If there is a talent search on TV that almost everyone from around the world knows, that would be American Idol. The show has been running since the early 2000s and its eighteenth season just started in February 2020. Over the years, many singers made it big after appearing on the show.

While winners always landed an instant record deal and got prize money, those who don't win also manage to pursue music professionally and become respectable names. Let's take a look at some of the most popular Idol contestants and let's see who actually became successful after their time on the show.

Kimberley Locke

After American Idol's first season, many people wanted to try their luck on the show. Kimberley Locke was one of the singers who made it into the second season of the show. She got to showcase her superb talent in singing, but sadly, she only finished in third place on the show.

She was still able to get a recording contract and has released four studio albums so far. She also gained popularity for joining Celebrity Fit Club to slim down. In recent years, Locke has been co-hosting a daytime talk show called Dr. and the Diva.

Haley Reinhart

Singer Haley Reinhart was part of the American Idol season that aired back in 2011. She didn't win the season, but Interscope Records still signed her. She later made history by being the first Idol contestant who was booked to perform at the annual Lollapalooza music festival.

Today, she is continuing to reach even greater heights in her career, and she just released an album titled Lo-Fi Soul back in 2019. Going on tour brings her a ton of earnings, and as of 2020, she has planned concerts around North America and Europe.

Diana DeGarmo

Diana DeGarmo was already getting noticed for her talent in singing when she was just a young child. However, nothing compares to the amount of attention she got when she was a contestant on American Idol's third season. She was the season's runner-up, and she ended the show with tons of fans.

Life after the show has been good to her because she was able to release two albums, Her most recent album, GEMINI, was just released in 2019. She is even building her portfolio as an on-screen and theatre actress. DeGarmo is set to star in a national tour of the musical called First Date.

Bo Bice

Bo Bice was definitely an interesting character to watch on American Idol because of his unique fashion that jived well with his southern rock star persona. He was the second-place winner during the season wherein Carrie Underwood emerged as the grand winner.

He already released an album prior to his appearance on the show, but he just lacked proper exposure. After being dropped by RCA Records, he decided to launch his own record label named Sugar Money.  Bice served as the frontman of the band called Blood, Sweat & Tears in recent years.

Josh Gracin

Many people never imagine getting serenaded by a US Marine, but that changed when Josh Gracin joined American Idol Season 2. He joined the Marines after college and served as a supply clerk at Camp Pendleton. His voice was adored by many on the show, but he finished in fourth place.

He didn't jump right into music after his elimination, for he actually finished serving in the Marines first. He was honorably discharged in 2004 and was later signed to Lyric Street Records. Gracin has yet to release a new album, but he did release a single titled Lucky Stars back in 2019.

Taylor Hicks

Taylor Hicks was already releasing music independently during the late '90s, but he struggled to become mainstream. Joining American Idol in 2006 was just what he needed, and the odds were in his favor because he was the grand winner during his season.

You can actually consider him as one of the most successful Idol winners because he has his own residency show in Las Vegas. He also got to pursue a career as a host and Broadway actor. As his affluence grew, he also became business-minded. Hicks is the owner of Saw's Juke Joint, which was previously ORE Drink and Dine.

Mandisa

Mandisa Lynn Hundley pulled a "Madonna" when she joined American Idol back in 2006, for she decided to go by her first name only. She only reached the season's top 9, but she was still blessed with a fruitful career. In fact, she is a Grammy Award winner already.

Her fifth album titled Overcomer won the Best Contemporary Christian Music Album award during the Grammy Awards back in 2014. Mandisa has been open to her fans in recent years, and she revealed that she has been dealing with depression and weight issues.

Ruben Studdard

Ruben Studdard's win during American Idol's second season was legendary because it basically showed just how the talents of gospel singers should never be underestimated. His debut album titled Soulful was a massive hit, and it reached platinum status already.

Outside of music, he has also been able to excel in acting. It's not a secret that he struggled with his weight for many years, but he was finally successful in losing weight when he joined The Biggest Loser back in 2013. In 2018, Studdard starred in his own Broadway show called Ruben & Clay’s Christmas Show.

