Clay And Ruben Rule The Chart

2003

After Ruben Studdard beats Clay Aiken to win Season 2 of American Idol, their first singles debut at the top of the Hot 100. Aiken takes the top spot, becoming the first new artist to go straight to #1 on the chart.

Aiken's first single is "This Is The Night," a new song that sounds like something Josh Groban could do better (when he performed it on Idol, judge Randy Jackson said, "I hated that song and I hope they don't make it your first single"). Studdard's is "Flying Without Wings," a cover of a hit by the Irish group Westlife. When the chart is released, Aiken is #1 and Studdard is the runner-up. Both songs are powered by their flip sides: "Bridge Over Troubled Water" for Aiken and "Superstar" for Studdard. In a bit of marketing alchemy, they are promoted as "double A-side" singles, but Billboard considers "This Is The Night" and "Flying Without Wings" the chart entries. This means American Idol can claim an original song chart-topper in each of their first two seasons, since Kelly Clarkson's "A Moment Like This" landed at #1 in 2002 (in its second week). But fans actually liked Clarkson's song, which didn't benefit from a famous flip side (a new song called "Before Your Love" was used). "This Is The Night" sells a meager 36,000 digital downloads, but the physical single with "Bridge Over Troubled Water" included moves over a million and becomes the top seller of 2003 in America. Season 2 is an Idol anomaly in that Studdard and Aiken do not have to sing the same song and are each hyped with distinct debut singles. The following season, Fantasia and Diana DeGarmo both do "I Believe," and when Fantasia wins, the song is released as her first single and hits #1 its first week of release, making her the second artist (after Aiken) to do so. Season 4 is a battle between Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice, and both release the coronation song "Inside Your Heaven," with the winner Underwood following tradition and debuting at #1. Even Season 5 winner Taylor Hicks pulls off the feat, entering at #1 with "Do I Make You Proud?," which drops off the chart after just eight weeks, setting a new record for fastest exit. All of these songs are bolstered by popular covers included with the singles: "Chain Of Fools" and "Summertime" for Fantasia; "Independence Day" for Underwood; "Takin' It To The Streets" for Hicks. "This is My Now" by Season 6 winner Jordin Sparks is the first Idol song released as a digital download only. With no other song included with the package, it only reaches #15, ending the streak.