List of American Idol finalists

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

fourth season-winner Carrie Underwood
currently holds the record for the highest-selling album sales in the United States, with more than 13 million copies.

In

$2 million promoting Smithson's previous album which she made under the name Carly Hennessy. The album sold fewer than 400 copies.[3] Smithson remained on the show, and placed sixth in her season. Jermaine Jones
of eleventh season was disqualified for having theft cases and outstanding warrants prior to performing on Top 12 week. (Unlike with the Clark disqualification, an elimination was still held from the remaining eleven finalists that performed, rendering a Top 10.)

As of 2024, seven finalists have died:

Marque Lynche (d. 2015; brother of Michael Lynche).[4]

Table key
† Indicates an alumni who is now deceased

Contestants

first season
winner
second season
winner
third season
winner
fourth season
winner
fifth season
winner
sixth season
winner
seventh season
winner
eighth season
winner
ninth season
winner
tenth season
winner
eleventh season
winner
twelfth season
winner
thirteenth season
winner
fourteenth season
winner
fifteenth season
winner
sixteenth season
winner
seventeenth season
winner
twenty-first season
winner
Name Age[1] Hometown Season Place finish
EJay Day 20 Lawrenceville, Georgia
1
 9th–10th
Jim Verraros 19
Chicago, Illinois
1
 9th–10th
AJ Gil 17
San Diego, California
1
 8th
Ryan Starr 19
Sunland, California
1
 7th
Christina Christian 21 Brooklyn, New York
1
 6th
R. J. Helton 21 Cumming, Georgia
1
 5th
Tamyra Gray 23 Takoma Park, Maryland
1
 4th
Nikki McKibbin † 23 Grand Prairie, Texas
1
 3rd
Justin Guarini 23 Doylestown, Pennsylvania
1
 Runner-up
Kelly Clarkson 20 Burleson, Texas
1
 Winner
Vanessa Olivarez 22
Atlanta, Georgia
2
 12th
Charles Grigsby 24 Oberlin, Ohio
2
 11th
Julia DeMato 24 Brookfield, Connecticut
2
 10th
Corey Clark 22 Nashville, Tennessee
2
 9th
Rickey Smith † 23 Keene, Texas
2
 8th
Kimberly Caldwell 21 Katy, Texas
2
 7th
Carmen Rasmusen 18 Bountiful, Utah
2
 6th
Trenyce 23 Memphis, Tennessee
2
 5th
Josh Gracin 22 Oceanside, California
2
 4th
Kimberley Locke 25 Nashville, Tennessee
2
 3rd
Clay Aiken 24 Raleigh, North Carolina
2
 Runner-up
Ruben Studdard 25 Birmingham, Alabama
2
 Winner
Leah LaBelle † 17
Seattle, Washington
3
 12th
Matthew Rogers 25 Rancho Cucamonga, California
3
 11th
Amy Adams 24 Bakersfield, California
3
 10th
Camile Velasco 18 Haiku, Hawaii
3
 9th
Jon Peter Lewis 24 Rexburg, Idaho
3
 8th
Jennifer Hudson 22
Chicago, Illinois
3
 7th
John Stevens 16 East Amherst, New York
3
 6th
George Huff 22
New Orleans, Louisiana
3
 5th
LaToya London 25 Oakland, California
3
 4th
Jasmine Trias 17 Mililani, Hawaii
3
 3rd
Diana DeGarmo 16 Snellville, Georgia
3
 Runner-up
Fantasia Barrino 19 High Point, North Carolina
3
 Winner
Lindsey Cardinale 20 Ponchatoula, Louisiana
4
 12th
Mikalah Gordon 17
Las Vegas, Nevada
4
 11th
Jessica Sierra 19
Tampa Bay, Florida
4
 10th
Nikko Smith[a] 22
Town & Country, Missouri
4
 9th
Nadia Turner 28
Miami, Florida
4
 8th
Anwar Robinson 25 East Orange, New Jersey
4
 7th
Constantine Maroulis 29
New York, New York
4
 6th
Scott Savol 28 Shaker Heights, Ohio
4
 5th
Anthony Fedorov 19 Trevose, Pennsylvania
4
 4th
Vonzell Solomon 21 Fort Myers, Florida
4
 3rd
Bo Bice 29 Helena, Alabama
4
 Runner-up
Carrie Underwood 21 Checotah, Oklahoma
4
 Winner
Melissa McGhee 21 Tampa, Florida
