Since its premiere in 2002, American Idol has been known for launching the careers of numerous stars and crowning 21 winners.
Aside from the exposure and fame, the winners of American Idol receive a generous cash prize and a record deal with Hollywood Records. Initially, the winners received $125,000, with another $100,000 after they finish recording an album.
This brought the total prize money to $250,000, as reported by Newsweek. Moreover, the winners have a budget of up to $300,000 to record the album, provided as an advance that they must repay against future earnings.
Despite this seemingly large sum of money, the prize money has significantly decreased compared to past years. For example, previous winners like Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, and Fantasia Barrino were awarded $1 million deals. However, due to declining show popularity, the network had to reduce the payout.
The list of American Idol winners contains names like Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks, David Cook, Kris Allen, Lee DeWyze, Scotty McCreery, Phillip Phillips, Candice Glover, Caleb Johnson, Nick Fradiani, Trent Harmon, Laine Hardy, Just Sam, Chayce Beckham, Noah Thompson, and Iam Tongi.
American Idol’s latest season is set to premiere on February 18, 2024. The show will feature familiar faces such as Ryan Seacrest as the host, as well as long-time judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie. Katy Perry made the announcement that this season will be her final one on the show.
Although the current season may have concluded, fans can still indulge in their favorite episodes by watching them on ABC’s website and Hulu.
