Contestants
American Idol is an American talent reality television series which first aired in 2002. As of May 2025, there have been twenty-two seasons. Each season, the final round of competition features ten to fourteen singers. There have been 178 contestants who were finalists.
The show's age requirements have varied from year-to-year. Of the finalists, 55 of them were under the age of 20, including three winners and five runners-up. First season-winner Kelly Clarkson holds the record for the highest-selling album sales worldwide, with more than 25 million copies, while fourth season-winner Carrie Underwood has the record for the highest-selling album sales in the United States, with more than 13 million copies sold.
As of 2025, seven finalists have died: Michael Johns (d. 2014), Rickey Smith (d. 2016), Leah LaBelle (d. 2018), Nikki McKibbin (d. 2020), Willie Spence (d. 2022), C. J. Harris (d. 2023), and Mandisa (d. 2024). [1] In addition, two semifinalists have also died: seventh season's Joanne Borgella (d. 2014) and third season's Marque Lynche (d. 2015, brother of Michael Lynche). [1]
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American Idol finalist Rickey Smith died in Oklahoma on May 6, 2016, in a wrong-way wreck caused by an allegedly drunk driver, KOCO reported at the time. He was 36.