This article provides a list of albums recorded by alumni of the popular American televised singing competition American Idol in the post-Idol career. It only lists main albums released in the alumni's post-Idol career. American Idol compilations, individual artist's pre-Idol recordings, EPs, and compilation albums are not listed here, however, the numbers in parentheses may include sales from these releases. For complete list of releases including those not listed here for each artist, please see their individual discography pages (linked here in the total number in parentheses). Sales figure listed are for U.S. only.
Artists with sales of 500,000 or more albums This first list only includes contestants with at least 500,000 total album sales. Total albums sold listed in this pages for each artist is shown first. Certification status of album for units shipped in U.S. (Gold, Platinum, and/or Multi-platinum) is shown if awarded. The numbers in parentheses are for sales for all albums including EPs and compilations which may not be listed here.
ContestantTotal albums soldFirst albumSecond albumThird albumFourth albumFifth albumSixth albumSeventh albumEighth albumNinth albumTenth album1. Carrie Underwood(season 4, winner)22,500,000 RIAA Albums certifications carrie underwood" https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?reload=1788658941661&tab_active=recent-award&sub_tab_active=&se=carrie%20underwood&from=&to=&ti=&lab=&col=format&ord=asc#search_section Some Hearts(November 15, 2005)Arista Nashville7,450,0009× PlatinumPeak: #2 Carnival Ride(October 23, 2007)Arista Nashville3,400,0004× PlatinumPeak: #1Play On(November 3, 2009)Arista Nashville2,300,0003× PlatinumPeak: #1Blown Away(May 1, 2012)Arista Nashville1,853,2003× PlatinumPeak: #1Storyteller(October 23, 2015)Arista Nashville752,100PlatinumPeak: #2Cry Pretty534,000PlatinumPeak: #1My Gift628,000GoldPeak: #5My Savior293,000N/APeak: #4Denim & Rhinestones120,000 Peak: #102.Kelly Clarkson(season 1, winner)14,150,000 RIAA Kelly Clarkson Album certifications https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?reload=1788659943364&tab_active=recent-award&sub_tab_active=&se=kelly%20clarkson&from=&to=&ti=&lab=&col=format&ord=asc#search_section Billboad Kelly Clarkson album sales at 2017 https://www.billboard.com/pro/ask-billboard-kelly-clarksons-career-sales-wild-thoughts-about/Thankful (April 15, 2003)RCA2,800,0002× PlatinumPeak: #1Breakaway(November 30, 2004)RCA6,355,0006× PlatinumPeak: #3My December(June 26, 2007)RCA858,000PlatinumPeak: #2All I Ever Wanted(March 10, 2009)RCA1,004,000N/APeak: #1Stronger(October 24, 2011)RCA1,129,000PlatinumPeak: #2Wrapped in Red(October 29, 2013)RCA942,000PlatinumPeak: #3Piece by Piece(March 3, 2015)RCA284,000GoldPeak: #1Meaning of Life 68,000GoldPeak: #2When Christmas Comes Around...106,000 Chemistry53,000 3. Chris Daughtry(as Daughtry)(season 5, 4th place)7,204,000 Daughtry(November 21, 2006)RCA5,040,0006× PlatinumPeak: #1Leave This Town(July 14, 2009)RCA1,357,000PlatinumPeak: #1Break the Spell(November 21, 2011)RCA513,000 GoldPeak: #8Baptized(November 19, 2013)RCA270,000 Gold Peak: #6Cage to Rattle(July 17, 2018)RCA24,000 N/APeak: #10Dearly Beloved(September 17, 2021)Dogtree88,000N/APeak: #504. Clay Aiken(season 2, runner-up)5,069,000 Measure of a Man(October 14, 2003)RCA2,786,0002× PlatinumPeak: #1 Merry Christmas with Love(November 16, 2004)RCA1,416,000Idol Chatter 12-29-2010PlatinumPeak: #4 A Thousand Different Ways(September 19, 2006)RCA531,000GoldPeak: #2 On My Way Here(May 6, 2008)RCA165,000N/APeak: #4 Tried and True(June 1, 2010)Decca 80,000 N/APeak: #9 / #120 Steadfast#120 Christmas Bells Are Ringing(November 22, 2024)Alvis5. Fantasia Barrino(season 3, winner)3,332,000 Free Yourself(November 23, 2004)J Records1,839,000PlatinumRIAA Search - Fantasia Peak: #8 Fantasia(December 12, 2006)J Records530,000Fantasia Moves Forward Despite Personal ChallengesGoldPeak: #19 Back to Me(August 24, 2010)J Records490,000N/APeak: #2Side Effects of You(April 23, 2013)RCA300,000Peak: #2The Definition Of...