Was reading this blogcritics article: Feat of Clay (or other cheesy title) and it got me thinking about what has happened musically to the first and second seasons stars of American Idol. Kelly Clarkson splashed big with her single Miss Independent, but then I’ve not heard much about her since.

I’ve been listening to Clay Aiken’s CD, Measure of a Man, on Rhapsody for a few days (it is not available as of this writing on Napster or buymusic, but it is available for purchase at iTunes) and it’s not bad. If you like power pop ballads or songs like She’s Like The Wind from Patrick Swayze, then Clay’s CD certainaly has a couple of cuts worth checking out that prove he is capable of more than “Broadway or show tunes” (I believe that is what Simon Cowell labeled him as on American Idol). In fact, I think his CD is better than other American Idol alumni Justin Guarini’s, which I’ve also listened to on Rhapsody.

Particularly worth a listen, IMO, on Clay’s CD are the songs: Touch [iTunes song link], No More Sad Songs [iTunes], I survived You [iTunes], and I Will Carry You [iTunes]

BTW, we did buy Kelly Clarkson’s CD, but I only liked one other song on there besides Miss Independent. If, at the time I had been a subscriber to one of the online services like Rhapsody Napster to prescreen the songs then I would not have bought the CD, but instead of purchased just the two songs al a carte.

With that said, I probably wouldn’t buy Clay’s CD either (but maybe, since there are more than two good songs), but I’ll strongly consider buying the tracks mentioned above.

As for season two’s champ: Ruben Studdard? I like Ruben Studdard’s Flying Without Wings single but haven’t purchased that either.

This is another good example (for me at least) of how these subscriber-based services give music buyers a (legal) opportunity to truly review the music before making buying decisions. Well worth the 10 bones a month. Er, actually since I’m currently subscribed to both Rhapsody and Napster, it’s more like 20 bones a month.

• Blame talent, not internet, for dramatically declining platinum and gold albums
• Best Buy Rhapsody music preview system in stores
• Napster top 10 downloads for 1/13/04
• More legal online music services info including prerelease review of new Napster
• Diary of a legal music downloader: My new AAA buying strategy
• iTunes 5.0 for Windows failing for some users