Top-selling American Idol alumni

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This article provides a list of top-selling albums recorded by alumni of the popular American televised singing competition American Idol.

RIAA Certified Albums

This first list only includes contestants with at least one certified album, and the totals do not include EPs, digital-only albums, or pre-Idol recordings.

Gold, Platinum, and/or Multi-platinum (US Sales Only)
Idol Contestant
Total Sales 		First Album Second Album Third Album Fourth Album
1. Kelly Clarkson
(Season 1, Winner)
9,545,000 		Thankful
(April 15, 2003)
RCA
2,710,000[1]
2x Platinum[2]
Peak: #1 		Breakaway
(November 30, 2004)
RCA
6,050,000[1]
6x Platinum[2]
Peak: #3 		My December
(June 26, 2007)
RCA Records
785,000[1]
Platinum[2]
Peak: #2 		All I Ever Wanted
(March 10, 2009)
RCA Records
TBD
N/A
Peak: TBD
2. Carrie Underwood
(Season 4, Winner)
9,330,000 		Some Hearts
(November 15, 2005)
Arista Nashville
6,700,000[1]
7x Platinum[3]
Peak: #2 		Carnival Ride
(October 23, 2007)
Arista Nashville
2,630,000[4]
2x Platinum[3]
Peak: #1
3. Clay Aiken
(Season 2, Runner-Up)
4,886,000 		Measure of a Man
(October 13, 2003)[5]
RCA Records
2,800,000[6]
2x Platinum[7]
Peak: #1</small> 		Merry Christmas with Love
(November 16, 2004)
RCA Records
1,400,000[6]
Platinum[7]
Peak: #4 		A Thousand Different Ways
(September 19, 2006)
RCA Records
528,000[8]
Gold[7]
Peak: #2 		On My Way Here
(May 6, 2008)
RCA Records
158,000[1][9]
N/A
Peak: #4
4. Chris Daughtry/Daughtry
(Season 5, 4th Place)
4,400,000 		Daughtry
(November 21, 2006)
19 Recordings/RCA Records
4,400,000[4]
4x Platinum[10]
Peak: #1
5. Ruben Studdard
(Season 2, Winner)
2,493,000 		Soulful
(December 9, 2003)
J Records
1,790,000[11]
Platinum[12]
Peak: #1 		I Need an Angel
(November 23, 2004)
J Records
456,000[11]
Gold[12]
Peak: #20 		The Return
(October 17, 2006)
J Records/19
238,000[13]
N/A
Peak: #8
6. Fantasia
(Season 3, Winner)
2,289,000 		Free Yourself
(November 23, 2004)
J Records
1,770,000[11]
Platinum[14]
Peak: #8 		Fantasia
(December 12, 2006)
J Records
519,000[1]
Gold[14]
Peak: #19
7. Jordin Sparks
(Season 6, Winner)
994,000 		Jordin Sparks
(November 20, 2007)
Jive
994,000[1]
Platinum[15]
Peak: #10
8. Kellie Pickler
(Season 5, 6th Place)
969,000 		Small Town Girl
(October 31, 2006)
BNA Records
802,000[1]
Gold[16]
Peak: #9 		Kellie Pickler
(September 30, 2008)
BNA Records
167,000[4]
N/A
Peak: #9
9. David Cook
(Season 7, Winner)</br>936,000 		David Cook
(November 18, 2008)
RCA Records
936,000[4]
Platinum[17]
Peak:#3
10. Josh Gracin
(Season 2, 4th Place)
773,000 		Josh Gracin
(June 15, 2004)
Lyric Street
700,000[18]
Gold[19]
Peak: #11 		We Weren't Crazy
(April 1, 2008)
Lyric Street
73,000[1]
N/A
Peak: #33
11. Bo Bice
(Season 4, Runner-Up)
734,000 		The Real Thing
(December 13, 2005)
RCA Records
672,000[20][6]
Gold[21]
Peak: #4 		See the Light
(October 23, 2007)
StratArt
62,000[1]
N/A
Peak: #150
12. Taylor Hicks
(Season 5, Winner)
707,400 		Taylor Hicks
(December 12, 2006)
Arista Records
703,000[22]
Platinum[23]
Peak: #2 		Early Works
(August 12, 2008)
Modern Whomp Records
4,400[1]
N/A
Peak: did not chart 		The Distance
(March 10, 2009)
Modern Whomp Records
TBD
N/A
Peak: TBD
13. David Archuleta
(Season 7, Runner Up)
619,000 		David Archuleta
(November 11, 2008)
Jive Records
619,000[4]
Gold[24]
Peak: #2
14. Elliott Yamin
(Season 5, 3rd Place)
619,000 		Elliott Yamin
(March 20, 2007)
Hickory Records,
RED Distribution
518,000[1]
Gold[25]
Peak: #3 		Sounds of the Season
(October 14, 2007)
Hickory Records
81,000[26]
N/A
Peak: #32 		My Kind of Holiday
(October 7, 2008)
TRP Records,
Fontana Distribution
20,000[27]
N/A
Peak: did not chart
15. Jennifer Hudson
(Season 3, 7th Place)
576,000 		Jennifer Hudson
(September 30, 2008)
Arista Records
576,000[28]
Gold[29]
Peak: #2

Uncertified Albums

The following is a comprehensive list of other American Idol alumni album sales and reflects that commercial success can be achieved through association with American Idol and with post-Idol promotion, although the degree of success varies considerably (this list only includes contestants who have numbers available, and again does not include EPs, digital albums, or pre-Idol recordings):

