Throwing back to the week of July 5, 2003, we find American Idol second-place contestant Clay Aiken’s debut single, ‘This is the Night.’ This slice of cheese debuted at #1, becoming only the 11th song in history to accomplish that feat.

‘This is the Night’ was released simultaneously with ‘Flying Without Wings,’ debut single by Ruben Studdard, the man who won that season of Idol. Studdard’s song made it to #2, suggesting the musical marketplace saw things differently than American Idol voters. Both men would go on to have two other top ten hits in their careers (including a shared credit on an Idol finalists version of ‘God Bless the U.S.A.’

Aiken has had an interesting post-Idol career. He’s released a half-dozen albums, performed on Broadway, and made a slew of television appearances. After denying rumors about his sexuality for years, he came out as gay in 2008 and has actively advocated for LGBTQ rights. He ran for Congress twice in North Carolina, earning the Democratic nomination in 2014 but losing to his Republican opponent, then losing in the Democratic primary in 2022.

I guess he is destined to be a runner-up. But at least for two weeks in the summer of 2003, he was #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100.