Kris Allen

Kris Allen is a perfect example of a "rags to riches" story because he wasn't really blessed financially before winning American Idol. He was making ends meet by working as a shoe salesman. He got to independently release an album, but he didn't really earn much from it.

Becoming an Idol winner changed his life, and as of today, he has a $3.5 million fortune already. He is still the same humble guy he used to be, and a huge chunk of his wealth helps different charitable causes. Allen is currently raising three kids with his wife, Katy O'Connell.

Kimberly Caldwell

You guys might remember Kimberly Caldwell for her stint on American Idol's second season. She was seventh place on the show, but there have been many doors that opened for her afterward. On top of a music career, she was hired to work as a correspondent for FOX Sports Network.

She was also able to host other shows like Best Ink and Starmaker. Caldwell only released one album so far, and it's unclear when she plans to release a new one. She is probably too busy raising her daughter with hubby Jordan Harvey. She probably doesn't need to work much since he has a huge salary from his soccer career.

Scotty McCreery

Most of us are not doing much at 17 years old, but for Scotty McCreery, he managed to win American Idol at that age. People couldn't get enough of his low and powerful voice that made him pull off country music so well.

His first album titled Clear as Day was a huge success, and it reached platinum certification in the United States. McCreery is already a grown man at 26 years old today, and he isn't done achieving greater heights in his career. He was finally able to make Gabi Dugal, his longtime girlfriend, into his wife back in 2018.

Phillip Phillips

If American Idol had an award for the catchiest name, Phillip Phillips would definitely bag that award. He won the eleventh season of American Idol, and his coronation song titled Home became a massive hit. Since his time on the show, he has never stopped pursuing music.

He can even call himself an actor because he appeared on an episode of the show Hawaii Five-0 back in 2018. Phillips is taking a break from touring, for he is busy being a dad to his newly born child with his wife, Hannah Blackwell.

David Cook

Many people dream of winning American Idol for years. But for David Cook, he didn't even have any plans of auditioning. He just accompanied his brother, who auditioned in Omaha, Nebraska. Still, he ended up auditioning on the spot when he caught the attention of the show's producer.

Destiny was definitely on his side because he eventually won the show in 2008. His self-titled album that he released the same year he won ended up becoming a platinum album. Cook also has an impressive acting portfolio today, for he starred in the Kinky Boots Broadway musical back in 2018.

David Archuleta

Prior to joining American Idol, David Archuleta was already used to winning singing competitions when he was younger. Idol gave him a lot of exposure, so even if he didn't win, he was still able to become a huge star. Some of his most successful singles were Crush and Something 'Bout Love.

He has garnered a ton of earnings over the years. Yet, he prioritizes giving back through different philanthropic activities today. He just serenaded many people on a Christmas Tour he had back in 2019. Archuleta doesn't have any upcoming tours as of now, though.

Kellie Pickler

Kellie Pickley competed on the fifth season of American Idol and finished the show in sixth place. Her career took off since then. She was offered a contract by BNA Records and 19 Recordings. Then, her successful first album, Small Town Girl, achieved gold status.

2012 was a year of new beginnings for her because it was then that she signed under the record label Black River Entertainment. Pickley is growing her fortune in the bank through acting these days. Most recently, she has starred in the Hallmark movie titled The Mistletoe Secret.

Fantasia Barrino

Fantasia Monique Barrino-Taylor, who is best known as just Fantasia, won American Idol back in 2004. She has gone through a lot before appearing on the show, for she got pregnant at 16 years old. She didn't let life's obstacles tear her down, and it looks like things eventually worked out for her.

She has released seven studio albums so far and has won one Grammy Award already. Fantasia is happily married to a man named Kendall Taylor. She already has two kids in total, but she has yet to have a child with her new husband.

Elliot Yamin

Elliot Yamin was the singer who finished in third place during Season 5 of American Idol. Losing didn't defy his talent as a singer, though. He actually got to release huge hits over the years. His first big one has got to be his single titled Wait For You.

