All 19 'American Idol'
winners, ranked
Despite his affable personality and gruff coffeehouse croon, DeWyze lacked the undeniable and grit of Crystal Bowersox, who outrageously only placed second that season.
The current holder of the “Idol” crown impressed on the show with his passionate rendition of The Beatles’ “Blackbird,” but his gravelly voice often conjured memories of Creed.
The Louisiana natived rose through the “Idol” ranks with his Elvis Presley-style croon and stage persona, but has struggled to stand out from other past winners who have charted similar country/bluegrass terrain
It felt like the buff singer was the next breakout star after his victory song dented the charts, but his debut album fared poorly.
Given the top three talent pool of Season 5 – which also included Katharine McPhee and Elliott Yamin – it's still a bit stunning that the overwrought Alabamian prevailed.
Some were shocked when the innocuous Allen triumphed over the bold flamboyance of Adam Lambert. But Allen's win ushered in the era of nondescript male
singer-songwriters armed with guitars and crooked grins.
Harmon’s boyish face and soft-spoken demeanor masked a deceptively brawny set of pipes, which were put to best use on an enchanting cover of
Sia’s “Chandelier.”
A former subway busker, New York-bred Samantha Diaz stormed the (virtual) “Idol” stage with her unfiltered persona and
pure singing talent.
The typically staid competition’s closest answer to Whitesnake and AC/DC, with squalling vocals and head-banging dynamism that have made him a hit with the legacy rock crowd in the years since his victory
The soft-spoken guitar strummer's coronation song, the Dave Matthews Band-esque “Home,” is the best-selling single in the show’s history, with more than 5 million sold.
On a competition that favors blue-eyed crooners and power belters, Poppe was a refreshingly sophisticated pick. She’s one of the few recent “Idol” victors who you could legitimately call a
“singular talent.”
The resident male country star to graduate from the “Idol” laboratory, the North Carolina native with a molasses-hued voice that belies his unassuming demeanor remains a prominent chart presence a decade
after his Season 10 win.
The Beaufort, South Carolina, native brought unmatched vulnerability and powerhouse vocals to every single performance. Her recording career post-“Idol,” too, is filled with stirring ballads that have been sadly
ignored by radio.
The Season 7 winner – over angelic David Archuleta – skyrocketed to success. His victory song, the inspirational pop-rock anthem “The Time of My Life,” and its follow-up, “Light On,” each sold more
than a million copies.
Studdard’s smooth, velvety vocals were the perfect complement to runner-up Clay Aiken’s earnest
pop theatrics.
The show’s youngest winner at 17, the sweet-smiling Sparks found immediate success a few months after her victory with a pair of Billboard top 10 hits: “Tattoo” and “No Air."
The R&B’s elastic vocals and deep well of emotion will continue to serve her well, as she reprises her role as Celie from Broadway musical “The Color Purple” for next year’s star-studded
movie adaptation.
Six massive headlining tours, an aerial-filled Las Vegas residency, a lot of leg bronzer and 65 million-plus album sales later (she’s the top-selling artist in the “Idol” franchise), Underwood has earned her spot in Idol history.
There’s a reason Clarkson goes viral every other week with her adventurous “Kellyoke” covers on daytime talk show “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” Frankly, our lives would suck without Clarkson, who is the brightest star “Idol” has and will likely ever produce.
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