Claymates in Mourning! Aiken Splits With Label

E! Online, Feb 21, 2009 1:00 am PST
It's a dark day for the Claynation. Or, at least, what's left of it.

Clay Aiken has joined the fallen ranks of American Idol alum and parted ways with his longtime record label, RCA.

According to Billboard, the split happened a couple months ago following dismal sales of last year's On My Way Here, which was released just weeks prior to Aiken announcing he was out and spawning.

The album, Aiken's fourth, sold 159,000 copies—a fraction of the 2.78 million for his 2003 Measure of a Man.

Reps for both Aiken and RCA have declined to comment on the separation.

The 31-year-old father joins a host of Idol alum to be dropped after failing to live up to chart expectations: Katharine McPhee, Blake Lewis, Bo Bice, Justin Guarini, Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks have all cut ties with their original labels.

But don't feel too sorry for Aiken. He's already got his next gig lined up and is returning from whence he came—namely, reality television. He's set to appear as a guest judge on the April 8 episode of America's Next Top Model.

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