Are ‘American Idol’ Winners Still the Biggest on the Planet?

American Idol has been discovering talented singers for over 20 years now. Some of the show’s winners have gone on to have thriving careers. However, the show’s reputation for creating stars has definitely waned over the years.

American Idol Has Created Superstars

There’s no doubt that a number of former American Idol contestants have gone on to become huge stars — including some of the winners. Season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson is the most obvious example.

Clarkson has sold over 80 million records worldwide and received three Grammys throughout her career. She’s also broken into the world of talk shows, having hosted The Kelly Clarkson Show since 2019. Clarkson boasts over 8 million followers on Instagram as of this writing.

But Clarkson isn’t the only American Idol winner to embark on an impressive career. Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood has gone on to become one of the biggest names in country music, earning three Grammys. She has over 13 million Instagram followers and recently returned to American Idol as a judge.

Other winners, such as Season 6’s Jordin Sparks and Season 10’s Scotty McCreery, have also found success. But even in its early seasons, winning the show wasn’t always necessary to make it big. 

Some of the most well-known artists to emerge from American Idol over the years — including Jennifer Hudson, David Archuleta, Chris Daughtry, and Lauren Alaina — missed out on the grand prize.

Do the Show’s Winners Still Make It Big?

A common complaint about the more recent seasons of American Idol is that the show’s winners don’t become household names like they used to. Although the show offers a platform to launch their careers, the newer champions definitely haven’t reached the same level of success as Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood.

But while they may not be the biggest in the world, some recent winners have still reached some impressive milestones. Season 21 winner Iam Tongi, for example, has over a million followers on Instagram, while Season 23 winner Jamal Roberts was recently nominated for his first Grammy.

However, it’s just as true now as it was years ago that the show’s losers often end up becoming bigger stars than the winners. The best recent example is probably Benson Boone, who dropped out of Season 19 — which ended up being won by Chayce Beckham.

Boone’s song “Beautiful Things” became a huge hit in 2024, and he was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2025 Grammys. As of this writing, Boone has over 6 million followers on Instagram, and over 9 million on TikTok.
What do you think? Does American Idol still produce stars? Is it better to win the show or leave earlier in the competition? Let us know in the comments below.