POLL -- Whose CD Are You Most Looking Forward To: David Cook or David Archuleta?

Their American Idol battle ended about 5 months ago, but in the coming weeks David Cook and David Archuleta will duke it out again, this time for supremacy in the arena of record sales. Archuleta already has a successful single out ("Crush"), while Cook's "Light On" is quickly ascending the charts.

Here's the question -- whose CD are YOU most excited about? Take the poll below and let me know!

Online Surveys & Market Research

David Cook and Brother Andrew Sing The National Anthem At Kansas City Chiefs Game

American Idol winner David Cook joined forces with the brother that is responsible for him being on the show to sing the National Anthem at a Kansas City Chiefs game this past weekend.

Watch the video of the brothers harmonizing and let me know what you think!

David Cook, David Archuleta, Katherine McPhee and Jordin Sparks Will Appear on Teen Choice Awards

American Idol winners David Cook and Jordin Sparks, as well as runners-up David Archuleta and Katherine McPhee, will perform on the Teen Choice Awards, airing August 4th on FOX.

Nominee Cook and Archuleta are, of course, on tour with American Idol, while Jordin has her third consectuive Top 40 hit with "One Step at a Time" (her song "No Air" is up for several awards). McPhee is currently working with producer David Foster and is appearing in the film "House Bunny."

It is unclear whether the former Idols will be presenting or performing at the awards.

Also set to appear at the event are Shia LaBeouf, Rachel Bilson, Channing Tatum, David Archuleta, Lil Mama, LL Cool J, Demi Lovato, James Marsden, Leighton Meester, Sophia Bush, Josh Holloway, Ryan Sheckler, Steve Carell, Chris Brown, Scarlett Johansson, Zac Efron, Pink, Danica Patrick, Selena Gomez, JoJo, Minka Kelly, Jesse McCartney, Chad Michael Murray, Chace Crawford, Kristen Bell, Drake Bell, Mischa Barton, Brittany Snow and Hayden Panettiere.

Stay tuned for more info...

David Cook Named to People Magazine's "Hottest Bachelor" List

Winning American Idol is nothing to sneeze at, sure, but it's nothing like being named to People magazine's Hottest Bachelor list!

Uh huh.

David Cook made the cut this year, joining other luminaries like cover-boy Mario Lopez (check out Mario's pics from the magazine here), The Hills' Brody Jenner, Terrence Howard, Gerard Butler, the Gossip Girl guys, Maroon 5's Adam Levine, and tennis player James Blake.

Here's what David, who is rumored to be dating Season 2 Idol contestant Kimberly Caldwell, has to say about his flirting technique: ple, but the 25-year-old American Idol winner admits that his stage bravado doesn't always carry over into his personal life. "Looking a pretty woman in the eye and convincing her I'm worth taking a chance on is different. It takes a specific brand of guts, and it's not the kind I have."

Awwwww -- hottest bachelor, indeed!

Idol Thoughts Scours the Web -- Tuesday June 17

Updated throughout the day

Articles posted today on Idol Thoughts...

SPOILER: So You Think Can Dance Top 18 -- Dance Styles and Choreographers

American Idol Winners Cook, Underwood and Sparks Nominated for Teen Choice Awards

Dancing with the Stars Karina Smirnoff Talks About Mario Lopez' Cheating Ways

Eight Former American Idol Contestants Currently on the Radio Charts

Video: David Cook on Jimmy Kimmel Live

Articles of interest from around the web...

TV Guide Names Omarosa the #1 reality TV villain; The Hills' Spencer comes in at #7

Variety reviews the new Mike Myers/Jessica Alba/Justin Timberlake film Love Guru

The New York Times reports on same-sex marriages beginning in California

William Hurt to join the cast of FX's Damages

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Eight Former American Idol Contestants on Radio Charts -- Jordin Sparks Appears on Five!

The names may change, but there always seems to be at least a handful of former American Idol contestants on the radio charts. Case in point -- as of this morning, a whopping EIGHT former Idols have a song on one of the charts.

Season 6 champ Jordin Sparks is leading the way, with three songs ("Tatoo," "One Step at a Time," and "No Air") appearing on five different charts. Carrie Underwood has a #2 Country hit in "Last Name," while Season 7 winner David Cook has taken his debut single "Time of My Life" onto the Pop, Hot AC and AC charts. Other Idols with successful current singles include Kimberley Locke, Clay Aiken, Jennifer Hudson, Josh Gracin and Chris Daughtry.

