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'Idol' Champs vs. Runners-Up: Who's the Bigger Winner?

As season 11 of American Idol kicks off, see which previous winners have been eclipsed by those who came in second (11 Photos)

Ali Gray on Jan 14, 2010 at 6:00AM

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'Idol' Champs vs. Runners-Up: Who's the Bigger Winner?

Vince Bucci /Getty

Season 5: Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee

Winner: Taylor Hicks
The silver fox's self-titled album, his first major-label release since his 2006 Idol win, was certified platinum. But his fans (dubbed the "Soul Patrol") didn't deliver when Hicks' sophomore effort, The Distance, was released on his own label in 2009. The energetic performer has recently been playing the Teen Angel (who sings "Beauty School Dropout") in a touring production of Grease.

Runner-Up: Katharine McPhee
The photogenic California native has had moderate musical success, with her self-titled first album (released in 2007) selling more than 350,000 copies. And since her big break on Idol, McPhee has been making slow and steady inroads in the acting industry, landing a supporting role in Anna Faris' 2008 comedy House Bunny, and guest roles on series like CBS' CSI:NY and NBC's Community -- but she may have finally landed her big break. McPhee will star in the upcoming NBC series Smash, premiering Feb. 6.

Will the real season 5 Idol please stand up?
Musically, it's a tie. But as an actress, it looks like McPhee could pull a Jennifer Hudson!