Disclaimer: no, I haven't heard every single album put out by a former AI contestant, for clear reasons.*
American Idol flipped the script on the hegemonic music industry by allowing potential superstars to bypass the well-established (unethical, sexist, pay-for-play) gauntlet while simultaneously cultivating a huge fanbase; naturally, this means that many voices over its lifespan strained to make sure we all knew the contestants were nothing but hacks, that 'literally' none of them could hold a tune in a bucket, that the show had never produced a viable music industry artist. You, dear reader, being of sound mind and good judgement, are at least dimly aware that can't really be true.
But discussions of the way people lost their mind over Idol are for other blog posts. I simply state this in order to segue to a list of the albums put out post-Idol that give the lie to the rabid naysayers.
A basic Google search will show that there have been more successful Idol albums, and contestants, than the establishment would want you to remember. For example, Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, and Jennifer Hudson have all won Grammys (and all have won multiple save for Tasia) and the list of those who have been nominated is quite long. There are even more who have gone platinum - the industry standard of success, at least unless an Idol contestant achieves it - including the aforementioned plus Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, Jordin Sparks, David Cook, and Taylor Hicks. Hell, Daughtry's debut album sold 4 million copies. Carrie's Some Hearts sold 7 million. At this point, if you're naysaying, you're just a jerk.
Even so, you can factor in the rabidity of fan bases (especially when albums were forced out the same year to capitalize on a winner or contestant's popularity) or the naturally welcoming arms of genres like country. When it comes to overall quality - and not record sales or even runner-up status - which contestants can go to their grave saying that they put out music that they are damn proud of, no matter what? (IMO, of course) Herewith, that list.
Solidify, Amanda Overmyer (2008)
In season 7, Amanda was instantly recognizable for her wacky skunk-colored hair and supersized whisky soprano. She had charisma and a highly personalized style, but was eliminated in eleventh place because she seemed to be a one-trick pony (all hard-driving rock). With the release of her album Solidify, she made up for not being a perfect fit in the AI machine with the best release of any Idol alum I have heard.
You have to dig for information on the album, but to the best of my knowledge she wrote many of the songs before Idol. This is a pretty big deal because they are all stellar compositions, straight and true to the classic rock sound her voice was made for, and songs like 'Iroquois Lane' and 'Pray' would be classics of modern rock if they had any real exposure. The band is tight, the production is clean, there's a good mix of styles, and she handles the slower stuff impeccably. You couldn't ask for a better album from music execs with all the money in the world to throw around. The fact that music like this exists, against all odds, and is still just lost amongst the noise, is a tragedy in my eyes. Amanda has supposedly been working on a second album for quite a few years now - I know it takes time when you don't have the resources, but I'll wait patiently.
Thank You Camellia, Kris Allen (2012)
Kris won season 8 to the embitterment of thousands of nonsensical Adam Lambert fans. Most people won't remember the inflammatory conspiracy theories that swirled in the aftermath (hey, 'Aftermath' - excellent song from Lambert's debut) but it was the kind of cockamamie bullshit people spew when the only way to refute reality is to literally break from it. Through it all, Kris kept his cool and kept making music.
Thank You Camellia is his second major-label album and musically, he is in top form. He always had a little bit of soul/R&B in his style and TYC makes good use of it; the first six songs on the album are a flush of winners, a feat difficult for even the most seasoned singer/songwriters. As an added bonus, the bonus songs are full-bodied rather than filler, and the remix of 'The Vision of Love' is in my opinion a tip of the cap to his good friend Adam Lambert's sleek electronic pop - while also being a veritable primer in how to remix a song. Kris has so much talent; but again, TYC got lost in the noise.
Jordin Sparks, Jordin Sparks (2006)
The truth is that 19 Records, the official label of American Idol, had a tough time making quality albums for the first few seasons. It was, I'm sure, difficult to balance the singer's natural genre with the old standards fans had grown used to them singing. (This was in the days before they gained the rights to sing truly contemporary songs on the show) So albums like Ruben's and Clay's were middling efforts; other's like Kelly's and Fantasia's felt forced.
Carrie notwithstanding, Jordin's debut was the first that truly felt like 19 had gone all in and truly aimed for success. One after the other, the songs on her eponymous album are perfect pop and R&B confections, from the hemiolaic 'Now You're Telling Me' to the haunting 'Freeze' to the experiemental, Moroder-esque 'See My Side' to the mega-selling Chris Brown collab 'No Air.' Again, even her bonus tracks were fire. She also was something of a phenom among the Idol ranks for consistently putting out platinum-selling singles, even the cheesy 'Tattoo.' It proves that with the right material to go with that voice, magic can happen. She did not get lost in the noise.
