Did you know the american idol losers who became big winners?

1. Chris Daughtry
is an American musician and the guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist for the band Daughtry. He was the fourth-place finalist on the fifth season of American Idol, eliminated from the competition on May 10, 2006.
After his elimination from Idol, he was given a record deal by RCA Records. The band that was formed, Daughtry, released their self-titled debut album which sold more than one million copies after just five weeks of release, becoming the fastest selling debut rock album in history.^[2] In its ninth week of release, the album reached number one on the Billboard charts. Chris Daughtry is now the third most successful American Idol contestant in terms of record sales, behind only Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, who both won their respective seasons. At the 50th Grammy Awards, the band was nominated for Best Rock Song for "It's Not Over".



2. Jennifer Hudson

Her voice was one of the most powerful to hit the American Idol stage, but Hudson only made it to the finals. Since then, her acting career has skyrocketed, and she has been the most successful artist at separating herself from Idol. She recently began filming for a movie based on the story of Nelson Mandela’s life, and was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in The Secret Life of Bees. She also played Carrie Bradshaw’s assistant in Sex and the City. Hudson is an American recording artist, actress and spokesperson.^[1] She came to prominence in 2004 as one of the finalists on the third season of the Fox reality television series American Idol. She made her film debut in the 2006 film Dreamgirls and won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance, as well as a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, an NAACP Image Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
She won a Grammy Award for her eponymous debut album, Jennifer Hudson, which was released in 2008 on Arista Records and soon certified gold by the RIAA. The album has sold over 700,000 copies in the US and over 1 million worldwide. Additionally it spawned the hit single "Spotlight".




3. Clay Aiken
is an American pop singer who began his rise to fame on the second season of the television program American Idol in 2003. RCA Records offered him a recording contract, and his multi-platinum debut album Measure of a Man was released in October 2003. He released four more albums on the RCA label: Merry Christmas with Love (2004), A Thousand Different Ways (2006), and the Christmas EP, All is Well (2006).^[2][3] His fourth studio album (the first album of original material since 2003's Measure of a Man), On My Way Here was released on May 6, 2008.^[4]

4. Kellie Pickler
is an American country music artist and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol, eventually finishing in sixth place. In 2006, she signed to 19 Recordings and BNA Records as a recording artist, releasing her debut album, Small Town Girl, later that year. To date, it has sold over 800,000 copies. The album, which was certified gold by the RIAA, produced three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts: "Red High Heels" at #15, "I Wonder" at #14, and "Things That Never Cross a Man's Mind" at #16. She released her self-titled second album in Fall 2008 and has produced the singles "Don't You Know You're Beautiful" at #21, "Best Days of Your Life" at #9 (which she co-wrote with Taylor Swift and her first Top 10 hit), "Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You" at #14, and "Makin' Me Fall In Love Again". She has been ranked as the 7th best singer coming out of American Idol.^[1]


5) Katharine McPhee:
She gained media attention with her appearance on Idol as the runner up on the fifth season, as well as negative attention for eating disorders. Since Idol, she has released two albums, and is now focusing on her acting career. She is working on a few different projects, and has a movie coming out sometime this year. Additionally, she will appear in the television show, Community in March of 2010. She was also featured in People Magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful People.

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