American Idol is a spinoff of the popular UK series, Pop Idol. AI, as it's commonly referred to by fans, works hard to discover the best undiscovered and unsigned singers from all over the United States.
Previous winners of the series include recording stars Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard and Carrie Underwood. Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson have become household names as they've judged the best of the best ... and the rest! Ryan Seacrest hosts.