Audio Day Dream, Blake Lewis (2006)
Unfortunately, Blake seemed to. He was the 'beat-boxing Idol' from season 6, runner-up to Jordin and the first to really break apart and experiment with his weekly songs (which paved the way for much of David Cook's season 7 success). He was also, a season before they allowed contestants to play instruments, one of the first to really convey an all-around musicality and personal sound. (Previously Taylor Hicks had done so in season 5, with his harmonica and three studio albums and years of touring the Southern circuit already behind him)
Blake's official debut is as true to him as Amanda Overmyer's is to her. Big, ambitious pop in the vein of Maroon 5 and Rob Thomas, with lots of heart and yes, a little beat-boxing tossed in. 'Gotz to Get Her,' with its spoof of 'Puttin' on the Ritz,' was an awesome single that should have gotten way more play; 'End of the World' showcases his penchant for a great melody and wearing his heart on his sleeve, as does 'Without You,' which saves its best hook for the end. Blakes just oozes talent and yes, even originality, and he hasn't let being in the shadow of other Idols stop him from putting out two more albums.
High Hopes and Heartbreak, Brooke White (2009)
Brooke was the sweetheart of season 7, and her good nature together with her husky alto and Carole King vibe helped her stand out in one of the top seasons talentwise of Idol's history. She may also be remembered for flubbing the beginning of her performance and actually starting over. On two separate occasions. Unheard of, and not something the judges really wanted to tolerate. But you got the feeling that that was just Brooke - she may have been sweet, but as a musician she was uncompromising.
Her first post-Idol album is so good that it makes me reconsider saying that Amanda's is the best. Yes, it is that good. Now, you may need to have a fondness for good ol' seventies folk to really get into its groove, but if you can do that, it's an album of endless listenability. Literally every song is wonderful, but standouts for me are 'Phoenix,' 'California Song,' 'When We Were One,' 'Smile,' and her cover of Kings Of Leon's 'Use Somebody,' which may have even slightly predated their huge success with the single. HH&H is the album you put on when you want to feel better, when you want to take your mind off of the present state of things; when you want the perfect soundtrack to a cruise along a California highway.
Bonus: she's one of the more prolific Idol contestants (just look her up on iTunes), and I want to mention Never Grow Up, the album she released in 2015 to support the non-profit group OUR, which rescues children trapped in sex slavery around the world. As it's meant to convey the need to protect the innocence of children, it's kind of lullaby-esque, but the music is again, top-notch. Beautiful, soothing, and a perfect partner to HH&H. If you like one, I know you will like the other. It closes with a lovely, quiet song by season 7 contestant Michael Johns, who passed away in 2014.
See the Light, Bo Bice (2007)
Though Carrie's runaway success post-Idol proved that she was the right winner, I sure didn't feel that way on coronation night. Bo had broken all the established Idol rules: he wasn't young, he wasn't pop, he slung the mike stand like an accessory, he sang Badlands' 'In a Dream' on Top 3 night completely a capella. And he was unabashedly, irrefutably Southern rock, so much so that on finale night he got to sing 'Sweet Home Alabama' with Lynyrd Skynyrd. But in the aftermath (seriously, great song by Lambert) and in those pre-Jordin Sparks days, RCA went mainstream to try and make the most money, and as was proven literally every time, they all made much less money as a result. The Real Thing went gold but was essentially a flop.
So Bo stormed back two years later with See the Light, full to the brim with the exact Southern rock music he always and only should have been making. Like most on this list, he had a big presence as a co-writer on his album, and Essential Bo just oozes through on songs like 'Witness,' 'I'm Gone,' 'See the Light' and even the more chill, hot-summer-night-drinking-beer songs like 'Sinner in a Sin' and 'Only Words.' It's a joy to listen to because it's always a joy when someone is in their element, and if he had been allowed to release this kind of material for his debut, his career would have had a much longer lifespan.
Play On, Carrie Underwood (2009)
I have all of Carrie's albums so I can definitively say this is her best, followed very closely by 2015's Storyteller. Carrie's early naysayers say that she's not 'real' country, and I can't speak to that as prior to her the extent of my country fandom was Dixie Chicks. I do feel that Play On is more intimate and creative than the bombastic Carnival Ride (2007), utilizing a wider range of dynamics and themes, letting certain songs take center stage beyond her pretty much perfect voice. Highlights are 'Quitter,' 'Songs Like This,' 'Some Day When I Stop Loving You,' 'Look at Me,' and 'What Can I Say.' (I've flash-reviewed Storyteller elsewhere)
Runners-Up (pun intended): Daughtry, Chris Daughtry (2006); Just Like You, Allison Iraheta (2009)
*ain't nobody got time for that
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