American Idol Season 1 Contestants

The first season of American Idol premiered on June 11, 2002 (under the full title American Idol: The Search For A Superstar) and continued until September 4, 2002. It was won by Kelly Clarkson. This season was co-hosted by Ryan Seacrest and Brian Dunkleman, who left the show after one season.

More About Season 1
The first season of American Idol debuted without hype as a summer replacement show (with the full title American Idol: The Search For A Superstar) in June 2002 on the Fox Broadcasting Company after being rejected by numerous other networks. The show's co-hosts were Ryan Seacrest and Brian Dunkleman. Through word of mouth generated by the appeal of its contestants and the presence of acid-tongued British judge Simon Cowell, the show grew into a phenomenon. An estimated fifty million people watched the Season 1 finale in September 2002. Following such a success, the second season was moved to air the upcoming January. The number of episodes increased, as did the show's budget and the charge for commercial spots.

Winner Kelly Clarkson signed with RCA Records, the label in partnership with American Idol's 19 Management. Immediately post-finale, Clarkson released two singles, most notably the coronation song "A Moment Like This" which climbed to number 52, but marked the biggest jump in Billboard Hot 100 history when it shot to number one, breaking a record set by The Beatles. As part of the promotion planned for the show's first winner, the song had been pre-recorded ready to air on radio stations the day after the finale. Appearances on numerous entertainment/news shows followed, as did videos for the singles that began airing on MTV's TRL. Clarkson has subsequently had three successful albums: Thankful, Breakaway, and "My December", and several hit singles mostly from her more successful second album Breakaway. While her first album failed to sell outside of North America, her second was a global success and garnered two Grammy Awards in 2006, the third album is right now on track, selling more than 1 million copies worldwide in two months, and has been certified Platinum in Canada.

The show inspired a 2003 musical film, From Justin to Kelly, featuring Kelly Clarkson and runner-up Justin Guarini. The musical love story, produced by American Idol's Simon Fuller, was filmed in Miami, Florida over a period of six weeks shortly after the season ended. Released several months later in June 2003, the film failed to make back its budget during its short run in theatres and is often ranked among the worst movies ever made. A DVD with additional footage was released and the movie airs periodically in the U.S. and other countries.

Besides Clarkson and Guarini, also signed were Nikki McKibbin (3rd), Tamyra Gray (4th), RJ Helton (5th), and Christina Christian (6th). It is the only year the runner-up did not release a single following the show's finale.

Runner-up Justin Guarini also signed with RCA Records. Contract restrictions required him to reject outside offers received and delay solo projects following the season finale, eventually debuting an album in 2003 after the conclusion of Season 2. RCA dropped him shortly after its debut. Guarini formed his own entertainment company and independently released a second album in 2005, with a third album and an independent movie scheduled for release in 2006. Nikki McKibbin signed with RCA, but quit because she refused to record a country album. She has since made appearances on various Reality TV shows and is working on her debut album. Tamyra Gray was signed to RCA but was dropped when she demanded to write the album. She then signed with Idol creator Simon Fuller's new label 19 Entertainment. Gray's self-written debut album was released in 2004. In 2005, she was dropped by the label. She had a supporting role in the 2005 movie The Gospel. RJ Helton released a Christian album, but sales were lackluster. Ryan Starr had trouble getting out of her contract with RCA Records but managed to independently release a single, My Religion, which sold 360,000 downloads via iTunes. She is expected to release her debut album in 2007. Jim Verraros, who came out of the closet after being voted in American Idol, starred in an indie film and released a dance-pop album, charting a dance hit on Billboard. Christina Christian, EJay Day (tenth), and AJ Gil (eighth) have had little success after the show.

Starting September 30, 2006, the first season of American Idol is being repackaged as "American Idol Rewind" and syndicated on select T.V.D. stations in the US.

Auditions
Auditions were held in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, and Seattle in the spring of 2002.

Semifinal Group 1
Tamyra Gray - And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going (by Jennifer Holliday)
Jim Verraros - When I Fall In Love (by Nat King Cole)
Adriel Herrera - I'll Be (by Edwin McCain)
Rodesia Eaves - Daydream Believer (by The Monkees)
Natalie Burge - Crazy (by Patsy Cline)
Brad Estrin - Just Once (by James Ingram)
Ryan Starr - Frim Fram Sauce (by Nat King Cole)
Justinn Waddell - When A Man Loves A Woman (by Percy Sledge)
Kelli Glover - I Will Always Love You (by Whitney Houston)
Christopher Aaron - Still In Love (by Brian McKnight)
Advancing to the Top 10: Tamyra, Ryan, Jim

Semifinal Group 2
Alexis Lopez - I Will Survive (by Gloria Gaynor)
Gil Sinuet - Ribbon in the Sky (by Stevie Wonder)
Angela J. Peel - Run to You (by Whitney Houston)
A. J. Gil - All Or Nothing (by O-Town)
Tenia Taylor - Greatest Love of All (by Whitney Houston)
Alexandra Bachelier - Save the Best for Last (by Vanessa Williams)
Jazmin Lowery - You Put a Move On My Heart (by Tamia Washington)
Jamar - Careless Whisper (by Wham!)
Kelly Clarkson - Respect (by Aretha Franklin)
Justin Guarini - Ribbon in the Sky (by Stevie Wonder)
Advancing to the Top 10: Justin, Kelly, A.J.

Semifinal Group 3
R.J. Helton - I'll Be There (by The Jackson 5)
Kristin Holt - Fallin' (by Alicia Keys)
Mark Scott - My Girl (by The Temptations)
Nikki McKibbin - Total Eclipse of the Heart (by Bonnie Tyler)
Christopher Badano - I Swear (by All-4-One)
Melanie Sanders - And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going (by Jennifer Holliday)
EJay Day - I'll Be (by Edwin McCain)
Tanesha Ross - Until You Come Back to Me (by Aretha Franklin)
Khaleef Chiles - My Cherie Amour (by Stevie Wonder)
Christina Christian - At Last (by Etta James)
Advancing to the Top 10: Christina, Nikki, EJay

Wild Card
Kelli Glover - How Am I Supposed to Live Without You (by Laura Branigan)
Chris Aaron - On Bended Knee (by Boyz II Men)
Alexis Lopez - Saving All My Love for You (by Whitney Houston)
R.J. Helton - Lately (by Stevie Wonder)
Angela J. Peel - As We Lay (by Shirley Murdock)
Advancing to the Top 10: R.J.