5
 12th
Kevin Covais 16 Levittown, New York
5
 11th
Lisa Tucker 16 Anaheim, California
5
 10th
Mandisa † 29 Antioch, Tennessee
5
 9th
Bucky Covington 28 Rockingham, North Carolina
5
 8th
Ace Young 25
Denver, Colorado
5
 7th
Kellie Pickler 19 Albemarle, North Carolina
5
 6th
Paris Bennett 17 Fayetteville, Georgia
5
 5th
Chris Daughtry 26 McLeansville, North Carolina
5
 4th
Elliott Yamin 27 Richmond, Virginia
5
 3rd
Katharine McPhee 21
Los Angeles, California
5
 Runner-up
Taylor Hicks 29 Birmingham, Alabama
5
 Winner
Brandon Rogers 28
North Hollywood, California
6
 12th
Stephanie Edwards 19 Savannah, Georgia
6
 11th
Chris Sligh 28 Greenville, South Carolina
6
 10th
Gina Glocksen 22 Naperville, Illinois
6
 9th
Haley Scarnato 24
San Antonio, Texas
6
 8th
Sanjaya Malakar 17 Federal Way, Washington
6
 7th
Chris Richardson 22 Chesapeake, Virginia
6
 5th–6th
Phil Stacey 29 Jacksonville, Florida
6
 5th–6th
LaKisha Jones 27 Fort Meade, Maryland
6
 4th
Melinda Doolittle 29 Brentwood, Tennessee
6
 3rd
Blake Lewis 25 Bothell, Washington
6
 Runner-up
Jordin Sparks 17 Glendale, Arizona
6
 Winner
David Hernandez 24 Glendale, Arizona
7
 12th
Amanda Overmyer 23 Mulberry, Indiana
7
 11th
Chikezie 22 Inglewood, California
7
 10th
Ramiele Malubay 20 Miramar, Florida
7
 9th
Michael Johns † 29 Buckhead, Georgia
7
 8th
Kristy Lee Cook 24 Selma, Oregon
7
 7th
Carly Smithson 24
San Diego, California
7
 6th
Brooke White 24 Mesa, Arizona
7
 5th
Jason Castro 20 Rockwall, Texas
7
 4th
Syesha Mercado 21 Sarasota, Florida
7
 3rd
David Archuleta 17 Murray, Utah
7
 Runner-up
David Cook 25 Blue Springs, Missouri
7
 Winner
Jasmine Murray 16 Starkville, Mississippi
8
 12th–13th
Jorge Núñez 21 Carolina, Puerto Rico
8
 12th–13th
Alexis Grace 21 Memphis, Tennessee
8
 11th
Michael Sarver 27 Jasper, Texas
8
 10th
Megan Joy 22 Sandy, Utah
8
 9th
Scott MacIntyre 23 Scottsdale, Arizona
8
 8th
Anoop Desai 21 Chapel Hill, North Carolina
8
 6th–7th
Lil Rounds 23 Memphis, Tennessee
8
 6th–7th
Matt Giraud 23 Kalamazoo, Michigan
8
 5th
Allison Iraheta 16
Los Angeles, California
8
 4th
Danny Gokey 28
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
8
 3rd
Adam Lambert 27
San Diego, California
8
 Runner-up
Kris Allen 23 Conway, Arkansas
8
 Winner
Lacey Brown 24 Amarillo, Texas
9
 12th
Paige Miles 24 Naples, Florida
9
 11th
Didi Benami 23
Hollywood, California
9
 10th
Andrew Garcia 24 Moreno Valley, California
9
 8th–9th
Katie Stevens 17 Middlebury, Connecticut
9
 8th–9th
Tim Urban 20 Duncanville, Texas
9
 7th
Siobhan Magnus 19
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
9
 6th
Aaron Kelly 16 Sonestown, Pennsylvania
9
 5th
Mike Lynche 26 St. Petersburg, Florida
9
 4th
Casey James 27 Fort Worth, Texas
9
 3rd
Crystal Bowersox 23 Elliston, Ohio
9
 Runner-up
Lee DeWyze 23 Mount Prospect, Illinois
9
 Winner
Ashthon Jones 24 Goodlettsville, Tennessee
10
 13th
Karen Rodriguez 21
New York, New York
10
 12th
Naima Adedapo 26
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
10
 10th–11th
Thia Megia 16 Mountain House, Alameda County, California
10
 10th–11th
Pia Toscano 22
Howard Beach, New York
10
 9th
Paul McDonald 26 Nashville, Tennessee
10
 8th
Stefano Langone 21 Kent, Washington
10
 7th
Casey Abrams 20
Idyllwild, California
10
 6th
Jacob Lusk 23 Compton, California
10
 5th
James Durbin 22 Santa Cruz, California
10
 4th
Haley Reinhart 20 Wheeling, Illinois
10
 3rd
Lauren Alaina 16 Rossville, Georgia
10
 Runner-up
