October 2003

Clay's Adventures in Futuring...
Posted Cruiser on Thursday, October 30 2003 at 8:43 PM PST
What if you're a college student planning to teach kids with mental disabilities but, in one short year, find you're now a singer whose first album debuts at the top of the record charts? One of the first lessons of futuring is that life is what happens when you're making other plans.
Click here to read the article!

World Premiere of Invisible...
Posted Cruiser on Wednesday, October 29 2003 at 6:32 PM PST
Clay's Measure of a Man debuts at #1 on the Top 200, selling 613,000 units, remains at #1 for a second week with sales of 225,000 units, had the 3rd best 1st week album Sales of 2003, had the 2nd best debut week for any solo artist in the SoundScan Era, was the #1 album in 97 out of 100 markets, #1 in all geographic regions, #1 Internet album, #1 retailer album, and #1 mass merchant album...all without a video! Now, watch the video, Thursday October 30 at 5:00 on TRL on MTV!

Clay #1 in Sales For Second Week...
Posted Cruiser on Tuesday, October 28 2003 at 7:10 PM PST
The RCA Music Group grabs the top two slots on this week’s sales chart with #1 Clay Aiken and #2 Rod Stewart, who provide the label with a potent one-two punch of spiky-haired crooners as they both top the 200k mark. HDD reports sales of 207,671 for MoaM - a strong follow up to first week sales of 607,660. Congratulations Clay!
Click here to read the story!

Clay: Fantasy Fulfillment for the Masses...
Posted Cruiser on Tuesday, October 28 2003 at 11:35 AM PST
Rarely has there been a better example of such fantasy fulfillment than watching nerdy runner-up Clay Aiken transform into a pop star before our eyes. And smart wannabes are taking notes. Click here to read the story!

Clay Aiken was a phenomenon unto himself...
Posted Cruiser on Monday, October 27 2003 at 7:26 PM PST
On "American Idol," the show he was discovered on, Aiken was a standout before he even sang. The gangly walk. The goofy mannerisms. In short, Aiken looked like Ichabod Crane. And when he opened his mouth, he was Elvis.
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Will Clay Be #1 For a Second Week?
Posted Cruiser on Sunday, October 26 2003 at 7:55 PM PST
Looks like Clay Aiken’s Measure of a Man (RCA) will just keep growing and growing. Ahem. Now that we have that out of our system, according to early reports from national accounts, Aiken’s debut will continue uncontested at #1 next week.
Click here to read the story!

Billboard: For Good Measure...
Posted Cruiser on Sunday, October 26 2003 at 9:27 AM PST
Exactly six months after Kelly Clarkson debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 with "Thankful," "American Idol" finalist Clay Aiken enters the chart in pole position with his first album, "Measure of a Man" (RCA). First season "Idol" winner Clarkson held on to the top spot for just one week, so if his fans are still taking home the Aiken for a second week, the 24-year-old native of Raleigh, N.C., will be the longest-running "Idol" contestant at No. 1 on this tally.
Click here to read the story!

Yahoo Says Clay Measures Up
Posted Cruiser on Saturday, October 25 2003 at 12:25 PM PDT
As is the case with almost every album under the sun, the New York metro area is Aiken's largest sales market. But in this case, the market that is typically the second-largest contributor, Los Angeles, takes a back seat to Aiken's hometown, as the Raleigh-Durham, N.C., cluster gobbles up 37,000 copies. The NYC market sold 38,000 copies, while the L.A. area ranked third in Aiken's posse, with 28,500.
Click here to read the story!

MoaM: Second Higest Debut Since 1993
Posted Cruiser on Saturday, October 25 2003 at 7:42 AM PDT
“Clay Aiken is truly a major talent who will have a long-lasting music career. He has an extraordinary voice and very special natural charisma, which have clearly captivated millions. Clay’s debut album’s explosive sales is almost without historical precedent and we’re all over the moon about his album’s startling success.” Clive Davis, Chairman and CEO- RCA Music Group
Click here to read the story!

Clay takes 'Measure' to the top
Posted Michael on Friday, October 24 2003 at 9:56 AM PDT
Measure of a Man, the debut by American Idol sensation Clay Aiken, went the distance to enter Billboard at No. 1 with first-week sales of 613,000 copies, the year's third-highest opener.
Click here to read the story!

