Most Successful American Idol Contestants

American Idol Kickoff: Top 5 Biggest Success Stories

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Kelly Clarkson was the first contestant to win American Idol, but is she the most successful of them all? Seems Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry have been giving her a run for her money! Watch our American Idol Kickoff special to find out where our editors ranked the top five biggest Idol success stories!

Kelly ClarksonClay AikenAmerican IdolCarrie UnderwoodDreamgirlsJennifer HudsonChris DaughtrySex And The City MoviePOPSUGAR News

19 Comments

Nancy1947 Nancy1947
Carrie Underwood is and always will be the best vocal to win on Idol! Shes the best and my favorite country and pop country artist ever!!!!!! I love Shania Twain also she's awsome too but Carries better!!!!! as far as talent in the vocal catagory Carrie outstands them all!!!!!! You go Carrie and Congrats on your engagement Love Ya Girl!!!!
Clay has always been my favorite idol. The show was named American Idol and there is no one else as far as I am concern that has represented that titled more. Vocally,as a humanitarian,and theatrically. He deserved a lot more recognition. Can't wait for his new album.
No one will compare to Clay--one in a million!
Clay is the most naturally gifted and talented singer to come from AI. I like Kelly, Carrie, Jennifer and Chris also. But Clay can sing anyting live and he is just as great as in the studio. Winning is not so important anymore. Sales and radio aren't the only means to measure succes. Clay is more than just a singer, an excellent actor, humanitarian, and all around great guy.
Clay Aiken is my favorite AI contestant and has proven he has the talent and has done very well even without the support of radio play. Records sales don't always mean the best performer or the best talent. Clay is a class act. I also adore Kelly Clarkson and she has a great voice and the added talent of writing her own songs. They are my favorite male and female AI contestants. I must say I also like Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson - simply awesome performers. One more name that I did not see - David Cook...think he is unique and cool.
Simon was right when he said: Clay, you're the one to beat. Because..Clay really did win the whole shebang that year. Does anyone really believe Ruben beat out Clay??? Clay was receiving 80 percent of the vote EVERY SINGLE WEEK HE WAS ON (as quoted by TWO of AI's producers). Clay had the best stage presence. The best vocals. The most exciting vocals. Clay was NEVER in the bottom 3. IF AI2 had mutiple phone lines and more hours of voting time - like they have had ever since AI3 (wonder why?????)-the ending of AI2 would have reflected who really did win that year. Besides....hasn't Clay's career ever since the day after the finale proven he was the real and true AI2 winner?????
Loved Kelly, think Carrie is well deserved in her fame. Clay still remains my most memorable Idol contestant. His voice has still been the most spellbinding moment on Idol. No flash, no super staged moments...just plain great singing! You rock Clay!
CLAY AIKEN. HEAR, HEAR!! ALWAYS AND FOREVER.
Kelly got TONS of Payola and promotion here and overseas, and had AI and the media in the palm of her hand, with her little girl next door act. Makes a huge difference. Good pop recorder, but pretty bad live. So breathy and screechy, and the forced banter with the crowd was embarrassing. Carrie is cute, and a very good country pop singer to boot. Chris D. should have easily won his year. Jennifer made odd faces, and that spelled her demise. She surely had the voice. Clay was incredible his entire season, but got NO support from AI or the media, and NO Payola, plus NO RCA backing to go overseas. He still has fans there anyhow. Hopefully, Decca will do right by him, as he remains the best singing voice and personality ever on that show. It's all in the promotion.
Carrie is excellent, and my favorite of the girls, but Clay remains the voice I remember and love to hear. He was so unique, and still is, so I hope 2010 finds him out on tour again. I know he has a new album coming this summer for Decca, and it will be a killer. That voice can sing anything better than anyone.
I don't get into album sales that much because I don't care. But Kelly Clarkson is my favorite female artist who, thank goodness, happened to get her start on Idol. Go Kelly!!
It should be #1Kelly 20 Million, #2Carrie 11 Million, #3Clay 7 Million, #4Daughtry 6 Million, #5Jennifer Hudson less than 1 Million.
PopSugarTV PopSugarTV
Anonymous--You are right, Carrie deserves to be congratulated for being the top selling Idol alum in the US, and the second overall worldwide!
borealis borealis
What no David Cook! He deserves more credit...his debut album was so awesome!
"She's the second highest selling Idol alum overall in the US." Actually, that's not true. Carrie surpassed Kelly in US sales back in November.
the original will always be the best! carrie can get best american idol. i think kelly has gone far and above american idol. she tours & sells all over the world. she has fans, toured, and charted well in brazil, south africa, singapore, australia, germany, austria, ireland, china, canada... you get the picture. at the end of the day it's not about how many number 1's it's about trying to connect with as many people as you can. and in that sense, no other contestant has or probably will come close to kelly!
Carrie should be # 1! As of yesterday she has sold the most albums of any american idol and all her albums are platinum, she also was the best female tour of 2008! She's won 4 grammys and 70 other various awards!! I love u Carrie!
POPSUGAR Sex & Culture POPSUGAR Sex & Culture
I love Kelly.
POPSUGAR Sex & Culture POPSUGAR Sex & Culture
I love Kelly.
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