Clay and Ruben are both releasing singles June 3rd, which is quite different than last season's American Idol. Kelly Clarkson, the first American Idol winner, is the only person to release any singles from last season so far. Next month there will be releases from other first season finalists, but the show finished in September last year so that's a long time to wait!

Did Will and Gareth both release singles following the announcement of the winner of Pop Idol like they are doing for Ruben and Clay? If so, who's first single did better, Gareth's or Will's? I think I heard that they both went #1, but did one sell more than the other? How long did Gareth have to wait to release his first single?

I'm sure there are people mroe informed than I who can give you better details but Will released his first single a couple of weeks after Pop Idol finished (February) his single was I believe the fastest selling single in British history. Gareth's first single was released about 3 weeks after that, as you said they both went to number one but Will's did -as far as I know - by far outsell Gareth's.

Then we had singles from some of the other 10 finalists including Rik Waller, Zoe Birkett, Rosie Ribbons and Darius Danesh - with varying degrees of success - all within a year.

Thanks for that info. I downloaded a copy of Westlife's "Flying Without Wings" to see what it sounded like, and the lead singer isn't a very good singer. I think Clay could have done an amazing job on this song, but Ruben is the one who will be singing it. I'm sure he won't sing the notes as high as the guy in Westlife did, so it will be interesting to hear his version.

I'd still like to know who originally sang Clay's song "This is the Night" or if it is an original. I feel like Ruben is going to win because everyone keeps saying that they like Ruben, but I think Clay will be a bigger star by far.

Clay would have done Flying Without Wings better than Ruben, Simon is a fool

Anyway coz I'm bored I'll give you the details of all the Pop Idol singles This is off the top of my head

March 2002 - Will Young (1st)- Evergreen - # 1
March 2002 - Gareth Gates (2nd)- Unchained Melody - # 1
March 2002 - Rik Waller (11th) - I Will Always Love You - # 6
May 2002 - Jessica Garlick (9th) - Come Back - # 13
June 2002 - Will Young - Light My Fire - # 1
July 2002 - Gareth Gates - Anyone Of Us (Stupid Mistake) - # 1
July 2002 - Rik Waller - Something Inside So Strong - # 25
July 2002 - Darius (3rd) - Colourblind - # 1
September 2002 - Sarah Whatmore (final 50) - When I Lost You - # 6
September 2002 - Will Young & Gareth Gates - The Long And Winding Road/Suspicious Minds - # 1
October 2002 - Rosie Ribbons (6th) - Blink - # 12
November 2002 - Will Young - Don't Let Me Down/You And I - # 2
November 2002 - Darius - Rushes - #5
December 2002 - Gareth Gates - What My Heart Wants To Say - # 5
January 2003 - Zoe Birkett (4th) - Treat Me Like A Lady - # 12
January 2003 - Rosie Ribbons - A Little Bit - # 19
February 2003 - Sarah Whatmore - Automatic - # 11
March 2003 - Gareth Gates - Spirit In The Sky - # 1
March 2003 - Darius - Incredible (What I Meant To Say) - # 9


Evergreen sold 1,779,900 copies making it # 12 on the all time list, and Unchained Melody did 1,318,700

AcerBen, thanks for the info. Funny, I just downloaded "Spirit in the Sky" by Gareth Gates today, and I love that version. Really fun song.

Your next Pop Idol contest will be a lot different, I suspect, because Simon has been through two seasons of American Idol now. His expectations of the next group of British contestants will be a lot higher, so I'll bet your next show will be a lot better.

jms, I always think the first series of something is the best. I was totally hooked on Pop Idol and really rooting for most of the final 10 ( with the exception of Rik Waller and Korben...both arrogant gits) I just cant imagine, now that cynicism has crept in, caring about the results the way I did about the first lot.
My enjoyment of the 2nd series will be tempered I expect, by the knowledge that I've heard all Simons put downs a hundred times, and that he isnt interested in talent, per se, but who he can exploit the most.
However, at long last I care about AI2. I so want Clay to win, as I think Simon will sign Ruben whatever happens.

jmsjmsjms, ...........

A couple of comments...............

If you were a Brit, you would find you would be in the minority with this opinion. Don't agree i'm afraid!

Did you download just the track or the vid as well???

jms you have got to be joking!
westlifes version won record og the year 2000(i think) and as much as i love ruben he totally demolished his version,it was embarressing,and westlife,i believe have had 11 consecutive number ones!

on a more positive note, i loved your version of the show, apart from that prat ryan, who seems to think your country invented it!

Sorry, hazy4u, but I don't love Westlife's pop version of "Flying Without Wings" anymore than I love Ruben's R&B version. I just think the song itself is pretty weak, and it's too bad that Ruben has to release it as his first single. I think Clay would have done a better job on the song because his voice is stronger than the singer in Westlife, but I'm glad he's doing "Bridge Over Troubled Water" instead.

Ryan didn't say that the US invented the Pop Idol show. He was teasing Simon because he said Pop Idol and our show is called American Idol. He thought Simon had slipped and called our show Pop Idol.

I downloaded Westlife's version and I love it. I can't stop listening to it.

A few years ago I believe Westlife released a song here in the US. And then they disappeared!!!

ok jms i will stand corrected over ryans comments,didnt mean to cause offence and we will have to agree to disagree over westlife cause even clay couldnt sing the song any better,its meant to be a soft love song

Yeah, NoDoubtJess, I just found out today that Westlife released a song called "Swear It Again" here in the US. I downloaded a few of their songs, and when I heard that one I knew it sounded familiar. That must be the one you're talking about. I don't remember ever knowing that it was Westlife who sang that song.

No worries, hazy4u, no offense taken over the Ryan comments. Other people on these boards thought that's what he said too, but it wasn't like that.

Yep, that's the song!

Westlife are HUGE over here! The biggest boy, ahem, group, in the UK!!

westlife release Swear It Again in the states and in got as high as no20 in Hot 100 and no02 in the singles chart.
They would try again but don't want to a label as a NSYNC type boyband

heres a thought
no you wonder if this is a poly to help launch westlife in the states? like when Madonna wear that t-shirt with Kyiles name on it and the public started to become to love Kyile in the states.
it could be so its a case of wait and see.

swannwriter, that's a very good point. We all know the megabucks that Si would make from Westlife cracking the States, but, the way Ruben sings "Flying Without Wings" would hardly help them would it?
Still think you're on to something there.

Wouldn't be surprised. Simon Cowell would LOVE to break his favourite act in the States - he's made gazillions out of them in practically every territory other than the US. The US market is so lucrative for acts. I think they did quite a bit of touring in the US last year (or maybe the year before) but their fan base in the UK really suffered with them out of the charts for so long.