Clay Aiken returns with new holiday album out Nov. 22 after over a decade

Clay Aiken is making a comeback with a fresh rendition of the Bing Crosby classic, “Do You Hear What I Hear?” — the lead single from his upcoming Christmas album, Christmas Bells are Ringing, set to release on Nov. 22. This marks Aiken’s first major return to the music scene in over a decade.

Originally written in 1962 by Noël Regney and Gloria Shayne as a plea for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis, “Do You Hear What I Hear?” continues to carry a timeless, yet especially relevant message today. Aiken reflects, “The whole American political climate over the past few years hasn’t really given us much in the way of hope or optimism. As much as I wanted to believe I might be able to make some positive change in that world, I’ve realized that music often does a better job of that.”

Aiken rose to fame as the runner-up on season two of American Idol in 2003. His debut single, “This Is the Night,” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and his first album, Measure of a Man, was certified triple platinum. Over the years, he sold millions of albums, embarked on national tours, starred on Broadway and made his mark as both a philanthropist and a political figure.

Christmas Bells are Ringing is Aiken’s first studio album in over a decade, following a hiatus that included a run for Congress in North Carolina and time spent raising his now-teenage son. The album marks a return to the holiday music that helped establish his name in 2004, when his debut holiday album Merry Christmas With Love became the best-selling holiday album of the year, selling nearly 300,000 copies in its first week and earning him three Billboard Music Awards.