For the past two years, Carrie Underwood has been the top attraction when it comes to American Idol alums, raking in the most cash of all the former contestants.
But for 2015, that changed. There’s a new top dawg when it comes to American Idol alums.
According to Forbes, season eight runner-up Adam Lambert is the highest-earning Idol star, raking in $10m over the course of the year.
How did he do it? Mostly with touring, apparently. Lambert plays huge shows as the new frontman for Queen. The classic band and Lambert joined forces in 2011, and they set off touring the world in 2014.
Don’t feel too bad for Carrie Underwood, however. She’s still number two with a cool $8m in 2015.
The rest of the top five American Idol alum earners are Daughtry (3), Phillip Phillips (4), Scotty McCreery (5), and Kelly Clarkson (5).
American Idol host Ryan Seacrest recently said he thinks Carrie Underwood is the biggest star to ever come out of the show.
“Kelly [Clarkson] too, but, you know, I was just on New Year’s with Carrie, and she’s just a superstar. She really is. So I take Carrie,” he said.
There’s not much more time to make a new American Idol star. The show it currently airing its final season.
