LOS ANGELES (RCA Records/ www.rcarecords.com) -
Clay Aiken has had a phenomenal sales week. His new RCA Records Label release "Merry Christmas With Love," debuts at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Holiday Albums chart.
Clay's holiday CD made history by selling 270,100 units in its first week, making it the biggest debut week sales figure for a Christmas album in the SoundScan era. The CD debuts at No. 4 on The Billboard 200, the highest debut for a holiday album in six years since
Celine Dion.
"Merry Christmas With Love" is Clay's first Christmas CD. The follow-up to his triple-platinum album "Measure of a Man," the holiday set features classic Christmas songs like "Silent Night," "Winter Wonderland," "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)," and "Sleigh Ride," as well as some of Aiken's personal favorite tunes of the season, like "Don't Save It All for Christmas Day" and "Mary, Did You Know?" He also covers Sandi Patty "Merry Christmas With Love." Clay's holiday album was produced by Walter Afanasieff and Phil Ramone.
Clay could be topping more charts soon, as a DVD of his NBC-TV Christmas special will be released on Dec. 14. "A Clay Aiken Christmas," with guest stars Barry Manilow, and Yolanda Adams, airs on NBC Wednesday, Dec. 8 (8-9 p.m. EST and PST).
Clay will also be seen on the special "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" on Nov. 30 and on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on Dec. 6, "The Today Show" on Dec. 8 and "The View" on Dec. 9.
He is currently on "The Joyful Noise Tour," performing songs from his Christmas album in venues across the country. Aiken is traveling with a conductor and a 20-piece orchestra. In some cities, he will be supported by the local Philharmonic or symphony.
"This is a different kind of concert," says Aiken, who is setting out on his fourth tour of the U.S. in the last 18 months. "It's not meant to be a show where fans bring signs and scream. The goal is to be more intimate, almost semi-formal. The crew will be dressed up in their Sunday best and I hope the audiences will do the same."
During the tour, Aiken will appear in stores for book signings of"Learning to Sing" in Raleigh, Chicago, Cleveland and Orlando.