Here is a summary of how the Idols are currently faring:

Pop
#10 Jordin Sparks "No Air"
#41 David Cook "Time of My Life"
#48 Jordin Sparks "One Step at a Time"

Hot AC
#2 Daughtry "Feels Like Tonight"
#12 Jordin Sparks "No Air"
#20 David Cook "Time of My Life"

Mainstream AC
#7 Jordin Sparks "Tattoo"
#10 Daughtry "Feels Like Tonight"
#12 David Cook "Time of My Life"
#17 Kimberley Locke "Fall"
#18 Jordin Sparks "No Air"
#28 Clay Aiken "On My Way Here"

Country
#2 Carrie Underwood "Last Name"
#18 Josh Gracin "We Weren't Crazy"

Urban AC
#27 Jennifer Hudson "Spotlight"
#28 Jordin Sparks "No Air"

Urban
#20 Jordin Sparks "No Air"

Source: Mediabase

Video: David Cook on Jimmy Kimmel Live

He sure is charming, isn't he?

Here's a video of David Cook on Jimmy Kimmel Live earlier this week. Enjoy!

Video: David Cook Singing the National Anthem at the NBA Finals

Like former American Idol winners Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks and Jordin Sparks before him, David Cook sang the national anthem at the NBA Finals game last night -- and sounded great!

The guy's gotta be exhausted -- he's been performing non-stop since he won the show, and the American Idol tour is just gearing up, but he still managed to give the Anthem his patented rocker spin.

Watch the video below and enjoy!

AMERICAN IDOL POLL: Which of the Top 7 Gave the Best Performance? Who's Going Home?

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Listen to Chris Cornell's (Soundgarden) Version of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean"

This is a recording of Chris Cornell (Soundgarden) singing an acoustic version of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean," which was the basis of what David Cook performed on American Idol tonight. It's quite similar, and both are equally affecting. Which do you prefer?

Ranking American Idol's Top 8 Guys: The Three David's Top the List for the Second Straight Week

What a strange episode of American Idol -- neither mind bogglingly amazing or torturously bad. Some of the performances, and song choices, were so strange, I almost don't know what to say.

I said...almost.

Part of the problem is that the songs seemed so damn short. Is it just me, or did every song seem to be about 30 seconds? We've got a big decision to make here, and I'm not sure such a short snippet of song from each contestant allowed each to leave the voters with the best impression.

Having said that, here's my rankings of the Top 8 guys:

1. David Cook
I know some of y'all aren't too fond of Season 7's rocker, but I've loved this guy since the moment he appeared in his initial audition, and as the weeks go on I keep falling deeper and deeper. His performance of "Hello" was a revelation -- he made the song current, relevant and totally appropriate for his performance style. Send this boy to the finals!
Grade: A-

2. David Hernandez
David's got to be having a rough week with the revelations about his stripper past, but he seemed to put it aside and performed "It's All Coming Back" quite well. While I, like Simon, prefered his performance of "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," there's no doubt this kid can really sing. Hopefully he'll get to show off some of his stripper moves in the Top 12.
Grade: B

3. David Archuleta
Is little David getting too cocky too soon? I love him, don't get me wrong, but his performance tonight was way too self-serious. As Simon said, he's got to lighten up and remind us that he's just an adorable teenager. Heck, if he keeps singing songs like this one, there's gonna be no uber-serious songs for him to sing during "Idol Gives Back"! Still, not a chance in hell he won't make it to the Top 12.
Grade: B

4. Jason Castro
I'm a bit Simon loved this performance so much -- it was genuine and heartfelt, sure, but less than impressive vocally. True, it's not a vocal powerhouse type of song, and his rendition was both respectable and respectful. I wanna love him -- and I did love his debut Top 24 performance -- but I'm hung up on the fact that this kid doesn't have the big notes in him. He presents Idol voters with an interesting dilemna -- do you vote for someone who seems like an authentic artist even if they are far from the best singer? I'm curious what else he's got in him, so I hope (and expect) he will get to the Top 12, but I wonder how long he can last without being able to really belt out a tune.
Grade: B

