American Idol Winners

For the past seven years, January has brought a fervor over the FOX television sensation "American Idol". For some the show brings a whole new crop of potential pop stars, for others it is a chance to see the debacle known as the auditions and a chance to laugh at the ineptitude of hopefuls. But whatever the reason the show that was originally billed as the search for the next pop singing sensation has become more of a popularity contest than an actual search for real talent.

As Season eight of "American Idol" gets underway, here is a look back at how previous winners have faired in the music business since they have won the coveted title.

Season One: Kelly Clarkson

The inaugural telecast of "American Idol" was aired over the summer of 2002 with Texas native Kelly Clarkson being crowned the winner in September of that year.

As a youngster Clarkson had aspirations toward becoming a marine biologist...until she saw the movie "Jaws".

Since becoming the first Idol winner Clarkson has appeared in a movie with fellow season one finalist Justin Guarini and on "Sabrina the Teenaged Witch".

Musically Clarkson has won two Grammy Awards;placed second place to Norway' Kurt Nilson in the airing of "World Idol";been awarded three gold albums, nine gold singles, three platinum singles, and three platinum albums with two earning multi platinum status. Clarkson's album Clarkson sang "Ave Maria" for Pope Benedict XVII. Her album "Breakaway" has been certified six times platinum. Clarkson is preparing to release a new album.

Season Two: Ruben Studdard

The soulful singer dubbed "the velvet teddy-bear" by guest judge Gladys Knight was born Christian Ruben Studdard in Frankfurt, Germany. While at Alabama A&M Studdard played football but gave it up for music. While Studdard sang in church as a child, he did not become serious about music until college where he was a member of the soul and jazz group Just a Few Cats.

The Birmingham, Alabama resident beat out fellow southerner Clay Aiken for the title of "American Idol" by only a few thousand votes.

Since winning "American Idol" Ruben Studdard has had one gold single, two gold albums, and one platinum album. Studdard also appeared in the movie "Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed".

Season Three: Fantasia (Barrino)

The single mom won the top spot of season three of the popular show and dropped her last name in the process. The North Carolina native has gone on to write a book on her life, star in the movie about her life (which was based on the book "Fantasia: Life is not a Fairy Tale"), and was the first solo artist to have her debut single top the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart the first week of its release.

Musically Fantasia has received one gold single, three gold albums, and two platinum albums. She has appeared on Broadway in "The Color Purple" and lost the role of Effe in the hit move "Dreamgirls" to Jennifer Hudson.

Season Four: Carrie Underwood

The country farm girl from Oklahoma started singing in church at age three and has become perhaps the most successful of all Idol winners. Underwood has made her mark on the country music scene by topping the charts and selling as many albums as some of the top country music stars in Nashville. Underwood's success goes far beyond her album success with both of her albums going multi platinum - "Some Hearts" has been certified seven times platinum -, eight gold singles, and four platinum singles. Carrie Underwood has joined some of country music's greatest stars by becoming a member of the Grand 'Ole Opry.

Along with her three Grammy Awards Underwood has won a Dove Award (Gospel) for "Jesus, Take the Wheel", an American Country Music Award, Billboard Music Awards, and numerous awards from the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Country Music Television Awards (CMT).

Season Five: Taylor Hicks

Season Five brought a soulful singer from the Birmingham area. Dubbed the "Silver Fox" fans of Taylor Hicks call themselves the Soul Patrol. Hicks owes his appearance on
"American Idol" to the destructive power of mother nature. Hicks along with his band mates were performing in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina struck the Crescent City. Offered a plane ticket anywhere in the US, Hicks chose Las Vegas where auditions were being held for season five of the show.

Hicks is known for singing the soulful music of his favourite performers Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, and Ray Charles. Until recently, the statue has disappeared, Hicks carried a small statue of Charles on stage with him. The harmonica Taylor Hicks plays is one he bought for two dollars at a flea market.

Since winning the popular singing contest Hicks has released only one album which was certified gold and platinum.

Season Six: Jordin Sparks

It took six seasons to crown an "American Idol" winner outside of the south and it went to Arizona's Jordin Sparks. The 17 year old daughter of NFL football star Phillipi Sparks is also the youngest contestant to win the singing competition. She is also the first winner of mixed race.

Before Idol Sparks has acted in school, modeled, and been an award winning singer in Arizona.

Since winning on "American Idol" Sparks has appeared at numerous events, performed a duet with singer Chris Brown, has four gold singles, three platinum singes, and seen her album certified gold and platinum.

Season Seven: David Cook

The most recent winner of "American Idol" is former bartender David Cook. The left handed guitar player took advantage of the new rule allowing contestants to play musical instruments and was seen nearly every week strumming as he sang. Currently Cook plays a custom made left handed guitar from Gibson Guitars.

Prior to Idol Cook played with the bands Axium and MidWest Kings.

Since winning "American Idol" over the young heartthrob David Archuleta by 12 million votes Cook has seen his single "Time of My Life" certified platinum for one million digital music downloads. Two weeks after being announced the winner of Idol Cook had eleven singles appear on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. His self titled debut album is currently on the Billboard Top 200 Album Charts in the top 20. It is still too early to discover how successful David Cook's career will be, but he is off to a good start.

Other notable "American Idol" contestants

Since Season One of "American Idol" when only Kelly Clarkson was given a recording contract many of the show's contestants have gone on to some very successful careers in the business despite being voted off the show. Season five's Chris Daughtry formed a band and has seen his debut album spend over two years on the Billboard Album Charts

Jennifer Hudson won a role in the movie Dreamgirls and has since won numerous awards on both sides of the Atlantic for her performance including Golden Globe, SAG, BAFTA (British Oscar), and Academy Awards. Hudson has also been awarded the Sammy Davis Jr. Entertainer of the Year Award. She has gone on to release a hit album and appear in the movie "Sex in the City" and on the movie's soundtrack.

Season two runner up Clay Aiken has been in the news as much for controversy as his music. The North Carolina native was born Clayton Holmes Grissom but later took the maiden name of his grandmother - Aiken. Before Idol Aiken has planned a career working in special education. Aiken has seen his career inundated with speculations about his sexuality and shortly after becoming a father to Parker Foster Aiken, Clay admitted to being gay stating that he could not raise his son to be honest while hiding the truth.

Season four's long haired rocker Bo Bice set a standard for those who followed turning "American Idol" into more than a pop music contest. The southern rocker has released two albums, one of which has been certified gold.

Season five's third place contestant Elliott Yamin has shown that a having a disability is no deterrent to making good music. Born Efraym Elliott Yamin the young Jewish musician has 90 percent hearing loss in his right ear and is diabetic (he wears an insulin pump). Yamin's debut album has been certified gold.

While some say that "American Idol" has ruined music and is little more than a karaoke singing popularity contest, the show has produced some talented artists who needed only the opportunity to prove their worth. The program often boasts about the millions of votes cast each week for its contestants but the true mark of how good a contestant - whether or not a winner - is determined by the music sold and charted by Nielson Soundscan and the RIAA - Recording Industry Association of America.

The RIAA certifies a single or album gold when it sells 500,000 copies whether it be physical copies or digital downloads. A single or album is certified platinum when it sells one million copies and in awarded another platinum award for each additional million sold.