A Look At Past Idols
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Jeffrey Mayer, WireImage.com
Carrie Underwood
Not every winner's had as easy a time as Carrie Underwood. The first to emerge since Kelly Clarkson without having hit the bottom three in any episode, Carrie left 'Idol' and immediately became a success, first with her single Inside Your Heaven,' followed by her album 'Some Hearts' and the hit 'Jesus, Take the Wheel.'
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Dave M. Bennett, Getty Images
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson was the first and is the only one to fully move beyond the show and come into her own as both a pop and, suprisingly, rock star.
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Lester Cohen, WireImage.com
Katharine McPhee
Narrowly beaten by Taylor Hicks, Katharine McPhee didn't let the loss stop her. Her self-titled debut album sounds great.
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Kevin Winter, Getty Images
Bo Bice
After a higher age limit allowed Bo Bice to enter the competition, he showed that it wasn't just pop stars that America wanted. Though he placed second, Bo's success has topped any other second-place finisher, with his single 'The Real Thing' hitting the American Top 40.
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Taylor Hicks
'Do I Make You Proud?' So far, Taylor Hicks, but we're going to withhold judgment for now. His first single's gold and his album 'Taylor Hicks' debuted at number two.
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Stephen Lovekin, WireImage.com
Fantasia Barrino
We loved Fantasia Barrino from the beginning. She made something of her fame with her single 'I Believe' and album 'Free Yourself.'
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Ray Mickshaw, WireImage.com
Clay Aiken
Clay Aiken is still best-known for his form of soft pop. Now on his third regular album (which ended up being mostly covers) as well as a Christmas album, Clay's fans never let a CD drop without rushing the stores for it.
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Theo Wargo, WireImage.com
William Hung
William Hung's performance of 'She Bangs' quickly reached legendary status, propelling him to his own CD and multiple TV appearances besides 'Idol.'
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Chris Graythen, Getty Images
Ruben Studdard
From gospel to R&B to pop, Ruben Studdard covered the bases, and not just in music. His latest album 'The Return' marked a, um, return to R&B.
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