Do ‘American Idol’ Losers Have More Success Than Winners?

Do American Idol losers end up having more success and longevity than the winners of the hit reality singing competition? The original show with judges Paul Abdul, Simon Cowell, and Randy Jackson spawned some amazing talent. Yet, not all of the talent came in first place. So, is it better to not win but have your name and voice out there? Keep reading for more details.

Do American Idol Losers Have More Success Than Winners?

The top 12 on American Idol is chock full of talent so it can be hard to predict who will win. As time has gone by, it almost does not even matter if someone wins because they will inevitably find success. Kelly Clarkson was the first winner of the show and she has been going since she tearfully sang “A Moment Like This” in the finale. Along with fellow winners Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks, and a few others have done very well. Yet, some who came in second or in the top four saw as much if not more success than the winners.

Adam Lambert, Jennifer Hudson, Lauren Alaina, Kellie Pickler, and Chris Daughtry are just a few losers who have excelled in the business. So now fans are wondering if it even matters if a contestant wins or loses at this point. A Reddit thread has been started to discuss who is more successful in the long run:

• There have been non-winners who have had post-Idol success, like, of course, Jennifer Hudson. She’s probably the most famous of them. There are other people, too, like Clay Aiken, Katherine McPhee, Chris Daughtry, Kellie Pickler, Adam Lambert, etc.

Another question was why other frontrunners did not go further like Tamyra Gray, Latoya London, Bo Bice, and Melinda Doolittle. So, what did American Idol fans say?

• Some people are just only good on the show and it doesn’t translate to post-show success. Same for winners.
• The industry has changed astronomically since the glory days of AI.
• They don’t have to win to be successful. The exposure is priceless

The Final Assessment

One person noted that some of the American Idol contestants may not be household names. However, they still have their faithful followers from their time on the show. Not winning has its perks as they are not beholden to the Idol contract. Adam Lambert shared he was told he was getting a contract either way so that was somewhat reassuring. He has since had a successful solo career as well as fronted for Queen. Jennifer Hudson has become an EGOT which is incredibly rare and now she has her own talk show. So, just having the talent can be as good as taking home the gold.

Do you think it matters if contestants win or lose on American Idol? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.