American Idol is an American talent reality television series which first aired in 2002. As of May 2026, there have been 24 seasons: the first 15 aired on FOX, while the next 9 were broadcast on ABC and Hulu/Disney+. Each season, the final round of competition features ten to fourteen singers. There have been 289 contestants who were finalists.

The show's age requirements have varied from year-to-year. Of the finalists, 87 of them were under the age of 20, including five winners and seven runners-up. First season-winner Kelly Clarkson holds the record for the highest-selling album sales worldwide, with more than 25 million copies, while fourth season-winner Carrie Underwood has the record for the highest-selling album sales in the United States, with more than 13 million copies sold.

As of 2025, seven finalists have died: Michael Johns (d. 2014), Rickey Smith (d. 2016), Leah LaBelle (d. 2018), Nikki McKibbin (d. 2020), Willie Spence (d. 2022), C. J. Harris (d. 2023), and Mandisa (d. 2024). In addition, two semifinalists have also died: seventh season's Joanne Borgella (d. 2014) and third season's Marque Lynche (d. 2015, brother of Michael Lynche).

+ Table key † Indicates an alumnus who is now deceased

Contestants

Name Age Hometown Season Place finish20Lawrenceville, Georgia119Chicago, Illinois117San Diego, California119Los Angeles, California121New York City, New York121Cumming, Georgia123Takoma Park, Maryland1 †23Grand Prairie, Texas123Doylestown, Pennsylvania120Burleson, Texas122Atlanta, Georgia224Oberlin, Ohio224Brookfield, Connecticut222Nashville, Tennessee2 †23Keene, Texas221Katy, Texas218Bountiful, Utah223Memphis, Tennessee222Oceanside, California225Nashville, Tennessee224Raleigh, North Carolina224Birmingham, Alabama2 †17Seattle, Washington325Rancho Cucamonga, California324Bakersfield, California318Haiku, Hawaii324Rexburg, Idaho322Chicago, Illinois316East Amherst, New York322New Orleans, Louisiana325Oakland, California317Mililani, Hawaii316Snellville, Georgia319High Point, North Carolina320Ponchatoula, Louisiana417Las Vegas, Nevada419Tampa, Florida422Town and Country, Missouri428Miami, Florida425East Orange, New Jersey429New York City, New York428Shaker Heights, Ohio419Trevose, Pennsylvania421Fort Myers, Florida429Helena, Alabama421Checotah, Oklahoma421Tampa, Florida516Levittown, New York516Anaheim, California5 †29Antioch, Tennessee528Rockingham, North Carolina525Denver, Colorado519Albemarle, North Carolina517Fayetteville, Georgia526McLeansville, North Carolina527Richmond, Virginia521Los Angeles, California529Birmingham, Alabama528Los Angeles, California619Savannah, Georgia628Greenville, South Carolina622Naperville, Illinois624San Antonio, Texas617Federal Way, Washington622Chesapeake, Virginia629Jacksonville, Florida627Fort Meade, Maryland629Brentwood, Tennessee625Bothell, Washington617Glendale, Arizona624Glendale, Arizona723Mulberry, Indiana722Inglewood, California720Miramar, Florida7 †29Buckhead, Georgia724Selma, Oregon724San Diego, California724Mesa, Arizona720Rockwall, Texas721Sarasota, Florida717Murray, Utah725Blue Springs, Missouri716Starkville, Mississippi821Carolina, Puerto Rico821Memphis, Tennessee827Jasper, Texas823Sandy, Utah823Scottsdale, Arizona821Chapel Hill, North Carolina823Memphis, Tennessee823Kalamazoo, Michigan816Los Angeles, California828Milwaukee, Wisconsin827San Diego, California823Conway, Arkansas824Amarillo, Texas924Naples, Florida923Los Angeles, California924Moreno Valley, California917Middlebury, Connecticut920Duncanville, Texas919Barnstable, Massachusetts916Sonestown, Pennsylvania926St. Petersburg, Florida927Fort Worth, Texas923Elliston, Ohio923Mount Prospect, Illinois924Goodlettsville, Tennessee1021New York City, New York1026Milwaukee, Wisconsin1016Mountain House, Alameda County, California1022New York City, New York1026Nashville, Tennessee1021Kent, Washington1020Idyllwild–Pine Cove, California1023Compton, California1022Santa Cruz, California1020Wheeling, Illinois1016Rossville, Georgia1017Garner, North Carolina1019Valrico, Florida1125Pine Hill, New Jersey1116Tampa, Florida1126South Kingstown, Rhode Island1122New York