‘American Idol’s’ decade of hits and myths
We won’t learn whether odds-on-fave Scotty McCreery or sweet underdog Lauren Alaina will be crowned the 10th "American Idol" winner until Wednesday. But we presume record mogul-cum-"Idol"-in-house mentor Jimmy Iovine, who will put out the winner’s first album, is already celebrating. Both of the finalists are solidly in the country-music wheelhouse, and the last country crooner to win, Carrie Underwood, holds the record for biggest debut album sales at 7 million, according to Nielsen SoundScan. — Lisa de Moraes
Average weekly 'Idol' viewers by season
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The debut albums of these
four finalists outsold
the season
winners’
albums.
Chris
Daughtry
Adam
Lambert
Crystal
Bowersox
Clay
Aiken
2002
(#21)
2003
(#2)
2004
(#2)
2005
(#1)
2006
(#1)
2007
(#1)
2008
(#1)
2009
(#1)
2010
(#1)
2011
(#1)
Winner
Kelly Clarkson
Debut album: Thankful
The first Idol’s career went according to script: "Thankful" went double-platinum, and Clarkson has since won two Grammys.
Runner-up
Justin Guarini
Debut album: Justin Guarini
Guarini parlayed "Idol" into a gig on TV Guide Network, where he co-hosts shows about "Idol" and reality TV.
Winner
Ruben Studdard
Debut album: Soulful
The "velvet teddy bear," who sings soul, gospel and R&B, was the first and last male winner who didn’t rock.
Runner-up
Clay Aiken
Debut album: Measure of a Man
Aiken has released five more albums, sung on Broadway ("Spamalot") and written a best-selling memoir.
Winner
Fantasia Barrino
Debut album: Free Yourself
Won her first Grammy this year for best female R&B vocal performance and stars on Broadway in "The Color Purple."
Seventh
Jennifer Hudson
Debut album: Jennifer Hudson
Most talented Idolette? Once Oscar-winner Hudson finally released an album (in 2008), she won a Grammy.
Winner
Carrie Underwood
Debut album:
Some Hearts
"Hearts" has sold more than 7 million copies. Underwood has five Grammys and is a fixture on country radio.
Runner-up
Bo Bice
Debut album: The Real Thing
The southern rocker did a Beatles tribute tour (go figure) in 2008 and a third album in 2010.
Winner
Taylor Hicks
Debut album: Taylor Hicks
Say what you will, Hicks makes a living with his voice, first touring in "Grease," now performing his own songs.
Fourth
Chris Daughtry
Debut album: Daughtry
If it’s true that this was the deepest talent pool of any "Idol" season, then Daughtry was its Michael Phelps.
Winner
Jordin Sparks
Debut album:
JordinSparks
"Sparks" the album
went platinum, and
Sparks the singer took
the Idolette train to
Broadway ("In the Heights").
Runner-up
Blake Lewis
Debut album: Audio Day Dream
Too quirky to win, Lewis beatboxed his way to a
second album in 2009.
Winner
David Cook
Debut album: David Cook
Cook was the first of a series of scruffy bad(ish)-boy rockers with guitars, beloved by voters who don’t buy their music.
Runner-up
David Archuleta
Debut album: David Archuleta
The 16-year-old guitar-free Mormon Boy Scout was the exact opposite of a scruffy bad(ish)-boy rocker.
Winner
Kris Allen
Debut album: Kris Allen
"This is crazy," he said when he won. Yep. "Allen" the album was the first winner’s debut that hasn’t hit gold status.
Runner-up
Adam Lambert
Debut album: For Your Entertainment
The upset loss only boosted the career of the boundary-pushing performer who expanded the market for eyeliner.
Winner
Lee DeWyze
Debut album: Live It Up
DeWyze seems
like a nice guy,
but we mostly
remember General Larry Platt’s "Pants on the Ground."
Runner-up
Crystal Bowersox
Debut album: Farmer’s Daughter
The rural, diabetic single mom with a fabulous voice and no-crap demeanor was, sadly, not a rocker boy.
The season 10 winner will be announced Wednesday, May 25.
Lauren Alaina
Sweet 16-year-old beat out older, edgier crooners, growlers and wailers.
Scotty McCreery
Deep-voiced throwback McCreery absolutely killed on Johnny Cash night.
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*Most sales occur within the first year of release. SOURCES: Nielsen SoundScan, FOX, individual performers’ web sites. NOTE: Average viewers for seasons 1-4 are for the live broadcast only; later numbers include viewers who watched on DVR within seven days of the broadcast. PHOTOS: Wires. GRAPHIC: Bonnie Berkowitz, Bill Webster and Kat Downs - The Washington Post. Published May 24, 2011.
