Songs from Past American Idol Contestants

Love or loathe American Idol all you want. No matter what side of the fence you're on, it's impossible to deny one simple fact: the world's leading slugfest of potential pop stars has been going strong for longer than anyone expected. All thanks to a revolving door of note-nailing contestants who seem to get stronger by the season, whether we're talkin' the beaming melodies and guitar-guided hooks of Kelly Clarkson, the slow-burning R&B of Fantasia, or the down-home country of Carrie Underwood — a runaway post-Idol hit whose multi-platinum debut (Some Hearts) became the fastest-selling country album of all time. While that power trio of ladies won Seasons One, Three, and Four, our Next Steps reveal that even some of American Idol's biggest stars didn't survive the show's final cut.

Oh, to be this close to becoming the next Kelly Clarkson or, at the very least, Clay Aiken, the stage-commanding runner-up to Ruben Studdard in American Idol's nail-biter of a second season. (Since losing, Aiken's released a best-selling book, Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life, and become the show's best-selling male artist.) That's right: our Next Steps are full of fan favourites who somehow lost in the end, including the lightly fried Southern jams of Bo Bice, the horn-chased, girl-power blues of Melinda Doolittle, the breathless yacht rock of Scott Savol, and the heavenly harmonies of Katharine McPhee. Familiar faces like Daughtry and Fantasia still pop up in our Deep Cuts, but we've also rescued some long-lost names from the ghosts of seasons past.

There can be only one American Idol (per season, at least). Unless you're talking about one of the show's season-scanning chorus lines, like the string-laced patriot pop of "God Bless the U.S.A." or that perennial Motown favourite "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". Listening to either may result in a rousing round of "Name That Contestant", as will such almost-famous solo efforts as the R&B shuffle of "Gallery", the menacing pop-rock of "Cry Little Sister" the cowpoke country of "Nothin' to Lose," and the synth-sprayed "Out of Control", a post-disqualification effort from Corey Clark. (Trivia tip: the singer was booted for not disclosing his criminal record.)

Let's be honest here: American Idol is, quite simply, reality TV at its finest in terms of its sheer entertainment value (who doesn't secretly love Simon Cowell's mean-spirited one-liners?) and proven ability to turn your neighbour — the one who sings so loud in the shower you can hear him from across the yard — into an arena-ready pop star. Scan through the talent in any season, actually, and you'll find a slew of singers who used the show as a springboard to their lifelong dreams. Take Season Three, for instance: While its winner, the stunning R&B singer Fantasia Barrino, went on to garner GRAMMY® nominations and sell millions of albums (oh, and star in The Color Purple on Broadway), the surprisingly nixed Jennifer Hudson scored an Academy Award® for her supporting role in Dreamgirls less than two years after the show's airing. Listen enough and you, too, might find yourself practicing up for a run to Hollywood.