Sales

Four rankings of the finalists’ records: RIAA-certified album units, RIAA-certified single units, U.S. album sales reported by Nielsen SoundScan (now Luminate), and studio albums after the show. Choose a measure; each list shows the top 10 places, and “Show all” opens the rest of the ranking.

RIAA-certified album units (U.S.)

The sum, over the contestant's own albums, EPs, compilations and live albums, of the latest RIAA certification of each release.

Carrie Underwood has the most RIAA-certified album units: 23,000,000. Season winners are 5 of the 11 finalists in the top 10 places, ties included.

  • Multi-Platinum album
  • Platinum album
  • Gold album
  • Each part is one album, at its latest certification.
  1. 1
    Carrie UnderwoodS4 · Winner
    Albums
    Some Hearts: 9× Platinum
    Carnival Ride: 4× Platinum
    Blown Away: 3× Platinum
    Play On: 3× Platinum
    Cry Pretty: Platinum
    Greatest Hits: Decade #1: Platinum
    Storyteller: Platinum
    My Gift: Gold
    My Savior: Gold
    Some HeartsCarnival RideBlown AwayPlay On23,000,000 certified album units
  2. 2
    Kelly ClarksonS1 · Winner
    Albums
    Breakaway: 6× Platinum
    Thankful: 2× Platinum
    My December: Platinum
    Stronger: Platinum
    Wrapped in Red: Platinum
    Greatest Hits – Chapter One: Gold
    Meaning of Life: Gold
    Piece by Piece: Gold
    BreakawayThankful12,500,000 certified album units
  3. 3
    Chris DaughtryS5 · Eliminated 4th
    Albums
    Daughtry (Daughtry): 6× Platinum
    Leave This Town (Daughtry): Platinum
    Baptized (Daughtry): Gold
    Break the Spell (Daughtry): Gold
    Daughtry8,000,000 certified album units
  4. 4
    Clay AikenS2 · Runner-up
    Albums
    Measure of a Man: 2× Platinum
    Merry Christmas with Love: Platinum
    A Thousand Different Ways: Gold
    3,500,000 certified album units
  5. 5tie
    Billy GilmanThe Voice S11 · Runner-up
    Albums
    One Voice: 2× Platinum
    Classic Christmas: Gold
    Dare to Dream: Gold
    3,000,000 certified album units
  6. 5tie
    Melanie MartinezThe Voice S3 · Eliminated in the Top 6
    Albums
    Cry Baby: 2× Platinum
    K-12: Platinum
    Cry Baby3,000,000 certified album units
  7. 7tie
    Camila CabelloThe X Factor S2 · Third place
    Albums
    Camila: Platinum
    Romance: Platinum
    2,000,000 certified album units
  8. 7tie
    Fifth HarmonyThe X Factor S2 · Third place
    Albums
    7/27: Platinum
    Reflection: Platinum
    2,000,000 certified album units
  9. 7tie
    Scotty McCreeryS10 · Winner
    Albums
    Clear as Day: Platinum
    Christmas with Scotty McCreery: Gold
    Seasons Change: Gold
    2,000,000 certified album units
  10. 10tie
    Fantasia BarrinoS3 · Winner
    Albums
    Free Yourself: Platinum
    Fantasia: Gold
    1,500,000 certified album units
  11. 10tie
    Ruben StuddardS2 · Winner
    Albums
    Soulful: Platinum
    I Need an Angel: Gold
    1,500,000 certified album units
  12. 12tie
    David CookS7 · Winner
    Albums
    David Cook: Platinum
    1,000,000 certified album units
  13. 12tie
    Gabby BarrettS16 · Third place
    Albums
    Goldmine: Platinum
    1,000,000 certified album units
  14. 12tie
    Jennifer HudsonS3 · Eliminated 7th
    Albums
    I Remember Me: Gold
    Jennifer Hudson: Gold
    1,000,000 certified album units
  15. 12tie
    Jordin SparksS6 · Winner
    Albums
    Jordin Sparks: Platinum
    1,000,000 certified album units
  16. 12tie
    Phillip PhillipsS11 · Winner
    Albums
    The World from the Side of the Moon: Platinum
    1,000,000 certified album units
  17. 12tie
    Taylor HicksS5 · Winner
    Albums
    Taylor Hicks: Platinum
    1,000,000 certified album units
  18. 18tie
    Adam LambertS8 · Runner-up
    Albums
    For Your Entertainment: Gold
    500,000 certified album units
  19. 18tie
    Bo BiceS4 · Runner-up
    Albums
    The Real Thing: Gold
    500,000 certified album units
  20. 18tie
    David ArchuletaS7 · Runner-up
    Albums
    David Archuleta: Gold
    500,000 certified album units
  21. 18tie
    Elliott YaminS5 · Eliminated 3rd
    Albums
    Elliott Yamin: Gold
    500,000 certified album units
  22. 18tie
    Josh GracinS2 · Eliminated 4th
    Albums
    Josh Gracin: Gold
    500,000 certified album units
  23. 18tie
    Kellie PicklerS5 · Eliminated 6th
    Albums
    Small Town Girl: Gold
    500,000 certified album units

All bars use one scale, from 0. Point to a part for its album.

  • Winners
  • Runners-up
  • Other finalists

The 9 albums behind Carrie Underwood’s figure

Each album counts at its latest RIAA certification.

  1. Cover of Some HeartsSome Hearts9× Platinum · 2005
  2. Cover of Carnival RideCarnival Ride4× Platinum · 2007
  3. Cover of Blown AwayBlown Away3× Platinum · 2012
  4. Cover of Play OnPlay On3× Platinum · 2009
  5. Cover of Cry PrettyCry PrettyPlatinum · 2018
  6. Cover of Greatest Hits: Decade #1Greatest Hits: Decade #1Platinum · 2014
  7. Cover of StorytellerStorytellerPlatinum · 2015
  8. Cover of My GiftMy GiftGold · 2020
  9. Cover of My SaviorMy SaviorGold · 2021

Cover images: Cover Art Archive (MusicBrainz).

Photo credits (23 photos)