Top 10 Earning American Idols

Forbes Magazine has released a top ten list of the American Idol alums who have garnered the most bucks over the past year. Forbes' "rankings of the top-earning American Idol alums are based on earnings from album sales, concerts, endorsements and other income from May 2009 through April 2010."

Forbes reporter Dirk Smillie notes that "the pop music market, now saturated with close to 100 of the show's alums, is showing signs of Idol fatigue. Earnings by some of Idol's top vocalists have nosedived over the past year. The show that reshaped television and the music business just isn't minting cash for its stars like it once did."

No. 10: Kris Allen
$672,000

No. 9: Clay Aiken
$800,000

No. 8: David Archuleta
$1.4 million

No. 7: Jordin Sparks
$1.8 million

No. 6: Jennifer Hudson
$2 million

No. 5: David Cook
$2.3 million

No. 4: Kellie Pickler
$4.3 million

No. 3: Chris Daughtry
$5.4 million

No. 2: Carrie Underwood
$7 million

No. 1: Kelly Clarkson
$8 million

There are definitely some surprises on this list. Kellie Pickler # 4? Really? Wow, those red high heels and certain "enhancements" shall we say are definitely paying off. Original Idol Kelly Clarkson continues to rule the charts almost 10 years after her triumph on the original incarnation of the show, which is truly remarkable.

It will be interesting to see which of these stars will fade away and who will continue to shine in the years to come.

Stay tuned!

American Idol All-Time 24

Check out Billboard's list of the best 24 contestants ever to grace the American Idol stage. Do you agree?

Kelly Clarkson was voted #1 (I have to agree wholeheartedly with the choice).

Relive Kelly's winning moment back in 2002: