Why did Kelly/Carrie smash after their show? Why'd The Voice/X FACTOR USA never produce a superstar? Why didn't many ex-Idols who had soo much potential(Jordin Sparks, Katharine McPhee) become like them? was it pure luck?

good music.

clive davis full devotion

They had good songs that the radio and the people ate up, simple as that. Breakaway and Some Hearts are easily the best albums that have ever come out of American Idol.

How about Jordin, Katharine, Jessica, Haley, Lauren, Allison, etc who had really good songs but got totally ignored?

I don't even know who any of those are aside from Jordin. lol

Jordin had a good album but the music industry changed a lot in 2005. it basically crashed and only very few artists made it big. Kelly and carrie were lucky to debut before that.

my point. those artists(Katharine, Allison, David C, David A, Kris Allen) smashed with their debut albums but didn't have longetivity? how'd kelly/carrie maintain?

Fantasia and J Hud smashed too

Hard to say. I think that Kelly benefited a lot from being the first Idol and despite being pop, she eventually managed to stay strong and not to get lost among the billions of other pop singers, and Carrie's advantage was that she went full country right away from the start.

Kelly had an amazing second album full of smashes hand picked by clive davis.
Carrie became the new IT girl in Country music, country listeners are much more loyal than pop fans.

+ they were both on when AI still meant something. People remember Kelly, Carrie & Fantasia.
I seriously can not name who won after Carrie's season besides Jordin.

This as well as the support of RCA and Mr. Clive Davis.

I still wondered though, what happened to Season 2 stars - Rubben Studdard and the white one, forgot his name.

Clay Aiken

although not on Kelly/Carrie levels, yes Daughtry, Adam, Fantasia, JHud also are known to public.

as for those who were on idol after Jordin won, Phillip Phillips(pop-rock), Colton Dixon(christian), Danny Gokey(christian), Lauren Alaina(country) and Scotty McCreery(country) are making their way in the music scene in their respective genres

Ruben released album last year and it sold 8,000 in its debut week! not bad?

He went into politics believe it or not. He tried to become a congressman but lost in the general election.

David archuleta had a hit with Crush, Jordin Sparks also had 3 multi platinum hits, David Cook too.. Katharine Mcphee too. almost every idol had a hit in their first era, but hasnt been able to maintain? but kelly and carrie did.

Only 5k more than Dawn