Season: 10 Finale: May 25, 2011 Runner Up: Lauren Alaina Third Place: Haley Reinhart
Scott Cooke "Scotty" McCreery is an American singer from Garner, North Carolina. McCreery is the winner of the 10th season of American Idol. McCreery was born in 1993 to Judy and Michael McCreery in Garner City, North Carolina. Her mother worked as a real estate agent. Scotty learned to play the guitar at the age of 10. Scotty entered the "Clayton Idol" singing contest held by the Clayton Harvest Festival in Clayton City, North Carolina. Scotty was also one of the 36 "Rip The Hallways" contestants, along with several teenage singers from North Carolina.
Season: 21 Finale: May 21, 2023 Runner Up: Megan Danielle Third Place: Colin Stough
William "Iam" Guy Tongi (born September 1, 2004) is an American singer who won season 21 of American Idol. He is the first Hawaii-born Pacific Islander, as well as the first non-country singer in three years, to win the competition.
Season: 1 Finale: September 4, 2002 Runner Up: Justin Guarini Third Place: Nikki McKibbin
Kelly Brianne Clarkson, an American singer. She was the winner of American Idol in 2002 and has won three Grammy Awards. In 2022 she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Winning American Idol in 2002, for which she was signed up by friends, gave Clarkson a recording contract with RCA and her dream came true: to record her own album. But Clarkson did want to take her time for her album, so she first released a double A-side single in the United States: A Moment Like This and Before Your Love. The former reached number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Season: 8 Finale: May 20, 2009 Runner Up: Adam Lambert Third Place: Danny Gokey
Kris Allen is the winner of the eighth season of American Idol (2009) after defeating other finalist and grand finalist Adam Lambert and has impressed large audiences including all four judges namely Randy Jackson, Kara DoGuaardi, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell. Previously in 2007, Kris Allen had released an album titled Brand New Shoes which was written by himself along with his friends.
Season: 17 Finale: May 19, 2019 Runner Up: Alejandro Aranda Third Place: Madison VanDenburg
Laine Hardy is an American singer and the 17th season winner of American Idol. Laine Hardy first auditioned for the sixteenth season of American Idol, but making it to the top 50. He did not intend to audition for the 17th season, but accompanied his friend Ashton Gill to play guitar at her audition, and was encouraged by judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie to audition again. This time he made it all the way to the final and won the competition, making Alejandro Aranda runner-up and Madison VanDenburg second runner-up.
Season: 11 Finale: May 23, 2012 Runner Up: Jessica Sanchez Third Place: Joshua Ledet
Phillip LaDon Phillips, Jr., better known as Phillip Phillips, is an American singer, winner of the eleventh season of the talent show, American Idol. Phillips held his audition in Savannah, Georgia, performing Stevie Wonder's theme song Superstition; at the same audition he was asked to sing another song, but this time playing the guitar, the song Phillips chose was Michael Jackson's Thriller, getting a "yes" from all three judges and advancing to auditions in Hollywood and later to auditions in Las Vegas. On March 8, 2012 Phil was rushed to a hospital after suffering severe abdominal pain from a kidney stone problem. The case seemed serious, but it was not enough for the singer to leave the competition. On May 23, in a record-breaking finale, with 132 million total votes, Phillip Phillips was crowned the 2012 American Idol.
Season: 5 Finale: May 24, 2006 Runner Up: Katharine McPhee Third Place: Elliott Yamin
Taylor Reuben Hicks is an American singer, songwriter and musician. Hicks was originally an independent artist before skyrocketing his career after winning the American Idol competition in May 2006. After this victory, he signed a contract with Arista Records, and released his first album on December 12, 2006. Thick with touches of classic soul, blues and R&B, Hicks has a large number of fans who call themselves "Soul Patrol".
