Forbes magazine has released a list of the highest paid “American Idol” alumni over the past year and country superstar Carrie Underwood is at the top. Carrie’s $20 million income is almost four times the amount of the contestants who are in second place on this list, and ten times more than fellow country girl Kellie Pickler.
“[American Idol is] a money-making machine,” Adam Kluger, the president of brand partnership company the Kluger Agency told Forbes (via UsWeekly). “It’s like having the Super Bowl every week.”
The complete list is as follows:
1. Carrie Underwood: $20 million
2. Chris Daughtry: $6 million, Adam Lambert: $6 million
3. Fantasia Barrino: $4 million
4. Jordin Sparks: $3 million
5. Kelly Clarkson: $2.5 million
6. Jennifer Hudson: $2 million
7. Kellie Pickler: $1.8 million
8. Clay Aiken: $1.5 million
9. Katharine McPhee: $1 million, David Archuleta: $1 million, David Cook: $1 million
Other country artists to get their start on “American Idol” include Bucky Covington, Josh Gracin, Casey James, Crystal Bowersox, and of course the latest “Idol” stars, Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina.
