The winners and runners-up of six previous “Idol” seasons:

Season one: Kelly Clarkson/Justin Guarini

Season two: Ruben Studdard/Clay Aiken

Season three: Fantasia Barrino/Diana DeGarmo

Season four: Carrie Underwood/Bo Bice

Season five: Taylor Hicks/Katherine McPhee

Season six: Jordin Sparks/Blake Lewis

“American Idol” ranking among all shows for each season:

Season one: summer series (June-Sept. 2002, not in an official season).

Season two: 2002-03 Tuesday edition, No. 5; Wednesday edition, No. 6

Season three: 2003-04, Tuesday edition, No. 2; Wednesday edition, No. 3

Season four: 2004-05 Tuesday edition, No. 2; Wednesday edition, No. 3

Season five: 2005-06 Tuesday edition, No. 1; Wednesday edition, No. 2

Season six: 2006-07 Tuesday edition, No. 1; Wednesday edition, No. 2

Controversial moments in “Idol” history

Season two: Contestant Corey Clark is disqualified for not disclosing a police record. He later claims to have had an affair with “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul. She denies the charge and an investigation ordered by the network clears her of wrongdoing.

Season two: Franchelle “Frenchie” Davis is disqualified when topless photos of her appear on the Internet.

Season two: There are claims that millions of votes were dropped because the phone system was overloaded for the final between winner Ruben Studdard and runner-up Clay Aiken. Studdard’s margin of victory is 130,000 votes.

Season three: When future Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson is eliminated, guest judge Elton John calls the vote “incredibly racist.”

Season four: Scott Savol rides out reports that in 2001 he was charged with hitting his girlfriend (he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct). The producers say that, unlike Clark, Savol revealed the incident to them. Spared disqualification, Savol makes it to the final five.

Season six: Abdul seems to be swaying in her chair and slurring words in interview footage that hits the Internet in January 2007. She denies being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, attributing her behavior to fatigue and technical problems during the interview.

Season six: Judge Simon Cowell draws fire for saying that one contestant “looked like a bush baby.”

Season six: Racy photographs of Antonella Barba show up on the Internet. Unlike Davis in the second season, Barba is not disqualified by producers. But voters eliminate her before the final 12 are chosen.

Season six: “Idol” cameras focus on Ashley Ferl, a 13-year-old girl who hysterically cries during a performance by Sanjaya Malakar. She becomes known as “the crying girl” and is spoofed on everything from “Saturday Night Live” to “Family Guy.” Shock jock Howard Stern and the Web site www.votefortheworst.com encourage votes for Malakar.

Season six: Cowell sides with many fans and critics who are shocked when Melinda Doolittle doesn’t make it to the final two.