Four years ago, no one knew who Kelly Clarkson was. Today, she has superseded even the title of American Idol - the show that brought her fame and fortune.
From her success to the disappearance of Gareth Gates, tabloid! looks at just how important is it to hit the high notes and be crowned Pop, American or Indian Idol.
We also look at the underdogs Darius Danesh and Jennifer Hudson, who prove it's all about how you play the game.
Clarkson is fast becoming an equal alongside established and famous stars of the music industry.
Yet Hudson, who only made the final 10 contestants, already has an Oscar under her belt. So maybe winning isn't everything - maybe it really is the taking part that counts.
Jennifer Hudson
Hudson (left) auditioned for the third season of American Idol in Atlanta, Georgia. Surprisingly, she was not voted through to the final round, but made it back as a wildcard.
During the early stages of the live shows, Hudson received the second-lowest number of votes in two of the first three shows. However, after a change in song choices, she soon became a favourite to win. She was, however, eventually voted off by the viewers.
But since then it's only been up for Hudson. In November 2005, Hudson was cast in the prized role of Effie White, the role originally created in a legendary Broadway performance by Jennifer Holliday, for the film adaptation of the musical Dreamgirls.
For her role as Effie White, Hudson won the Golden Globe Award as Best Actress in a Supporting Role, dedicating the award to Florence Ballard of the Supremes (upon whom her Dreamgirls character was based), as well as friends Jasmine Trias, Fantasia Barrino, and the rest of the American Idol Season 3 finalists.
On February 25, 2007, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and at 25 years old, became the eighth youngest winner of the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. She also became only the third African-American to win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.
But the excitement doesn't stop there. In 2008, Hudson will appear in Winged Creatures with Forest Whitaker, and she's currently filming her role as Carrie Bradshaw's assistant in the Sex and the City movie.
It's fair to say Hudson has proved winning certainly isn't everything.
The top judge
Simon Cowell (above) is a British music executive and television producer, best known as a judge on television programmes such as Pop Idol, The X Factor and American Idol. Cowell is notorious for his unsparingly blunt and often controversial criticisms, insults, and wisecracks about contestants and their singing abilities, or lack thereof. He is often parodied in pop culture, in which all of his judging is neither constructive nor positive.
Michelle McManus
For Pop Idol winner Michelle McManus (below), it sometimes seemed the main topic of debate was her weight rather than her angelic tones and powerful performances.
Michelle's 31.4 per cent public vote was the highest to be polled by any of the contestants. She has a beautiful tone to her voice and is a natural singer.
Michelle's weight was always in the forefront of discussion, and even had to endure comments from judges, including Foxy who once told Michelle that viewers might change the channel if they saw her on a pop video.
Michelle is now starring in the pre-West End world premiere of a new musical called Discotivity.
Kelly Clarkson
While many other people have since shared the "idol" title with her, Kelly (right) has lived up to it perhaps more than any of the others, becoming an actual worldwide idol.
Besides placing second in the World Idol competition, her songs have been top 10 hits in countries from the US to Australia. She has just finished touring in New Zealand and Australia, and will embark on an 11-city tour in Ireland and Great Britain early next year.
But don't be fooled. It hasn't been an easy path.
Remember the disaster that was From Justin to Kelly, the film that starred both Kelly and runner-up Justin Guarini? Since then, Kelly has pulled away from the Idol machine, divorcing herself from her Idol-mandated management and contract. Her second album's title, Breakaway, made it quite clear she was no longer just a reality TV show winner.
Breakaway was a little more rock than pop, and it was a smash. For the past year, since its release, it's been in the top 20 of the Billboard 200. The album was nominated for a Grammy this year, as was its aggressively catchy second single, Since U Been Gone, which surprised many people who wrote Kelly off as just another bubblegum pop star. She's such a huge star that someone tried to auction off an abandoned water bottle that allegedly carried Kelly's DNA on eBay.
"The record is about me, why I make the decisions I do," she says. "Most of my songs are about what's happening in my life. For me, it's like free therapy. Whether it's me growing, or helping someone else get through similar circumstances."
But have Kelly's attempts at creative control taken a turn for the worse? Although her latest album, My December has sold well - charting higher (at number 2) than Breakaway. But ticket sales for a US tour were poor; meanwhile, Kelly parted company with her management. A scaled-down tour is planned for this month.
Darius Danesh
Darius (left), born August 19, 1980 in Glasgow, Scotland, is a songwriter, platinum recording artist and West End stage actor.
But his path to fame did not come without a fight. In 2001 Darius became renowned for his thick-skinned attitude after being kicked out of British television show Popstars, only to show his face again in the UK's Pop Idol.
His first single, Colourblind, entered the UK singles chart at number one, and his debut album went platinum.
No stranger to the big stage and the world of entertainment, Darius's professional career began at the Scottish Opera, where he was cast in a number of productions, including performances at the Royal Opera House in London. However, Darius chose to return to his studies rather than train for an operatic career.
Pop Idol music exec Pete Waterman likened his voice to that of Frank Sinatra, but Darius finished third, behind winner Will Young and runner-up Gareth Gates.
Following the show, U2 producer Steve Lillywhite signed him to a five-album deal. Over the next two years, Darius would go on to support Shakira in Paris on her World Tour and complete his own sell-out UK tour.
Darius celebrated a five month run in Chicago, becoming the youngest actor to fill the role of Billy Flynn. he returned to the stage this year, as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls.
Mum's favourite
Gareth Paul Gates was the viewer favourite from start to finish of the first season of Pop Idol in the UK. Born on July 12, 1984 in Bradford, England, the baby-faced singer won votes with his boyish good looks, angelic voice and severe stammer.
Gates shot to fame, although he eventually only took second place in the show, losing to lispy Will Young.
So far he has sold 3.5 million singles and albums in the UK alone and is currently performing across the country.
The Show
Although Pop Idol was created by Simon Fuller in Britain, it (and its winners) have had more success overseas. After two seasons, the UK version was put on hold to focus on Cowell's other show, X-Factor.
But the show has found a home in many other countries around the world, with local shows in the US, Australia, Latin America, Canada, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, France and South Africa, among others.
- With input from Wikipedia
