Every American Idol Winner Over The Years

Every American Idol Winner Over The Years

With ABC now airing the landmark American Idol season 20 and making references to the show’s long history, it’s time for fans to look back at the 19 aspiring singers who managed to win this singing competition over the years. From the very start, the first American Idol winners were trailblazers for hundreds of aspiring contestants for 20 seasons to come. With a 20th winner being crowned in 2022, this feels like the perfect time to look back at the history of the series.

From the first 15 seasons on Fox to the more recent five seasons on ABC, American Idol has been a huge hit among up-and-coming musicians and reality TV viewers. While other singing competitions have come along and placed a much larger focus on the celebrities in the judging panel, Idol has always been about finding the next American superstar who will take the music industry by storm. Over the years, many stars have come out of American Idol, making it one of the most successful reality competitions on television.

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Related: American Idol: Alumni Will Be Mentors In Season 20 After Bobby Bones Exit

Kelly Clarkson (Season 1)

The first-ever American Idol winner was the incomparable Kelly Clarkson. On the show, Kelly introduced herself as a 19-year-old aspiring singer from Burleson, Texas. It was clear from the very start that Kelly would become America’s sweetheart. Without a doubt, Kelly was the one to beat over the course of the entire American Idol season 1.

Rubben Studdard (Season 2)

From Birmingham, Alabama, Rubben Studdard was only 24 years old when he auditioned for American Idol season 2. After going head-to-head against Clay Aiken at the grand finale, Rubben was crowned the winner and Clay finished as the runner-up. At the finale, Rubben performed “A House Is Not a Home” by Dionne Warwick, “Imagine” by John Lennon, and an original song called “Flying Without Wings”.

Fantasia Barrino (Season 3)

One of the most successful American Idol winners ever was Fantasia Barrino. She was 19 years old on the show and came from High Point, North Carolina. Fantasia’s finale performances were “All My Life” by K-Ci & JoJo, “Summertime” by Abbie Mitchell, and her original song “I Believe”. Ultimately, Fantasia won season 3, and fellow finalist Diana DeGarmo finished as the runner-up.

Carrie Underwood (Season 4)

The competition on American Idol season 4 came down to finalists Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice. She auditioned as a 21-year-old singer from Checotah, Oklahoma. Her winning performances at the finale were “Independence Day” by Martina McBride, “Angels Brought Me Here” by Guy Sebastian, and her brand-new original song “Inside Your Heaven”.

Taylor Hicks (Season 5)

Just like Rubben Studdard, Taylor Hicks also went on to win American Idol as someone from Birmingham, Alabama. Taylor was older than the average Idol winner, being 29 years old when he competed. The runner-up of American Idol season 5, Katherine McPhee, has also enjoyed a highly successful career after her stint on the show.

Related: American Idol: Nadia Turner’s Best Season 4 Performances

Jordin Sparks (Season 6)

Jordin Sparks is another incredibly influential and successful winner. Shockingly, Jordin went into American Idol season 6 as a 16-year-old from Glendale, Arizona. Her finale performances included “Fighter” by Christina Aguilera and “A Broken Wing” by Martina McBride. In the end, Jordin won season 6 and Blake Lewis finished as the runner-up.

David Cook (Season 7)

25-year-old David Cook from Tulsa, Oklahoma won American Idol season 7 after a strong run in the competition. However, his finale was incredibly controversial due to the fact that many fans wanted runner-up David Archuleta to win instead. Nonetheless, David Cook received more votes from the public, won the show, and had a successful career as a result.

Kris Allen (Season 8)

The very talented Kris Allen won American Idol season 8 as a 23-year-old singer from Conway, Arkansas. Kris performed “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers, “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye, and his original song “No Boundaries” at the finale. This was yet another moment that divided the fanbase given that many viewers wanted season 8 runner-up Adam Lambert to win instead.

Lee DeWyze (Season 9)

Lee DeWyze introduced himself on American Idol season 9 as a 23-year-old singer from Mount Prospect, Illinois. The finale came down to him and Crystal Bowersox, but Lee’s finale performances of “The Boxer” by Simon & Garfunkel, “Everybody Hurts” by R.E.M., and “Beautiful Day” by U2 took him over the edge.