CLAY AIKEN DESERVING OF CHARTS WIN
Posted Melodie on Friday, October 24 2003 at 4:43 AM PDT
The fellow with the crazy hair, the nerd boy banner carrier, and the winsome voice has come out on top. Simon, where are you now? According to EOnline’s David Jenison, the "charts idolize Clay."

Click here for the article!

Angst in the Recording Industry?
Posted Cruiser on Thursday, October 23 2003 at 8:45 PM PDT
According to Time magazine, the "American Idol" phenomenon is causing some angst among recording industry types-people who pride themselves on picking and developing talent. What if it turns out that the music industry doesn't need them? ...What if it turns out that people who want to be president, like the people who want to be rock stars, do better without all the experts?
Click here to read the story!

Clay Makes AI Sales History
Posted Cruiser on Wednesday, October 22 2003 at 6:18 PM PDT
We're guessing even Simon is speechless right about now.
Five months after finishing runner up to Ruben Studdard on American Idol by just 1 percent, Clay Aiken has shown himself the biggest Idol of all where it counts--on the charts. Making A.I. sales history, the nerdy North Carolinian's Measure of a Man sold a whopping 613,000 copies last week, according to SoundScan numbers released Wednesday.
Click here to read the story!

MoaM Ships Double Platinum in First Week!
Posted Cruiser on Wednesday, October 22 2003 at 6:03 AM PDT
Clive Davis just announced on Good Morning America that Measure of a Man has had the most units shipped for any debut CD in ten years. Two million units shipped - double platinum status! Over 600,000 units were sold in the first week as well. The fans have spoken. Congratulations Clay!

Measure of a Man to Debut at #1
Posted Cruiser on Tuesday, October 21 2003 at 9:07 PM PDT
In this case, video made the radio star a retail Idol. By any Measure, RCA’s Clay Aiken is the Man. The emerging star, who finished second to labelmate Ruben Studdard on the nationally televised talent show, debuted at #1 this week, his Clive Davis-produced solo bow scoring more than 600k in sales.
Click here to read the story! (Registration required)

Debut Album is a Showcase
Posted Cruiser on Tuesday, October 21 2003 at 8:31 AM PDT
Clay Aiken's debut album, Measure Of A Man, has been one of the most eagerly awaited CDs in recent pop history. Now that it's on the shelves it will interesting to see the sales figures. Will this CD break records like Aiken's single did?
Click here to read the review!

Clay Aiken - A 'Real' Pop Star
Posted Cruiser on Monday, October 20 2003 at 6:28 PM PDT
Clay Aiken’s new CD Measure of a Man has been on the shelves for almost a week now. I’ve read with interest many of the negative (as well as positive) reviews on Clay’s entry level addition to the “real” pop world. I’m quite amazed and amused at some of the comments I’ve read -apparently many of these reviewers and ‘critics’ live in their own little world.
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The Controversy That is Clay
Posted Cruiser on Monday, October 20 2003 at 2:07 PM PDT
Clay's album has caused a lot of controversy between the critics who have slammed it and the fans who love it. One even called fans 'out of it;' but who is really out of it here?
Click here to read the story!

Clay Supports 'Komforting Kids' in NJ
Posted Cruiser on Monday, October 20 2003 at 11:29 AM PDT
A trio of teens known as the Autumn Angels will hold a fund-raiser Saturday at Planet Hollywood as part of the National Make A Difference Day. Money will help with "wish list" items for Happiness Is Camping, a camp for kids with cancer. Participants can bid at a silent auction on one of several items signed by American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken, who appeared on last month's Miss America telecast.
Click here to read the story!

Billboard Reviews Measure of a Man
Posted Cruiser on Sunday, October 19 2003 at 10:22 PM PDT
Clay Aiken's "Measure of a Man" is the best pop album of 2003. Every song, every note is brimming with ambition and glory.
Click here to read the review!

Clay singing at the World Series?
Posted Michael on Saturday, October 18 2003 at 11:34 PM PDT
That's right...Clay Aiken sang the National Anthem in Game 1 of the World series and we have the video! Along with this latest addition, we have several other videos available for download exclusively for our Claymaniacs.com discussion forum members. Register today to gain access to our "Member's Corner" forum.
Visit our Discussion Forum!

Clay's court
Posted Michael on Friday, October 17 2003 at 8:53 PM PDT
It's not his looks, or even his voice, which have earned American Idol first runner-up Clay Aiken devoted fans. Rather it's his dorky charm.
Read the entire article!

