American Idol  

Fun Facts About American Idol

• Kelly Clarkson was the very first winner of American Idol (Season 1, 2002) and remains one of the most successful winners ever. She's sold over 25 million albums worldwide and has multiple Grammy wins.
• Apparently you don't need to win American Idol to become a superstar: Jennifer Hudson finished only 7th in Season 3, yet she went on to win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony).
• Ryan Seacrest almost turned down the hosting job (after initially being approached to be a judge) because he was close to accepting a hosting gig for Family Feud. But his gut told him to take a chance with the unknown show and it ultimately became his big break.
• American Idol contestants aren't paid a salary. They receive stipends for expenses, while the $250,000 winner's prize is basically an advance on a record deal that must be recouped through sales.
• In its first 10 years, American Idol generated 345 Billboard Number One hits — well more than any other show or artist during that era.
• After Carrie Underwood's powerful rendition of "Alone" on Season 4, Simon Cowell boldly predicted she'd sell more records than any other winner, and she did. She has become one of country music's biggest stars with over 70 million records sold globally.
• American Idol achieved an unprecedented level of dominance. For eight consecutive years (2003–2011), either the performance or results show was ranked number one in U.S. television ratings. The show was so dominant that a rival TV executive reportedly dubbed it "The Death Star" because its ratings crushed the programming of all other networks.