When a little amateur singing competition called "American Idol" hit the airwaves six years ago, few could have imagined the monster hit it would become -- let alone that it would spawn chart-topping superstars, Grammy winners and even an Oscar winner. Fan favorite Michael Johns may have been eliminated, but don't shed too many tears for the talented guy. You don't have to be an "Idol" winner to have a winning post-Idol career in music. And if he's smart, he'll take his newfound fame and run with it... just like these former "Idol" contestants did. Click through this slideshow to see some of "Idol's" greatest success stories.Tuesday, April, 15, 2008, 1:15 AM

When Carrie Underwood, the Oklahoman former pageant queen, competed on "American Idol" in Season 4, Simon Cowell predicted that she would not only win, but that she would become the most successful "Idol" ever. Since then, Simon has taken great pleasure in gloating over the fact that he was RIGHT. Carrie's septuple-platinum first release, "Some Hearts," yielded six #1 country singles and became the fastest-selling album debut in country history (and the best-selling "Idol" album in the States). Her sophomore effort, "Carnival Ride," seems set to repeat this success, already selling 2 million copies and spawning two #1 country hits. In addition, Carrie has won too many Grammy, ACM, CMA, CMT, People's Choice, Billboard, and Gospel Music Association awards to list here (although her Best New Artist Grammy probably has an especially prominent spot on her mantle). Criticize Simon Cowell all you want, but there's no denying that in Carrie's case, he knew what he was bloody talking about.Joe Kohen/WireImage.com - Tuesday, April, 15, 2008, 1:15 AM

Chris Daughtry was a clear frontrunner from his very first audition in Season 5. Finally, it looked like a rocker was set to win "American Idol." His scandalous fourth-place elimination was one of the show's all-time greatest upsets, but now it's obvious that losing to Taylor Hicks was the best thing that could have happened to him. With the sympathy and support of the shocked "Idol" audience behind him, Chris turned down an offer to be Fuel's new lead singer, instead quickly snagging a record deal with "Idol"-affiliated label RCA and assembling his own rock band, Daughtry. Daughtry's self-titled debut album became the fastest-selling debut rock album in SoundScan history (1 million copies in just five weeks) and one of the top sellers of 2007. Ironically, some of the album's success can be attributed to the fact that its single "Home" was the exit song on "American Idol" Season 6 -- playing as other runners-up left the show hoping to follow in Daughtry's successful post-elimination footsteps.Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com - Tuesday, April, 15, 2008, 1:15 AM

Clay Aiken is the reason why so many "American Idol" also-rans dream of the "wild card" policy being reinstated. The skinny pencil-necked kid with the unexpectedly mature voice was eliminated early on in Season 2, but he was invited back to the show as a wild card contestant. After that, he never landed in the bottom three, becoming a massive fan favorite and making it all the way to the finale. He eventually lost to Ruben Studdard, but given all the attention he received after "Idol" (he made the cover of "Rolling Stone" before Ruben did, for instance), he was clearly Season 2's REAL winner. Still the top-selling "Idol" runner-up of all time with 5 million albums sold, and now a hit on Broadway in "Spamalot," Clay is readying his first album of all-original material in five years, "On My Way Here." And with a title track penned by Midas-touched hit-maker Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic, Clay's new CD is sure to carry on his "wild" success.Bobby Bank/WireImage.com - Tuesday, April, 15, 2008, 1:15 AM

Elliot Yamin had a good strong run on "American Idol" Season 5, even beating out supposed frontrunner Chris Daughtry in one of the tightest "Idol" races ever. After his respectable third-place finish, he signed to an indie label, Hickory Records, which might have made some doubters assume he would fade into obscurity like some other inadequately promoted also-rans. But on the contrary, his self-titled first album debuted at #3 on "Billboard's" top 200 and sold 90,000 copies in its first week, making it the highest debut for an independent artist in SoundScan history. The album soon went gold, and was the third-best-selling independent album of 2007. Sadly, Elliott's mother passed away recently, but it's a wonderful thing that she lived to witness her son's amazing post-"Idol" success.Lester Cohen/WireImage.com - Tuesday, April, 15, 2008, 1:15 AM

Jennifer Hudson has yet to release a solo album, but since she's the only "American Idol" to hold the honor of winning an Academy Award, some might say she's the most successful Idol EVER. After her disappointing sixth-place showing during season 3, Jennifer auditioned for the role of Effie White in the movie adaptation of "Dreamgirls," winning the part over hundreds of professional singers and actresses, including her former "Idol" rival Fantasia Barrino. Even more noteworthy, Jennifer managed to completely upstage her A-list co-stars (Beyonce Knowles, Eddie Murphy, and Jamie Foxx). She subsequently won a Golden Globe, a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Oscar for the role. Now she has upcoming parts in "Winged Creatures" (with Forest Whitaker, Guy Pearce, Kate Beckinsale, and Dakota Fanning), "The Secret Life Of Bees" (with Queen Latifah and Alicia Keys), and "Sex And The City." Musically she's guested on albums by Meat Loaf and Ne-Yo, and she finally has her own album coming out this year.Michael Caulfield/WireImage.com - Tuesday, April, 15, 2008, 1:15 AM

