::TV NEWS::
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[Update: Adam Lambert and Chris Allen are in the showdown for
American Idol's crown as Danny Gokey gets eliminated.] American Idol's Idols Source: www.thestar.com - Debra Yeo, Toronto Star (May 12, 2009) Kara DioGuardi declared him a "rock god" after last week's performance of Led 
Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love." Paula Abdul has likened him to
U.S. swimming champ Michael Phelps and Simon Cowell told Oprah
he'll likely win. That's a whole lotta pressure for 27-year-old front-runner Adam Lambert as American Idol heads into the home stretch. But winning is the least of it. A victory on the reality show doesn't guarantee stardom. Just ask Taylor Hicks. (Some suggest winning could even be a bad thing for Lambert, forcing him to trade his glam rock vibe for Idol pop.) Then there are contestants like Jennifer Hudson or Chris Daughtry who find fame despite losing on Idol. In that spirit, here are five Idols whose success Lambert can aspire to, win or lose on May 20. KELLY CLARKSON The first American Idol has done the best if you count album sales. Since winning Idol's first season in 2002, Clarkson, a 27-year-old Texan, has sold more than 10 million albums in the U.S. alone. Her sophomore album, 2004's Breakaway, is the only one by an Idol contestant to feature four top 10 hits, including "Since U Been Gone" and "Because of You." Clarkson has won four American Music Awards and two Grammys, including Best Female Pop Vocal and Best Pop Vocal Album in 2006. It hasn't all been kudos. The 2007 record My December led to a rift with music industry mogul Clive Davis, who reportedly found the album too rock-oriented, and the cancellation of a tour. All appears to be forgiven with Clarkson's latest, All I Ever Wanted, and No. 1 single "My Life Would Suck Without You." CHRIS DAUGHTRY Daughtry, 29, a North Carolina native, came fourth in Season 5, the year Taylor Hicks won, but he's had more success than Hicks. His debut album with band Daughtry sold five million copies worldwide and produced two Top 10 singles. It's the only album by an Idol contestant to climb to No. 1; it debuted at No. 2 in November 2006. The group was nominated for four Grammys in 2008 and has won four American Music Awards, including Favourite Pop/Rock Band in 2008. CARRIE UNDERWOOD Even a non-country music fan can't deny the success of Season 4 Idol victor Carrie Underwood. She has won four Grammys, more than any other Idol contestant, including Best New Artist in 2007. She also has five American Music Awards and eight Academy of Country Music Awards, including Entertainer of the Year, the first woman to win it since 2000. The 26-year-old Oklahoman was also inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2008. Underwood hasn't yet eclipsed Clarkson's total album sales, but her debut, 2005's Some Hearts, is the biggest-selling American Idol album to date, moving more than six million records in the U.S. alone. CLAY AIKEN Another North Carolina native, the Season 2 runner-up has sold around five million albums in the U.S., reportedly more than any other male Idol singer. Aiken, 30, won the 2003 American Music Awards Fan Choice prize in 2003, beating the likes of Justin Timberlake and Beyoncé. He's also made his mark outside music, with a role in Monty Python's Spamalot on Broadway and TV guest appearances. JENNIFER HUDSON Hudson isn't at the top of the heap in album sales, with her self-titled debut moving about 600,000 copies, but she's the only Idol contestant to finish so low (seventh place in Season 3) and sell more than 500,000 albums. And she's the only one with an Oscar. She won it in 2007, along with a Golden Globe, for her supporting role in Dreamgirls. She also scooped up the Grammy for Best R&B Album earlier this year. |
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