The contestant pool is dwindling on "American Idol."
The competition swiftly marched through the second half of Hollywood Week performances in the March 2 episode, withLionel Richie,Carrie Underwood, andLuke Bryanreducing the "Idol" hopefuls from 127 to 30 singers.
In between calling out contestants for poor song choices, the judges heaped praise on artists likeJesse Findling, who's earned not only Bryan's favor but also his jealousy, andRae Boyd, who made a good case for winning Season 24 when she bravely tackled a Demi Lovato track.
Here are the "Idol" contestants who made it into "American Idol's" Top 30.
Since Kelly Clarkson was named the first-ever "American Idol" winner on Sept. 4, 2002, the singing competition show has helped launch the careers of Billboard-charting artists, singers who have helped define their genre, daytime TV personalities and precisely one EGOT winner (we're looking at you, J Hud).Though the "Idol" hitmaking machine now creaks rather than churns out superstars, the platform is still unparalleled when compared to its singing competition peers.
We've ranked the 23 "American Idol" winners based primarily on sheer talent, but with an obvious nod toward their success after the show.
23. Lee DeWyze (2010): Despite his affable personality and gruff coffeehouse croon, DeWyze lacked the undeniable spark and grit of Crystal Bowersox, the Janis Joplin incarnate who outrageously only placed second that season." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
21. Laine Hardy (2019): The Louisiana native, who in 2022 was arrested and charged with secretly recording an ex-girlfriend, rose through the "Idol" ranks with his Elvis Presley-style croon and stage persona.But outside the throwback shtick, the husky-voiced Hardy has struggled to stand out from other past winners who have charted similar country/bluegrass terrain." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
19. Taylor Hicks (2006): Given the top three talent pool of Season 5 – which also included Katharine McPhee and Elliott Yamin – it's still a bit stunning that the overwrought Alabamian prevailed. But the "Soul Patrol" proved a mighty engine and Hicks successfully parlayed his win into a platinum-selling self-titled debut album in 2006, a Broadway stint and tour (playing the Teen Angel in "Grease") and a modest residency in Las Vegas." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
18. Kris Allen (2009): Some were shocked when the innocuous Allen triumphed over the bold flamboyance of Adam Lambert during Season 8 of "Idol" – not that it hindered Lambert's future. But more than Allen's couple of hits ("No Boundaries," "Live Like We're Dying"), his win ushered in the era of nondescript male singer-songwriters armed with guitars and crooked grins." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
17. Trent Harmon (2016): Harmon's boyish face and soft-spoken demeanor masked a deceptively brawny set of pipes, which were put to best use on an enchanting cover of Sia's "Chandelier." Harmon signed to Big Machine Records (Taylor Swift's former label) post-"Idol," finding minor success on the country charts with singles "Falling" and "There's a Girl."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
15. Caleb Johnson (2014): Johnson was the typically staid competition's closest answer to Whitesnake and AC/DC, with squalling vocals and head-banging dynamism that have made him a hit with the legacy rock crowd in the years since his victory, touring with Trans-Siberian Orchestra and taking over singing duties from Neverland Express, the touring band of the late Meat Loaf." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
13. Phillip Phillips (2012): A soft-spoken guitar strummer who in his pre-"Idol" life worked at his family's pawn shop in Leesburg, Georgia, Phillips earned a significant bona fide: His coronation song, the Dave Matthews Band-esque "Home," is the bestselling single in the show's history, with more than 5 million sold. A spate of other hits ("Raging Fire," "Gone, Gone, Gone") preserved his momentum." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
10. Nick Fradiani (2015): It felt like the buff singer was the next breakout star after his victory song, the catchy singalong "Beautiful Life," dented the charts. But his 2016 debut album, "Hurricane," fared poorly and an independently released EP in 2017, "Where We Left Off," also failed to produce liftoff.But Fradiani has found his niche in theater, first on the national tour of "A Bronx Tale" and on Broadway, where he starred as Neil Diamond in "A Beautiful Noise."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
9. Jamal Roberts (2025): His room-brightening smile and cool style were instantly appealing magnets, but the P.E. teacher from Mississippi truly captured hearts and votes with his creamy voice, an instrument that can soar through soul ballads and dig into gritty gospel with equal potency.Roberts, the first Black man to win the crown since Ruben Studdard in Season 2, best demonstrated his supple vocals on the heartfelt ballad "Heal," which probes mental health struggles with sensitivity and urgency. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
8. Scotty McCreery (2011): The resident male country star to graduate from the "Idol" laboratory – like Season 6 winner Jordin Sparks, at only 17 – the North Carolina native with a molasses-hued voice that belies his unassuming demeanor remains a prominent chart presence more than a decade after his Season 10 win."Five More Minutes," "This Is It" and "In Between" are among his chart-toppers, while 2024's "Rise & Fall" album spawned a top 5 country hit with "Cab in a Solo." " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
