Justin Guarini, runner-up in the first season of American Idol, has apparently been dropped by his record label RCA.

Guarini's debut album has sold just 134,000 copies in the US, compared to the 1.7 million by season one winner Kelly Clarkson and 1.3 million by season two runner-up Clay Aiken.

It appears that Simon Cowell has confirmed the news, even though RCA has declined to comment. "He's been dropped. It happens sometimes," Cowell told US Weekly.

Guarini was originally named as one of the performers on last week's An American Idol Christmas special but in the end did not appear.