A combined 367 artists have won Idols, a televised reality singing competition franchise adapted in forty-six regions. The franchise, created by British television executive Simon Fuller as Pop Idol, aims to find the most outstanding independent solo singer. The format typically consists of a panel of judges selecting a group of contestants through mass auditions, and finalists being selected from this group—either through viewer voting, voting by the judges, or a combination of both—and performing during weekly live shows in front of an audience. Over the course of the live shows, the group of contestants is gradually narrowed down to a select few, primarily or entirely via viewer voting. The winner is the finalist who receives the most votes during the final show's voting period.
Prizes for winners vary among editions of the franchise and typically include a recording contract and a monetary prize. Winning the Idols series provides a unique opportunity for the winning artist to launch or further a music career due to the surrounding publicity and the recording contract offerings, though celebrity status and success in the industry varies among winners. The first winner of the franchise was Will Young who won the first season of Pop Idol on 9 February 2002. Kelly Clarkson, who won the first season of American Idol later that year, is widely considered the franchise's most successful artist, having since sold over 70 million records worldwide. Other winners who have charted internationally include Young, Alexander Klaws, Kurt Nilsen, Guy Sebastian, Carrie Underwood and Agnes Carlsson.
Winners
2000s #WinnerSeasonDateReference1Pop Idol 12Idols (South Africa) 13Idol (Poland) 14American Idol 15Idol (Poland) 26Idols (Netherlands) 17Deutschland sucht den Superstar 18Idool 19American Idol 210Idol (Norway) 111Nouvelle Star 112SuperStar (Arab world) 113Canadian Idol 114Idols (South Africa) 215Australian Idol 116Narodniy Artist 117Idols (Denmark) 118Pop Idol 219Ídolos (Portugal) 120Idol (Poland) 321Idols (Finland) 122Kalli BjarniIdol (Iceland) 123SuperStar KZ 124Deutschland sucht den Superstar 225Idol (Serbia & Montenegro) 126Idols (Netherlands) 227NZ Idol 128Nouvelle Star 229Idol (Norway) 230American Idol 331Hrvatski Idol 132Super Idol33Türkstar34Česko hledá SuperStar 135SuperStar (Arab world) 236Indonesian Idol 137Canadian Idol 238Malaysian Idol 139Idols (Denmark) 240Australian Idol 241Idol (Sweden) 142Taufik BatisahSingapore Idol 143Idool 244Narodniy Artist 245Ídolos (Portugal) 246Hrvatski Idol 247Indian Idol 148SuperStar KZ 2 49Hildur Vala EinarsdóttirIdol (Iceland) 250Slovensko hľadá SuperStar 151Idol (Serbia & Montenegro) 252Nouvelle Star 353Idol (Norway) 354American Idol 455Česko hledá SuperStar 256Idol (Poland) 457Indonesian Idol 258Canadian Idol 359Malaysian Idol 260NZ Idol 261Australian Idol 362Idols (South Africa) 363Idol (Sweden) 2 64Idols (Finland) 265SuperStar (Arab world) 366Idols (Netherlands) 367Deutschland sucht den Superstar 368Snorri SnorrasonIdol (Iceland) 369Slovensko hľadá SuperStar 270Indian Idol 271SuperStar KZ 372Idol (Norway) 473American Idol 574Amarkhuu BorkhuuNarodniy Artist 375Nouvelle Star 476Ídolos (Brazil) 177Hay Superstar 178Ihsan TaroreIndonesian Idol 379Idols (Afrikaans)80Canadian Idol 481Hady MirzaSingapore Idol 282Latin American