(July 28, 2016)RCA32,000Peak: #6Christmas After Midnight(October 6, 2017)ConcordPeak: #193Sketchbook(October 11, 2019)Rock Soul10,000Fantasia's New Album 'Sketchbook' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard R&B Albums Chart - Rated R&BPeak: #626. Ruben Studdard(season 2, winner)2,644,000 Soulful(December 9, 2003)J Records1,792,000PlatinumRIAA Search - Ruben StuddardPeak: #1 I Need an Angel(November 23, 2004)J Records483,000GoldPeak: #20 The Return(October 17, 2006)J Records238,000N/APeak: #8 Love Is(May 19, 2009)Hickory Records50,000Does Winning Idol Even Matter Any MoreN/APeak: #36 Letters from Birmingham(March 13, 2012)Shanachie17,000N/APeak: #150 Unconditional Love(February 4, 2014)The Verve Music Group6,000N/APeak: #46 Ruben Sings Luther(March 9, 2018)SEG MusicN/AN/APeak: n/a The Way I Remember It(October 27, 2023)SoNo Recording Group7. Scotty McCreery(season 10, winner)2,264,000 Clear as Day(October 4, 2011)Mercury Nashville1,166,000PlatinumPeak: #1 Christmas With Scotty McCreery(October 16, 2012)Mercury Nashville382,000GoldPeak: #4 See You Tonight(October 15, 2013)Mercury Nashville269,900 Sales figure given hereN/APeak: #6Seasons Change(March 16, 2018)Thirty Tigers97,800GoldPeak: #7Same Truck(September 17, 2021)Thirty TigersN/APeak: #86Rise & Fall(May 10, 2023)Thirty Tigers8. Kellie Pickler(season 5, 6th place)1,557,000 Small Town Girl(October 31, 2006)BNA900,000GoldPeak: #9 Kellie Pickler(September 30, 2008)BNA470,000N/APeak: #9100 Proof(January 24, 2012)BNA90,000N/APeak: #7The Woman I AmNovember 11, 2013Black River Entertainment47,000N/APeak: #19 9. David Cook(season 7, winner)1,510,000 David Cook(November 18, 2008)RCA1,380,000PlatinumRIAA Search - David Cook Peak: #3This Loud Morning(June 28, 2011)RCA133,000N/APeak: #7Digital Vein(September 18, 2015)InGrooves Music11,000N/APeak: #3510.Phillip Phillips (season 11, winner)1,495,000The World from the Side of the Moon(November 19, 2012)Interscope1,033,000PlatinumPeak: #4Behind the Light(May 19, 2014)Interscope123,000N/APeak: #7Collateral(January 19, 2018)Interscope5,000N/APeak: #141Drift Back(June 9, 2023)Interscope11. Jennifer Hudson(season 3, 7th place)1,446,000 Jennifer Hudson(September 30, 2008)Arista839,000GoldRIAA Search - Jennifer Hudson Peak: #2I Remember Me(March 22, 2011)Arista459,000GoldPeak: #2JHUD61,000N/APeak: #10 The Gift of Love12. Jordin Sparks(season 6, winner)1,313,000 Jordin Sparks(November 20, 2007)Jive1,056,000PlatinumRIAA Search — Jordin Sparks Peak: #10Battlefield(July 21, 2009)Jive190,000N/APeak: #7Right Here, Right Now(August 21, 2015)Louder Than LifeN/APeak: #161Cider & Hennessy(November 26, 2020)Disrupt GroupN/APeak: N/ANo Restrictions13.Adam Lambert(season 8, runner-up)1,173,000 For Your Entertainment(November 23, 2009)RCA863,000GoldRIAA search - Adam LambertPeak: #3 Trespassing(May 15, 2012)RCA197,000N/APeak: #1The Original High(June 16, 2015)Warner Bros Records52,000N/APeak: #3Velvet(March 20, 2020)Empire RecordsN/APeak: #89High Drama14.David Archuleta(season 7, runner-up)1,156,000 David Archuleta(November 11, 2008)Jive765,000GoldRIAA Search - David ArchuletaPeak: #2 Christmas from the Heart(October 13, 2009)Jive246,000Idol Chatter 01-07-2011N/APeak: #30 The Other Side of Down(October 5, 2010)Jive67,000N/APeak: #13 Forevermore(March 26, 2012)Ivory RecordsN/AN/APeak: N/A Begin.