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.’
Meet Me In Montauk 