Idol 183NZ Idol 384Australian Idol 485Idol (Sweden) 386Philippine Idol87Česko hledá SuperStar 388Geostar 189Idols (Finland) 390Hay Superstar 291Deutschland sucht den Superstar 492American Idol 693Idool 394Idols (West Africa)95SuperStar (Arab world) 496Music Idol 197Eesti otsib superstaari 198Nouvelle Star 599SuperStar KZ 4100Rini WulandariIndonesian Idol 4101Ídolos (Brazil) 2102Canadian Idol 5103Indian Idol 3104Latin American Idol 2105Vietnam Idol 1106Australian Idol 5107Idol (Sweden) 4108Idols (South Africa) 4109Slovensko hľadá SuperStar 3110Idol (Norway) 5111Geostar 2112Idols (Netherlands) 4113Hay Superstar 3114Deutschland sucht den Superstar 5115American Idol 7116Music Idol 2117Eesti otsib superstaari 2118Nouvelle Star 6119SuperStar (Arab world) 5120Idols (East Africa)121ArisIndonesian Idol 5122Pinoy Idol123Canadian Idol 6124Latin American Idol 3125Australian Idol 6126Idol (Sweden) 5127Idols (Finland) 4128Ídolos (Brazil) 3129Geostar 3130Vietnam Idol 2131Indian Idol 4132 & 133Idols (South Africa) 5134Deutschland sucht den Superstar 6135Hrafna Hanna Elísa HerbertsdóttirIdol (Iceland) 4136American Idol 8137Music Idol 3138SoanNouvelle Star 7139Hrvatska traži zvijezdu 1140Australian Idol 7141Latin American Idol 4142Idol (Sweden) 6143Ídolos (Brazil) 4144Eesti otsib superstaari 3145Česko Slovenská SuperStar 1146Sezairi SezaliSingapore Idol 3147Geostar 4
2010s
#WinnerSeasonDateReference148Ídolos (Portugal) 3149Hay Superstar 4150Deutschland sucht den Superstar 7151American Idol 9152Hrvatska traži zvijezdu 2153LuceNouvelle Star 8154Greek Idol 1155Igo PenturyIndonesian Idol 6156Indian Idol 5157Ídolos (Brazil) 5158Idols (South Africa) 6159Idol (Sweden) 7160Vietnam Idol 3161Geostar 5162Ídolos (Portugal) 4163Yeka OnkaNigerian Idol 1164Deutschland sucht den Superstar 8165Idols (Finland) 5166Idool 4167American Idol 10168Macedonian Idol169Česko Slovenská SuperStar 2170Eesti otsib superstaari 4171Hrvatska traži zvijezdu 3172Greek Idol 2173Ídolos (Brazil) 6174Idols (South Africa) 7175Idol Puerto Rico 1176Idol (Sweden) 8177Idol (Norway) 6178Geostar 6179Arab Idol 1180Nigerian Idol 2181Deutschland sucht den Superstar 9182Hay Superstar 5183Idols (Finland) 6184American Idol 11185Deutschland sucht den Superstar Kids186Indonesian Idol 7187Ídolos (Portugal) 5188Indian Idol 6189Idols (South Africa) 8190Idol Kids Puerto Rico 1191Idol Puerto Rico 2192Fernando FrancoÍdolos Kids (Brazil) 1193Ídolos (Brazil) 7194Eesti otsib superstaari 5195Saqartvelos Varskvlavi 1196Vietnam Idol 4197Nouvelle Star 9198Nigerian Idol 3199Idol (Norway) 7200Deutschland sucht den Superstar 10201American Idol 12202Česko Slovenská SuperStar 3203Arab Idol 2204Saqartvelos Varskvlavi 2205Ídolos Kids (Brazil) 2206Li XiangxiangChinese Idol 1207Indian Idol Junior 1208Idol Kids Puerto Rico 2209Idol Puerto Rico 3210Idols (South Africa) 9211Idol (Sweden) 9212Mong Uching MarmaBangladeshi Idol213Idols (Finland) 7214Nouvelle Star 10215Zamad BaigPakistan Idol 1216Deutschland sucht den Superstar 11217Vietnam Idol 5218American Idol 13219NowelaIndonesian Idol 8220EvelleNigerian Idol 4221Idol Colombia222Idols (South Africa) 10223Idol Junior (Norway)224Idol (Sweden) 10225Idol (Norway) 8226Arab Idol 3227Zheng XingqiChinese Idol 2228Indonesian Idol Junior 1229EmjiNouvelle Star 11230American Idol 14231Deutschland sucht den