We take a look at nation artists who tried out for American Idol early of their careers.
Carrie Underwood
Randee St. Nicholas
This week, American Idol introduced that season 4 winner ? and now eight-time Grammy winner and three-time Academy of Country Music entertainer of the yr winner ? Carrie Underwood will probably be returning to the televised music competitors as a choose for season eight on ABC and Hulu, the place she is going to be part of fellow nation artist Luke Bryan and pop luminary Lionel Richie on the judges panel. Underwood marks the primary American Idol alum to ever be part of Idol?s judging panel, and is aware of effectively the journey that American Idol contestants are embarking on.
There have been many nation artists who made a strive for Idol fame early of their careers, together with Bucky Covington, Casey James, Kristy Lee Cook, Trent Harmon and others resembling Danny Gokey and Bo Bice, who took the nation route earlier than making strides in different musical codecs.
Idol has had a consequential, career-boosting influence on quite a few artists because the present premiered in 2002 ? main many aspiring nation singers to earn their first file offers, first radio hits ? and for some, their first huge increase into a permanent international highlight, whereas additionally providing publicity earlier than a big viewers for established nation artists who’ve carried out with contestants on the present. Earlier this yr, when the present wrapped its most up-to-date season, that season finale episode drew in 5.64 million viewers. Still different artists skilled early rejection on Idol, however have been undeterred and went on to turn out to be headlining, award-winning hitmakers.
Here, we take a look at 10 nation artists whose careers have included pursuits on Idol as they cast their distinctive paths in chasing nation music prominence.
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Kellie Pickler
Kellie Pickler auditioned for American Idol in 2005, performing Martina McBride?s ?A Broken Wing? and a track from one other Idol alum, Kelly Clarkson?s ?Since U Been Gone.? Pickler completed in sixth place on American Idol?s fifth season, and has gone on to launch 4 albums, and earn a 10 Country Airplay chart hit with ?Best Days of Your Life.?
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Josh Gracin
Gracin was serving within the US Marine Corps when he competed on American Idol and landed a fourth place end in the course of the present?s second season. He went on to earn three high 10 Country Airplay hits, along with his track ?Nothin? to Lose? reaching the chart?s pinnacle in 2005. His self-titled 2004 album hit No. 2 on the Top Country Albums chart and No. 11 on the Billboard 200.
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Mickey Guyton
Mickey Guyton competed on season 7 of American Idol, although her audition wasn?t televised. Guyton was minimize from the competitors earlier than reaching the highest 24 that season. Guyton has gone on to turn out to be a Grammy-nominated artist thanks to songs together with ?Remember Her Name? and ?Black Like Me,? and carried out the nationwide anthem throughout Super Bowl LVI in 2022.
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Chayce Beckham
Beckham was topped the winner of American Idol in 2021, and adopted by making his Billboard Hot 100 chart debut earlier this yr along with his track ?23.? In March, Beckham?s self-written observe grew to become his first Country Airplay chart No. 1. He?s adopted that hit with the track ?Everything I Need.?
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Lainey Wilson
Louisiana native Lainey Wilson is one other artist who was rejected from American Idol early on in her profession. Wilson tried out for Idol seven occasions, however didn?t make it to the American Idol stage till she carried out in the course of the season finale in May 2023 ? although by that point, Wilson had turn out to be certainly one of nation music?s highest-rising success tales.
?I finally made it on American idol,? she stated after the efficiency. ?I tried out seven times. I took the long way around but I finally made it on American Idol. I never made it through. I never made it past the first round.?
Just months after that efficiency, she was named the entertainer of the yr by the Country Music Association in November 2023, and earlier this yr earned the identical accolade from the Academy of Country Music, in addition to being a Billboard cowl star in 2024. She has additionally received a Grammy for finest nation album (for Bell Bottom Country).
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Gabby Barrett
After ending third on American Idol in 2018, Barrett earned a smash hit two years later when ?I Hope? reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart. Her followup single, ?The Good Ones,? spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart, whereas ?Pick Me Up? reached No. 6. Her debut album Goldmine reached No. 4 on the Top Country Albums chart, whereas her 2024 followup album Chapter & Verse reached No. 39.
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Kane Brown
Kane Brown is a multi-platinum, award-winning singer-songwriter who grew to become the primary artist ever to lead all 5 of Billboard?s predominant nation charts concurrently. He?s earned 11 No. 1 Country Airplay hits and is at the moment on his headlining In The Air Tour. But early in his profession, he noticed the success his classmate Alaina had whereas competing on American Idol and determined to give it a strive. Idol rejected him nevertheless, with Brown beforehand telling Billboard that he was advised by Idol that ?they didn?t need another Scotty McCreery.? He additionally tried out for an additional televised music competitors, The X Factor, however advised Billboard, ?they tried to put me in a boy band, so I quit. I went home and did my own American Idol with covers online.? Suffice it to say, Brown has accomplished simply wonderful.
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Lauren Alaina
Lauren Alaina competed on the identical season as Scotty McCreery, ending because the runner-up. Since then, she?s earned a number of No. 1 Country Airplay hits, together with the 7x platinum track ?What Ifs? with Brown, in addition to solo hits together with the RIAA platinum-certified ?Road Less Traveled? and 2x platinum-certified ?One Beer? with HARDY and Devin Dawson. She was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2022. That identical yr, Alaina aligned with a brand new label dwelling, Big Loud Records, and issued the six-song EP, Unlocked, in 2023.
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Scotty McCreery
At age 16, Scotty McCreery auditioned on the 10th season of American Idol, because the season progressed, McCreery ended up going through off towards fellow nation performer Lauren Alaina within the last spherical. McCreery was topped the season?s winner, celebrating by performing his first single ?I Love You This Big.? His inaugural album Clear as Day debuted atop the all-genre Billboard 200 charts.
Since his Idol days, McCreery has turn out to be one of many foremost conventional nation vocalists of his technology, incomes 5 No. 1 Billboard Country Airplay charts. McCreery launched his newest studio album Rise & Fall in May, and earlier this yr, he was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
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Carrie Underwood
Since profitable American Idol?s fourth season in 2005, Underwood has become one of country music?s high entertainers and strongest voices, with a profession that features not solely 16 No. 1 Country Airplay hits, however spans work in movie, tv, theater, books and extra. She has offered out area reveals throughout North America and within the U.Ok. Each of her 10 albums has debuted within the high 10 on the all-genre Billboard 200. She?s earned eight Grammy trophies, 16 Academy of Country Music Awards (together with three entertainer of the yr ACM wins) and 7 CMA Awards. She was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2008. In 2021, she was the primary artist to carry out on the Resorts World Theatre, and her Reflection: The Las Vegas Residency has simply been prolonged into 2025.
Underwood created the health and way of life model CALIA by Carrie Underwood, and printed the ebook Find Your Path. She additionally launched the health app fit52 and expanded her way of life model with an fairness partnership with BODYARMOR Sports Drink. Additionally, she?s launched the SiriusXM channels Carrie?s Country, CARR-Dio by Carrie?s Country, and Savior Sunday Daily by Carrie?s Country.