Kelly Clarkson is the "O.I." (Original "Idol"), and it's quite possible no subsequent "Idol" will ever compare. This first-season champ has sold 19 million albums worldwide (including 12 million copies of her sophomore effort, "Breakaway"), won two Grammys (even beating out Paul McCartney!), scored three #1 pop singles, and is the most successful "American Idol," in the international marketplace. Until recently, it seemed like nothing could derail Kelly's post-"American Idol" career, not even her straight-to-video flop film "From Justin To Kelly"... until she battled BMG honcho Clive Davis for artistic control of her third album, the largely self-penned "My December." Amid the flak she received for that controversial business decision (which coincided with the firing of her manager and cancellation of her tour), "My December" unfortunately sold poorly compared to her previous monster-hit albums. However, the critical praise it received proved that Kelly -- still the second most successful "Idol" ever -- is a true artist. She's here to stay and surely has much success ahead of her.Mark Venema/WireImage.com - Tuesday, April, 15, 2008, 1:15 AM

Kellie Pickler, the country cutie, didn't exactly win over the "American Idol," judges or the audience with her brains. Her most memorable moments on the show were the times she struggled with the pronunciation and/or meaning of certain words, including "salmon," "minx," and "ballsy" -- the latter of which she apparently thought was a noun, not an adjective. She also made headlines during the show the due to her family troubles (her father was incarcerated) and after the show (her suspiciously inflated chest and un-Mensa-like performance on the rhetorically titled "Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?"). But Kellie should get some credit for all of the musical success she's enjoyed. The fifth-best-selling "Idol" 'loser' of all time, she's not only outsold her former competitors Elliott Yamin and Katharine McPhee, but became the biggest new country artist of 2006 with her country-chart-topping debut, "Small Town Girl." Kellie recently won three awards at the live 2008 CMT Music Awards ceremony, taking home a trophy in every category she received a nomination in. And that's no dumb luck.Tony R. Phipps/WireImage.com USA Tennessee Nashville - Tuesday, April, 15, 2008, 1:15 AM

Josh Gracin, Season 2's country boy, returned to service as a Marine after coming in fourth on "American Idol," but once he was honorably discharged, it was time for him to go on active duty as a full-fledged country star. The self-titled debut album by the supposed "loser" soon went gold and yielded three top 5 country singles, including the ironically-but- fittingly titled #1 hit "Nothing To Lose." The title of his just-released second album, "We Weren't Crazy," just might be a nod to all those people who voted for him enough times and bought enough of his records to make him the fourth-most-successful "Idol" runner-up of all time.Paul Warner/WireImage.com - Tuesday, April, 15, 2008, 1:15 AM

While it's true that Ruben Studdard was recently dropped by BMG, the Velvet Teddy Bear really does not get the credit he deserves. This second-season champ is still a success story: He's the fifth-best selling Idol ever, with 2.4 million albums sold. His first album, "Soulful," debuted at #1 and sold 400,000 copies in its first week of release alone (still the highest first-week sales of any "Idol" winner). His gospel album, "I Need An Angel," entered the "Billboard" gospel charts at #1, became the best-selling gospel release of 2005, eventually went gold, and is one of the top-selling gospel albums of all time. Despite critical acclaim, Ruben's third album, "The Return," was not as big of a seller and led to his exit from BMG -- but he remains with 19 Management and is the voice behind this season's all-important "American Idol," exit song, "Celebrate Me Home."Lester Cohen/WireImage.com - Tuesday, April, 15, 2008, 1:15 AM

In Season 2, Kimberley Locke went from bespectacled underdog to glamorous diva, yet still lost out to the dynamic duo of Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken. However, this "Idol" has been far from idle. Besides co-running a restaurant, serving as spokeswoman for Jenny Craig, doing plus-size modeling, guest-hosting on "The View," dating her former "Celebrity Fit Club" trainer Harvey Walden, and doing various charity work, she's continued her successful music career, racking up two #1 Adult Contemporary hits and a #1 Dance chart album, and recently made a stellar return to the "American Idol," stage this season in a gown designed by "Project Runway's" Christian Siriano.FOX/Frank Micelotta/Getty Images - Tuesday, April, 15, 2008, 1:15 AM

Michael Johns may have stalled at 8th place this season, but the post-elimination success of Season 5's 8th-placer, Bucky Covington, ought to provide him with some solace. The North Carolina country-rocker with the ragged voice and smooth flaxen tresses followed up his "American Idol," exit with a self-titled debut album that made to #1 on the "Billboard" country charts and charted two singles, making it the best new country artist debut of 2007. It was also the best opening week for a debut album by a country male on the chart since Billy Ray Cyrus' "Some Gave All" in 1992. So anyone who had an achy-breaky heart over Bucky's elimination clearly got their sweet revenge.Larry Marano/Getty Images - Tuesday, April, 15, 2008, 1:15 AM

Lyndsey Parker is admittedly obsessed with reality TV, and with "American Idol" in particular. She's Yahoo! Music's official blogger for this undeniable pop-cultural phenom. To make sure you have the most up-to-the-minute dish search REALITY ROCKS to read Lyndsey's blog.Friday, April, 4, 2008, 12:4 AM