Underwood highest earning `American Idol` contestant

London: Singer Carrie Underwood has been named the highest earning "American Idol" contestant by Forbes magazine.

The Grammy Award winner has beaten former contestants Kelly Clarkson, Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson and Adam Lambert to take the top spot with earnings of $20 million, reports contactmusic.com. "(`American Idol` is) a money-making machine. It`s like having the Super Bowl every week," Adam Kluger, the president of brand partnership company the Kluger Agency, told Forbes magazine. Forbes list of highest-paid `American Idol` contestants: 1. Carrie Underwood ($20 million) 2. Daughtry ($6 million, tie) 3. Adam Lambert ($6 million) 4. Fantasia Barrino ($4 million) 5. Jordin Sparks ($3 million) 6. Kelly Clarkson ($2.5 million) 7. Jennifer Hudson ($2 million) 8. Kellie Pickler ($1.8 million) 9. Clay Aiken ($1.5 million) 10. Katharine McPhee ($1 million) IANS