 |
| Carrie Underwood |
Though many former "Idol" stars are cashing in on their fame, their fortunes are just a small part of the program's economy. "American Idol" has been the top show in America for eight years in a row, and the winners' vote totals often rival those of presidential candidates. Some industry observers have estimated that "Idol" generates $1 billion in total revenue per year. It's interesting to note that "Idol" gets a big piece of recent alumni's album sales and the nationwide concert tour that the top contestants embark upon every year after the finale.
Carrie Underwood leads the Forbes list of the "American Idol" top earners with $20 million over the past year. The country star cashed in on a tour that included over 80 dates in 12 months and banked as much as the rest of the top five on our list combined.
Adam Lambert and Chris Daughtry share the second spot on the list, each raking in $6 million. Lambert, the runner-up on the seventh season, performed 116 shows around the world in 12 months. Daughtry played 53 dates in support of his album "Leave This Town." The top 10 moneymaking "Idol" alumni combined to earn $50 million over the past year alone.
Others rounding out the list include season 3 winner Fantasia Barrino with $4 million; one of the show’s youngest winners, Jordin Sparks, with $3 million; and Kelly Clarkson with $2.5 million.
When it comes to earnings, winning isn't everything. Of the top three moneymakers on our list, Underwood is the sole contest winner; only five of the top 10 earners are actual "Idol" champs. One of the show's most successful alumni is Jennifer Hudson, who finished seventh in Season 3 but banked $2 million on the strength of new album "I Remember Me" and a gig as a spokeswoman for Weight Watchers.
The real top-earning "Idol" name? Ryan Seacrest, who rode his hosting gig, endorsements and deals with ClearChannel and Comcast to a $61 million payday this year. That's more than the earnings of the top 10 combined.
No comments:
Post a Comment