- “American Idol” returns for its 23rd season on March 9, 2025.
- Some winners, such as new judge Carrie Underwood, have sold millions of records and won Grammys.
- We’ve ranked every winner’s success, from Abi Carter to Kelly Clarkson.
Thousands of people have tried out for “American Idol” over the past 23 years, with the hope of becoming America’s next biggest pop star.
But how many of the 22 winners have actually become the next American idol?
Ahead of the show’s 23rd season premiere on Sunday, we’ve ranked every winner of “American Idol” based on their amount of success since appearing in the competition.
Our ranking considered factors including how many albums or songs they’ve sold, chart placement, cultural impact, award nominations and wins, and how famous they are compared with other contestants on their season (we’re looking at you, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert).
This list is not based on talent, because all of these musicians possess beautiful voices.
Here’s how we think the “American Idol” winners stack up.