Season: 13 Finale: May 21, 2014 Runner Up: Jena Irene Third Place: Alex Preston
Caleb Perry Johnson is an American singer who won the thirteenth season of American Idol. Caleb Johnson was born on April 23, 1991 to David and Tamra Johnson in Asheville, North Carolina. His mother worked as an accountant, his father was a former football coach and worked for the Buncombe County, North Carolina Department of Parks and Recreation, but both had a background in music. He attended Clyde A. Erwin High School in Asheville and graduated in 2009. He played several sports in high school, was in the drama and choir clubs, and did several mission works and several volunteer activities at his church, Calvary Baptist.
Season: 12 Finale: May 16, 2013 Runner Up: Kree Harrison Third Place: Angie Miller
Candice Rickelle Glover is an American actress and R&B singer who won the twelfth season of American Idol. Glover was the first female winner on the show since Jordin Sparks won in 2007, the fourth African-American winner in American Idol history and the first winner to audition three times before appearing on a live event. His debut album Music Speaks was released on February 18, 2014.
Season: 4 Finale: May 25, 2005 Runner Up: Bo Bice Third Place: Vonzell Solomon
Carrie Marie Underwood is an American country music singer and actress. She was the winner of American Idol in 2005. Born at Muskogee Regional Medical Center, Underwood grew up on her parents' farm in rural Checotah. She is the youngest of three daughters of father Stephen and mother Carole Underwood. Her debut album, Some Hearts, was certified 7-times platinum in the United States, and was the fastest-selling country album since the introduction of the Nielsen SoundScan in 1991. Underwood is the first American Idol winner to win awards at the major prize shows. She received an American Music Award, a Billboard Music Award and a Grammy Award. She was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 2009 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018.
Season: 3 Finale: May 26, 2004 Runner Up: Diana DeGarmo Third Place: Jasmine Trias
Fantasia Monique Barrino is an American soul singer, who won the third season of American Idol in 2004. Her debut album, Free Yourself, landed her a four-time Grammy Award nomination. She released her New York Times Best-Selling autobiography Life Is Not a Fairy Tale (2005), which was adapted into the Lifetime television film Life Is Not a Fairy Tale: The Fantasia Barrino Story (2006).
Season: 6 Finale: May 23, 2007 Runner Up: Blake Lewis Third Place: Melinda Doolittle
Jordin Sparks is an American singer who won the sixth season of American Idol at the age of seventeen. She is the youngest winner of the talent show to date. Sparks was honored to sing the US national anthem at the start of the 2008 Super Bowl game in Phoenix, Arizona. After her American Idol win, Sparks signed a record deal with 19 Recordings/Jive Records/Zomba Label Group. Jordin was the first artist through American Idol to be offered a contract with this label. Previous artists on the program such as Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken were under contract with RCA. In a tight period of three months, the debut album Jordin Sparks was recorded in Los Angeles.
Season: 9 Finale: May 26, 2010 Runner Up: Crystal Bowersox Third Place: Casey James
Lee DeWyze is an American singer and songwriter. His name became widely known by the public after he succeeded in becoming the winner in the ninth season of American Idol in 2010. His singing talent had been developed long before he joined American idol. Before entering the event, he worked as a painting seller and band vocalist. He had released a record album eleven days before he began his debut on the American idol stage. Besides singing, he can also play the guitar and piano. His victory in American Idol has earned him acceptance in the music industry. After leaving idols, he was involved in a recording contract under the Wuli Records label.
Season: 16 Finale: May 21, 2018 Runner Up: Caleb Lee Hutchinson Third Place: Gabby Barrett
Madeline Mae "Maddie" Poppe (born December 5, 1997) is a singer, songwriter, musician and winner of season 16 of American Idol. She is a multi-instrumentalist who can play the guitar, piano and ukulele. Prior to winning American Idol, Poppe released an EP titled Songs from the Basement. In 2015, she also auditioned for The Voice.
