Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood is American Idol‘s top-earning alum, according to Forbes. The Country singer-songwriter pulled in an estimated $31 million from June 2012 to June 2013. This is based on Underwood performing more than 100 shows (including dates on her The Blown Away Tour) over the course of the year, the release of her live concert DVD and continued endorsement deals such as Olay.
Kelly Clarkson ranked second place for this year, bringing in approximately $7 million, including income from touring as well as her recent music releases. Clarkson offered Greatest Hits-Chapter One in 2012 and the Christmas project Wrapped in Red in 2013.
Scotty McCreery ranked at No. 6 on the list, raking in $3 million. His debut album, Clear As Day, sold more than 1 million copies and he opened for Brad Paisley before kicking off a solo tour in 2013.
Kellie Pickler tied for the No. 8 spot, bringing in $1.5 million. She made a sixth-place finish on American Idol’s fifth season, and returned to television to win Dancing With The Stars in 2013.
Earnings estimates were calculated using data from Pollstar, RIAA, Nielsen Soundscan, etc.
About the Author
Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at jnicholson@musicrow.com.View Author Profile
