Despite having sold upwards of 285,000 copies of A Thousand Different Ways in under two weeks, Clay Aiken's new album is (perhaps prematurely) being called a commercial disappointment by some.

On the one hand, Clay's debut album, Measure of a Man, solid 613,000 copies in its first week alone, 400,000 more than ATWD netted. Some have also theorized that recording primarily covers on ATWD may be hurting its credibility.

We're not sure either estimation is accurate. Remember that MOAM hit stores right after he won the hearts of millions on American Idol, so that type of success may never be equaled.

There's also the question of whether Clay Aiken fans follow the typical industry sales patterns -- in which the weekly units moved fall off steadily after the initial buzz fades. Aiken may be more likely to sell albums over the course of a few months (rather than only in the first 2-3 weeks) than most artists.

It's also worth noting that in this digital age, the recording industry as a whole is posting 5 percent annual dropoffs. So with the notable exception of Ms. Kelly Clarkson, it seems fairly likely that any artist would see slightly disappointing numbers. We'll keep you updated on any new data or analysis that comes along.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.