# American Idol (prima stagione)

La prima stagione di American Idol iniziò l'11 giugno 2002 (con il titolo completo American Idol: The Search for a Superstar) e finì il 4 settembre 2002. La vincitrice fu Kelly Clarkson. L'edizione fu presentata da Ryan Seacrest e Brian Dunkleman: quest'ultimo abbandonò la conduzione alla fine della stagione.

## Audizioni

Le audizioni si tennero a New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta e Seattle nella primavera del 2002.

## Fasi Finali
### Top 10 - Motown

* Ryan Starr - "If You Really Love Me" (Stevie Wonder)
* R.J. Helton - "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" (The Four Tops)
* Nikki McKibbin - "Ben" (Michael Jackson)
* EJay Day - "My Girl" (The Temptations)
* Tamyra Gray - "Touch Me in the Morning" (Diana Ross)
* Justin Guarini - "For Once in My Life" (Stevie Wonder)
* Jim Verraros - "Easy" (The Commodores)
* Kelly Clarkson - "You're All I Need to Get By" (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell)
* A.J. Gil - "My Cherie Amour" (Stevie Wonder)
* Christina Christian - "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell)
* Ultimi 3: Nikki McKibbin - Jim Verraros - EJay Day
* 1° Eliminato: EJay Day
* 2° Eliminato: Jim Verraros

### Top 08 - Anni 60

* R.J. Helton - "Under the Boardwalk" (The Drifters)
* Tamyra Gray - "A Fool in Love" (Ike & Tina Turner)
* Nikki McKibbin - "Piece of My Heart" (Janis Joplin)
* A.J. Gil - "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" (Marvin Gaye)
* Kelly Clarkson - "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (Aretha Franklin)
* Christina Christian - "When a Man Loves a Woman" (Percy Sledge)
* Justin Guarini - "Sunny" (Bobby Hebb)
* Ryan Starr - "You Really Got Me" (The Kinks)
* Ultimi 3: Ryan Starr - A.J. Gil - Christina Christian
* Eliminato: A.J. Gil

### Top 07 - Anni 70

* Nikki McKibbin - "Heartbreaker" (Pat Benatar)
* Ryan Starr - "Last Dance" (Donna Summer)
* Christina Christian - "Ain't No Sunshine" (Bill Withers)
* Justin Guarini - "Someday We'll All Be Free" (Donny Hathaway)
* Kelly Clarkson - "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" (Aretha Franklin)
* R.J. Helton - "Superstition" (Stevie Wonder)
* Tamyra Gray - "If I Were Your Woman" (Gladys Knight & the Pips)
* Ultimi 3: Nikki McKibbin - Ryan Starr - Justin Guarini
* Eliminata: Ryan Starr

### Top 06 - Big Band

* Tamyra Gray - "Minnie the Moocher" (Cab Calloway)
* Justin Guarini - "Route 66" (Nat King Cole)
* Nikki McKibbin - "Hard-Hearted Hannah" (Ella Fitzgerald)
* Christina Christian - "The Glory of Love" (Peggy Lee)
* R.J. Helton - "I Won't Dance" (Frank Sinatra)
* Kelly Clarkson - "Stuff Like That There" (Betty Hutton)
* Ultimi 3: Nikki McKibbin - R.J. Helton - Christina Christian
* Eliminata: Christina Christian

### Top 05 - Canzoni Scritte da Burt Bacharach

* Kelly Clarkson - "Walk On By" (Dionne Warwick)
* R.J. Helton - "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" (Christopher Cross)
* Tamyra Gray - "A House Is Not a Home" (Luther Vandross)
* Justin Guarini - "The Look of Love" (Dusty Springfield)
* Nikki McKibbin - "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" (Naked Eyes)
* Ultimi 2: Nikki McKibbin - R.J. Helton
* Eliminato: R.J. Helton

### Top 04 - Anni 80, Anni 90

* Tamyra Gray - "New Attitude" (Patti LaBelle)
* Nikki McKibbin - "Mary Jane" (Alanis Morissette)
* Kelly Clarkson - "It's Raining Men" (The Weather Girls)
* Justin Guarini - "Get Here" (Oleta Adams)
* Tamyra Gray - "Feel the Fire" (Stephanie Mills)
* Nikki McKibbin - "I'm the Only One" (Melissa Etheridge)
* Kelly Clarkson - "I Surrender" (Céline Dion)
* Justin Guarini - "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" (Michael Jackson)
* Ultimi 2: Nikki McKibbin - Tamyra Gray
* Eliminata: Tamyra Gray

### Top 03 - Scelta dei Concorrenti, Scelta dei Giudici

* Nikki McKibbin - "Edge of Seventeen" (Stevie Nicks)
* Justin Guarini - "Let's Stay Together" (Al Green)
* Kelly Clarkson - "Think Twice" (Céline Dion)
* Nikki McKibbin - "Black Velvet" (Alannah Myles) (Scelta di Paula Abdul)
* Justin Guarini - "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (Elton John) (Scelta di Simon Cowell)
* Kelly Clarkson - "Without You" (Badfinger) (Scelta di Randy Jackson)
Eliminata: Nikki McKibbin

### Top 02 - Singoli, Scelta dei Concorrenti

* Justin Guarini - "Before Your Love"
* Kelly Clarkson - "A Moment Like This"
* Justin Guarini - "Get Here" (Oleta Adams)
* Kelly Clarkson - "Respect" (Aretha Franklin)
* Justin Guarini - "A Moment Like This"
* Kelly Clarkson - "Before Your Love"
* Vincitrice: Kelly Clarkson
* Secondo: Justin Guarini

## Tabella Eliminazioni

| Settimana: | Settimana: | 17/07 | 24/07 | 31/07 | 07/08 | 14/08 | 21/08 | 28/08 | 04/09 |
| Posizione | Concorrente | Risultato | Risultato | Risultato | Risultato | Risultato | Risultato | Risultato | Risultato |
| 1 | Kelly Clarkson | | | | | | | | Vincitrice |
| 2 | Justin Guarini | | | Ult 2 | | | | | Secondo |
| 3 | Nikki McKibbin | Ult 3 | | Ult 3 | Ult 3 | Ult 2 | Ult 2 | Elim | |
| 4 | Tamyra Gray | | | | | | Elim | | |
| 5 | RJ Helton | | | | Ult 2 | Elim | | | |
| 6 | Christina Christian | | Ult 3 | | Elim | | | | |
| 7 | Ryan Starr | | Ult 2 | Elim | | | | | |
| 8 | A.J. Gil | | Elim | | | | | | |
| 9-10 | Jim Verraros | Elim | | | | | | | |
| 9-10 | EJay Day | Elim | | | | | | | |