Chris Daughtry

With bad-boy looks, a rocker voice and a sensitive, family-man persona, Daughtry was the early favorite to win the fifth edition of American Idol. He was certainly the most polished contestant, with his bald pate, meticulously groomed facial hair and consistently kick-ass vocals. So when this North Carolina singer came in fourth runner-up, his ousting shocked the viewers, the judges, even Daughtry himself, and sparked a small scandal (some fans complained that the contestants' phone lines had gotten crossed). His critics insisted he got the boot because he'd shown little growth as a performer, approaching all styles of tunes as if they were alt rock. Whatever the reason he lost, Daughtry's future was bright, with many potential job offers immediately on the table, including an invitation from Fuel to become to band's lead singer. He ultimately turned the gourp down in favor of fronting his own rock outfit, DAUGHTRY. In November 2006, the band's self-titled album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard charts, proving that losers can indeed be winners.