5. Michael Johns
How did this guy go from a frontrunner to an also-ran so quickly? His performance wasn't painful tonight by any means, but there was also nothing special about it -- unfortunately for Michael, the third straight week that's been the case. Even if he makes it to the Top 12 (which he likely will), unless he ups the ante I can't see him making much of a dent in the competition.
Grade: B-

6. Chekezie
Vocally, there's no doubt this guy's got it. And tackling a Whitney Houston song was a risky proposition that didn't result in him falling flat on his face. But there's something off about him -- he's just not connecting with the songs or with the audience (at least not this audience member). The producers clearly think he's got something worth paying attention to, as they gave him the coveted final performance slot, but will he ever seem his display some star quality?
Grade: C+

7. Danny Noriega
I'm still loving Danny's sassy attitude, but "Tainted Love" did absolutely nothing for him vocally. I remember him having a good voice during his initial audition and in Hollywood -- where has it gone? Still, having him as part of the Top 12 would certainly liven things up, so I'd be lying if I said I didn't hope he sneaks in.
Grade: C

8. Luke Menard
Egads! I actually don't think "Wake Me Up (Before You Go Go)" was a terrible song choice for Luke, but I find his voice almost unbearably difficult to listen to, and he could not possibly be any cheesier. I wish Simon hadn't so blatantly told him he wasn't going to make it to the Top 12, as that sounds like a direct challenge to his fans (if he has any), but I'm hoping he's right and this is the last we'll see of the a capella pretty boy.
Grade: C-

Which of the Top 8 guys was your favorite? Who's going home? Vote now!

American Idol: Best. Hollywood Week. Ever. (Ranking the Top 12 Contenders)

MAJOR SPOILER: American Idol Top 24 Finalists Revealed!

Wow, the American Idol folks were not kidding when they said this year's Hollywood round would be better than ever. It was amazing!

There was no drama. None. (Okay, just a little). But what there was in spades was singing. And singing. And more singing.

And I loved it!

Forgive my enthusiasm, but I'm now more convinced than ever that this is going to be the strongest year of Idol yet (read my post Seven Reasons This Season Really Might Be Better Than Ever). )While we're accustomed to fumbled lyrics and off-pitch disasters in Hollywood, what we got was at least a good dozen people who have the potential to be really good.

Based solely on what we saw tonight, here's how I'd rank the Top 12 contenders:

*Note: We did not see several performers tonight who have made it into the Top 50 (Chikeize Eze and Alex Lushington, for example). In addition, some were on for such a small amount of time (Colton Berry, Robbie Carrico) I didn't include them in this list.

1. Carly Smithson has the kind of thrilling voice that there's always a place for on American Idol. Sure, her rendition of "Alone" doesn't compare to Carrie Underwood's Idol-definitive version a few years back. But those high notes! And she wants this bad, which means she's going to push herself -- that's always fun to watch.

2. David Archuleta may just have this thing all sewn up. First off -- he looks like Zac Efron (definitely not a bad thing when teenage girls both watch this show and have cell phones with text messaging capabilities). Second of all -- he's got a great voice. Really great. And, thirdly, he won Star Search a few years back, so he has experience performing on live television. Top 10, easy.

3. Michael Johns' rendition of "Light My Fire" was solid, but his performance of "Bohemian Rhapsody" showed this guy's got serious star potential. And that Australian accent ain't gonna hurt one bit.

4. David Cook has a lowkey charm, coupled with a hot rock voice. My current dark horse fave.

5. David Hernandez was a nice surprise, effortlessly crooning "Love the One You're With" and showing an ease on stage that many of his peers were lacking. Not too shabby.

6. Amanda Overmyer sounded great singing "Light My Fire," but I have to admit, I share Simon's concern that all of her songs are going to sound the same. For now, though, I'm still smitten.

7. Asia'h Epperson had such a tragic backtory I failed to notice this girl could really sing. And she's hot. Not a bad combination.

8. Danny Noriega, quirky as he may be, has an amazing voice. Does he remind anyone else of Christian from Project Runway? I can't wait to see what happens with this kid in the competition.

9. Kristi Lee Cook gave another solid performance of "Amazing Grace," but I'm going to have to hear her sing something else before I can really get a sense of what she's capable of.

