Chris Daughtry signs record deal

American Idol fan favorite Chris Daughtry, who was seen as prematurely eliminated from the competition in the show's fifth season, has signed a record deal with Clive Davis under the 19 Recordings Unlimited label, RCA announced Monday.

The rocker "has already begun to work with A-list collaborators" and will form a band to begin writing and recording the album, which is due later this year.

Daughtry was a popular contestant for his high-energy performances and impressive covers of rock songs including Seether's "Broken" and Fuel's "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)." He shocked viewers by being eliminated early, coming in fourth place in the competition.

Daughtry joins runner-up Katharine McPhee and "Idol" winner Taylor Hicks on the RCA label. His single "Wanted Dead or Alive" debuted at No. 43 on Billboard's Hot 100 and is the most downloaded single by any season five finalist with more than 69,000 downloads.