Superstar 12232Eesti otsib superstaari 6233K-PeaceNigerian Idol 5234Vietnam Idol 6235Ídolos (Portugal) 6236Indian Idol Junior 2237Cambodian Idol 1238Idols (South Africa) 11239Idol (Sweden) 11240Česko Slovenská SuperStar 4241American Idol 15242Saw Lah Htaw WahMyanmar Idol 1243Laisha JunaidMaldivian Idol 1244Nouvelle Star 12245Prince DamienDeutschland sucht den Superstar 13246Idol (Norway) 9247Idols (Netherlands) 5248Vietnam Idol Kids 1249Vietnam Idol 7250Idols (South Africa) 12251Idol (Sweden) 12252Cambodian Idol 2253Arab Idol 4254Indonesian Idol Junior 2255Thar NgeMyanmar Idol 2256Indian Idol 9257Idols (Netherlands) 6258Deutschland sucht den Superstar 14259Maldivian Idol 2260Idol (Poland) 5261Kurd Idol262Vietnam Idol Kids 2263Nepal Idol 1264Idols (South Africa) 13265Idols (Finland) 8266Idol (Sweden) 13267Nouvelle Star 13268Chven Varskvlavebi Vart269Cambodian Idol 3270Indonesian Idol 9271Deutschland sucht den Superstar 15272Aishath Azal Ali ZahirMaldivian Idol 3273American Idol 16274Eesti otsib superstaari 7275Česko Slovenská SuperStar 5276Phyo Myat AungMyanmar Idol 3277Idols (South Africa) 14278Idols (Finland) 9279Idol (Sweden) 14280Anneth DellieciaIndonesian Idol Junior 3281Idol (Norway) 10282Nepal Idol 2283Indian Idol 10161Saqartvelos Varskvlavi 3284Deutschland sucht den Superstar 16285American Idol 17286Idol Philippines 1287Idols (South Africa) 15288Idol (Sweden) 15289Myanmar Idol 4290Cambodian Idol Junior 1291Saqartvelos Varskvlavi 4
2020s
#WinnerSeasonDateReference292Indian Idol 11293Indonesian Idol 10294Deutschland sucht den Superstar 17295Idol (Norway) 11296Just SamAmerican Idol 18297Česko Slovenská SuperStar 6298Nepal Idol 3299Idol (Sweden) 16300Idol Kids (Spain) 1301Idols (South Africa) 16302Deutschland sucht den Superstar 18303Ali LeoIraq Idol 1304Indonesian Idol 11305American Idol 19306Nigerian Idol 6307Indian Idol 12308Idols (South Africa) 17309Birkir BlærIdol (Sweden) 17310Eesti otsib superstaari 8311SuperStar România312Česko Slovenská SuperStar 7313Nepal Idol 4314Afraa SultanIraq Idol 2315Indian Idol Marathi316Deutschland sucht den Superstar 19317Nigerian Idol 7318American Idol 20319Telugu Indian Idol 1320Ídolos (Portugal) 7321Cambodian Idol 4322Idol Kids (Spain) 2323Idol Philippines 2324Idols (South Africa) 18325Idol (Sweden) 18326Saga Matthildur ÁrnadóttirIdol (Iceland) 5327Hams FekriSaudi Idol328Australian Idol 8329Indian Idol 13330Deutschland sucht den Superstar 20331American Idol 21332Salma SalsabilIndonesian Idol 12333Telugu Indian Idol 2334Nigerian Idol 8335Cambodian Idol Junior 2336Vietnam Idol 8337Idols (South Africa) 19338Idol (Sweden) 19339Eesti otsib superstaari 9340SuperStar (Croatia) 1341Anna Fanney KristinsdóttirIdol (Iceland) 6342Indian Idol 14343Australian Idol 9344American Idol 22345Nepal Idol 5346Nigerian Idol 9347Telugu Indian Idol 3348Deutschland sucht den Superstar 21349Cambodian Idol 5350Idol (Sweden) 20351SuperStar (Croatia) 2352Indian Idol 15353Australian Idol 10354American Idol 23355Shabrina LeanorIndonesian Idol 13356PurpNigerian Idol 10357Nepal Idol 6358Idol Kids Philippines359Hay Superstar 6360BrindaTelugu Indian Idol 4361Idol (Sweden) 21362Australian Idol 11363Deutschland sucht den Superstar 22364American Idol 24365Celyna GraceIndonesian Idol 14366Indian Idol 16367Hira QaisarPakistan Idol 2
Footnotes
References