NBC’s America’s Got Talent is one of the country’s leading talent competition shows, and Billboard is looking back at the many gifted winners who’ve made history on the series so far.
Created by former American Idol judge, X Factor mastermind and Syco Entertainment founder Simon Cowell, the global talent competition premiered in the U.S. on NBC in 2006. The idea was to find the best talent of any age in the country — whether they specialized in singing, dancing, performing magic tricks, acting as a ventriloquist or even training dogs to do tricks — and then have them headline a show on the Las Vegas Strip on top of winning a $1 million cash prize.
The show has seen a number of stars grace its judges’ panel, with the just-wrapped season 19 featuring Cowell alongside Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara and Howie Mandel, as well as host Terry Crews. Each of the judges recruits viewers’ votes to help crown the most talented contestant, and each season’s top pick runs the gamut of skill sets.
A handful of musicians have come out on top in the past, including the show’s first-ever champ, then-11-year-old singer Bianca Ryan, whose tiny frame belied her massive pipes on the Dreamgirls showstopper “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.” Other musical winners include late opera singer Neal Boyd (season 3), jazz singer Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. (season 6), then 12-year-old singer/songwriter Grace VanderWaal (season 11), and blind and autistic singer Kodi Lee (season 14) — plus the latest champ, 55-year-old singing janitor Richard Goodall. Two singing ventriloquists have taken home the prize too, with Terry Fator winning season 2 and then-12-year-old performer Darci Lynne winning season 12.
Below is a complete list of which talented act won at the end of every season.
Season 1![]()
Winner: Bianca Ryan
Date Crowned: Aug. 17, 2006
At only 11 years old, the Philadelphia-based singer performed the Dreamgirls‘ showstopper “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” for her viral audition — and the only place she was going after that was straight to the finale.
Season 3
Winner: Neal E. Boyd
Date Crowned: Oct. 1, 2008
The Sikeston, Missouri-based classical opera singer won the competition in its third season and eventually landed a top 10 classical album with 2009’s My American Dream. He sadly died a decade after his victory on June 10, 2018.
Season 11
Winner: Grace VanderWaal
Date Crowned: Sept. 14, 2016
One of the most memorable wins in AGT history goes to the Lenexa, Kansas-born singer-songwriter and ukulele player, who took home the title at age 12. In the immediate years following her victory, VanderWaal released the full-length album Just the Beginning, accepted the Rising Star Award at Billboard‘s Women in Music, won a Radio Disney Music Award and Teen Choice Award, and toured with Imagine Dragons.
Season 12
Winner: Darci Lynne
Date Crowned: Sept. 20, 2017
The Oklahoma native (and her puppet Petunia) became the second singing ventriloquist to win AGT following her “idol” Terry Fator and went on to sell out headlining shows across the country, perform at the Grand Ole Opry, open for Fergie at Caesars Palace and star in her own NBC Christmas special My Hometown Christmas.
Season 14
Winner: Kodi Lee
Date Crowned: Sept. 18, 2019
The Lake Elsinore, California-based singer, who is blind and autistic, took home the title after a string of stirring performances at the piano. His flawless cover of Donny Hathaway’s “A Song for You” earned Lee the first golden buzzer of the competition from judge Gabrielle Union, securing his title as the favorite ever since.
Season 17
Winner: Mayyas
Date Crowned: Sept. 14, 2022
The Lebanese all-women dance group was a strong contender from the start, earning a golden buzzer from judge Sofia Vergara during the June 21 episode. They even managed to impress Simon Cowell that night, with the acerbic judge noting at the time, “It was arguably the best dance act we’re likely to have ever seen. And we are honored to have you here.”
Season 19
Winner: Richard Goodall
Date Crowned: Sept. 24, 2024
Goodall went from elementary-school janitor to millionaire in a matter of seconds when he was crowned the winner of AGT‘s 19th season, having charmed audiences with powerful vocal performances of Michael Bolton’s “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You,” Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” and Journey’s “Faithfully.”