10. Syesha Mercado definitely has talent, but she also has a habit of shouting. Girl, I'm right here, you don't have to scream!

11. Brooke White's take on "Beautiful" was interesting, in that she definitely does have a Carole King/Joni Mitchell vibe to her, but I remain unconvinced that she can hit the power notes that really make an Idol contestant soar.

12. Ramiele Mulubay is gonna work that "little girl with the big voice" thing, but she's gonna have to start wailing if she's gonna get my vote.

Potential Sanjaya Alert:

Josiah Leming is adorable, and heartbreaking -- in the kind of way that I want to take him home and feed him a cup of soup. Do I want him to be my American Idol? Not so much.

Kyle Ensley is the new Kevin "Chicken Little" Covais. I'm just saying.

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Seven Reasons Why American Idol Really Might Be Better Than Ever This Year

SPOILER: American Idol 7 Top 24 Revealed!

Let's face it -- after the "thousands" who audition, the 164 who make it to Hollywood, the 24 semi-finalists, and the 12 finalists, the success or failure of an American Idol season comes down to 3 or 4 contestants.

Every year since the show's inception there have been a few truly gifted performers, and a whole bunch of mediocre-to-good performers. It's not the Haley Scarnatos and Phil Staceys that make a season work or not work -- it's the Fantasia Barrino's, the Melinda Doolittle's, and the Elliott Yamin's that do.

Consider the past seasons -- most of Season 1's finalists were, quite frankly, pretty bad (AJ Gil, anyone?), but the season was totally driven by Kelly Clarkson vs. Tamyra Gray (with Justin Guarini thrown in for good measure). Though Constantine was a factor early on, Season Four was, from the get-go, a contest between Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice. The top contenders challenge each other to raise their game, while the others are there for, let's be honest, filler.

In fact, even those seasons of Idol that are considered the deepest (in terms of talent pool) only had three or four singers really in contention for the title -- Season 2 had Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, and Kimberley Locke (with Josh Gracin and Trenyce representing the second tier), while Season Five, considered by many to the be the deepest season ever on Idol, had only five legitimate contenders (Taylor, Katharine, Elliott, Chris and Paris).

Yes, all it takes is a handful or truly special performers to make a season soar or collapse, and as far I can see, there is at least . If even 2/3 of the contestants I discuss below make good on their potential, I feel confident that we may actually have, as the judges and producers have promised, the best season yet.

Here are seven reasons why:

1. Carly Smithson
Ladies and gentlemen, I think we've found a frontrunner. This girl is amazing! Part Kelly Clarkson, part Pink, she sounded awesome singing "I'm Every Woman," hitting notes that most of the other girls we've seen so far wouldn't even dream of trying to hit., a capella no less. And how lovely and genuine does she seem? Speaking up for her tattooed boyfriend, and declaring how hard she's going to work and how she hopes that this is her year? I love her already.



2. David Cook
Laying down "Living on a Prayer" flawlessy (and without breaking a sweat), this rocker has a quirky appeal, and based on what I've heard, I'd guess he'll actually be able to tackle different style of music with ease.



3. Amanda Overmyer
Idol has never really had a genuine rock'n'roll gal (I'm sorry, Kimberly Caldwell or Gina Glocksen don't count), so this Joplin-esque diva may be the unique, original talent this show is looking for. I love the huskiness in her voice, and she seems like a real, natural talent.



4. Chikezie Eze
Quite simply the best male voice I've heard this season.



5. Kristi Lee Cook
After the success of Carrie, Bucky and Kellie, you'd think last year would have been flooded with country hopefuls, but there was nary a country crooner in the bunch. Perhaps this year will be different, especially with Kristi, who is a bit like Carrie Underwood with more of an edge, in the mix. Clearly the producers think she's something special, as they teased this "cage fighting singer" throughout the Philadelphia episode. It was worth the wait -- her gorgeous rendition of "Amazing Grace" easily made her the city's best audition. Expect to see this girl in the Top 10.



6. Perrie Cataldo
Sure he has a rap sheet, but who cares when he's got a voice like that! In fact, this single father's voice as he sang "I'll Make Love To You" vaguely reminded me of Elliott Yamin, which I mean as a very high compliment. His heartbreaking backstory (and his adorable son) won't hurt him one bit -- this guy seems like a definite Top 10 contender.



