La prima stagione di American Idol iniziò l'11 giugno 2002 (con il titolo completo American Idol: The Search for a Superstar) e finì il 4 settembre 2002. La vincitrice fu Kelly Clarkson. L'edizione fu presentata da Ryan Seacrest e Brian Dunkleman: quest'ultimo abbandonò la conduzione alla fine della stagione.
Audizioni Le audizioni si tennero a New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta e Seattle nella primavera del 2002.
Fasi Finali Top 10 - Motown Ryan Starr - "If You Really Love Me" (Stevie Wonder) R.J. Helton - "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" (The Four Tops) Nikki McKibbin - "Ben" (Michael Jackson) EJay Day - "My Girl" (The Temptations) Tamyra Gray - "Touch Me in the Morning" (Diana Ross) Justin Guarini - "For Once in My Life" (Stevie Wonder) Jim Verraros - "Easy" (The Commodores) Kelly Clarkson - "You're All I Need to Get By" (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell) A.J. Gil - "My Cherie Amour" (Stevie Wonder) Christina Christian - "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell) Ultimi 3: Nikki McKibbin - Jim Verraros - EJay Day 1° Eliminato: EJay Day 2° Eliminato: Jim Verraros
Top 08 - Anni 60 R.J. Helton - "Under the Boardwalk" (The Drifters) Tamyra Gray - "A Fool in Love" (Ike & Tina Turner) Nikki McKibbin - "Piece of My Heart" (Janis Joplin) A.J. Gil - "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" (Marvin Gaye) Kelly Clarkson - "(You Make Me Feel like) A Natural Woman" (Aretha Franklin) Christina Christian - "When a Man Loves a Woman" (Percy Sledge) Justin Guarini - "Sunny" (Bobby Hebb) Ryan Starr - "You Really Got Me" (The Kinks) Ultimi 3: Ryan Starr - A.J. Gil - Christina Christian Eliminato: A.J. Gil
Top 07 - Anni 70 Nikki McKibbin - "Heartbreaker" (Pat Benatar) Ryan Starr - "Last Dance" (Donna Summer) Christina Christian - "Ain't No Sunshine" (Bill Withers) Justin Guarini - "Someday We'll All Be Free" (Donny Hathaway) Kelly Clarkson - "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" (Aretha Franklin) R.J. Helton - "Superstition" (Stevie Wonder) Tamyra Gray - "If I Were Your Woman" (Gladys Knight & the Pips) Ultimi 3: Nikki McKibbin - Ryan Starr - Justin Guarini Eliminata: Ryan Starr
Top 06 - Big Band Tamyra Gray - "Minnie the Moocher" (Cab Calloway) Justin Guarini - "Route 66" (Nat King Cole) Nikki McKibbin - "Hard-Hearted Hannah" (Ella Fitzgerald) Christina Christian - "The Glory of Love" (Peggy Lee) R.J. Helton - "I Won't Dance" (Frank Sinatra) Kelly Clarkson - "Stuff Like That There" (Betty Hutton) Ultimi 3: Nikki McKibbin - R.J. Helton - Christina Christian Eliminata: Christina Christian
Top 05 - Canzoni Scritte da Burt Bacharach Kelly Clarkson - "Walk On By" (Dionne Warwick) R.J. Helton - "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" (Christopher Cross) Tamyra Gray - "A House Is Not a Home" (Luther Vandross) Justin Guarini - "The Look of Love" (Dusty Springfield) Nikki McKibbin - "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" (Naked Eyes) Ultimi 2: Nikki McKibbin - R.J. Helton Eliminato: R.J. Helton
Top 04 - Anni 80, Anni 90 Tamyra Gray - "New Attitude" (Patti LaBelle) Nikki McKibbin - "Mary Jane" (Alanis Morissette) Kelly Clarkson - "It's Raining Men" (The Weather Girls) Justin Guarini - "Get Here" (Oleta Adams) Tamyra Gray - "Feel the Fire" (Stephanie Mills) Nikki McKibbin - "I'm the Only One" (Melissa Etheridge) Kelly Clarkson - "I Surrender" (Céline Dion) Justin Guarini - "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" (Michael Jackson) Ultimi 2: Nikki McKibbin - Tamyra Gray Eliminata: Tamyra Gray
Top 03 - Scelta dei Concorrenti, Scelta dei Giudici Nikki McKibbin - "Edge of Seventeen" (Stevie Nicks) Justin Guarini - "Let's Stay Together" (Al Green) Kelly Clarkson - "Think Twice" (Céline Dion) Nikki McKibbin - "Black Velvet" (Alannah Myles) (Scelta di Paula Abdul) Justin Guarini - "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (Elton John) (Scelta di Simon Cowell) Kelly Clarkson - "Without You" (Badfinger) (Scelta di Randy Jackson)
Eliminata: Nikki McKibbin
Top 02 - Singoli, Scelta dei Concorrenti Justin Guarini - "Before Your Love" Kelly Clarkson - "A Moment like This" Justin Guarini - "Get Here" (Oleta Adams) Kelly Clarkson - "Respect" (Aretha Franklin) Justin Guarini - "A Moment like This" Kelly Clarkson - "Before Your Love" Vincitrice: Kelly Clarkson Secondo: Justin Guarini
Tabella Eliminazioni Settimana: 17/07 24/07 31/07 07/08 14/08 21/08 28/08 04/09 Posizione Concorrente Risultato 1 Kelly Clarkson Vincitrice 2 Justin Guarini
3 Nikki McKibbin
Elim 4 Tamyra Gray Elim 5 RJ Helton
Ult 2 Elim 6 Christina Christian Elim 7 Ryan Starr
Ult 2 Elim 8 A.J. Gil Elim 9-10 Jim Verraros Elim EJay Day
Categoria:American Idol