Former Contestant Total Sales Albums
16. Bucky Covington
(Season 5, 8th Place)</br> 		400,000[30]
  • Bucky Covington (2007) #4
17. Katharine McPhee
(Season 5, Runner-Up)</br> 		375,000[1]
  • Katharine McPhee (2007) #2
18. Blake Lewis
(Season 6, Runner-Up)
 		305,000[1]
  • A.D.D. (Audio Day Dream) (2007) #10
19. Kimberley Locke
(Season 2, 3rd Place)</br> 		234,000[6][31]
  • One Love (2004) #16
  • Based on a True Story (2007) #160
20. Diana DeGarmo
(Season 3, Runner-Up)</br> 		167,000[11]
  • Blue Skies (2004) #52
21. Mandisa
(Season 5, 9th Place)</br> 		156,000[32][1]
  • True Beauty (2007) #43
  • It's Christmas (2008) did not chart
22. Justin Guarini
(Season 1, Runner-Up)</br> 		143,000[11]
  • Justin Guarini (2003) #20
  • Stranger Things Have Happened (2005) did not chart
23. Tamyra Gray
(Season 1, 4th Place)
 		123,000[6]
  • The Dreamer (2004) #23
24. LaToya London
(Season 3, 4th Place)</br> 		58,000[6]
  • Love & Life (2005) #82
25. Chris Sligh
(Season 6, 10th Place)</br> 		41,000[32][1]
  • Running Back to You (2008) #190
26. Phil Stacey
(Season 6, 6th Place)</br> 		37,000[1]
  • Phil Stacey (2008) #43
27. Mario Vazquez
(Season 4, Top 13)</br> 		34,000[33]
  • Mario Vazquez (2006) #80
28. Kristy Lee Cook
(Season 7, 7th Place)</br> 		32,000[27]
  • Why Wait (2008) #49
29. George Huff
(Season 3, 5th Place)</br> 		29,000[6]
  • Miracles (2005) did not chart
30. Constantine Maroulis
(Season 4, 6th Place)</br> 		25,000[13]
  • Constantine (2007) #75
31. Paris Bennett
(Season 5, 5th Place)</br> 		23,300[13][1]
  • Princess P (2007) #133
  • A Royal Christmas (2008) did not chart
32. R. J. Helton
(Season 1, 5th Place)</br> 		22,000[6]
  • Real Life (2004) did not chart
33. John Stevens
(Season 3, 6th Place)</br> 		21,000[6]
  • Red (2005) did not chart
34. Jasmine Trias
(Season 3, 3rd Place)</br> 		14,000[6]
35. Ace Young
(Season 5, 7th Place)</br> 		10,000[1]
  • Ace Young (2008) #160
36. Jim Verraros
(Season 1, 9th Place)</br> 		4,300[6]
  • Rollercoaster (2005) did not chart
37. Carmen Rasmusen
(Season 2, 6th Place)</br> 		3,100[6]
  • Nothin' Like the Summer (2007) did not chart
38. Ayla Brown
(Season 5, Top 16)</br> 		3,000[34]
  • Forward (2006) did not chart
39. Corey Clark
(Season 2, 9th Place)</br> 		2,600[6]
  • Corey Clark (2005) did not chart
40. Jon Peter Lewis
(Season 3, 8th Place)</br> 		1,600[6][35]
  • Stories from Hollywood (2006) did not chart
  • Break the Silence (2008) did not chart

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 Idol Chatter 12-31-08
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 RIAA Search - Kelly Clarkson
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 RIAA Search - Carrie Underwood
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Idol Chatter 02-04-2009
  5. ↑ [1]
  6. ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 Idol Chatter 1-10-2008
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 RIAA Search - Clay Aiken
  8. ↑ Idol Chatter 10-29-08
  9. ↑ Caulfield, Keith. "Neil Diamond Shines With First No. 1 Album". Billboard. May 14, 2008.
  10. ↑ RIAA Search - Daughtry
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 ">Idol Chatter 1-10-2008
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 RIAA Search - Ruben Studdard
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Idol Chatter 6-11-2008
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 RIAA Search - Fantasia
  15. ↑ RIAA Search — Jordin Sparks
  16. ↑ RIAA Search - Kellie Pickler
  17. ↑ RIAA Search - David Cook
  18. ↑ Idol Chatter 12-17-08
  19. ↑ RIAA Search - Josh Gracin
  20. ↑ Idol Chatter 9-10-2008
  21. ↑ RIAA Search - Bo Bice
  22. ↑ Cohen, Jonathan. "Taylor Hicks Inks Indie Deal For New CD". Billboard. October 7, 2008.
  23. ↑ RIAA Search - Taylor Hicks
  24. ↑ RIAA Search - David Archuleta
  25. ↑ RIAA Search - Elliott Yamin
  26. ↑ Idol Chatter 1-16-2008
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Idol Chatter 01-07-2009
  28. ↑ Idol Chatter 1-28-2009
  29. ↑ RIAA Search - Jennifer Hudson
  30. ↑ Covington sells best from country's 2007 class - Idol Chatter - 01-28-2009
  31. ↑ Idol Chatter 7-30-2008
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Idol Chatter 12-3-2006
  33. ↑ Idol Chatter 11-8-2006
  34. ↑ Idol Chatter 6-25-2008
  35. ↑ Idol Chatter 8-20-2008


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American Idol
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