In the wake of disappointing sales on his recent efforts, it looks like J Records has dropped Ruben Studdard from their label, according to ContactMusic.com. The second season winner of American Idol was never able to replicate the sales of his freshmen effort (2003's Soulful), which moved more than 1.7 million copies. His most recent album, 2006's The Return, in which he came back to a more traditional R&B style only shifted 325,000.
Studdard won't let this slow him down, though. Rather, he's going to follow many an Idol alumni before him to the stage. He'll play Fats Waller in a touring production of Ain't Misbehavin'. And he's guaranteed at least one gig a year on the Idol finales. I have to figure some smaller label will pick him up at some point. Maybe he can have a Jennifer Hudson career moment (Dreamgirls' "And I Am Telling You...") and become relevant again. Or is he just old news?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-21-2007 @ 6:03PM
sitruc said...
He was never going to have mainstream appeal. His voice and style were made for adult contemporary r&b. Yet, as soon as the show was over, his first album tried to get a larger audience with an awkward mix of hip-hop r&b and contemporary. That is the problem with AI. Everybody is singing adult ballads, but the labels want to get the pop audience. Voice and talent don't matter as much as the right look and style.
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12-21-2007 @ 6:15PM
Oreo said...
Considering the way Fox counted the votes that year I wouldn't be surprised if they messed up and Clay really won.
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12-22-2007 @ 10:26AM
drew said...
surprise surprise. i always said clay should have one. this just proves he really should have :)
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12-23-2007 @ 11:25PM
Mel said...
"clay should have one"?
WTF. Are you 75 year old woman who just got a computer?
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12-25-2007 @ 5:00AM
Joey said...
I say hog wash. There are plenty of artist that sold even less. Wonder what the real reason is for dropping him. I'm not a fan but this is BS. He is a talented singer, better than a lot that's out now. Guess we will see more idols and artists dropped if sales are the criteria.
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