Top 10 Successful American Idol Contestants Who Didn't Win

Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Gabby Barrett was just 18 years old when she competed on the 16th season of “American Idol”. Barrett won the hearts of country fans with her renditions of hits by Carrie Underwood, Maren Morris and Miranda Lambert, and she eventually finished in third place. Despite the huge platform “American Idol” was, Barrett struggled to get a recording contract, and as a result, she independently released her debut single “I Hope” in 2019. The song became a crossover hit, peaking at number three on Billboard’s Hot 100 and achieving multi-platinum status. The success of “I Hope” landed Barrett a deal with Warner Music Nashville, under which she released her debut album “Goldmine” in 2020.

Although she placed sixth on season five of “American Idol,” Kellie Pickler was an easy fan favorite. Her sweet Southern charm warmed her up to the notoriously stern Simon Cowell, as well as the rest of America. Following her journey on the show, Pickler wasted no time in capitalizing on her newfound fame. She quickly signed a record deal and released her debut album “Small Town Girl,” which hit number one on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. Pickler may not have won “American Idol,” but she surprised many with her skills on the 16th season of “Dancing with the Stars,” where she was crowned the champion, alongside her partner. Between 2017 and 2019, she also co-hosted the daytime talk show “Pickler & Ben”.

In 2009, Katie Stevens was a fresh-faced teen from Connecticut when she auditioned for the ninth season of “American Idol”. The judges were impressed with her vocal prowess and predicted that she might actually take the top prize. Despite this high praise, Stevens was eliminated in eighth place. Afterwards, she struggled to find success in the music industry and had to earn a living working in a cupcake shop. Stevens eventually transitioned from music to acting and landed a prominent role as Karma Ashcroft on MTV’s “Faking It”. This paved the way for her most recognizable role to date - as one of the leading ladies on Freeform’s “The Bold Type”.

Todrick Hall only appeared briefly on the ninth season of “American Idol,” but he managed to turn his 15 seconds of fame into a career in the spotlight. Hall made it to the semi-finals, reaching the Top 16 before he was eliminated from the competition. The Texas-born singer turned his focus to YouTube, creating original content and parodies that amassed millions of views. He then moved on to another competition show, this time as a resident choreographer and occasional judge of “RuPaul’s Drag Race”. In 2016, Hall returned to his Broadway roots after landing the lead role in the musical “Kinky Boots” without even auditioning for it. Hall has continued to release music independently, most notably his hit single “Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels”.

Already a singer by age 3, Lauren Alaina rose to prominence on the tenth season of “American Idol,” where her powerful vocals endeared her to the judges and earned her the runner-up spot. Despite not clinching the title, Alaina signed record deals with Interscope Records, Mercury Nashville and 19 Recordings, and released her first album “Wildflower” in 2011. The album debuted at number five of the Billboard 200 chart, and spawned a top 20 lead single. Her sophomore album “Road Less Traveled” featured the single of the same name, which hit number one on the Country charts. In 2019, Alaina put on her dance shoes for a spot on the 28th season of “Dancing with the Stars,” where she placed fourth.

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#5: Tori Kelly

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Tori Kelly auditioned for the ninth season of “American Idol” in 2009, when she was just 16, but was eliminated before reaching the top 24. Despite this setback, she began uploading videos of herself singing to YouTube, which grabbed the attention of Scooter Braun and eventually earned her a deal with Capitol Records. Kelly explored pop and R&B on her debut album “Unbreakable Smile” and received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. She then turned to a more gospel-oriented sound on her follow-up “Hiding Place,” for which she won two Grammy Awards. In 2023, she revamped her sound yet again, going for a ‘90s R&B style on her single “missin' u”.

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#4: Chris Daughtry

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When it comes to record sales, there are only two “American Idol” contestants who surpass Chris Daughtry. Their names? Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. Daughtry appeared on the fifth season of the show, and although he was a favorite to win, he left the competition in fourth place, in a shocking elimination. He went on to form the rock band Daughtry, whose self-titled first effort peaked at number one on the Billboard Top 200 and became the fastest-selling debut rock album in Soundscan history. To date, Daughtry has released five more albums with his band and received multiple Grammy nominations along the way. In 2019, he appeared as the Rottweiler on the second season of “The Masked Singer” and finished as the runner-up.

The fifth season of “American Idol” remains the most-watched season in the show’s history, so it’s no wonder it produced three individuals on this list. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Katharine McPhee’s journey to stardom began with her impressive run on season five of the competition series. Although she was edged out by Taylor Hicks in the finale, the show became a launching pad for McPhee’s very successful career. Her first album debuted at number two on Billboard 200 and produced a Top 40 lead single. While still releasing music, McPhee ventured into acting and appeared in series such as “Smash” and “Scorpion”. She made her Broadway debut in 2018, as the lead character in “Waitress”.

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#2: Adam Lambert

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Right from his first appearance on the eighth season of “American Idol,” Adam Lambert's theatricality and undeniable stage presence made him an instant standout. After finishing as the runner-up, Lambert quickly released his debut effort “For Your Entertainment”. The album became a huge success and spawned the hit single “Whataya Want from Me,” which earned him a Grammy nomination. His subsequent albums “Trespassing” and “The Original High” further solidified his status as a bankable solo artist and performer. Since 2011, Lambert has performed as the lead vocalist in a collaboration with the legendary rock band Queen. Together, they have toured extensively around the world and released a live album that reached number one in the UK.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

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Clay Aiken

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#1: Jennifer Hudson

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It’s quite unimaginable now, but THE Jennifer Hudson finished in seventh place back on the third season of “American Idol”. However, the shocking departure only proved to be motivation for her. Two years after appearing on the show, Hudson made a dazzling film debut as Effie White in “Dreamgirls,” taking home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Following this surprise performance, Hudson continued to appear in movies, but she never forgot her music roots. Her self-titled debut album was released in 2008 and earned her a Grammy for Best R&B Album. In addition, she has received an Emmy and a Tony, becoming only the second African-American woman ever to win the EGOT. Hudson is proof that losing is indeed the new winning.