American Idol Season Winners

Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982) is an American pop singer, songwriter, and occasional actress. Clarkson made her debut under RCA Records after she won the highly-publicized first season of the television series American Idol in 2002.

She was originally marketed as a pop musician with her debut album Thankful (2003). With the release of her multi-platinum second album, Breakaway (2004), Clarkson moved to a more rock-oriented style of music. Clarkson's third album, entitled My December, was released on June 26, 2007. According to Sony Music, Clarkson has sold over 20 million albums worldwide. Clarkson has had eight of her singles become Top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Her first three albums sold over 9.5 million copies in the United States. In 2008, she joined VH1's list of 10 sexiest women of the new millennium at #8. She also hit #28 on Vh1's Top 30 Hottest Rock Front Women. As of 2008 she is one of the 10 most played artists on adult contemporary radio. Clarkson's fourth album titled All I Ever Wanted was released on March 10, 2009, and debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200. Her single, "My Life Would Suck Without You", advanced from No. 97 to No. 1 on the Hot 100 in its first week of release, breaking the record for the largest leap to the position in chart history. She is currently the only American Idol contestant to have reached number one in the UK. She claimed number one on March 1, 2009 when "My Life Would Suck Without You" debuted number one on downloads alone.

Clarkson has sold over 10.1 million albums in the United States, becoming the highest-selling Idol winner. According to Nielsen SoundScan, Clarkson is also ranked on the top 200 album sellers of the Nielsen SoundScan era at number 187.http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/30573/chart-watch-extra-the-american-idol-alumni-association/

Christopher Ruben Studdard (born September 12, 1978) is an American pop, R&B, and gospel singer. He rose to fame as winner of the second season of American Idol. He received a Grammy Award nomination in December 2003 for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Superstar."

In the years following Idol, Studdard has released four studio albums, including his most recent disc, 2009's Love Is.

In addition to appearing on various television shows he has toured with Robin Givens in the comedy-drama Heaven I Need a Hug and in 2008 accepted the role of Fats Waller in a national tour of Aint Misbehavin'. [http://blog.al.com/mcolurso/2007/11/ruben_studdard_tours_with_robi.html Ruben Studdard tours with Robin Givens in play, says hell star in 'Ain't Misbehavin''] by Mary Colurso, AL.com, November 30, 2007, retrieved December 16,2007

Fantasia Monique Barrino (born June 30, 1984), commonly known as Fantasia, is an American R&B/soul singer, Broadway and television actress who rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the television series American Idol in 2004. She has been nominated for eight Grammy Awards. After playing the part of Celie in the Broadway musical The Color Purple, she is cast to be in the film adaptation of the musical.

In 2004, she released her debut single, I Believe, which debuted at the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100, making Barrino the first recording artist in history to debut at the number one spot with a debut single. Subsequentely, she released her debut album, Free Yourself, which went on to be certified platinum by the RIAA and garnered Barrino four Grammy nominations in 2006. In 2006, she released her sophomore album, Fantasia, which featured the number-one R&B hit When I See U. The album was certified gold by the RIIA and received three Grammy nominations in 2008. She then played the part of Celie in the Broadway musical The Color Purple. Her third studio album is set to be released in early 2010.

Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American country pop singer and songwriter. She rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, she has since become a multi-platinum selling recording artist, a multiple Grammy Award winner, was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, and is the reigning Academy of Country Music Awards Entertainer of The Year.

Her debut album, Some Hearts, was certified seven times platinum, is the fastest selling debut country album in Nielsen SoundScan history. and is also the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history.News : Headlines : Carrie Underwood Sets Sales Record : Great American Country Some Hearts yielded three number one hits on the Billboard Country charts in the United States and Canada: "Jesus, Take the Wheel", "Wasted", and her biggest hit to date, "Before He Cheats", and the #2 hit "Don't Forget To Remember Me", which also hit #1 on the "Radio & Records" country chart.

Her second album, Carnival Ride, was released on October 23, 2007. It has so far sold over 2.9 million copies, and produced four number one country hits on the Billboard Country charts , "So Small", "All-American Girl", "Last Name", and "Just a Dream", and the #2 hit "I Told You So", which also hit #1 on the Mediabase Portion of "Radio & Records" country chart. As of May 2009, Underwood has sold over 9.6 million albums in the United States.Top Earning Idols She has sold 11 million albums world wide.

Carrie is set to release her third album (untitled as of yet) on November 3, 2009. The first single will hit the airwaves sometime this summer, 19 Recordings/Arista Nashville announced.

Taylor Reuben Hicks (born October 7, 1976) is an American singer who achieved fame in 2006 as a contestant on the fifth season of American Idol, which he won later that year. Hicks got his start as a professional musician in his late teens and performed around the Southeastern United States for well over the span of a decade, during which he also released two independent albums. Upon winning Idol, he was signed to Arista Records, under which his self-titled major label debut was released on December 12, 2006. His energetic stage performances and influences derived from classic rock, blues, and R&B music had earned him a following of devout fans, who have been dubbed the "Soul Patrol." He is currently on tour in Grease playing Teen Angel, the role originated by Alan Paul.http://ibdb.com/production.php?id=3641 The new CD, The Distance, was released March 10, 2009, with the first single, "What's Right Is Right", going to AC adds January 27, 2009. The second single was confirmed to be "Seven Mile Breakdown" via his myspace page.Taylor Hicks Resurfaces With New Album - Billboard

Jordin Brianna Sparks (born December 22, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter and model. She rose to fame as the winner of the sixth season of American Idol, and followed her victory with the release of her debut album, which led to her reception of an American Music Award and Grammy nominations in 2008. Her self-titled debut album was certified Platinum in the U.S. on December 12, 2008.RIAA Gold and Platinum Data

David Cook may refer to:

*David Cook (singer) (born 1982), winner of the seventh season of American Idol

**David Cook (album), the second solo album by David Cook

*David J. Cook (1840?1907), lawman of the American Old West, credited with 3,000 arrests

*David L. Cook (born 1968), Christian country music singer and comedian

*David Cook (game designer), author and designer of role-playing games

*David Cook (politician), politician of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

*David Cook (author), Rice University religion professor (Islam), author of books on Islam

*David Albert Cook (born 1947) is the birth name of British singer David Essex

*David Cook (TV presenter) (born 1940), first presenter of the UK children's television programme Rainbow

*David Cook (cyclist), British Olympic cyclist

Kristopher Neil Allen (born June 21, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter from Conway, Arkansas and the winner of the eighth season of American Idol. Prior to Idol, he self-released a 2007 album entitled Brand New Shoes.