''[[American Idol]]'' is an American talent [[reality television]] series that first aired in 2002. As of May 2015, there have been fourteen seasons. Each season, the final round of competition features ten to thirteen singers. A total of 178 contestants have reached the finals of their season. The show's age requirements have varied year-to-year. Of the finalists, 55 of them were under the age of 20, including three winners and five runners-up. [[American Idol (season 1)|Season-one]]-winner [[Kelly Clarkson]] currently holds the record for the highest-selling album sales worldwide, with more than 25 million copies, while [[American Idol (season 4)|season-four]]-winner [[Carrie Underwood]] currently holds the record for the highest-selling album sales in the United States, with more than 13 million copies.
''[[American Idol]]'' is an American talent [[reality television]] series that first aired in 2002. As of May 2015, there have been fourteen seasons. Each season, the final round of competition features ten to thirteen singers. A total of 178 contestants have reached the finals of their season. The show's age requirements have varied year-to-year. Of the finalists, 55 of them were under the age of 20, including three winners and five runners-up. [[American Idol (season 1)|Season-one]]-winner [[Kelly Clarkson]] currently holds the record for the highest-selling album sales worldwide, with more than 25 million copies, while [[American Idol (season 4)|season-four]]-winner [[Carrie Underwood]] currently holds the record for the highest-selling album sales in the United States, with more than 13 million copies.
In [[American Idol (season 1)|season one]], [[Jim Verraros]], an openly [[gay]] contestant, was told by [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] to remove all mentions of his homosexuality from his online journal as producers "thought [he] was trying to gain more votes".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2003_Jan_21/ai_96072143|title=A Teen Idol's dreams|last=Steele|first=Bruce. C|date=2003-01-21|publisher=[[The Advocate]] via Findarticles.com|accessdate=2008-10-01}}{{Deadlink|date=October2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> During the [[American Idol (season 2)|second season]], finalist [[Corey Clark]] was disqualified when it was revealed that he had been arrested and charged with [[resisting arrest]], battery upon his sister, and criminal restraint. In [[American Idol (season 5)|season five]], voters claimed that phone calls dialed for [[Chris Daughtry]] during the first few minutes of voting were misrouted to [[Katharine McPhee]]'s lines, when they heard her recorded message thanking them for voting for McPhee.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12748906|title=Some callers claim ‘Idol’ votes were misdirected|date=2006-05-12|publisher=MSNBC|accessdate=2008-10-01}}</ref> In [[American Idol (season 7)|season seven]], it was revealed that [[Carly Smithson]] held a prior label record deal with [[MCA Records]]. Reports suggested that MCA spent over [[U.S. Dollar|$]]2 million promoting Smithson's previous album which she made under the name Carly Hennessy. The album sold fewer than 400 copies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1560251420080216|title=Ex-MCA Records flop advances on "American Idol"|last=Gorman|first=Steve|date=2008-02-15|publisher=Reuters.com|accessdate=2008-10-10}}</ref> Smithson remained on the show, and placed sixth in her season. [[Jermaine Jones (singer)|Jermaine Jones]] of season eleven was disqualified for having theft cases and outstanding warrants on Top 11 week.
In [[American Idol (season 1)|season one]], [[Jim Verraros]], an openly [[gay]] contestant, was told by [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] to remove all mentions of his homosexuality from his online journal as producers "thought [he] was trying to gain more votes".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2003_Jan_21/ai_96072143 |title=A Teen Idol's dreams |last=Steele |first=Bruce. C |date=2003-01-21 |publisher=[[The Advocate]] via Findarticles.com |accessdate=2008-10-01 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207141328/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2003_Jan_21/ai_96072143 |archivedate=2008-12-07 |df= }} </ref> During the [[American Idol (season 2)|second season]], finalist [[Corey Clark]] was disqualified when it was revealed that he had been arrested and charged with [[resisting arrest]], battery upon his sister, and criminal restraint. In [[American Idol (season 5)|season five]], voters claimed that phone calls dialed for [[Chris Daughtry]] during the first few minutes of voting were misrouted to [[Katharine McPhee]]'s lines, when they heard her recorded message thanking them for voting for McPhee.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12748906|title=Some callers claim ‘Idol’ votes were misdirected|date=2006-05-12|publisher=MSNBC|accessdate=2008-10-01}}</ref> In [[American Idol (season 7)|season seven]], it was revealed that [[Carly Smithson]] held a prior label record deal with [[MCA Records]]. Reports suggested that MCA spent over [[U.S. Dollar|$]]2 million promoting Smithson's previous album which she made under the name Carly Hennessy. The album sold fewer than 400 copies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1560251420080216|title=Ex-MCA Records flop advances on "American Idol"|last=Gorman|first=Steve|date=2008-02-15|publisher=Reuters.com|accessdate=2008-10-10}}</ref> Smithson remained on the show, and placed sixth in her season. [[Jermaine Jones (singer)|Jermaine Jones]] of season eleven was disqualified for having theft cases and outstanding warrants on Top 11 week.
==Contestants==
==Contestants==
Revision as of 02:40, 17 May 2017
American Idol is an American talent reality television series that first aired in 2002. As of May 2015, there have been fourteen seasons. Each season, the final round of competition features ten to thirteen singers. A total of 178 contestants have reached the finals of their season. The show's age requirements have varied year-to-year. Of the finalists, 55 of them were under the age of 20, including three winners and five runners-up. Season-one-winner Kelly Clarkson currently holds the record for the highest-selling album sales worldwide, with more than 25 million copies, while season-four-winner Carrie Underwood currently holds the record for the highest-selling album sales in the United States, with more than 13 million copies.
In season one, Jim Verraros, an openly gay contestant, was told by Fox to remove all mentions of his homosexuality from his online journal as producers "thought [he] was trying to gain more votes".[1] During the second season, finalist Corey Clark was disqualified when it was revealed that he had been arrested and charged with resisting arrest, battery upon his sister, and criminal restraint. In season five, voters claimed that phone calls dialed for Chris Daughtry during the first few minutes of voting were misrouted to Katharine McPhee's lines, when they heard her recorded message thanking them for voting for McPhee.[2] In season seven, it was revealed that Carly Smithson held a prior label record deal with MCA Records. Reports suggested that MCA spent over $2 million promoting Smithson's previous album which she made under the name Carly Hennessy. The album sold fewer than 400 copies.[3] Smithson remained on the show, and placed sixth in her season. Jermaine Jones of season eleven was disqualified for having theft cases and outstanding warrants on Top 11 week.
^Steele, Bruce. C (2003-01-21). "A Teen Idol's dreams". The Advocate via Findarticles.com. Archived from the original on 2008-12-07. Retrieved 2008-10-01. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)