Scotty McCreery 17 Garner, North Carolina
10
 Winner
Jeremy Rosado 19 Valrico, Florida
11
 13th
Jermaine Jones 25 Pine Hill, New Jersey
11
 12th
Shannon Magrane 16 Tampa, Florida
11
 11th
Erika Van Pelt 26 South Kingstown, Rhode Island
11
 10th
Heejun Han 22
Flushing, New York
11
 9th
DeAndre Brackensick 17 San Jose, California
11
 8th
Colton Dixon 20 Murfreesboro, Tennessee
11
 7th
Elise Testone 28 Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
11
 6th
Skylar Laine 18 Brandon, Mississippi
11
 5th
Hollie Cavanagh 18 McKinney, Texas
11
 4th
Joshua Ledet 19 Westlake, Louisiana
11
 3rd
Jessica Sanchez 16
San Diego, California
11
 Runner-up
Phillip Phillips 21 Leesburg, Georgia
11
 Winner
Curtis Finch, Jr. 24
St. Louis, Missouri
12
 10th
Paul Jolley 23 Palmersville, Tennessee
12
 9th
Devin Velez 18
Chicago, Illinois
12
 8th
Burnell Taylor 19
New Orleans, Louisiana
12
 7th
Lazaro Arbos 22 Naples, Florida
12
 6th
Janelle Arthur 23 Oliver Springs, Tennessee
12
 5th
Amber Holcomb 19
Houston, Texas
12
 4th
Angie Miller 19 Beverly, Massachusetts
12
 3rd
Kree Harrison 22 Woodville, Texas
12
 Runner-up
Candice Glover 23
St. Helena Island, South Carolina
12
 Winner
Kristen O'Connor 24 Sebastian, Florida
13
 13th
Emily Piriz 18 Orlando, Florida
13
 12th
Ben Briley 24 Gallatin, Tennessee
13
 11th
MK Nobilette 20
San Francisco, California
13
 10th
Majesty Rose 21 Goldsboro, North Carolina
13
 9th
Malaya Watson 16 Southfield, Michigan
13
 8th
Dexter Roberts 22 Fayette, Alabama
13
 7th
C.J. Harris † 23 Jasper, Alabama
13
 6th
Sam Woolf 17 Bradenton, Florida
13
 5th
Jess Meuse 23
Slapout, Alabama
13
 4th
Alex Preston 20 Mont Vernon, New Hampshire
13
 3rd
Jena Irene 17 Farmington Hills, Michigan
13
 Runner-up
Caleb Johnson 23 Asheville, North Carolina
13
 Winner
Sarina-Joi Crowe 19 Columbia, Tennessee
14
 12th
Adanna Duru 18 Diamond Bar, California
14
 10th–11th
Maddie Walker 17 Ankeny, Iowa
14
 10th–11th
Daniel Seavey 15 Portland, Oregon
14
 9th
Qaasim Middleton 19
Brooklyn, New York
14
 8th
Joey Cook 23 Woodbridge, Virginia
14
 7th
Quentin Alexander 20
New Orleans, Louisiana
14
 6th
Tyanna Jones 16 Jacksonville, Florida
14
 5th
Rayvon Owen 23 Richmond, Virginia
14
 4th
Jax 19 East Brunswick, New Jersey
14
 3rd
Clark Beckham 22 White House, Tennessee
14
 Runner-up
Nick Fradiani 29 Guilford, Connecticut
14
 Winner
Gianna Isabella 15
Jackson, New Jersey
15
 9th–10th
Olivia Rox 17 Agoura Hills, California
15
 9th–10th
Avalon Young 21
San Diego, California
15
 7th–8th
Lee Jean 16 Bluffton, South Carolina
15
 7th–8th
Tristan McIntosh 16 Nashville, Tennessee
15
 6th
Sonika Vaid 20
Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts
15
 5th
MacKenzie Bourg 23 Lafayette, Louisiana
15
 4th
Dalton Rapattoni 20
Dallas, Texas
15
 3rd
La'Porsha Renae 22 McComb, Mississippi
15
 Runner-up
Trent Harmon 26 Amory, Mississippi
15
 Winner
Garrett Jacobs 18 Bossier City, Louisiana
16
 11th-14th
Jonny Brenns 18 St. Augustine, Florida
16
 11th-14th
Mara Justine 15 Galloway Township, New Jersey
16
 11th-14th
Marcio Donaldson 28 Compton, California
16
 11th-14th
Ada Vox 24
San Antonio, Texas
16
 8th-10th
Dennis Lorenzo 26
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
16
 8th-10th
Michelle Sussett 22
Miami, Florida
16
 8th-10th
Catie Turner 17 Langhorne, Pennsylvania
16
 6th-7th
Jurnee 18
Denver, Colorado
16
 6th-7th
Michael J. Woodard 20
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
16
 4th-5th
