Why American Idol Doesn’t Pay Well
American Idol just announced its latest winner, Nick Fradiani. If you’ve followed American Idol in its seemingly endless history, you know that some American Idol winners go on to hold massively successful careers, and others are not nearly as fortunate as they drift into obscurity (Ruben Studdard, we’re looking at you.) What are the odds for the young Fradiani as he embarks on his budding Idol career?
In a contract obtained by TMZ in 2011, the American Idol winner gets at least $350,000 for recording their first album, and more earnings as their music sells more.
Additionally, according to Wetpaint.com, Idol winners can make up to $200,000 per appearance, endorsement, and gigs after the show.
BUT.. as we know from poor Phillip 
Phillips experience as Idol winner, American Idol contracts aren’t all they appear to be.
According to ABCNews.go , “Phillips, 24, filed a petition with the California Labor Commissioner, claiming that he was obligated to play gigs that did not benefit his career, such as one show he did for free for JetBlue, and that the production company regularly withheld information about his career from him.
For example, he claimed he only found out the name of his album when the public did. Phillips also alleged that 19 Entertainment receives as much as 40 percent of any of his endorsement deals.”
In other words, Fradiani might make an okay amount of money in the beginning, but a difficult contract and an unpredictable factor of staying power might not make it great in the long-term.