He has released nine albums so far, two of which are Christmas albums. Some of you might not have known this, but Yamin has been battling diabetes for years. In fact, he has been supporting different causes that raise awareness regarding the disease.

Clay Aiken

Clay Aiken has proven that there is so much more to life after appearing in American Idol. He did pursue music professionally after the show, but he didn't limit himself to just that. He was able to get into acting, activism, and even politics.

His book titled Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life was a bestseller, according to the New York Times. Aiken seems to be most active with his theater work these days. In 2019, he starred in a production of Grease at Pennysylvania's Benedum Center.

Katherine McPhee

Katherine McPhee has been successful for many years that many of you might have forgotten already that she started out in American Idol. She was the runner-up behind winner Taylor Hicks. She has released five albums in total and has become a respected actress.

From 2018 until early 2020, she was known for playing the lead in the Broadway production of Waitress. McPhee is madly in love with producer David Foster, and they just had a beautiful wedding back in June 2019. The couple has yet to give hints about what their plans are when it comes to having kids.

Chris Daughtry

Chris Daughtry was part of the American Idol season that aired in 2006. His rock star persona won the hearts of many fans, but it wasn't enough for him to win the show. Nonetheless, he was still able to get a professional recording contract.

He didn't stick to being just a solo act, for he decided to start his own band called Daughtry. Their first album as a band became an instant chart-topper. Daughtry has been regularly shaving his head since his appearance on the show because of his baldness.

Jordin Sparks

Jordin Sparks was a young singer who outshined singers who were way older than her. She takes pride in being the youngest American Idol winner in history. She later got to work with the biggest names in music, but her biggest hit was her single with Chris Brown titled No Air.

Sparks has been able to make her Broadway debut already, and she was even given her own reality show. She is happily married to a man named Dana Isaiah, who's known for his fitness modeling career. The couple welcomed a child together back in 2018.

Jennifer Hudson

If there is one American Idol "loser" that became even more successful than most winners of the show, that would be none other than the talented Jennifer Hudson. Many people couldn't get over the fact that someone as talented as Jennifer only finished seventh on the show.

She became a massive star in 2006 after she gave an award-winning performance in the film Dreamgirls. She has since appeared on Broadway as well. Hudson may not be releasing new music, but her acting career is increasing her net worth tremendously. Hudson is now set to play Aretha Franklin in a biopic.

Adam Lambert

Adam Lambert had one of the most entertaining runs on American Idol, and his performances per week were always on-point. Unfortunately, he lost to Kris Allen during the grand finals of the show. That was just a minor setback in his life because he eventually achieved so much in the music scene.

If he had won, he would have been the first openly gay singer to win the show. Lambert's unique voice and fashion are what make him such an interesting performer to watch. In recent years, he has been going on tour with Queen.

Kelly Clarkson

Like any other talent search, American Idol had to start somewhere. Kelly Clarkson was one of the hopeful singers who auditioned for the very first season without even knowing if the show will actually be a hit or not. Fortunately, things fell into place, and her career took off after winning the season.

She has released eight studio albums already and is a three-time Grammy Award winner. In recent years, Clarkson has been earning a lot of money from TV work. She has her own talk show, and she's also one of the coaches on The Voice.

Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood's life changed completely back in 2005 after she emerged as the winner of American Idol Season 4. Becoming a successful singer was just in the cards for her, and her career continued to keep getting better once she released her first album.

Her debut album alone was able to win her a total of three Grammy Awards. In total, Carrie has seven Grammy Awards already. She used to enjoy her successes alone, but today, she shares it with her husband, Mike Fisher. The couple just welcomed their second baby boy together back in 2019.

Lee DeWyze

Lee DeWyze was yet another singer who was already pursuing music prior to joining American Idol. He did solo work, but he also performed with his own band called the Lee DeWyze Band. Winning the ninth season of the show allowed him to build the huge fan base he needed.

He has been able to release a total of seven studio albums to date. When he's not making music, he's actively doing charity work. DeWyze has also been able to find true love, for he has been married to the gorgeous Jonna Walsh since 2012.

