A combined 273 artists have won the television series Idols, a reality singing competition adapted in forty-six regions. The series, originally created by British television executive Simon Fuller as Pop Idol, aims to find the most outstanding independent solo singer. Through mass auditions, a group of semi-finalists is selected by a panel of judges based on their performances. The finalists are then selected amongst a group of semi-finalists by the television audiences and the judges (through wildcard rounds), with the finalist receiving the most votes by the television audiences in their weekly performance being declared the winner.
Each winner is given a recording contract, a monetary prize, and a title as that nation's Idol, SuperStar or Star. The first winner of the format was Will Young of the United Kingdom in 2002. Two winners of the series were also able to win for another regional title: Kurt Nilsen of Norway also won World Idol in 2003, and Hady Mirza of Singapore also won Asian Idol in 2007. In addition, Jason Hartman and Sasha-Lee Davids of South Africa were the only two finalists to be declared as co-winners of the format.
Winning the Idols series provides a unique opportunity for the winning artist(s) to launch or further their music careers, due to the surrounding publicity and the recording contract offerings. However, only a few of them have managed to further their international careers. The most notable winner of the series was Kelly Clarkson of the United States, who has sold over 70 million records worldwide.[1] Other notable winning artists who also have managed to chart internationally include Agnes Carlsson of Sweden, Alexander Klaws of Germany, Kurt Nilsen of Norway, Guy Sebastian of Australia, Carrie Underwood of the United States, and Young of the United Kingdom.
| Series title (alternative title) | Winner | |
|---|---|---|
| Algeria | Algérie Idol |
|
| Armenia | Hay Superstar (Հայ Սուպերսթար) |
|
| Australia | Australian Idol | |
| Bangladesh | Bangladeshi Idol |
|
| Belgium | Idool | |
| Brazil | Ídolos |
|
| Bulgaria | Music Idol |
|
| Cambodia | Cambodian Idol |
|
| Canada | Canadian Idol | |
| China | Zhōngguó Mèng Zhī Shēng Chinese Idol (中國夢之聲 Chinese Idol) |
|
| Colombia | Idol Colombia |
|
| Croatia | Hrvatski Idol |
|
| Hrvatska traži zvijezdu | ||
| Superstar |
| |
| Czech Republic | Česko hledá SuperStar |
|
| Denmark | Idols | |
| Estonia | Eesti otsib superstaari |
|
| Finland | Idols |
|
| France | Nouvelle Star (A la Recherche de la Nouvelle Star, season 1) |
|
| Georgia | Geostar (ჯეოსტარი) |
|
| Georgian Idol (საქართველოს ვარსკვლავი) |
| |
| Georgian Pop Idol (ჩვენ ვარსკვლავები ვართ) |
| |
| Germany | Deutschland sucht den SuperStar |
|
| Greece | Super Idol |
|
| Greek Idol | ||
| Iceland | Idol stjörnuleit |
|
| India | Indian Idol |
|
| Telugu Indian Idol |
| |
| Indian Idol Marathi |
| |
| Indonesia | Indonesian Idol |
|
| Iraq | Iraq Idol |
|
| Kazakhstan | SuperStar KZ |
|
| Kurdistan | Kurd Idol |
|
| Macedonia | Macedonian Idol |
|
| Malaysia | Malaysian Idol |
|
| Maldives | Maldivian Idol |
|
| Morocco | Maroc Idol |
|
| Myanmar | Myanmar Idol |
|
| Nepal | Nepal Idol |
|
| Netherlands | Idols |
|
| New Zealand | NZ Idol | |
| Nigeria | Nigerian Idol |
|
| Norway | Idol |
|
| Pakistan | Pakistan Idol |
|
| Philippines | Philippine Idol |
|
| Pinoy Idol |
| |
| Idol Philippines (Search for the Idol Philippines, season 1) | ||
| Poland | Idol | |
| Portugal | Ídolos |
|
| Puerto Rico | Idol Puerto Rico |
|
| Romania | SuperStar România |
|
| Russia | Narodniy Artist (Народный Артист) |
|
| Serbia and Montenegro | Idol |
|
| Singapore | Singapore Idol |
|
| Slovakia | Slovensko hľadá SuperStar | |
| South Africa | Idols |
|
| Idols (Afrikaans season) |
| |
| Sweden | Idol |
|
| Turkey | Türkstar |
|
| United Kingdom | Pop Idol |
|
| United States | American Idol |
|
| Vietnam | Vietnam Idol (Thần Tượng Âm Nhạc: Vietnam Idol, season 1-4 Thần Tượng Âm Nhạc Việt Nam, season 5–7) |
|
| Series title (alternative title) | Winner | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Arab states | SuperStar (سوبر ستار) |
| |
| Arab Idol |
| ||
| Czech Republic and Slovakia | SuperStar (Česko Slovenská Superstar, season 1-2) |
| |
| East Africa | Idols |
| |
| Latin America | Latin American Idol | ||
| Serbia and Montenegro, Macedonia | Idol |
| |
| West Africa | Idols |
|
| Series title | Winner | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | Ídolos Kids |
| |
| Germany | Deutschland sucht den Superstar Kids |
| |
| India | Indian Idol Junior |
| |
| Indonesia | Indonesian Idol Junior |
| |
| Norway | Idol Jr |
| |
| Portugal | Ídolos Kids |
| |
| Puerto Rico | Idol Kids Puerto Rico |
| |
| Spain | Idol Kids |
| |
| Vietnam | Vietnam Idol Kids |
|
| Series title | Winner | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | Asian Idol |
| |
| World | World Idol |
|