5 Contestants Who Lost on American Idol But Won Money, Fame, & Even an Oscar
Their net worth is the true measure of their success.
It's been a month since the finale of American Idol Season 21, the sixth one produced by ABC since the show was revamped in 2018. Before that, the iconic singing contest aired on Fox for fifteen years. During its long run, American Idol has discovered many talented artists, some of whom are now big names in the music industry.
Take, for instance, Kelly Clarkson. The Season 1 winner has released multiple albums and hit singles, receiving three Grammys over the years. Moreover, she has coached on The Voice and currently hosts her own talk show. However, not all of our beloved pop stars won American Idol back in the day.
Here are five big musicians who didn't win on the show but still became popular and made heaps of money.
5. Todrick Hall ($4 million)
This dancer/musician/actor participated in the ninth season of American Idol. Although he didn't win the show, he found fame in other ways. Todrick has released a total of six studio albums, launched a successful YouTube channel, and appeared on numerous TV shows, including Season 6 of The Masked Singer, where he placed second.
4. Chris Daughtry ($8 million)
This Season 5 contestant came in fourth and went on to launch a successful rock band, Daughtry. They have received several Grammy nominations and released six albums. They are still active. As for Chris himself, he also took part in TMS as Rottweiler and was the runner-up in Season 2.
3. Katharine McPhee ($14 million)
A fellow contestant with Daughtry in Season 5 of American Idol, this singer placed second. Nonetheless, she continued her music career and has since released five albums. Furthermore, Katharine has appeared in numerous movies and TV shows. She also participated in The Masked Singer Season 6 as Banana Split and secured third place.
2. Jennifer Hudson ($30 million)
Although she placed only seventh in Season 3 of American Idol, this iconic singer has had a stellar career after the show. She has released three studio albums, received two Grammys, coached on The Voice on both sides of the Atlantic, and starred in many movies, including Sex and the City, Respect and Dreamgirls, which brought Hudson an Oscar! Moreover, she currently hosts her own talk show.
1. Adam Lambert ($45 million)
The runner-up in the eighth season of American Idol has had a most impressive career over the years. He has released five albums, starred in a number of movies and TV shows, including the beloved musical Glee, and returned to mentor contestants on his alma mater show.
Source: Celebrity Net Worth.