Cade Foehner 21 Shelbyville, Texas
16
 4th-5th
Gabby Barrett 17
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
16
 3rd
Caleb Lee Hutchinson 19 Dallas, Georgia
16
 Runner-Up
Maddie Poppe 20 Clarksville, Iowa
16
 Winner
Ashley Hess 27 Fremont, California
17
 11th-14th
Eddie Island 25 Nashville, Tennessee
17
 11th-14th
Evelyn Cormier 20 Claremont, New Hampshire
17
 11th-14th
Riley Thompson 16 Mabank, Texas
17
 11th-14th
Dimitrius Graham 27
Baltimore, Maryland
17
 9th-10th
Uché 24
Sugarland, Texas
17
 9th-10th
Alyssa Raghu 17 Orlando, Florida
17
 7th-8th
Walker Burroughs 20 Birmingham, Alabama
17
 7th-8th
Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon 26 Catonsville, Maryland
17
 6th
Laci Kaye Booth 23 Livingston, Texas
17
 4th-5th
Wade Cota 27 Phoenix, Arizona
17
 4th-5th
Madison VanDenburg 17 Cohoes, New York
17
 3rd
Alejandro Aranda 25 Pomona, California
17
 Runner-Up
Laine Hardy 18 Livingston, Louisiana
17
 Winner
Grace Leer 28 Danville, California
18
 8th-11th
Jovin Webb 29 Gonzales, Louisiana
18
 8th-11th
Makayla Phillips 17 Temecula, California
18
 8th-11th
Sophia James 20 Long Beach, California
18
 8th-11th
Julia Gargano 22
Staten Island, New York
18
 6th-7th
Louis Knight 19
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
18
 6th-7th
Dillon James 27 Bakersfield, California
18
 3rd-5th
Francisco Martin 19
San Francisco, California
18
 3rd-5th
Jonny West 23 Murrieta, California
18
 3rd-5th
Arthur Gunn 22 Wichita, Kansas
18
 Runner-up
Just Sam 21
Harlem, New York
18
 Winner
Ava August 15 Laguna Niguel, California
19
 11th-13th
Beane 23
Brighton, Massachusetts
19
 11th-13th
Madison Watkins 25 Fayetteville, Arkansas
19
 11th-13th
Alyssa Wray 19 Perryville, Kentucky
19
 8th-10th
Cassandra Coleman 24 Columbia, Tennessee
19
 8th-10th
DeShawn Goncalves 20
Cleveland, Ohio
19
 8th-10th
Arthur Gunn[b] 23 Wichita, Kansas
19
 6th-7th
Hunter Metts 22 Franklin, Tennessee
19
 6th-7th
Caleb Kennedy 16 Roebuck, South Carolina
19
 5th
Casey Bishop 16 Estero, Florida
19
 4th
Grace Kinstler 20 Lakewood, Illinois
19
 3rd
Willie Spence † 21 Douglas, Georgia
19
 Runner-up
Chayce Beckham 24 Apple Valley, California
19
 Winner
Allegra Miles 18 Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands
20
 12th-14th
Ava Maybee 20
Los Angeles, California
20
 12th-14th
Dan Marshall 24 Chesapeake, Virginia
20
 12th-14th
Tristen Gressett 17 Pell City, Alabama
20
 11th
Emyrson Flora 16
Cleveland, Ohio
20
 8th-10th
Lady K. 25 Tuskegee, Alabama
20
 8th-10th
Mike Parker 27 Warrenton, Virginia
20
 8th-10th
Christian Guardino 21 Patchogue, New York
20
 6th-7th
Jay 23 Salisbury, Maryland
20
 6th-7th
Fritz Hager 22 Tyler, Texas
20
 4th-5th
Nicolina 18 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
20
 4th-5th
Leah Marlene 20 Normal, Illinois
20
 3rd
HunterGirl 23 Winchester, Tennessee
20
 Runner-up
Noah Thompson 21 Louisa, Kentucky
20
 Winner
Lucy Love 28 Holly Grove, Arkansas
21
 11th-12th
Nutsa 25 Tbilisi, Europe
21
 11th-12th
Marybeth Byrd 21 Armorel, Arkansas
21
 9th-10th
Tyson Venegas 17 Vancouver, Canada
21
 9th-10th
Haven Madison 16 Clarksville, Tennessee
21
 6th-8th
Oliver Steele 25 Mount Juliet, Tennessee
21
 6th-8th
Warren Peay 24 Bamberg, South Carolina
21
 6th-8th
Wé Ani 23
Harlem, New York
21
 4th-5th
Zachariah Smith 19 Amory, Mississippi
21
 4th-5th
Colin Stough 18 Amory, Mississippi
21
 3rd
Megan Danielle 20 Douglasville, Georgia
21
 Runner-up
Iam Tongi 18 Kahuku, Hawaii
21
 Winner