7. Michael Johns
I've never heard Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long," so I have no idea if that is what the song is actually supposed to sound like, but to my ears (and eyes), this guy is the real deal. He also seems like he'd be versatile -- he'd nail the country and soul themes, and could probably rock out as well. And that Australian accent? I approve.

And lets not forget Joanne Borgellas, Danny Noriega, Robbie Carrico, Ramiele Mulaby, Syesha Mercado, and David Archuleta, who could also make a serious dent in the competition.

Yep, I'd say we have a potentially very exciting season on our hands!

Photos of American Idol 7's Top 12 Guys

Chekezie Eze


Colton Berry


Danny Noriega


David Archuleta


David Cook


David Hernandez


Garrett Haley


Jason Castro


Jason Yaegar


Luke Menard


Michael Johns


Robbie Carrico

CLICK FOR MORE HEADLINES IN THESE IDOL THOUGHTS CATEGORIES:

AMERICAN IDOL
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American Idol's Top 12 Guys Take to the Stage

American Idol's Top 12 guys take to the stage tonight for the first time, and I couldn't be more psyched!

Will David Archuleta and Michael Johns cement their frontrunner statuses? Will David Hernandez, Chekeize Eze, Danny Noriega and David Cook make good on the promise they've shown in earlier auditions? And what will it be like when we finally get to hear Jason Castro, Jason Yaegar, Garrett Haley and Luke Menard sing?

Just a few hours left!

As a reminder, here are photos of the Top 12 guys...

Chekezie Eze


Colton Berry


Danny Noriega


David Archuleta


David Cook


David Hernandez


Garrett Haley


Jason Castro


Jason Yaegar


Luke Menard


Michael Johns


Robbie Carrico

American Idol's Omaha Auditions: Hiccups, Goth Wrestlers and David Cook, Oh My!

Click here to read: MAJOR SPOILER: American Idol Top 24 Finalists Revealed!

American Idol's first trip to Omaha, Nebraska wielded some mixed results, and some strange behavior on the part of the judges. In other words, par for the course in Idol-land.

First of all, Paula was wasted. This wouldn't usually be noteworthy, but she's actually seemed pretty sober (at least by Paula standards) throughout the season so far, so her loopiness was especially apparent tonight. Perhaps, since her flight was "delayed," she took a few of her special pills. I'm just saying...

And also -- the hiccup! I laughed for five minutes straight, no joke.

And then there was that business with Ryan being a judge. Blah -- funny judge antics -- blah.

As for the contestants, they fell into three categories: terrible, kinda good but nothing special, and David Cook.

The most memorable folks to fall into the first category were Kelly Clarkson stalker Chris Bernheisel and goth wrestler Sara Whitaker, aka Lady Morgue. Both were pretty scary. That's about all that needs to be said.

As for the second category, where most of the people to receive tickets to Hollywood fall, it's a group that showed sparks of talent, but failed to really impress. Jason Rich had a nice tone to his voice, but he screwed up his lyrics so badly that I couldn't take him seriously as a contender. Rachael Wicker, arm wrestling champion of the world, had a lovely Dolly Parton thing going on, but is she nearly versatile to compete in this competition? Samantha Sidley was cute and sounded great on Norah Jones' "Don't Know Why," but she didn't really sing. Leo Marlowe was charming and likable, but is he a star? And Angela Puente hit the notes, but she was clearly doing a Celine Dion impression.

Any of these Idol wannabes could step it up in the next round, or in front of an audience. But for now, I'm left wanting more.

Which is absolutely not the case with David Cook. Oh, David Cook, how excited am I to see you? All it takes to make a good Idol season is a few good singers, and David Cook definitely qualifies, laying down "Living on a Prayer" without breaking a sweat. He has a quirky appeal, and based on what I've heard, I'd guess he'll actually be able to tackle different style of music with more ease than Chris Daughtry was. Welcome to the party, David Cook!

MAJOR SPOILER: American Idol Top 24 Finalists Revealed!

Four Cities In, This Season's 15 Best American Idol Auditions So Far

Ten Best Initial American Idol Auditions of All Time

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