Aiken's Rich Voice Deserves Better Showcase
Posted Cruiser on Friday, October 17 2003 at 7:09 AM PDT
That whoosh you hear is the sound of people from ages 7 to 70 stampeding to record stores this week. The numerous "Claymates," Clay Aiken's excited fan base, have promised to buy multiple copies of the American Idol star's debut CD, one presumably, for every stereo they own.
Click here to read the story!

Bubel/Aiken Foundation to Auction Jerseys for Charity
Posted Cruiser on Thursday, October 16 2003 at 8:19 AM PDT
RALEIGH, N.C., Oct. 15 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The measure of this man, Clay Aiken, is simple -- start with his talent and finish with the size of his heartfelt commitment to individuals with developmental disabilities. This commitment led to Clay's formation of the Bubel/Aiken Foundation to support efforts to integrate developmentally disabled individuals in programs with their non-disabled peers.
Click here to read the story!

Idol Star Off To Good Start With 'Measure'
Posted Cruiser on Wednesday, October 15 2003 at 9:06 PM PDT
Sigh. OK, I'll admit it. I wanted to hate "Measure of a Man," Clay Aiken's debut. I wanted to rip it apart, reveling in my own cleverness as I savaged the "American Idol" runner-up and his smarmy, pre-packaged sound...
It was bad enough that Aiken called the record "Measure of a Man." That's a huge risk, practically an invitation to be as mean as possible, no RSVP necessary. I was all set to write that he doesn't measure up. Well, I can't.
Click here to read the review!

A Genial American Idyll: Clay Aiken's Vanilla Charm
Posted Michael on Wednesday, October 15 2003 at 1:12 AM PDT
Ruben Studdard might have the right idea. He was the technical winner of "American Idol 2," grabbing just over half of the 24 million viewer votes cast. In every other way, however, he's the runner-up to Clay Aiken in the battle for American hearts and wallets, and has reportedly decided to go hip-hop on his upcoming album, in a wise attempt to distance himself from the show's shopping mall aesthetic.
Click here to read the story!

Elites TV Reviews 'Measure of a Man'
Posted Cruiser on Tuesday, October 14 2003 at 6:43 PM PDT
'Measure of a Man' is a twelve song CD of various and somewhat surprising styles one would not normally associate being on a Clay Aiken CD. But that's saying more about the silly notion of those who tried to pigeonhole Aiken as 'Broadway' or Mr. Ballad - this effort is SO much more, it will please those who know what Aiken is all about since they saw Aiken's versatility during the Summer tour, and make believers out of skeptics.
Click here to read the review!

The wait is over for Clay Aiken fans
Posted Michael on Tuesday, October 14 2003 at 1:44 PM PDT
Hundreds of Clay Aiken fans waited hours to snag the first copies of his debut CD, "Measure of a Man".
Click here to read the story!

This Is The Night!
Posted Cruiser on Monday, October 13 2003 at 5:57 AM PDT
Fans of Clay Aiken from Raleigh to Singapore unite tonight for an unprecedented event. Never before has an entirely fan based network of people come together globally to celebrate an artist and the release of his first CD. As the official drop date is tomorrow, CDs will officially go on sale at midnight in cities all across the country and the world. Clay's first single, This is the Night, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's single chart and achieved platinum status in 37 days. Our mission tonight and tomorrow? To push Clay's CD to platinum in one day. We can do it! If you are attending a CD release party tonight, have a great time!

Website Update!
Posted Michael on Sunday, October 12 2003 at 7:28 PM PDT
Lots of updates from Claymaniacs.com, so lets get to them!
1. Updated the Appearances page!
2. Several new Wallpapers and Fan Artwork added to the Downloads page!
3. We now have a forum called, the "Member's Corner". This forum is available to registered members only of our Discussion Forum and will soon offer exclusive information and downloads not found anywhere else. Be sure to sign up!

RCA: Do Not Tamper with Clay Aiken's Star
Posted Cruiser on Saturday, October 11 2003 at 7:57 AM PDT
In the recent Time magazine article, American Idol finalist Clay Aiken reported the difficulty that he had experienced with RCA Records during the recording of his first album, Measure of a Man...Clay battled the RCA executives and won...He won not only because of his enormous talent, but also because of his principled and ethical values and beliefs. All of these qualities combined are responsible for the phenomenon known as Clay Aiken.
Click here to read the story!

