You know that feeling when you're scrolling through YouTube at 2 a.m. and suddenly you’re weeping because a guy and his dog just did a backflip? That's the magic of America’s Got Talent. But honestly, once the confetti settles and the $1 million prize is announced (which, by the way, is paid out over 40 years unless you take the much smaller lump sum), it’s easy to lose track of who actually went the distance.
Most people can name a few. Terry Fator? Sure, the guy basically owns half of Vegas. Shin Lim? The card trick wizard. But what about the others? If you look at the winners of america's got talent list from the last two decades, you’ll see a mix of massive superstars and people who just sort of... went back to their normal lives.
The Early Pioneers (When the Show Was Still Finding Its Feet)
Back in 2006, the show was a different beast. Piers Morgan was a judge. The set looked like a local high school auditorium on steroids.
Bianca Ryan was the very first winner. She was 11. She had this massive, soulful voice that didn't match her tiny frame. She’s still out there making music today, though she had a scary health setback a few years ago where she had to undergo vocal cord surgery.
Then came the Terry Fator era.
If Bianca proved the show could find talent, Terry proved it could find a gold mine. He won Season 2 and parlayed that into a $100 million contract at The Mirage. He’s essentially the blueprint for what every contestant wants to be.
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But then we hit a "singer" phase that kinda divided fans. For a few years, it felt like if you had a guitar and a sad story, you were golden.
- Neal E. Boyd (Season 3): An opera powerhouse. Sadly, Neal passed away in 2018, but he’s still remembered as one of the kindest souls the show ever featured.
- Kevin Skinner (Season 4): The chicken farmer with the country voice. Kevin hit some hard times after his win and largely stepped out of the spotlight.
- Michael Grimm (Season 5): He beat out Jackie Evancho in a massive upset. Michael is a blue-eyed soul singer who’s still gigging regularly in Vegas.
- Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. (Season 6): The car washer who sang Sinatra. He actually had a #1 jazz album after the show.
The Variety Renaissance: Dogs, Magic, and Drones
Around Season 7, the "winners of america's got talent list" started getting weird. In a good way.
The Olate Dogs broke the singer streak in 2012. It was pure chaos—poodles doing backflips and jumping through hoops. People loved it. It signaled a shift; the audience wanted variety, not just another karaoke star.
Then came Kenichi Ebina in Season 8. His "Matrix" style dance routine is still one of the most-watched clips in the show's history. He didn't just dance; he told a story with his body that felt like a video game come to life.
The Magicians Who Owned the Stage
Magic became the new dominant force. Mat Franco (Season 9) was the first magician to win, and he’s still headlining at the Linq in Vegas. He’s incredibly charismatic. Then you have Shin Lim (Season 13), who is probably the most technically skilled person to ever walk onto that stage. The guy won Season 13 and AGT: The Champions.
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The Recent Heavy Hitters (2019-2025)
The last few years have focused heavily on acts that make you feel something deep in your chest.
Kodi Lee (Season 14) changed the show forever. Being blind and autistic, his audition was a viral sensation that reached every corner of the internet. But it wasn't just a "feel-good" story—the guy is a legitimate musical prodigy. He’s currently a staple in the AGT Live residency in Vegas.
In 2024, we saw Richard Goodall, the singing janitor. It was a classic AGT "underdog" story. He’s got that Steve Perry-esque belt that just cuts through the noise.
And most recently, in 2025, Jessica Sanchez (who some might remember from her American Idol days) took the crown, proving that a seasoned pro can still find a new lease on life through the AGT platform.
The Full Winners List for Quick Reference
- Season 1: Bianca Ryan (Singer)
- Season 2: Terry Fator (Ventriloquist)
- Season 3: Neal E. Boyd (Opera Singer)
- Season 4: Kevin Skinner (Country Singer)
- Season 5: Michael Grimm (Soul Singer)
- Season 6: Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. (Jazz Singer)
- Season 7: Olate Dogs (Dog Act)
- Season 8: Kenichi Ebina (Performance Dancer)
- Season 9: Mat Franco (Magician)
- Season 10: Paul Zerdin (Ventriloquist)
- Season 11: Grace VanderWaal (Singer-Songwriter)
- Season 12: Darci Lynne Farmer (Singing Ventriloquist)
- Season 13: Shin Lim (Close-up Magician)
- Season 14: Kodi Lee (Singer and Pianist)
- Season 15: Brandon Leake (Spoken Word Poet)
- Season 16: Dustin Tavella (Magician)
- Season 17: The Mayyas (Alternative Dance Crew)
- Season 18: Adrian Stoica & Hurricane (Dog Act)
- Season 19: Richard Goodall (Singer)
- Season 20: Jessica Sanchez (Singer)
What Really Happens After the Win?
Winning doesn't mean you're set for life. It's a platform, not a finished product.
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The Vegas Reality
The biggest prize isn't actually the million dollars. It's the headlining show in Las Vegas. For acts like The Mayyas or Adrian Stoica & Hurricane, that exposure is what leads to global tours and corporate gigs.
The Social Media Factor
Grace VanderWaal (Season 11) is a great example of this. She didn't just take her win and disappear. She built a massive online following, starred in Disney movies (Stargirl), and shifted her sound to a more alternative, edgy vibe. She’s an artist, not just a "talent show winner."
On the flip side, some winners like Dustin Tavella faced a bit of a backlash. Fans were torn because his magic was so heavily focused on his personal life stories. It worked for the vote, but it’s a harder sell for a 90-minute Vegas residency compared to someone like Shin Lim.
Why the AGT List Keeps Growing
People love a comeback. They love seeing a janitor, a car washer, or a shy 12-year-old with a ukulele get told they are "good enough."
Even as the show enters 2026, the formula remains the same: find someone who shouldn't be a star, and make them one. Whether it's a drone show or a poet like Brandon Leake, the winners of america's got talent list will always be a reflection of what America finds inspiring at that specific moment in time.
If you're looking to catch up on these acts, your best bet is to check out the AGT Superstars Live show in Las Vegas. Many of the names on this list rotate through that lineup. Also, keep an eye on Peacock, as they often run "where are they now" specials that go into the nitty-gritty of the contracts and the life changes these performers deal with after the cameras turn off.
For those wanting to follow in their footsteps, the 2026 audition cycle is already underway. Most successful acts now focus on "viral-ready" moments—acts that can be clipped into 60-second TikToks. If you can't capture an audience in the first 10 seconds, you're likely not making it onto the next update of this list.