On October 14, 2003, Aiken released his first solo album, Measure of a Man, which debuted at #1 on the "Billboard 200" and was, with 613,000 copies sold in its first week, the highest-selling debut for a solo artist in 10 years, and to date the highest debut of any Idol. The album received RIAA Double Platinum certification November 17, 2003 (a Double Platinum plaque was presented to Clay by Clive Davis on October 21, 2003, during Good Morning America) and has sold more than 2,750,000 units to date. The album spawned both the hit single "Invisible" and his first hit song, "This Is the Night". Later that year, Aiken won the Fan's Choice Award at the American Music Awards ceremony, and his CD single "This Is the Night/Bridge Over Troubled Water" won the Billboard award for the Best-selling Single of 2003.
If you'd like to add to this section, please feel free to email me!