7. Candice Glover (2013): Whether she was covering Ben E. King, Aretha Franklin, or The Cure (on tearful standout "Lovesong"), the Beaufort, South Carolina, native brought unmatched vulnerability and powerhouse vocals to every single performance. Her recording career post-"Idol," too, is filled with stirring ballads that have been sadly ignored by radio." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
6. David Cook (2008): With his pleasantly raspy voice and a knack for melody and unearthing lesser-known versions of hits to cover on the show (e.g., Whitesnake's "Day Tripper," Chris Cornell's "Billie Jean"), the Season 7 winner – over angelic David Archuleta – skyrocketed to success.His victory song, the inspirational pop-rock anthem "The Time of My Life," and its follow-up, "Light On," each sold more than a million copies and showcased his musical worldview" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
5. Ruben Studdard (2003): Studdard's smooth, velvety vocals were the perfect complement to runner-up Clay Aiken's earnest pop theatrics, with standout performances of Stevie Wonder and Dionne Warwick classics, and a respectable career as a gospel/R&B hitmaker in years to follow." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
4. Jordin Sparks (2007): The show's youngest winner at 17 (by two months compared to McCreery), the sweet-smiling Sparks found immediate success a few months after her victory with a pair of Billboard top 10 hits: "Tattoo" and "No Air," her duet with a pre-scandal Chris Brown. Broadway ("In the Heights") and film ("Sparkle") expanded Sparks' reach, but in recent years she's concentrated more on motherhood with a few career moves – the 2020 holiday album "Cider & Hennessey," her 2021 participation in "The Masked Dancer" – sprinkled in. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
3. Fantasia Barrino (2004): Barrino's sultry, soulful rendition of George Gershwin's "Summertime" might be the all-time greatest performance to ever hit the "Idol" stage. The R&B artist's elastic vocals and deep well of emotion have continued to serve her well, as she reprised her role as Celie from the Broadway musical "The Color Purple" for the star-studded movie adaptation." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2. Carrie Underwood (2005): It feels like 100 lifetimes ago that a pouffy-haired Underwood blasted us off our couches with her rendition of Heart's "Alone" during her Season 4 run to the top.And remember her small-town country-girl proclamation that she'd never been on an airplane prior to her "Idol" audition? Six massive headlining tours, an aerial-filled Las Vegas residency, a lot of leg bronzer and 65 million-plus album sales later (she's the top-selling artist in the "Idol" franchise and its newest judge), Underwood has earned a few frequent flier rewards." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
1. Kelly Clarkson (2002): The Texas native is so effortlessly charming and in control of her instrument, with an outsized personality and even larger voice that bring all the ferocity and drama you want from a top 40 hit (of which she has nearly two dozen). Frankly, our lives would suck without Clarkson, who is the brightest star "Idol" has – and will likely ever produce." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> All of the 'American Idol' winners since 2002, ranked
Since Kelly Clarkson was named the first-ever "American Idol" winner on Sept. 4, 2002, the singing competition show has helped launch the careers of Billboard-charting artists, singers who have helped define their genre, daytime TV personalities and precisely one EGOT winner (we're looking at you, J Hud).Though the "Idol" hitmaking machine now creaks rather than churns out superstars,the platform is still unparalleledwhen compared to its singing competition peers.
We've ranked the 23 "American Idol" winnersbased primarily on sheer talent, but with an obvious nod toward their success after the show.
Who made it through Hollywood Week?
In Episode 6, these contestants went to the "golden room" to await their chance at making it into the Top 30, joining otherswho advanced the previous week.
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Jake Thistle
Brianna Yancey
Braden Rumfelt
Chris Tungseth
Chloe Lauren
Jesse Findling
Kyndal Inskeep
Kutter Bradley
Julián Kalel
Trew the Star
Sheldon Riley
Mor
MaryJo Young
Ruby Rae
Rae
Genevieve Heyward
Jayson Garner
Brooks Rosser
Bella Emry
Daniel Stallworth
Hollywood Week, part one:Everyone who made the cut last week
Who's in the 'American Idol' Top 30 in 2026?
While some of the contestants had to compete in a sing-off to earn a spot in the Top 30, others sailed straight through based on their Hollywood Week performances. Here's who's still in the running to be the next "American Idol."
Makiyah
Jordan McCullough
Lucas Leon
Bella Emry
Madison Moon
Keyla Richardson
Braden Rumfelt
Chris Tungseth
Jake Thistle
Tianna Roberts
Philmon Lee
Brooks Rosser
Daniel Stallworth
Kutter Bradley
Bryant Thomas
Jesse Findling
Julián Kalel
Sheldon Riley
Brianna Yancey
Kiera Howell
Kyndal Inskeep
Hannah Harper
Ruby Rae
Jacquie Lee
Brenna Brigman
Rae
Genevieve Heyward
Abayomi
Michael Garner
Chloe Lauren
Who didn't make it into the Top 30?
Here's who was cut in the penultimate elimination round in Episode 6:
Jayson Arendt
Matty Reynolds
Kitti Taye
Landon Hughes
Julianne Post
Jackie Bluebird
And here's who was cut as the judges determined the Top 30:
Jakob Stobaugh
Trace Casanova
Mor
Julia Sienna
Lanii
Roelle
Trew the Star
Grant Satterfield
Jayson Garner
MaryJo Young
What is the 'American Idol' 2026 schedule?
"American Idol" airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
Episodes are available to stream the next day on Hulu.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:'American Idol' 2026 reveals its Top 30 contestants