Revenge of the Geek Hearthrob...
Posted Cruiser on Friday, October 10 2003 at 6:04 PM PDT
The anticipation is mounting. Thousands of “Claymates,” as they call themselves, have been organizing and mobilizing for months. From CD release parties, to radio play campaigns, Clay Aiken’s new album “Measure of a Man” is debuting with plenty of “fanfare.”
Click here to read the story!

Idol Star Strikes Chord With Fans
Posted Cruiser on Thursday, October 9 2003 at 10:09 PM PDT
There must have been some reason they were all watching TV the night that Clay Aiken opened his mouth to sing. These women don't watch TV. They especially don't watch shows like "American Idol." But they were watching that night, and it changed their lives. "Something directed us to turn on the TV at that time," Lisa Kasl swears...Take it from Becky Raymond. Believing in Clay is believing that things happen for a reason.
Click here to read the story!

What His Friends Say About Clay
Posted Cruiser on Wednesday, October 8 2003 at 5:56 PM PDT
"I miss him," said Amy Pusey with a sigh. Angela Coachman added, "The three of us did everything together." Pusey, Coachman and their third amigo were very close the last two years. Both women graduated last May with a degree in special education while a mutual friend took an unexpected path of his own. Together Pusey and Coachman learned to cope with the loss of their friend, while across the country, they sat in front of the TV like millions of others, watching their friend, Clay Aiken, become America's idol. Click here to read the story!

Clay Fights to Keep Sexual "Edge" out of CD - and Wins
Posted Cruiser on Tuesday, October 7 2003 at 3:04 PM PDT
Time magazine reports that American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken and his record label, RCA Records, battled during the making of his debut CD over both content and career direction. Clay’s goal, to produce an album free from both sexual innuendo and “edge,” was strongly resisted by RCA executives led by label chairman and music industry legend Clive Davis. However, Clay's CD, scheduled for release on October 14, ultimately came out "clean" -- the way that Clay wanted it.
Click here to read the story!

The Measure of a Fan
Posted Cruiser on Monday, October 6 2003 at 7:38 AM PDT
With a week left until the release of Clay Aiken's first full-length CD, Measure of a Man, the Claymates are busier than ever! This time around, their goal is to push the CD to platinum on its first day out. Whether they can do this or not remains to be seen, but in an effort to reach this goal, they are organizing a network of CD release parties to coincide with the October 14 release date.
Click here to read the story!

Building a Better Pop Star - Clay in TIME
Posted Cruiser on Sunday, October 5 2003 at 7:19 AM PDT
The record industry needs a savior. American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken could be it. Now will he play along, or is his style too far off-key?
Click here to read the story!

Clay talks to Billboard about Measure of a Man
Posted Cruiser on Saturday, October 4 2003 at 10:16 PM PDT
It would be difficult to find anyone in the U.S. who has not heard of Clay Aiken. In June, Aiken sat down with Billboard's Fred Bronson for a lengthy interview about his experiences on "American Idol." Last week they met up again, to discuss Aiken's debut CD track-by-track in a conversation that is exclusive to Billboard.com.
Click here to read the story!

Clay on Nickelodeon video!
Posted Michael on Saturday, October 4 2003 at 9:53 PM PDT
For those of you who missed Clay on Nickelodeon or wish to view an encore performance. We now have the video available for download. Enjoy!
Click here to view our download page!

Cast Your Vote For Clay at The Fan's Choice Award!
Posted Michael on Saturday, October 4 2003 at 8:28 PM PDT
Voting is OPEN for the Fan's Choice Award. Vote now for Clay Aiken, and then watch the 31st Annual American Music Awards show on November 16th to see if he wins!
Click here to vote!

Clay 'Shoots for the Stars' for LA Make A Wish Foundation
Posted Cruiser on Thursday, October 2 2003 at 9:11 AM PDT
This fall, stars from music, sports, television, and film worlds will join together to raise money for charity... Participating in Sony Ericsson's "Shoot for the Stars" are celebrities such as...Orlando Bloom, Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, Kelly Clarkson, and others. All celebrity participants are capturing images of their personal lives and sharing them with the world to raise money for Make-A-Wish Foundation(R) of Greater Los Angeles.
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