Celebrating 10 years of 'American Idol'

As "American Idol" turns 10, we celebrate the milestone with 10 of our favorite contestants.



Ten years ago, a little show called “American Idol” made its debut on Fox.

Hoping to find the next pop superstar, the music competition has more than made an indelible mark in pop culture and is responsible for its share of lasting voices (Kelly Clarkson! Carrie Underwood! Daughtry! Adam Lambert!) and plenty of disposable ones.

Over the years, the aging competition has had plenty of growing pains -- acid-tongued judge Simon Cowell exiting, ratings dips and odd personnel choices (love you Ellen, but come on) -- but despite the show’s missteps, millions continue to tune in to watch from auditions (both inspiring and craptastic) to finals, and predict who will walk away with the title.

Though recent winners of the competition have followed a distinct pattern -- a record number of 132 million votes helped Georgia-bred troubadour Phillip Phillips win this season -- contestants have found success in virtually every genre including pop, R&B, country, rock, gospel, dance and musical theater.

To celebrate the show’s landmark, here’s 10 songs from 10 of our favorite contestants to grace the “Idol” stage. Sorry fans of Season 9, that was a tough one for this writer to watch -– or like.

'American Idol' winner Scotty McCreery makes Billboard history

"American Idol" winner Scotty McCreery notched himself into the history books as his debut album, "Clear as Day," opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

The gravel-voiced teenager logged 197,000 copies of the disc, according to Nielsen SoundScan, making him the first country act to bow at No. 1 with a debut album. At 18, McCreery is also the youngest male to have a debut open at No. 1. R&B singer Omarion previously held the title with his first release in 2005 when he was 20.

McCreery's success is surely welcoming for the aging franchise. Last year's winner, Lee DeWyze, was quietly dropped from longtime RCA Records after his post-"Idol" debut opened to poor sales. Before DeWyze, Kris Allen's eponymous 2009 debut also suffered from weak sales.

An "Idol" winner's debut hasn't bowed at No. 1 since Ruben Studdard's "Soulful" in 2003.

RELATED:

'American Idol' winner Lee DeWyze dropped by RCA Records

'American Idol' favorite Pia Toscano lands record deal with Interscope

Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina make post-'American Idol' chart debuts, ink deals with Mercury Nashville

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy
twitter.com/gerrickkennedy

Photo: Scotty McCreery. Credit: Mercury Nashville / 19 Recordings / Interscope Records

'American Idol' winner Lee DeWyze dropped by RCA Records

Lee DeWyze might have taken the crown on "American Idol" last year but today, he needs a new label to call home.

Following a recent restructuring of RCA Records, the long-running home of "Idol" winners, the label decided not to extend his contract and quietly dropped the 25-year-old rocker, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

RCA kept previous "Idol" winners Kris Allen, David Cook, Jordin Sparks, Carrie Underwood and inaugural winner Kelly Clarkson. DeWyze will continue to be managed by 19 Entertainment and is "in a good place" as he works on new projects, a spokesperson for the management company told Pop & Hiss on Thursday.

'American Idol' winner Lee DeWyze to gig the tiny Hotel Cafe

"American Idol" has always spoiled its winners. Almost instantly after being crowned, they sign lucrative recording/management contracts, are tossed the keys to a brand new car (even if it's a Ford Focus) and hit the road, along with the show's other finalists, for a nationwide summer arena tour.

So it's a little surprising to hear that 2010 winner Lee DeWyze's next set of dates won't be at a larger venue such as the Nokia Theatre, where he recieved his "Idol" crown, or Staples Center, the place he played on last summer's Idols Live tour. Instead, the singer is headlining two nights at Hollywood's Hotel Cafe -- one of L.A.'s preeminent launch pads for local singer-songwriters hoping to catch a break.

To be fair, DeWyze, who competed in a season full of acoustic-driven singer-songwriters, never quite fit the "Idol" mold and fans of the show, and critics debated that throughout the season. And he hasn't had the best post-"Idol" track record either.

His debut, "Live It Up," arrived to mostly stale reviews and logged 39,000 copies in its first week. Its No. 19 debut is the lowest for a winner from the franchise, including the oft-ridiculed Taylor Hicks. The disc is only the second, after Season 8 winner Kris Allen's epoynomous debut, to not debut in the top 10 of the Billboard 200.

DeWyze performs at Hotel Cafe both Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show (perhaps he forgot who mostly voted for him on "Idol") are $20, not including fees, and can be purchased here.

RELATED:

'American Idol' favorite Pia Toscano lands record deal with Interscope

Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina make post-'American Idol' chart debuts, ink deals with Mercury Nashville

Crystal Bowersox talks 'American Idol,' debut album, artistic freedom and sticking to her guns

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy
twitter.com/gerrickkennedy

Photo: Lee DeWyze, right, tapes a television commercial for Disney Parks at the Nokia Theatre on  May 26 after being crowned the newest "American Idol" in Los Angeles. Credit: Paul Hiffmeyer / Associated Press

Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina of 'American Idol' hit GMA

 

“American Idol” champ Scotty McCreery, runner-up Lauren Alaina and the rest of the Season 10 finalists took a break from touring to hit the "Good Morning America" Summer Concert Series Friday morning.

The two country teens performed their debut singles and the finalists tackled a medley of hits that included Aerosmith‘s “Walk This Way” and Journey's “Any Way You Want It."

