Top 10 American Idol Alumni

The first American Idol winner is still the most successful. Eight top 10 pop singles in the US and worldwide album sales nearing 20 million tell the story.

Top pop hit singles:

• "Since U Been Gone" - #1 - 2004
• "A Moment Like This" - #1 - 2002
• "Because Of You" - #2 - 2005
• "Behind These Hazel Eyes" - #3 - 2005
• "Never Again" - #5 - 2007

After finishing #4 in the fifth season of American Idol behind Taylor Hicks, Chris Daughtry's career headed for the stratosphere when he put together his own band and the album Daughtry became one of the biggest rock debuts of all time.

Top pop hit singles:

• "It's Not Over" - #3 - 2006
• "Home" - #7 - 2007
• "Over You" - #14 - 2007
• "Feels Like Tonight" - #17 - 2008

Shortly after winning the fourth season of American Idol, Carrie Underwood quickly turned in a country music direction. She has unleashed seven #1 country singles while still managing to reach the pop top 40 five times.

Top pop hit singles:

• "Inside Your Heaven" - #1 - 2005
• "Before He Cheats" - #9 - 2006
• "So Small" - #23 - 2007
• "Jesus Take the Wheel" - #36 - 2005
• "Last Name" - #37 - 2008

At the age of 17, Jordin Sparks became the first teenage victor of American Idol at the end of the show's 6th season. Many fans speculated she may head in the direction of contemporary Christian music when she began recording. However, her first, self-titled solo album was firmly in the pop vein and generated three top 10 pop singles.

Top pop hit singles:

• "No Air" - #2 - 2008
• "One Step At a Time" - #5 - 2008
• "Tattoo" - #6 - 2007
• "This Is My Now" - #15 - 2007

In the seventh season of American Idol, David Cook became the first rock musician to win the competition. He had the most success yet at placing performances from the show on the pop charts.

Top pop hit singles:

• "The Time Of My Life" - #6 - 2008
• "Dream Big" - #17 - 2008
• "Light On" - #24 - 2008
• "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - #24 - 2008
• "The World I Know" - #31 - 2008

Elliott Yamin placed third in season five of American Idol behind Taylor Hicks, and the deck seemed stacked against him becoming a pop star. However, despite it taking some time to emerge with a recording contract, he climbed into the pop top 10 with his very first hit single.

Top pop hit singles:

• "Wait for You" - #5 - 2007
• "Movin' On" - #49 - 2007
• "Moody's Mood for Love" - #73 - 2006

David Archuleta, the boy with the huge voice, just missed being the second 17 year old American Idol by finishing second in season seven. He wasted no time in bursting out of the gate with a big pop hit single off his first, self-titled album.

Top pop hit singles:

• "Crush" - #12 - 2008
• "Imagine" - #35 - 2008
• "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" - #41 - 2008
• "In This Moment" - #43 - 2008

She only finished seventh as a contestant on American Idol, well behind the winner Fantasia Barrino, and her debut album Jennifer Hudson took years to come to fruition. However, following an Academy Award for her performance in the film of Dreamgirls and a #1 R&B single, Jennifer Hudson holds tremendous promise for future success.

Top pop hit singles:

• "Spotlight" - #24 - 2008
• "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" - #60 - 2006

After placing second in the second season of American Idol behind Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken generated one of the largest and most devoted fan bases of any contestant. This resulted in big sales for his first album, but he has not sustained the momentum. However, Aiken has headed to Broadway to become a star in the musical Monty Python's Spamalot.

Top pop hit singles:

• "This Is the Night" - #1 - 2003
• "Solitaire" - #3 - 2003
• "Invisible" - #37 - 2004

Although she has remained outside the pop mainstream, American Idol's second season third place finisher, behind Ruben Studdard, has quietly become one of the top adult contemporary artists. Kimberley Locke has hit the top 10 on the adult contemporary chart seven times.

Pop hit single:

• "8th Wonder" - #49 - 2004