this sort, and the party guests were delighted with his presence once again.

Mr. Bronson held a Q&A with the fans about industry standards and expectations for Clay’s new CD.

He also gave some advice about how to handle requests with radio stations for ATDW.

Fred himself always has a million different irons in the fire -- books he’s writing, others he’s updating. His latest, entitled Dick Clark’s American Bandstand, is in bookstores now. Fred will be writing for the upcoming American Music Awards as well as Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve show.

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I've worked stressful jobs in the past where the days passed by in a never-ending quest to get the work done for the boss and client. However, I was compensated monetarily for the work-related stress, lack of sleep, and churning stomach.

Fast forward to the past two weeks and picture this: "What?!? You got free tickets for the Jimmy Kimmel Live show in L.A. on September 26 and you want me to go? You're nuts! Wait, how many songs is he going to be singing in that outdoor mini-concert? Three to five? Say 15 minutes worth of hearing Clay Aiken sing? I'll think about it..."

And think about it I did, after receiving the invitation from a fellow Clay Aiken fan living in the midwest.

Having not seen Clay in concert since last November, I really wanted to go. But flying to Los Angeles for a 15-minute concert? I shelved the idea for about a week, and had almost talked myself out of it when the marvelous news flashed across the message boards that the Jimmy Kimmel Live show wasn't to be Clay's only appearance in the City of Angels that day!

Was he going to be on a daytime talk show? Perhaps filming a music video for the new CD? What? Soon the beans were spilled and the glorious news came that Clay would be doing a CD signing event at the Virgin Megastore across the street from the Kimmel show. Now the pot was sweetened, and I once again decided to really attempt this mad Day of Clay.

Thus began a flurry of long-distance phone calls, airline reservations, begging for a couch to sleep on from old friends -- anything to lower the cost and not end up in divorce court with non-Clayfan husband. Finally the reservations were made, and after only 3.5 hours of sleep I hopped on the early flight to L.A. Monday morning.

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