"American Idol" is famous for giving us some of the biggest stars in country music. Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler and Scotty McCreery all got their start on the singing show. And Kelly Clarkson — with her music career, talk show and role on "The Voice" — is a superstar. But a few of their peers actually didn't fare too well on the Ryan Seacrest-fronted reality show.
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Some of country music's biggest superstars, from Lainey Wilson to Kane Brown, were given a "no" from "Idol" producers years before their big breaks. Of course, they didn't let the rejection deter them from their dreams. In fact, it seems that getting a metaphorical door shut in their face from one of the biggest reality competition shows of all time only encouraged each artist to keep going.
And it's not only "Idol" that's dropped the ball. "The Voice" famously rejected country superstar Luke Combs — and to hear Combs tell it, the reason why was particularly rough.
"They told me, essentially, I was too boring to be on television," Combs said on the "Full Send" podcast (quote via Billboard).
In the end, they all got the last laugh, as many of their songs are now used as audition songs by singing-competition hopefuls.
"Now people cover my songs for their auditions on those shows," Maren Morris said on the "Watch What Happens After Show" about of her many reality show rejections. "So it's like, not only is it really nice to have my song on a national television show, I get to collect the check and have some sweet revenge."
Take a look back at the country stars who were rejected by "American Idol."
Lainey Wilson
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Few artists have experienced the career rise that Lainey Wilson has had in the past couple of years. The "Heart Like a Truck" singer is the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year, and she even earned a role on the massively popular series "Yellowstone."
But before she became a household name, Wilson was rejected on "American Idol" seven times. Yes, seven times. However, much like Maren Morris, Wilson got to take a victory lap when she was invited to perform on the season finale of "Idol."
"I finally made it on 'American Idol,'" Wilson told Country Countdown USA. "I tried out 7 times. I took the long way around, but finally made it on 'American Idol.' I never made it through. I never made it past the first round. I also tried out for 'The Voice.' I'm grateful my story ended the way that it did."
Even current "Idol" judge Luke Bryan spoke out about Wilson's "Idol" attempts.
"I didn't know that; that was the first time I heard that, but I'll go see my producers today and find out what happened," Bryan said. "I'm glad she didn't take the Idol letdown to heart. It also shows we don't always get it right."
Maren Morris
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for iHeartRadio
Maren Morris is one of the most successful modern country artists. But the "I Could Use a Love Song" singer was actually rejected from "American Idol," "The Voice" and "America's Got Talent." What?!
Kane Brown
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Kane Brown may not have made it on "American Idol" like his classmate Lauren Alaina, but it all worked out in the end.
"They didn't need another Scotty McCreery," Brown said of his "American Idol" rejection in an interview with Billboard.
Brown did make it on to "The X Factor," but he didn't like the path they'd set for him. As he tells it, the producers "tried to put me in a boy band, so I quit. I went home and did my own 'American Idol' with covers online."
Chris Lane
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Chris Lane auditioned for Season 7 of "Idol" along with his brother, Cory. The Lane brothers auditioned as a rap duo and didn't make it past the audition rounds.
Hillary Scott
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Before she hit the big time as one-third of the multi-platinum Lady A, Hillary Scott was rejected by "American Idol" before she even got to sing for the judging panel. "I never got to see [the judges]," Scott once told Entertainment Tonight of her brief stint on the show. "I literally performed for the production assistants and the interns, and I just didn't make it."
Mickey Guyton
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Country star Mickey Guyton was actually cut from Season 7 of "American Idol." Though she wasn't featured much on the show, Guyton was cut just before the top 24 contestants were revealed back in 2008.
It goes without saying that Guyton has excelled in her time since the reality show. She released the critically acclaimed Remember Her Name, she's a four-time Grammy nominee, and she performed the national anthem at the Super Bowl in 2022.
Colton Swon
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Before finding fame with his brother on Season 4 of "The Voice," The Swon Brothers' Colton Swon actually tried his luck on "American Idol" as a solo artist. According to Access Hollywood, Swon competed alongside Guyton in Season 7 of the show and reached the top 48 before being sent home by judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi.
Colbie Caillat
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Though she's managed to carve out a pretty impressive career for herself in the music industry — including working with Brad Paisley and writing for Taylor Swift — Colbie Caillat actually auditioned twice for "American Idol." After being rejected both times at the initial stages — meaning she never even got to sing for the judges — the "Bubbly" singer put her music on MySpace and has gone on to see huge success.
This article previously ran in May 2021. It was updated on Feb. 26, 2024.
