LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kris Allen beamed with disbelief, shook his head as if to reject that this was really happening and struggled to find words.

The fact that he'd just beaten rollicking vocal powerhouse Adam Lambert for the "American Idol" title wasn't going to sink in quickly for the unassuming underdog from Arkansas. The only downside to this stunning victory: He'd have to sing "No Boundaries" one more time.

"Adam deserves this. I'm sorry, I don't even know what to feel right now. This is crazy," said the 23-year-old from Conway, Ark.

Allen's smooth vocals and boy-next-door image gave him the edge after nearly 100 million viewer votes were cast, turning the theatrical Lambert into the most unlikely of also-rans. When the season started, Allen seemed unsure he had a right to take centre stage, let alone stand there and snatch victory from such a formidable rival.

During his "Idol" audition last summer, Allen, hands in his pockets and a newsboy cap pulled down around his eyes, was asked by the judges if he was the best singer around.

"You know, there's probably people who are better than me," was Allen's response, offered in the quiet, low-key spirit he retained despite his growing profile.

Conversely, Lambert's commanding vocal range and stage presence — and the judges' lavish adoration — at times turned "Idol" into "The Adam Lambert Show," with the other contestants mere guests. But it turned out that "Idol" viewers could embrace a gifted performer like Lambert, one who sported black nail polish and bold self-assurance, only to a point.

Cowell tipped his hat to both contestants on Wednesday night, who shared a moment of musical camaraderie when they joined with Queen on the rock anthem "We Are the Champions."

"To both of you, and I don't normally mean this, I thought you were both brilliant ... the future's all yours," the judge said.

"Adam did win. So did Kris. Nobody lost tonight. These are two champions," said Kiss guitarist Paul Stanley from backstage.

The comments from Cowell and Stanley aren't necessarily empty platitudes. Past contestants can testify that losing the title doesn't mean you're a loser, nor does winning mean you're a shoo-in for superstardom.

Chris Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson, who finished fourth and seventh in their respective seasons, have gone on to huge success. As for "Idol" winners, they range from blockbuster artists like Carrie Underwood to the mostly under-the-radar Taylor Hicks.

Backstage, Lambert was asked about how his second-place finish would be interpreted online.

"The blogs have a lot of opinions, don't they?" he said, smiling and looking relaxed.

His own interpretation?

"I think Kris won because he's a great artist and I was happy to be runner-up to that," he said.

Allen had yet to come to grips with his new status several hours after the Fox show ended.

"I felt shocked every week that I made it. To be the 'American Idol,' I'm really shocked," he said backstage. He paid tribute to his competitor.

"He deserves it just as much as I do," Allen said, calling Lambert an "amazing" performer.

On the personal front, he said he was looking forward to getting back to married life with his wife, Katy, whom he called "the coolest chick in the world."

Wednesday's outcome echoed last year's contest, which also looked at the outset like it was going the other way. Cowell all but crowned David Archuleta after the performance finale, calling his a "knockout performance" — but the victory went to David Cook.

Lambert was such a powerful, unique performer that his fans were allowed a sense of entitlement on his behalf. But his triumph wasn't inevitable. When Allen and Lambert were declared the finalists last week, just one million viewer votes separated the pair out of 88 million cast.