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50 free Kelly Clarkson trivia questions with answers — music quiz, new questions added Aug 2026.
Kelly Clarkson was an extra on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and a demo singer turned down by labels for sounding 'too black' before her friends talked her into a mall-clothes audition for the first season of American Idol. She won with 58% of the vote, broke a Beatles chart record with her first single, and went on to become the show's proof of concept: Breakaway sold twelve million, Stronger made her the first two-time Best Pop Vocal Album winner, and she was the first artist ever to top Billboard's pop, adult contemporary, country and dance charts. This quiz runs through all of it: From Justin to Kelly, World Idol in London, the My December standoff with Clive Davis, the Reba McEntire connection, the record jump of 'My Life Would Suck Without You', Wrapped in Red, River Rose, four winners on The Voice, the talk show and Kellyoke, the Snoop Dogg co-hosting gig, the name change and the 2025 independent label. Fifty questions, four options each, with a short explanation after every answer. Play on your phone or print it for a music quiz night.
30 of 50 questions with answers and explanations. Play the quiz
Q 01Kelly Clarkson won which season of American Idol?
First
She beat Justin Guarini with 58% of the vote on September 4, 2002, at the Kodak Theatre.
Q 02Who was the runner-up Clarkson beat in the American Idol finale?
Justin Guarini
The pair then co-starred in the 2003 flop From Justin to Kelly, which she says she was contractually obliged to make.
Q 03In which Texas city was Clarkson born?
Fort Worth
She grew up in nearby Burleson, where a choir teacher overheard her singing in a school hallway.
Q 04In which Texas town did Clarkson grow up and attend high school?
Burleson
She sang in school productions of Annie Get Your Gun, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Brigadoon.
Q 05Which of these was one of the debut double A-side singles Clarkson released after Idol?
A Moment Like This
Paired with 'Before Your Love', it broke a 38-year Beatles record for the biggest leap to No. 1 and was the best-selling US single of 2002.
Q 06Clarkson's debut single broke which band's 38-year-old record for the biggest jump to No. 1?
The Beatles
It went from No. 52 to No. 1 in a single week.
Q 07Which Thankful single was Clarkson's first international hit and first Grammy nomination?
Miss Independent
She considers it the song that established her as a songwriter.
Q 08Which 2003 British rom-com put the third single from Clarkson's debut album on its soundtrack?
Love Actually
It followed 'Low' as the third single from Thankful.
Q 09At the 2003 World Idol contest in London, Clarkson finished second to the winner from which country?
Norway
Kurt Nilsen won; she sang Aretha Franklin's '(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman'.
Q 10Clarkson's title track 'Breakaway' was first released on the soundtrack to which 2004 film?
The Princess Diaries 2
It spent 21 weeks atop the Adult Contemporary chart, her longest run at No. 1 anywhere.
Q 11What was the peak Hot 100 position of 'Since U Been Gone'?
No. 2
Despite never reaching the top, it became her most successful Hot 100 single and won a Grammy.
Q 12Which Breakaway single became Clarkson's biggest hit worldwide, topping the European chart?
Because of You
She later re-recorded it as a country duet with Reba McEntire that reached No. 2 on the country chart.
Q 13Two former members of which band co-wrote tracks on Breakaway with Clarkson?
Evanescence
Ben Moody and David Hodges joined Kara DioGuardi, Dr. Luke and Max Martin among the co-writers.
Q 21Clarkson became the first artist to win which Grammy twice when Stronger won in 2013?
Best Pop Vocal Album
Breakaway had won the same award in 2006; by 2023 she was the category's most-nominated performer with six.
Q 22Which boy band recorded Clarkson's co-write 'Tell Me a Lie' on their debut album?
One Direction
It appeared on Up All Night in 2011.
Q 23Clarkson sang the national anthem at which Super Bowl in 2012?
XLVI
Her performance drew wide acclaim; the Giants beat the Patriots that night.
Q 14Which 2007 album sparked Clarkson's public dispute with Clive Davis and RCA?
My December
She co-wrote every track and refused to re-record for a more mainstream sound; 'Never Again' was its only big hit.
Q 15Which country star, a close friend, toured with Clarkson on the 2 Worlds 2 Voices Tour in 2008?
Reba McEntire
McEntire's husband Narvel Blackstock became Clarkson's manager, and his son Brandon later her husband.
Q 16'My Life Would Suck Without You' jumped from what Hot 100 position straight to No. 1?
No. 97
The leap broke the record previously held by Britney Spears's 'Womanizer'.
Q 17Clarkson refused a credit on 'My Life Would Suck Without You' in protest at working with whom?
Dr. Luke
She has said the stand may have cost her millions in royalties.
Q 18Clarkson's 'Already Gone' drew controversy over its similarity to which Beyoncé song?
Halo
Both were produced by Ryan Tedder, prompting another dispute with RCA.
Q 19With which country singer did Clarkson record 'Don't You Wanna Stay', her first country No. 1?
Jason Aldean
It sold 2.7 million copies, the best-selling country collaboration in history.
Q 20How many US copies has 'Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)', her best-selling single, sold?
4.9 million
It was nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.
Q 24What song did Clarkson perform at Barack Obama's second inauguration in 2013?
My Country, 'Tis of Thee
Critics contrasted her live rendition with Beyoncé's pre-recorded anthem at the same event.
Q 25What was the title of Clarkson's 2013 Christmas album?
Wrapped in Red
It was the year's best-selling holiday album; its lead single became ASCAP's most popular 21st-century Christmas song.
Q 26Which Clarkson Christmas single became ASCAP's most popular holiday song released this century?
Underneath the Tree
It topped adult contemporary radio in both the US and Canada.
Q 27Which 2015 album was Clarkson's last under her RCA contract?
Piece by Piece
Its title track debuted at No. 8 after an emotional performance on American Idol's fifteenth season.
Q 28Clarkson's children's books star a character named what?
River Rose
The 2016 debut came with an original lullaby; her daughter is also named River Rose.
Q 29For The Hamilton Mixtape, Clarkson recorded a solo version of which song?
It's Quiet Uptown
It was released as a promotional single in November 2016.
Q 30Clarkson signed with which label after leaving RCA, releasing Meaning of Life in 2017?
Atlantic
The soul-influenced record debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.