Scotty McCreery (Season 10)

Many longtime Idol fans remember how strong of a frontrunner Scotty McCreery was from the very beginning on American Idol season 10. Similar to Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia, and Carrie Underwood, it felt like he was always meant to win that season. On his audition, Scotty revealed that he was just 16 years old and came from Garner, North Carolina. His performances at the grand finale included “Gone” by Montgomery Gentry and “Check Yes Or No” by George Strait.

Related: American Idol: The Show’s Most Successful Country Music Stars

Phillip Phillips (Season 11)

Phillip Phillips is one of the most famous American Idol winners of all time. On his audition, though, Phillip was just a 20-year-old up-and-coming singer from Leesburg, Georgia. The competition ultimately narrowed down to him and Jessica Sanchez, but Phillip received more votes from the public and won American Idol season 11. One of the most noteworthy moments from Phillip Phillips on the show was his finale performance of his original song “Home”.

Candice Glover (Season 12)

Reality TV fans often remember American Idol season 12 as the contentious season that featured Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj as judges. Alas, it is also noteworthy that Candice Glover went on to win the season against Kree Harrison at the finale. Her performances included “Chasing Pavements” by Adele, “I Am Beautiful” by Candice Glover, and “I (Who Have Nothin’)” by Ben E. King.

Caleb Johnson (Season 13)

All things considered, it’s fair to say that Caleb Johnson is a lesser-known American Idol winner. By season 13, the show was no longer in its heyday, and it was facing fierce competition from new TV shows such as The Voice and the US edition of The X Factor. In any case, 22-year-old Caleb from Asheville, North Carolina had a great run in season 13 that justified his victory.

Nick Fradiani (Season 14)

American Idol season 14 narrowed down between Nick Fradiani and Clark Beckham, but Nick was crowned the winner. At the grand finale, Nick performed “Bright Lights” by Matchbox Twenty, “I Won’t Give Up” by Jason Mraz, and his new original song “Beautiful Life”. He might not have won the show during its golden years, but he’s still an official Idol winner.

Trent Harmon (Season 15)

Trent Harmon won the final season of American Idol’s original run on Fox. Going into season 15, viewers knew that this would be the last year of the show on Fox, so there was an overall “farewell” theme to the entire season. In the end, Trent Harmon was crowned the winner of American Idol season 15, with many fans believing that he’d be the last person to hold that title in history.

Related: American Idol: Catie Turner’s Best Performances From Season 16

Maddie Poppe (Season 16)

In 2018, ABC rebooted the singing competition and aired American Idol season 16. All season long, Maddie Poppe had somewhat of a frontrunner energy to her. After getting to the grand finale with Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Maddie performed two original songs – “Going Going Gone” and “Don’t Let Your Children Grow Up” – as well as “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac. As expected, Maddie was crowned the winner of season 16.

Laine Hardy (Season 17)

From Livingston, Louisiana, 18-year-old Laine Hardy won American Idol season 17. This was his second year auditioning for the show, and this time he was much more prepared for it. The runner-up of the season was Alejandro Aranda.

Just Sam (Season 18)

American Idol season 18 was tainted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which was just getting started at the time and ended up interrupting the show. Through a series of digital performances and socially-distanced episodes, the public went on to crown Just Sam in the end. Nonetheless, runner-up Arthur Gunn was also a big fan-favorite in the season.

Chayce Beckham (Season 19)

Season 19 was an incredibly competitive year, but Chayce Beckham came out victorious due to his undeniable talent and compelling backstory. Before an American Idol season 20 winner is crowned, Chayce remains the current-reigning Idol champion.

More: American Idol: Catching Up With The Reboot Winners

American Idol season 20 airs Sundays & Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

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Bernardo Sim
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Bernardo Sim writes about TV shows, queer culture, & Brazilian media. Born and raised in the Amazon, he now lives in South Florida. he/him

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