From Sanjaya to J.Hud: 14 ‘Idol’ Stars Who Look Totally Different Than You Remember

This week, American Idol will crown its final winner. Ryan Seacrest will be “out” one last time. Fans will no doubt be treated to a ton of montages looking back at everything that has happened on the show since we first glimpsed Simon Cowell’s nipple-tastic black T-shirts. Amid this nostalgia-fest, a huge roster of past contestants is scheduled to appear (and there are more “surprises” promised). That has us wondering: Of the many, many singers who took over our living rooms for the past 15 seasons, how many would we still recognize without help? Do those rocker boys still have their hair? Did those sweet teens and 20-somethings grow up (spoiler: of course they did)?

The opposite is also true. In the intervening years, we’ve seen so much of the wannabes who really did turn into Idols, it’s easy to forget the unpolished gems they once were. Here are some before-and-after pictures that tell an interesting story about the effects of reality TV fame, real-life success, changing styles, and, well, time.

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