Notes

  1. ^ Mario Vazquez initially made the Top 12 by votes, while Nikko Smith was eliminated in the semifinals. However, Vazquez withdrew from the competition, citing it was allegedly due to "personal, artistic reasons". Smith was reinstated in his place as a finalist, as having the next most votes from the Top 8 Boys (thereby inferring Travis Tucker had the least).
  2. the previous season were invited back to compete for a chance to re-enter the competition. (Due to the fact that those twenty contestants, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, had to broadcast from home, none of them ever sang on the Idol stage.) Season 18's runner-up Arthur Gunn
    won the public vote and re-entered at the Top 10, lasting two weeks.

References

General
  • "Season 1 Top 5 Contestants". American Idol. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  • "Season 2 Top 5 Contestants". American Idol. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  • "Season 3 Top 5 Contestants". American Idol. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  • "Season 4 Top 5 Contestants". American Idol. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  • "Season 5 Top 5 Contestants". American Idol. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  • "Season 6 Top 5 Contestants". American Idol. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  • "Season 7 Top 5 Contestants". American Idol. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  • "Season 8 Top 5 Contestants". American Idol. Retrieved 2009-03-08.
  • "Season 9 Top 5 Contestants". American Idol.
  • "Season 10 Top 5 Contestants". American Idol.
  • "Season 11 Top 5 Contestants". American Idol.
Specific
  1. The Advocate via Findarticles.com. Archived from the original
    on 2008-12-07. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  2. ^ "Some callers claim 'Idol' votes were misdirected". Today.com. 2006-05-12. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  3. ^ Gorman, Steve (2008-02-15). "Ex-MCA Records flop advances on "American Idol"". Reuters.com. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
  4. ^
    OCLC 794712888
    . Retrieved 2024-02-23. American Idol finalist Rickey Smith died in Oklahoma on May 6, 2016, in a wrong-way wreck caused by an allegedly drunk driver, KOCO reported at the time. He was 36.

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_American_Idol_finalists&oldid=1220116320"