Danny Gokey

Danny Gokey was the third-place winner during Season 8 of American Idol. On the show, people saw him stick to mostly gospel and soul music. His vibe completely changed after his time on the show, for he decided to pursue a country music career.

He has done a total of seven albums already, his most recent one being The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Collection. He started dating Leyicet Peralta back in 2011 and eventually tied the knot with her a year later. They are parents to four adorable children as of today.

William Hung

William Hung is living proof that American Idol gives singers an impressive amount of exposure. He appeared in the third season of the show, but he didn't make it passed the auditions. Simon Cowell even told him that he can't dance or sing.

Despite this, many people were amused by him, and this led to him getting a cult following. Koch Entertainment gave him a record deal, and he was even asked to guest on different Hollywood talk shows. As of 2011, Hung has been in retirement already. He reportedly works at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department as a technical crime analyst.

Blake Lewis

Blake Lewis was a refreshing act to watch on American Idol back in 2007 because of his superb talent in beatboxing. His uniqueness got him far in the competition. Yet, in the end, he ended up losing to Jordin Sparks. Just this January 2020, he released his fourth studio album.

Blake actually has complete control when it comes to his music. Why? Because he now has his very own record label called Audio Day Dream Records! Lewis has been giving back a lot over the years, and he's apparently often helping the Seattle Children's Hospital.

Justin Guarini

Justin Guarini was so close to making history way back in 2002. Sadly, Kelly Clarkson beat him during the American Idol grand finale. Back then, he was actually the only singer from the singing competition who was asked to guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Oprah even told him he has "it".

He hasn't been active in music for so long since his last album, Stranger Things Have Happened, was released way back in 2005. Apparently, most of his paychecks these days comes from his work as a voice actor. 

Constantine Maroulis

Constantine Maroulis is another former American Idol contestant that found success in a different industry. He has been making it big as a Broadway actor and is best known for the performance he had in the musical called Rock of Ages.

He also landed a starring role in Jekyll and Hyde. With how far he has come, it's quite surprising to know that he only finished in fourth place in Idol's fourth season. Maroulis has a daughter with theatre actress Angel Reed. Their relationship ended because of his alleged domestic violence.

Lauren Alaina

Lauren Alaina was the singer who lost to Scotty McCreery on American Idol back in 2011. She got to release a debut album that same year, but her career didn't really take off yet. The odds were finally in her favor in 2017 because her second album has a chart-topping hit.

Alaina was able to showcase her dancing skills in 2019's Dancing with the Stars back in 2019. Unfortunately, she didn't win. Alaina was set to marry a man named Alexander Hopkins, but they called off their engagement in 2019.

Nick Fradiani

Before American Idol, Nick Fradiani already had experience in joining a talent show on TV. He was on America's Got Talent with his band named Beach Avenue. The band ended up getting cut after "judgment week". He later went solo and joined Idol in 2015.

This was the best decision he made because he was the winner of his season. He signed with the Big Machine Label Group but left the label in early 2017. He later released an EP independently, but it looks like it barely made him any money.

Caleb Johnson

Caleb Johnson is the definition of someone who never gives up. He had to unsuccessful audition for American Idol, but he finally made it through the third time around. Not only that, he finished as the grand winner during the show's thirteenth season.

He didn't waste any time at all after he won, and it only took him three weeks to finish his debut album. Today, Johnson isn't part of any record label anymore and is releasing his music independently. He gets to live comfortably because he has a $1 million net worth.

Brittany Kerr

Brittany Kerr was already working as an NBA dancer, but it looks like she wanted to test if her singing skills would bring her a whole new level of success. During her audition for American Idol back in 2012, she won over two out of three judges.

Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson were amused by her, but Jennifer Lopez was not impressed. Kerr, unfortunately, didn't make it past Hollywood week. Today, she is known for being the gorgeous wife of country singer Jason Aldean. It looks like her husband's earnings are big enough for her to not work and just focus on raising their kids.