Life after the show · 3 min read ·

JAX waited 7 years for a Hot 100 song. Scotty McCreery’s came out on finale day

JAX finished third on Idol in 2015. Victoria's Secret came seven years later. The fastest first Hot 100 songs, the slowest, and who still waits.

JAX

JAX · February 27, 2022

Photo: Justin Higuchi · CC BY 2.0 · Photo source.

JAX finished third on American Idol in 2015. Victoria's Secret, the first song JAX released after the finale to make the Hot 100, came out 7.1 years later and reached No. 35. Scotty McCreery’s first came out on the day of the win.

This story follows finalists of American Idol, The Voice and The X Factor from the finale to a first Hot 100 song and a first gold record: who got there first, who waited longest and which winners are still waiting.

1

At least four winners released a Hot 100 song within a day of the finale

Scotty McCreery released I Love You This Big on May 25, 2011, the day of the season 10 finale of American Idol. It reached No. 11 on the Hot 100. Phillip Phillips released Home on the day of the 2012 Idol finale, and David Cook released The Time of My Life one day after the 2008 finale. On The Voice, Sundance Head released At Last and Darlin' Don't Go on the day of the 2016 Voice finale, and both made the Hot 100.

The first Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson, released Before Your Love / A Moment Like This 13 days after the 2002 finale. In all, at least 9 finalists released a first Hot 100 song within a month of their finale.

Most first Hot 100 songs and gold records came out within a year of the finale

One face per finalist, by the time from the finale to the release of the record.

First Hot 100 song35 of 36
First gold record36
A dashed ring: a record dated only roughly could put the finalist in an earlier column.
Scotty McCreery

Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 4.0 · Photo source.

2

JAX, Corey Kent White and Vedo are among the finalists who waited more than six years for a Hot 100 song

JAX released Victoria's Secret 7.1 years after the season 14 finale of American Idol. Corey Kent White released Wild as Her 6.8 years after the season 8 finale of The Voice. Vedo released You Got It 6.7 years after the season 4 finale of The Voice. For each, it was the first Hot 100 song after the show.

Colton Dixon waited longest for a first gold record: the single Miracles, now Gold, came out 7.7 years after the 2012 finale. JAX’s first gold record, 90s Kids, came out 5.9 years after the finale, before Victoria's Secret.

Colton Dixon waited longest for a first gold record: 7.7 years

Each line runs from the finale to the release of the first Hot 100 song (dot) and the first gold record (square).

Colton DixonAmerican Idol, 2012
Danny GokeyAmerican Idol, 2009
JAXAmerican Idol, 2015
Corey Kent WhiteThe Voice, 2015
VedoThe Voice, 2013
MandisaAmerican Idol, 2006
Haley ReinhartAmerican Idol, 2011
Jennifer HudsonAmerican Idol, 2004
Colton Dixon

Photo: Kevin Sumual from Denver, United States of America · CC BY 2.0 · Photo source.

3

The last 13 Idol winners have no gold record from after the finale

Phillip Phillips is the last Idol winner with a gold record released after the finale: Home, now 4× Platinum. The 13 Idol winners since, from Candice Glover in 2013 to Hannah Harper in 2026, have none. Chayce Beckham’s 23 went Platinum. It came out during season 19, before the finale.

On The Voice, Danielle Bradbery is the last: The Heart of Dixie, released in 2013, went Gold. The 25 Voice winners since have none.

The last 13 Idol winners and the last 25 Voice winners have no gold record from after the finale

One dot per winner, season by season. Lit: a record released after the finale went gold or higher.

American Idol

Season by season Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks, David Cook, Kris Allen, Scotty McCreery, Phillip Phillips

The Voice

Season by season Cassadee Pope, Danielle Bradbery

The X Factor

Season by season Alex & Sierra

Point at or tap a dot to see who it is.

Phillip Phillips

Photo: © David Conger :: davidconger.com · CC BY-SA 1.0 · Photo source.

Read another story

Photo credits (42 photos)