(August 7, 2012)Highway Records14,000N/APeak: #28 No Matter How Far(2013)E1 Music5,000N/APeak: #110 Postcards in the Sky(October 20, 2017)Archie MusicN/AN/APeak: N/A Winter in the Air(November 2, 2018)Archie MusicN/AN/APeak: #191 Therapy Sessions(May 20, 2020)Archie MusicN/AN/APeak: N/A15. Gabby Barrett(season 16, 3rd place)1,000,000 Goldmine(June 19, 2020)Warner Music Nashville1,000,000PlatinumPeak: #4 Chapter & Verse(February 2, 2024)Warner Music Nashville Carols and Candlelight(November 8, 2024)Warner Music Nashville16.Mandisa(season 5, 9th place)928,000 True Beauty(July 31, 2007)Sparrow226,000Idol Chatter 03-30-2011N/APeak: #43 It's Christmas(October 14, 2008)Sparrow64,000N/APeak: #85 Freedom(March 24, 2009)Sparrow152,000Chatter 04-27-2011"N/APeak: #83 What If We Were Real(April 5, 2011)Sparrow270,000N/APeak: #66 Overcomer(August 27, 2013)Sparrow140,000N/APeak: #29 Out of the Dark(May 19, 2017)SparrowN/APeak: #2017. Josh Gracin(season 2, 4th place)804,000 Josh Gracin(June 15, 2004)Lyric Street703,000Idol Chatter 12-08-2010GoldRIAA Search - Josh GracinPeak: #11 We Weren't Crazy(April 1, 2008)Lyric Street86,000Idol Chatter 08-03-2011N/APeak: #33 Redemption(November 8, 2011)Average Joe's4,000N/APeak: N/A18. Taylor Hicks(season 5, winner)768,000 Taylor Hicks(December 12, 2006)Arista 705,000PlatinumPeak: #2 The Distance(March 10, 2009)Modern Whomp 52,000N/APeak: #5819.Bo Bice(season 4, runner-up)757,000 The Real Thing(December 13, 2005)RCA673,000GoldRIAA Search - Bo BicePeak: #4 See the Light(October 23, 2007)StratArt62,000N/APeak: #150 3(May 18, 2010)Saguaro Road11,000Idol Chatter 09-22-2010N/APeak: #15420. Elliott Yamin(season 5, 3rd place)696,000 Elliott Yamin(March 20, 2007)Hickory RecordsRED Distribution527,000Idol Chatter 03-04-2010GoldRIAA Search - Elliott YaminPeak: #3 Sounds of the Season(October 14, 2007)Hickory Records81,000Idol Chatter 1-16-2008N/APeak: #32 My Kind of Holiday(October 7, 2008)TRP Records,Fontana Distribution27,000N/APeak: #162Fight For Love(May 5, 2009)Hickory Records49,000N/APeak: #26Let's Get to What's Real(March 27, 2012)E1/Purpose Music Group2,000N/APeak: N/A
Aiken's album, Tried & True was re-packaged and re-released by Decca under the new name, Steadfast, concurrent with his appearance on The Celebrity Apprentice in 2012
Artists with sales of less than 500,000 albums The following is a 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, American Idol compilations, or pre-Idol recordings, numbers in parentheses however may include sales from these releases: RankFormer ContestantTotal SalesAlbums21.Katharine McPhee(season 5, runner-up)475,000 Katharine McPhee (2007) #2 — 381,000 Unbroken (2010) #27 — 45,000 Christmas Is the Time…To Say I Love You (2010) did not chart — 23,000Idol Chatter 01-19-2011 01-12-2011 numbers posted in comments section of Idol chatter 01-19-2011 Hysteria (2015) did not chart22.Lauren Alaina (season 10, runner-up)459,500 Wildflower (2011) #5 — 303,000 Road Less Traveled (2016) #31 — 34,50023.Bucky Covington (season 5, 8th place)did not chart436,000 Bucky Covington (2007) #4 — 433,000 Good Guys (2012) #178 — 3,00024.Blake Lewis (season 6, runner-up)413,000 A.D.D. (Audio Day Dream) (2007) #10 — 350,000 Heartbreak on Vinyl (2009) #135 — 10,000 Portrait of a Chameleon (2013) did not chart — 2,00025.Kris Allen (season 8, winner)401,600 Kris Allen (2009) #11 — 346,000 Thank You Camellia (2012) #26 — 35,000 Horizons (2014) #80 — 4,000 Letting You In (2016)26.William Hung (Season 3, Auditioner)242,000 Inspiration (2004) #34 — 200,000 Hung for the Holidays (2004) did not chart — 35,000 Miracle: Happy Summer from William Hung (2005) did not chart — 7,00027.Kimberley Locke (season 2, 3rd place)241,000 One Love (2004) #16 — 212,000 Based on a True Story (2007) #160 — 22,000Idol Chatter 7-30-2008 Christmas (2008) did not chart — 3,00028.Crystal Bowersox (season 9, runner-up)230,000 Farmer's Daughter (2010) #28 — 205,000American Idol: With Scotty McCreery's Successful Debut, Did Universal Learn From Sony's Mistakes? All That For This (2013) #71 — 8,00029.Danny Gokey (season 8, 3rd place)204,000 My Best Days (2010) #4 — 204,000Idol Chatter 03-16-2011 Hope in Front of Me (2014) #4030.James Durbin (season 10, 4th place)194,000 Memories of a Beautiful Disaster (2011) #36 — 123,000