List of The X Factor (American TV series) finalists
The X Factor is an American television music competition that first aired in 2011. As of December 2013, there have been three completed seasons. The final round of the competition features a number of solo singers or vocal groups: seventeen in season 1 and sixteen for season 2 and 3. A total of 49 acts have reached the finals of their season. During the first season the contestants were split into four groups: "boys", "girls", "over 25s" and "groups". Each set of contestants was mentored by one of the show's  judges, Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Nicole Scherzinger and L.A. Reid. In season 2, the "boys" and "girls" categories were scrapped and the "teens" and "young adults" categories were introduced. And the "over 25s" were still the same as season 1. Also in season 2, Abdul and Scherzinger left the show, leaving Cowell and Reid as the only two judges to return from the previous year. Cowell and Reid were joined on the panel by Demi Lovato and Britney Spears. In season 3, Reid and Spears left the show, Cowell and Lovato returned as judges from the previous year. Kelly Rowland  and Paulina Rubio joined the panel as replacements of Reid and Spears. The "boys" and "girls" categories were reintroduced in season 3, replacing the "teens" and "young adults" categories from the previous year. As of season 3, only three categories have won the show on at least one occasion, while two of the show's eight judges have had the winning act in their category at least once, with Cowell winning twice, and Reid winning on one occasion. The judges not to win were Abdul, Lovato, Rowland, Rubio, Scherzinger and Spears, with Abdul's best performance being ninth place in  2011 (her only season), Scherzinger, Spears and Rowland placing second in 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively (their only season), Rubio being third place in 2013 (her only season) and Lovato reaching fifth place in 2013 (the second of her two years on the panel).