McCreery and Alaina, who both landed deals with Mercury Nashville, used the appearance to announce they will issue their debut albums only a week apart from one another this fall. McCreery will release "Clear as Day" on Oct. 4, with Alaina's "Wildflower" following on Oct. 11.

"We’ve been recording nonstop since the finale, so I'm really proud of it," McCreery said. Despite the album’s release and promotion, the show's youngest winner said he fully intends to complete school.

“It's my senior year,” he said. “I’m not going to miss those memories."

Check out their performances after the jump:

Haley Reinhart of 'American Idol' fame inks deal with Interscope

Haley Reinhart,the bluesy ingenue who placed third on the past season of "American Idol," has inked a record deal with Interscope Records and 19 Recordings, a source from the label confirmed to Pop & Hiss on Monday.

The 20-year-old singer, despite making it as far as she did, had a rocky road during her "Idol" run. The panel of judges praised her bold showings of songs from Adele, Alanis Morissette and Elton John but offered her the most criticism for her stage presence -- and she landed in the bottom three four times during the season.

“There are a lot of opinions and it can eat you up. A lot of them are contradictory, and that’s the part that gets me,” Reinhart once said about the constant criticism backstage. “You have to meet in the middle and do what you feel as well. It can be tough.”

Reinhart joins another fan favorite at Interscope, as Pia Toscano recently announced she'd been signed to the label headed by "Idol" mentor Jimmy Iovine. Winner Scotty McCreery and runner-up Lauren Alaina both landed deals with Mercury Nashville --  which, like Interscope, is a subsidiary of the Universal Music Group -- for their respective debut albums.

An official announcement from the label regarding Reinhart's deal is expected to be released shortly.

RELATED:

'American Idol' favorite Pia Toscano lands record deal with Interscope

Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina make post-'American Idol' chart debuts, ink deals with Mercury Nashville

Idol Notes: Pop & Hiss lends an ear to the tunes that play out on "American Idol"

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy

Twitter.com / gerrickkennedy

Photo: "American Idol" contestant Haley Reinhart performs at the Maverick Center during the debut of the American Idol nationwide tour in West Valley City, Utah, on  July 6. Credit: Steve Griffin / Associated Press

'American Idol' favorite Pia Toscano lands record deal with Interscope

In news that certainly comes as no surprise to anyone who watched this past season of “American Idol," fan favorite Pia Toscano has inked a record deal with Interscope Records, the label announced Wednesday.

Toscano, once perceived a potential front-runner, was eliminated from the competition early on to the dismay of fans and the judges. Jennifer Lopez, in fact, couldn’t contain her tears.

The singer will release her debut single, “This Time,” on Tuesday and will undoubtedly perform the track during the “Idol” summer tour, which launches in Salt Lake City tonight.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Interscope and 19 Recordings family,” Toscano said in a statement. “[Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman] Jimmy Iovine was an amazing mentor during my time on Idol and I’m looking forward to working with him.”

"This Time” was written and co-produced by Ester Dean, who has written for Britney Spears, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry and Chris Brown. It is the first track to be lifted from her debut album, due later this year. Producer Rodney Jerkins confirmed during an interview with Pop & Hiss that he has logged studio time with the singer.

Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina make post-'American Idol' chart debuts, ink deals with Mercury Nashville

Scotty McCreery might have taken the “American Idol” crown over early frontrunner Lauren Alaina, but both of the country teens have gotten their post-“Idol” careers off to a very good start.

“I Love You This Big,” McCreery’s coronation song that serves as his debut single, entered this week’s Billboard Hot 100 at No. 11.

The ballad faired equally well on iTunes, as it has remained in the top 10 throughout the week and has logged more than 173,000 downloads, according to information distributed by McCreery's new label, Mercury Nashville.

Alaina’s first single, “Like My Mother Does,” debuted at No. 20 on Billboard's chart and has sold more than 124,000 downloads.

Both are still a far cry from "Idol's" heydays of chart domination. Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, Fantasia and Carrie Underwood’s post-“Idol” debut singles all entered the charts at No. 1.

However, the two managed to trump Season 9 winner Lee DeWyze’s debut single, a cover of U2′s “Beautiful Day,” which entered the chart at No. 24.

'American Idol': Judas Priest, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Spiderman steal the finale, tout new projects

Yes an “Idol” was crowned, but Scotty McCreery wasn’t the only person walking away from the Nokia Theatre a winner Wednesday night.

The producers of the series should take a moment to pat their own backs after they pulled off the most star-studded finale in the show's history.

"Idol's" grand finale managed to be both an over-the-top spectacle and a great promotional vehicle for the roster of special guests who graced the stage -- McCreery's moment of glory took all of 10 minutes.

'American Idol': A country-strong final two contestants vow to stay the course, regardless of outcome

Scotty McCreery said the painstakingly obvious when he and Lauren Alaina sat in front of reporters for a hasty news conference before the two went head to head Tuesday night.

“Country music is hip … country fans are loyal, they’ve gotten us here,” he said.

Despite this season's major facelift involving new superstar judges Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and today’s hottest pop hitmakers working with Interscope’s Jimmy Iovine, McCreery and Alaina are without a doubt 100% country strong in a world where their peers are dancing along to sticky pop hooks.