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Adam Lambert Beats Out Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson as Top-Earning ‘American Idol’ Alum

Adam Lambert
Adam Lambert

Lambert out of left field! Adam Lambert is the top-earning American Idol alum for 2015, Forbes magazine announced on Wednesday, January 6.

The season 8 runner-up, who finished behind Kris Allen, pulled in $10 million this past year, besting other Idol heavy hitters Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood.

Related: PHOTOS: American Idol Winners

“Adam used the launching pad of American Idol very well to have a successful recording career,” his co-manager Martin Kirkup told Forbes several years ago, adding, “I think the main part of his career still lies ahead of him.”

A big part of the 33-year-old’s earnings came from his role as the frontman for Queen’s 2015 tour, which had him performing in some of the world’s largest arenas.

Underwood, 32, was the top earner of the Idol alum pool for both 2013 and 2014. In 2015, she pulled in an impressive $8 million due in large part to her latest album, Storyteller, and live shows throughout the year; her Storyteller tour will kick off at the end of this month.

Season 1 winner Clarkson, 33, is actually tied with Scotty McCreery for fifth, though the singer’s decision to pull the plug on the remainder of her 2015 Piece by Piece tour to focus on her pregnancy likely contributed to her standing.

The other singers who made the cut included Chris Daughtry ($6 million), Phillip Phillips ($5 million) and Scotty McCreery ($4 million).

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