[color=brown:2r55h52j]With Season 9 ending and the Summer Tour starting, here is a list of the all-time top selling Idol contestants from the first 8 seasons - [/color:2r55h52j]
[url:2r55h52j]http://www.ontheredcarpet.com/2010/05/american-idols-kelly-clarkson-is-the-shows-bestselling-artist.html[/url:2r55h52j]
[quote:2r55h52j][b:2r55h52j]'American Idol’s Kelly Clarkson is the show’s best-selling artist, Billboard list of Top 24 shows [/b:2r55h52j]
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Posted by Corinne Heller at 06:07:59 PM PDT
[b:2r55h52j]American Idol’s first winner Kelly Clarkson has sold the most records out of all the contestants of the hit singing contest show since it debuted in 2002, according to Billboard magazine.
The trade publication, which tracks record sales and radio airplays, said the 29-year-old Grammy-winning pop star has sold 15.9 million tracks and 10.6 million albums, adding that eight of her songs have reached the top 10 position on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart. Check out the full list![/b:2r55h52j]
Two of Clarkson’s tracks made it to the top of the chart - her first, American Idol season 1 finale song "A Moment Like This" and her 2009 hit "My Life Would Suck Without You".
[b:2r55h52j]Coming in second is Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood, with 13.9 million tracks and 11.5 albums sold. The Grammy winner was recently named "Entertainer of the Year" by the Academy of Country Music.[/b:2r55h52j]
[b:2r55h52j]In 21st place out of the 24 listed is William Hung, whose rendition of Ricky Martin’s hit "She Bangs" in the audition stages of the show’s third season was both mocked and promoted. Hung, one of American Idol’s first token "gimmick" contestants, has sold 127,000 tracks and 240,000 records.[/b:2r55h52j]
Last on Billboard’s list of American Idol alumni is Allison Iraheta, who is set to soon tour with last year’s runner-up, glam rocker Adam Lambert. He is No. 12.
American Idolis currently on its ninth season, which token "mean" judge Simon Cowell says is his last.
[b:2r55h52j]Billboard’s full list that ranks American Idol alumni by their record sales is as follows:
- Kelly Clarkson (Season 1 winner)
- Carrie Underwood (Season 4 winner)
- Chris Daughtry (Season 5, fourth place)
- Jordin Sparks (Season 6 winner)
- David Cook (Season 7 winner)
- Clay Aiken (Season 2 runner-up)
- Kellie Pickler (Season 5, sixth place)
- David Archuleta (Season 7 runner-up)
- Fantasia Barrino (Season 3 winner)
- Rubben Studdard (Season 2 winner)
- Kris Allen (Season 8 winner - last year)
- Adam Lambert (Season 8 runner-up)
- Jennifer Hudson (Season 3, seventh place)
- Josh Gracin (Season 2, fourth place)
- Elliot Yamin (Season 5, third place)
- Katharine McPhee (Season 5, runner-up)
- Bo Bice (Season 4, runner-up)
- Blake Lewis (Season 6, runner-up)
- Taylor Hicks (Season 5 winner)
- Kimberley Locke (Season 2, third place)
- William Hung (Season 3 contestant touted for being a bad singer)
- Danny Gokey (Season 8, third place)
- Diana DeGarmo (Season 3, runner-up)
- Allison Iraheta (Season 8, fourth place)[/b:2r55h52j]
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