Season: 20 Finale: May 22, 2022 Runner Up: HunterGirl Third Place: Leah Marlene
Noah Thompson is an American singer who won the 12th season of American Idol. He attended Lawrence County High School in Louisa, Kentucky. Before competing on American Idol, he worked as a construction worker. He covered songs on his YouTube channel but has also performed his original songs, including "Not a Phase", "Pedestal" and "Heart Painted Black". Thompson won season twentieth of American Idol on May 22, 2022.
Season: 15 Finale: April 7, 2016 Runner Up: La'Porsha Renae Third Place: Dalton Rapattoni
Trenton William "Trent" Harmon (born October 8, 1990) is an American singer who gained national attention after winning the fifteenth and final season of American Idol on April 7, 2016. Harmon was born in Amory, Mississippi, to Cindy and Randy Harmon.
Season: 19 Finale: May 23, 2021 Runner Up: Willie Spence Third Place: Grace Kinstler
Chayce Beckham is a singer-songwriter who rose to fame after winning the nineteenth season of the singing reality show American Idol. Beckham auditioned for the 19th season of the American Idol in Los Angeles, California. After surviving Hollywood Week and making it into the Top 5, Beckham received the most votes to win, and on May 23, 2021, he was crowned the winner of the nineteenth season of American Idol, beating runner-up Willie Spence.
Season: 7 Finale: May 21, 2008 Runner Up: David Archuleta Third Place: Syesha Mercado
David Roland Cook is an American singer and winner of the seventh season of American Idol. David was the singer and guitarist for the band Axium from 1999 to 2006. His band was voted one of the top 15 independent bands in the country in a Got Milk? competition and was voted the best band in Kansas City in 2004. After Axium broke up in 2006, David moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma and joined regional touring band Midwest Kings, singing in the background and playing guitar and bass. David also released an independent solo album in 2006, Analog Heart. This album was voted the fourth best release of 2006 by the website 'Music Equals Life'. David also won Urban Tulsa Weekly's "Absolute Best of Tulsa" Award for "Best Locally Produced, Independent Album" in 2007.
Season: 18 Finale: May 17, 2020 Runner Up: Arthur Gunn Third Place: Dillon James
Samantha Diaz, known by their stage name Just Sam, is a singer-songwriter from Harlem, New York who rose to fame after winning the 18th season of the singing reality show American Idol. Just Sam auditioned for the 18th season of the singing reality show American Idol in Washington, D.C. on October 14, 2019. After surviving Hollywood Week and making it into the Top 5, Just Sam received the most votes to win, and on May 17, 2020, Just Sam was crowned the winner of the eighteenth season of American Idol, beating runner-up Arthur Gunn.
Season: 14 Finale: May 13, 2015 Runner Up: Clark Beckham Third Place: Jax
Nicholas James Fradiani IV is an American singer from Guilford, Connecticut. He achieved regional attention as the lead singer of pop/rock band Beach Avenue when he won the Battle of the Bands at the Mohegan Sun in 2011. They achieved national acclaim in 2014 when they participated in the ninth season of the reality talent show America's Got Talent, although they only got to "Judgment Week". In 2015, Fradiani entered as a solo singer on the fourteenth season of American Idol. Fradiani won the event in May 2015, becoming the first winner from the Northeast region. He released an album, Hurricane, with Big Machine Label Group in August 2016. He then released a six-song EP in the fall of 2017, as an indie artist and traveled with The Alternate Routes.
Season: 2 Finale: May 21, 2003 Runner Up: Clay Aiken Third Place: Kimberley Locke
Christopher Ruben Studdard or better known as Ruben Studdard, was the champion of American Idol Season Two in 2003 on the American Idol program. And now has penetrated into the world of television in the United States. Ruben is an American singer born in Frankfurt, Germany. This man who was born in 1978 started his career as an American Idol finalist in the second season. He managed to beat Clay Aiken in the grand final and held his second American Idol title after the previous year was won by Kelly Clarkson.