Fourth-place finisher follows Hicks, McPhee to 19/RCA

After turning down a spot in the band Fuel to pursue recording opportunities as a solo artist, Chris Daughtry has made the decision pay off.

The fourth-place finisher on this year's "American Idol" has signed a contract with 19 Recordings/RCA Records, following the footsteps of winner Taylor Hicks and runner-up Katharine McPhee. The 19 label is an arm of "Idol" creator Simon Fuller's company, 19 Entertainment.

Daughtry's ouster from "American Idol" on May 10 -- he'd been considered a favorite for much of the competition -- was among the bigger shocks in the FOX show's five-season history. Within a few days of his elimination, members of Fuel had offered him a spot as their new singer, based largely on Daughtry's performance of the group's song "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" on the show.

He turned the offer down, though, saying he'd prefer to be "doing my own thing."

The 26-year-old will instead form his own band and is already working with "A-list collaborators" in writing and recording the album. RCA expects the record to be in stores by the end of the year.

In other "Idol" news, McPhee's first single, her rendition of "Over the Rainbow," makes its debut on the Billboard Hot 100 this week at No. 12. That's two spots ahead of Hicks, whose "Do I Make You Proud" falls to No. 14 from No. 3 last week. Hicks' song hit No. 1 in its first week of release before being displaced by Nelly Furtado's "Promiscuous."