Nominee No. 01 · 2026 Awards

Taylor Hicks

for winning American Idol, 2006

He won American Idol after 63.4 million votes were cast. Less than two years later his label had dropped him, and before long he was hosting a show about state foods on INSP.

Peak: 2006
Last seen: 2023
Fade: 8/10

Frontrunner in

Steepest Fall
Outstanding Achievement in Fading

“Taylor Hicks, American Idol season 6 winner performs at CLDJ (cropped)” by Master Sgt. Vanessa Valdez, U.S. Air Force, via commons.wikimedia.org · Public domain · cropped to square and resized

Then, and now

Winner of American Idol, with 63.4 million votes cast on the nightHost of State Plate, a show about each state’s signature foods, on INSP
A debut album from the biggest show on televisionDropped by Arista Records, January 2008
The Idol finale stageTeen Angel in Grease, on Broadway and on tour

The citation

The peak

Hicks won the fifth season of American Idol on May 24, 2006, after 63.4 million votes were cast on the night. For a few months he was the most-voted-for man in America.

Fame, plotted. Our estimate, not science; the milestones are in the receipts.

The descent

His debut album sold nearly 700,000 copies in the U.S. In January 2008, Billboard reported that Arista had dropped him from its roster; no reason was given. That summer he joined Grease on Broadway as the Teen Angel, then took the role on tour.

Later came State Plate on INSP, in which he traveled the country “in search of the states’ most symbolic and popular foods.”

Then · 2006	Now · 2023
Winner of American Idol, with 63.4 million votes cast on the night	Host of State Plate, a show about each state’s signature foods, on INSP
A debut album from the biggest show on television	Dropped by Arista Records, January 2008
The Idol finale stage	Teen Angel in Grease, on Broadway and on tour

Last confirmed sighting

SpottedLast confirmed sighting · 14 Mar 2023

Performing for U.S. troops deployed to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, where he played his biggest hit and thanked them for their service.

From the most-watched stage in America to a show about casseroles.

In fairness

To be fair…He never stopped working: Broadway, a national tour, a TV series of his own, and shows for deployed troops. Plenty of reality-show winners can’t say half of that.

The verdict

Nominee No. 01, the 2026 Awards. The early frontrunner. Few people have fallen so far, so fast, from so many votes.

The receipts

Guinness World Records: “Most telephone votes for a television programme contestant”. Won the American Idol 5 final on May 24, 2006, after 63.4 million votes were cast.
VOA News: “Report citing Billboard.com: Taylor Hicks dropped from Arista’s roster”, 11 Jan 2008. No reason given; his debut album sold nearly 700,000 copies in the U.S.
Playbill: ““Idol” Winner Hicks Departs Grease Sept. 7; Buntrock to Return”. His Broadway run as Teen Angel, summer 2008.
Playbill: ““Idol” Winner Hicks to Star in Grease National Tour”.
BroadwayWorld: “Taylor Hicks to Host Season 2 of Award-Winning Series STATE PLATE”, 10 Aug 2017.
DVIDS (U.S. Air Force photo): “Taylor Hicks, American Idol season 6 winner performs at CLDJ”, 14 Mar 2023.

#American Idol#Reality TV#Broadway

Submit a nomination

The academy accepts nominations all year. Who, what happened, and a link.

Public figures only: actors, pop stars, presenters, reality alumni, one-hit wonders, influencers of yore. Tell us what they were famous for and link to proof of where they are now. No private people, and nobody who stepped back for their health, a bereavement or their family.