Top 10 Successful Musicians That Lost Their Competition Show
#10: Jackie Evancho
Top 10 Kelso & Jackie Moments on That '70s Show
10-year-old Jackie Evancho made quite the splash on “America’s Got Talent.” Most of the attention began when she sang the aria “O mio babbino caro” in the quarter finals. Her performance was lauded, but critics doubted its authenticity and began accusations of lip-synching. To dispel the rumors, Jackie gave a brilliant impromptu performance on the next evening’s live show. Despite the acclaim, Jackie lost the competition, controversially placing second to Michael Grimm. Following the loss, Jackie released her platinum-selling Christmas EP, O Holy Night, and became the youngest solo artist in history to go platinum. All of her subsequent studio albums have reached #1 on the US classical chart.
#9: Jennifer Hudson
Top 10 Funniest Jennifer Aniston Bloopers on Friends
Despite her loss, Jennifer Hudson is remembered as one of the greatest “American Idol” contestants of all time. Hindsight is 20/20. Hudson struggled throughout the third season and was twice put in the bottom two before placing a disappointing seventh. Luckily, fate came calling, and Hudson was cast as Effie White in the film adaptation of “Dreamgirls.” The role garnered her immense amounts of praise, and she won the SAG, BAFTA, Golden Globe, AND Academy Award for her performance. She has also won two Grammys – Best R&B Album for her self-titled debut, and Best Musical Theater Album for her work in the Broadway revival of “The Color Purple.” So, yeah, we think she’s doing alright for herself.
#8: Susan Boyle
A single performance can change someone’s life forever. Susan Boyle rose to fame with her performance of “I Dreamed a Dream” on “Britain’s Got Talent,” which quickly became a viral sensation on YouTube. But despite being the clear favorite to win, Boyle placed second behind the dance troupe Diversity. However, Susan quickly capitalized on her fame and released her debut album I Dreamed a Dream, which became the fastest-selling debut album in UK history. She has since sold over 19 million albums and has been nominated for two Grammy Awards for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. A compilation album entitled Ten was released in May 2019.
#7: Miranda Lambert
Top 10 Reasons Miranda Hobbes Was the BEST
From 2003 to 2007, the USA Network aired a show called “Nashville Star.” It was basically “American Idol,” only exclusively for country music. 19-year-old Miranda Lambert appeared on the show’s first season, placing third behind artists John Arthur Martinez and Buddy Jewell. While Miranda didn’t win, her performances garnered the attention of Sony executive Tracy Gershon, and she signed with Sony’s Epic Records. Her debut album, Kerosene, was released on Epic Nashville and was eventually certified platinum. It was but a taste of things to come, as her five subsequent solo albums have followed suit. And when you add in her work with Pistol Annies, you can see that Miranda Lambert is one of the hottest names in country music.
#6: Aaliyah
Aaliyah is an indisputable R&B legend. Her three studio albums have all been certified double platinum, five of her singles have reached the Billboard top ten, and her single “Try Again” became the first song in history to reach number one based entirely on radio airplay. Seriously, you couldn’t go five seconds without hearing that tune.And it all began with “Star Search.” “Star Search” was a popular competition show that aired throughout the 80s and early 90s, and it generated a surprising number of popular musicians. Aaliyah appeared on the show in 1989 when she was just ten years old but lost to Katrina Abrams. However, she signed to Blackground Records a mere two years later, and the rest is history.
#5: One Direction
Top 10 Competition Show Scandals That Got Contestants Kicked Off
Despite absolute dominance in the late 90s and early 2000s, boy bands really fell out of favor sometime around 2003, and few have attained worldwide success since. One Direction is one of those rare exceptions. It all started in 2010, when each individual member auditioned for “The X Factor.” Despite failing to progress, Simon Cowell and/or Nicole Scherzinger came up with the idea of putting them together to form a boy band, and One Direction was officially formed during bootcamp. And while they quickly gained in popularity, especially with the female tween demographic, they placed third behind Rebecca Ferguson and Matt Cardle. Didn’t stop them from selling 50 million albums, though.
#4: Britney Spears
Britney Spears was destined to become a star. She began dance lessons at the age of three, made her stage debut at five, and in no time at all was winning local talent shows and state competitions. In 1992, when Britney was just 11 years old, she appeared on “Star Search” and made it to round two where she faced Marty Thomas. Despite a strong performance, Britney was beaten by Marty and eliminated from the competition. Seven years later she released the iconic…Baby One More Time, which has since sold over 25 million copies. The album and accompanying single made Britney a bonafide sensation, and she became the best-selling female artist of the 2000s.
#3: Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera is one of the most acclaimed artists of all time. Throughout her career, she has garnered five Grammy Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, nine top ten singles, and placements on various “greatest singers of all time” lists. And on top of all that, she has sold over 75 million records, making her one of the most successful solo artists in history. Before Christina became one of the biggest names in music, she was eliminated in the semi-finals of “Star Search.”A few years later she sent a cover of Whitney Houston’s “Run to You” to Disney executives, who decided to give her “Reflection” from “Mulan.”We had no idea just how big she would become.
#2: Justin Timberlake
It wasn’t all women on “Star Search.” In fact, many notable male artists, including Usher and Justin Timberlake, had their start on the show as well. Justin was raised in a family of musicians, and his grandfather introduced him to country music. When he was 11, a cowboy-ified Justin appeared on “Star Search” and performed various country songs as Justin Randall. However, he lost to a girl named Anna Nardona, who swiftly escaped the limelight and was never heard from again. Meanwhile, Justin met bandmate JC Chasez and started a boy band overseen by manager Lou Pearlman. It was known as NSYNC. You may have heard of them. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Carly Rae Jepsen Adam Lambert Chris Daughtry Alanis Morissette Katharine McPhee
#1: Beyoncé
If you need some motivation, then hear this – even Beyoncé freaking Knowles lost a music competition show. That’s like hearing Shakespeare lost a poetry contest! Beyoncé showed an interest in music at a very early age, winning school talent shows and enrolling at a music magnet school in Houston. When Beyoncé was 8, she, Kelly Rowland, and LaTavia Roberson were put into a girl’s group called Girl’s Tyme, and the group later competed on “Star Search.” However, they did not win, and Beyoncé admitted that their performance was not acceptable. Sensing his daughter’s potential, Mathew Knowles quit his job as a sales manager and began managing the group, eventually landing them at Columbia Records. Girl’s Tyme became Destiny’s Child, and Beyoncé became a national treasure.
