Carrie Underwood Is #1 of the 34 Most Successful ‘American Idol’ Contestants

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Season 20 of "American Idol" is in full swing, and superstar judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie are hard at work searching for the next big thing in music. The newest winner of the hit ABC series will be crowned on May 22, and they'll join a long list of successful alumni.

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Since its original debut on Fox in 2002, the singing competition series has churned out some of the biggest names in the music industry today -- including contestants who didn't win. Find out what these reality TV stars from the 2000s are doing now.

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34. Kimberley Locke

Net worth: $500,000

Kimberley Locke placed third on the second season of "Idol" and kept singing after the show ended. Locke has had two albums on the Billboard Hot 200 chart and three No. 1 singles on the Dance Club Songs chart. In addition to singing, Locke works as a life coach and vocal coach, and has her own artist consulting company.

In February 2020, Locke also debuted a one woman show in New York titled "The Sum of All Parts."

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33. Danny Gokey

Net worth: $600,000

Fans remember season eight's Danny Gokey for his heartbreaking backstory: The singer lost his wife just a month before his "Idol" audition. Gokey went on to place third on the show and has since had a successful musical career. The three-time Grammy nominee is currently represented by Capitol Christian Music Group. Gokey is currently on a U.S. tour.

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32. William Hung

Net worth: $600,000

William Hung didn't make it past the audition round of "American Idol," but his rendition of Ricky Martin's "She Bangs" on the third season led him to achieve viral success. Hung appeared on-screen a couple of times after the show, including a cameo on "Arrested Development." He currently works as a professional motivational speaker.

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31. Blake Lewis

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30. Crystal Bowersox

Net worth: $600,000

Folk-rock singer Crystal Bowersox was the runner-up on season nine of "American Idol." Since then, she has performed with musical greats such as Joe Cocker, Harry Connick Jr. and Alanis Morrissette. Bowersox released the album "Alive" in 2017 and currently is on tour throughout the U.S.

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29. Justin Guarini

Net worth: $700,000

Justin Guarini finished second to Kelly Clarkson during the first season of "American Idol." Despite his movie career bombing with "From Justin to Kelly," he went on to release two albums, worked as a host for TV Guide Network and starred in numerous Broadway productions, including "American Idiot," "Romeo and Juliet" and "Wicked." Guarini also appeared as "Lil' Sweet" in the memorable Diet Dr. Pepper TV commercials and wrote the best-selling book "Audition Secrets." The creator of the "Unbreakable Confidence Method" & CEO of "Profit Under Pressure LLC," recently starred in the Broadway-bound Britney Spears musical "Once Upon a One More Time."