Ranking the 21 'American Idol' winners

The first-ever Idol winner didn't waste any time hitting the mainstream as her debut single, "A Moment Like This," charted at the top and was the top song of 2002 on Billboard Hot 100. She has taken the power of her 25 million and counting album sales and has turned that into quite an impressive career away from the stage. This includes hosting her self-named daytime talk show and spending multiple seasons as a coach on The Voice. 

Her success on Idol vaulted her into elite company with the country community. She has become a mainstay at award shows, winning eight Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist. She's a three-time winner of Entertainer of the Year by the Academy of Country Music. In addition to her music career, she started her own SiriusXM show in 2023.  

Fantasia Barrino's music career is impressive. With seven albums, Fantasia has sold more than three million records. She has won at the Grammys and the Billboards, too. Perhaps her biggest achievement came in 2023 on the big screen. In her debut starring role, The Color Purple led to her winning Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture at the NAACP Image Awards. She also was nominated at the Golden Globe Awards. 

That deep voice of his quickly made him must-watch television when he won in 2011. His journey also coincides with another country star and runner-up, Lauren Alaina. Scotty McCreery is a member of the Grand Ole Opry, which speaks to his success. He has five albums to date, with a sixth set for late 2024. He had a string of five straight singles, climbing to No. 1 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart. 

Jordin Sparks has quietly had a tremendous music career that is still going after her 2007 win. At the time, she was the youngest winner in Idol history at 17. She has won nine awards in her career while also receiving a Grammy nomination in 2023. She has a pair of songs with great runs on the charts with "Tattoo" and her team-up with Chris Brown on "No Air." 

His winning song on Idol, "Home," was a smashing success for not only the show but for him. He followed that instant success with four albums, including 2023's "Drift Back." He took a brief pause on his career after 2018. His early work, which includes "Home" and "Gone, Gone, Gone," remain his most well-known songs. 

There are only so many Idol winners who can say they've received a Grammy nomination like Ruben Studdard. The Season 2 winner has also won hardware at the Billboard Music Awards and the Image Awards. He has eight albums to his credit while also boasting a filmography that spans nine titles between 2004-2011. 

Beckham will release his second album in April 2024 but has already enjoyed early success in his career thanks to a strong showing from his debut single, "23," which went gold in May 2023. He has also gone on tour with American Idol judge and country music star Luke Bryan. 

The 2008 winner has put out four albums after winning. He has since dropped a collection of singles over the years, including 2022's "TABOS." Cook famously beat David Archuleta in the finale, which set the record for most votes at the time. 

Kris Allen's post-Idol career is best known for his hit single, "Live Like We're Dying." The album in which "Live Like We're Dying" appeared debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200. He has six studio albums. 

Taylor Hicks instantly became a fan favorite during his season, but he hasn't parlayed that into the career fans would have expected. He has two studio albums to his name but has remained relatively quiet over the past decade. He did release his Christmas cover, "Jingle Bells," in 2023, which has prompted rumors that he may be considering another run in the music space. 

The most recent winner on this list, Tongi has barely had time to build upon his newfound stardom. That said, Tongi has three singles, including "I'll Be Seeing You." Tongi had a small summer tour in 2023 following his win. He may go down as one of the most popular performers on the show, as evident in his record-breaking audition video. 

Maddie Poppe won over voters with her refreshing, calm voice. Since her victory in 2018, Poppe has just one album in the market. She opened on two tours, including for Joshua Radin in 2023. 

While not a household name like Carrie Underwood or Kelly Clarkson, Lee DeWyze has enjoyed plenty of success, highlighted by his eight albums. His last release came in 2021 with "Ghost Stories." His best single to date came in 2010 with "Sweet Serendipity." 

The R&B singer released just one single after her win in the early 2010s. After winning the show, she also made an appearance on Braodway and dabbled in television. 

A recent winner, Thompson has yet to release a full-fledged album. He only has his 2023 EP and three singles to his name. "One Day Tonight" peaked at No. 48 on Billboard's Hot Country. 

The rocker has one album to his credit and dropped a second album with his band, Caleb Johnson and the Ramblin' Saints, in 2019. He has since had a string of independent albums come out. He has recently found success teaming up with the backup singer group of Meat Loaf, the Neverland Express band. 

Trent Harmon claimed victory in 2016 and has since released just one album in the wake of winning Idol. He hasn't released music since 2018. Harmon is best remembered in the Idol world as the last winner while still airing on its original network, Fox. The series took a two-year break after his win. 

Success hasn't been easy for Fradiani after his 2015 win. He has two albums to his name, including his most recent in 2022. The most famous contestant from that season was Jax, a third-place finisher who is best known for her smash hit, "Victoria's Secret." 

Samantha Diaz, who is better known by their stage name of Just Sam, has yet to step into the spotlight after winning Season 18. They have not released an album and have even left their contract with Hollywood Records. A few singles have since been released by Just Sam, but she has been more in the headlines after being spotted busking in New York City subway trains, which is what they previously did before Idol.  

The future appeared bright for this country singer until his 2022 arrest, during which he allegedly bugged a college dorm room belonging to his ex. He only has his 2021 album to his name and has since taken a break from the music world. Fans of The Bachelor series may recall him appearing on the show and performing "Memorize Me" during a date.