City, New York1117San Jose, California1120Murfreesboro, Tennessee1128Mount Pleasant, South Carolina1118Brandon, Mississippi1118McKinney, Texas1119Westlake, Louisiana1116San Diego, California1121Leesburg, Georgia1124St. Louis, Missouri1223Palmersville, Tennessee1218Chicago, Illinois1219New Orleans, Louisiana1222Naples, Florida1223Oliver Springs, Tennessee1219Houston, Texas1219Beverly, Massachusetts1222Woodville, Texas1223St. Helena Island, South Carolina1224Sebastian, Florida1318Orlando, Florida1324Gallatin, Tennessee1320San Francisco, California1321Goldsboro, North Carolina1316Southfield, Michigan1322Fayette, Alabama13 †23Jasper, Alabama1317Bradenton, Florida1323Slapout, Alabama1320Mont Vernon, New Hampshire1317Farmington Hills, Michigan1323Asheville, North Carolina1319Columbia, Tennessee1418Diamond Bar, California1417Ankeny, Iowa1415Portland, Oregon1419New York City, New York1423Woodbridge, Virginia1420New Orleans, Louisiana1416Jacksonville, Florida1423Richmond, Virginia1419East Brunswick, New Jersey1422White House, Tennessee1429Guilford, Connecticut1415Jackson Township, New Jersey1517Agoura Hills, California1521San Diego, California1516Bluffton, South Carolina1515Nashville, Tennessee1520Weston, Massachusetts1523Lafayette, Louisiana1520Dallas, Texas1522McComb, Mississippi1525Amory, Mississippi1524San Antonio, Texas1626Philadelphia, Pennsylvania1622Miami, Florida1617Langhorne Borough, Pennsylvania1618Denver, Colorado1621Shelbyville, Texas1620Philadelphia, Pennsylvania1617Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania1619Dallas, Georgia1620Clarksville, Iowa1627Baltimore, Maryland1724Sugar Land, Texas1717Orlando, Florida1720Birmingham, Alabama1726Catonsville, Maryland1723Livingston, Texas1727Phoenix, Arizona1717Cohoes, New York1724Pomona, California1718Livingston, Louisiana1728Danville, California1829Gonzales, Louisiana1817Temecula, California1820Long Beach, California1822New York City, New York1819Philadelphia, Pennsylvania1827Bakersfield, California1819San Francisco, California1823Murrieta, California1822Wichita, Kansas1821New York City, New York1815Laguna Niguel, California1923Brighton, Massachusetts1925Fayetteville, Arkansas1919Perryville, Kentucky1924Columbia, Tennessee1920Cleveland, Ohio1923Wichita, Kansas1922Franklin, Tennessee1916Roebuck, South Carolina1916Estero, Florida1920Lakewood, Illinois19 †21Douglas, Georgia1924Apple Valley, California1918Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands2020Los Angeles, California2024Chesapeake, Virginia2017Pell City, Alabama2016Cleveland, Ohio2025Tuskegee, Alabama2027Warrenton, Virginia2021Patchogue, New York2023Salisbury, Maryland2022Tyler, Texas2018Toronto, Ontario, Canada2020Normal, Illinois2023Winchester, Tennessee2021Louisa, Kentucky2028Holly Grove, Arkansas2125Tbilisi, Georgia2121Armorel, Arkansas2117Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada2116Clarksville, Tennessee2125Mount Juliet, Tennessee2124Bamberg, South Carolina2123New York City, New York2119Amory, Mississippi2118Amory, Mississippi2120Douglasville, Georgia2118Kahuku, Hawaii2119Perth, Australia2228New York City, New York2222Washington, D.C.2224Long Beach, California2223Fort Lauderdale, Florida2219Centre, Alabama2220Henefer, Utah2221Cumberland, Maine2225Gilbert, Arizona2225Nashville, Tennessee2215McIntosh, Alabama2225Dallas, Texas2223Hazlehurst, Georgia2221Indio, California2226New York City, New York2326Corona, California2328Essex, England2323Dublin, California2317Dallas, Texas2326Tulsa, Oklahoma2324Charlotte, North Carolina2322Baltimore, Maryland2316Eagleville, Tennessee2317Atlanta, Georgia2329Haleʻiwa, Hawaii2325Denton, Texas2318Addis, Louisiana2327Meridian, Mississippi2321Paramus, New Jersey2419El Paso, Texas2419Massapequa Park, New York2425LaGrange, Georgia2424Frederick, Maryland2429Fishers, Indiana2418Gallatin, Tennessee2422Bel Air, Maryland2427Moss Point, Mississippi2422Murphy, North Carolina2427Fergus Falls, Minnesota2429Pensacola, Florida2427Murfreesboro, Tennessee2425Willow Springs, Missouri24

Notes

Contestant's age at the time the season's final round began.

References

General

Specific

External links