IDOL MADNESS: Sunday Report

Spread the word to vote for your faves!

Remember, voting for all Round of 32 matches ends Thursday January 31, 11:59PM EST, so there's plenty of time to still vote!

Here are updates (as of 1/27 at 7:00PM EST) of the Round of 32 match-ups in all divisions. Click on any match-up to vote!

Matches to keep an eye on:
#4 Kimberley Locke vs. #5 Blake Lewis
#2 Chris Daughtry vs. # 7 Josh Gracin
#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
#2 Jordin Sparks vs. #7 Anthony Fedorov
#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #12 Gina Glocksen
#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #10 Kellie Pickler


Cowell Bracket
#1 Kelly Clarkson vs. #9 Chris Richardson
Chris continues to chip away at Kelly's lead, but the original Idol is still way out front.
Today: Kelly 64%-36%
Yesterday: Kelly 65.5%-34.5%
Jan 25: Kelly 67%-33%.

#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #10 Kellie Pickler
The Velvet Teddybear is trying to rally, and he's making up some ground -- he gained 8% since yesterday.
Today: Kellie 59%-41%
Yesteray: Kellie 67%-33%
Jan 25: Kellie 66%-34%

#3 Tamyra Gray vs. #6 Jasmine Trias
Jasmine's lead continues to diminish -- she's lost 8% since Friday! Could Tamyra be staging a comeback?
Today: Jasmine 67%-33%
Yesterday: Jasmine 72%-27%
Jan 25: Jasmine 75%-25%

#4 Jennifer Hudson vs. #5 Bo Bice
After a minor setback yesterday, Bo continues to lead the Oscar winner.
Today: Bo 58%-42%
Yesterday: Bo 54%-46%
Jan. 25: Bo 55%-45%

Seacrest Bracket
#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
The Soul Patrol has come roaring back, boosting Taylor's take by 5% and making this match with Constantine a real horse-race.
Today: Constantine 56%-44%
Yesterday: Constantine 61%-39%
Jan 25: Constantine 75%-25%

#2 Clay Aiken vs. #7 RJ Helton
I saw Spamalot this afternoon (read my review here), but it looks like some of the Claymates were voting for their boy -- they've lifted his lead over RJ to 40%!
Today: Clay 70%-30%
Yesterday: Clay 58%-42%
Jan 25: Clay 52%-48%

#3 Melinda Doolittle vs. #6 Vonzell Solomon
In this battle of the divas, Melinda stays out on top.
Today: Melinda 66%-34%
Yesterday: Melinda 66%-34%
Jan. 25: Melinda 64%-36%

#5 LaKisha Jones vs. #13 Bucky Covington
No change here -- Bucky is still on track for his second straight upset and a show-down with Taylor in the next round.
Today: Bucky 71%-29%
Yesterday: Bucky 71%-29%
Jan. 25: Bucky 72%-28%

Abdul Bracket
#1 Fantasia vs. #9 Ace Young
Fantasia gained back a few % points, but it's not going to be enough if she's going to defeat Ace.
Today: Ace 66%-34%
Yesterday: Ace 68-32%
Jan. 25: Ace 69%-31%

#2 Jordin Sparks vs. #7 Anthony Fedorov
Last year's champ is still in serious trouble -- she's totally lost her lead to Anthony, and is down almost 7% from yesterday. Not good!
Today: Anthony 56%-44%
Yesterday: Anthony 52%-37%
Jan. 25: Jordin 58%-42%

#3 Elliott Yamin vs. #6 Nikki McKibbin
In this battle of the third place finishers, Elliott has lost about 5% points since Friday, but is still way out on top.
Today: Elliott 76%-24%
Yesterday: Elliott 77%-23%
Jan. 25: Elliott 81%-19%

#4 Kimberley Locke vs. #5 Blake Lewis
Blake still has the slight lead, but this remains one of Round 2's closest contests.
Today: Blake 51.7%-48.3%
Yesterday: Blake 51.5%-48.5%
Jan. 25: Kimberley 50.2%-49.8%

Jackson Bracket
#1 Carrie Underwood vs. #9 Mandisa Hundley
Carrie has lost 8% since Friday, but she still holds a commanding lead.
Today: 72.4%-27.6%
Yesterday: Carrie 76%-24%
Jan. 25: Carrie 80%-20%

#2 Chris Daughtry vs. # 7 Josh Gracin
After leading early, Daughtry has fallen way behind Gracin. If Chris' fans don't start voting harder, we're going to have a huge upset on our hands.
Today: Josh 58%-42%
Yesterday: Josh 50.3%-49.7%
Jan. 25: Chris 55%-45%

#3 Latoya London vs. #11 Anwar Robinson
Latoya still maintains a healthy lead.
Today: Latoya 58.5%-41.5%
Yesterday: Latoya 57%-43%
Jan. 25: Latoya 62%-37%

#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #12 Gina Glocksen
Katharine continues to struggle with Gina, in fact losing 3% and falling even deeper in the hole. Where are the folks with McPheever?
Today: 55%-45%
Yesterday: Gina 52%-48%
Jan. 25: Katharine 53%-47%

See all of today's Idol Thoughts Headlines

Idol Thoughts' AMERICAN IDOL CENTRAL

American Idol Best-Of Lists

News, Recaps, Rankings and Commentary

News on Former Contestants

IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME

IDOL MADNESS: Friday Report

Spread the word to vote for your faves!

Remember, voting for all Round of 32 matches ends Thursday January 31, 11:59PM EST, so there's plenty of time to still vote!

Here are updates (as of 1/25 at 3:30PM EST) of the Round of 32 match-ups in all divisions. Click on any match-up to vote!

Cowell Bracket
#1 Kelly Clarkson vs. #9 Chris Richardson
Clarkson has her hands full with Richardson, but currently leads 67%-33%.

#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #10 Kellie Pickler
Pickler is trying to pull of her second straight upset; she leads Studdard 66%-34%.

#3 Tamyra Gray vs. #6 Jasmine Trias
Jasmine's fans have come on strong, propelling her to a 75%-25% lead over Tamyra. Where are Tamyra's fans??

#4 Jennifer Hudson vs. #5 Bo Bice
Today's featured match is a nail-biter, with Bice currently leading Oscar winner Hudson 55%-45%.

Seacrest Bracket
#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
Constantine's fans have certainly mobilized, but where is the Soul Patrol? Constantine is currently ahead 75%-25%.

#2 Clay Aiken vs. #7 RJ Helton
Perhaps the Claymates are too busy going to see their boy in Spamalot, because he's struggling with RJ, holding a slim lead of 52%-48%. Could an upset be brewing?

#3 Melinda Doolittle vs. #6 Vonzell Solomon
In this battle of the divas, Melinda is currently on top, 64%-36%.

#5 LaKisha Jones vs. #13 Bucky Covington
Bucky pulled off Round 1's biggest upset by sending Diana Degarmo packing; with a 72%-28% lead, will he do the same to LaKisha?

Abdul Bracket
#1 Fantasia vs. #9 Ace Young
Fantasia fans, where are you? Your girl is currently losing to Ace Young, 69%-31%!

#2 Jordin Sparks vs. #7 Anthony Fedorov
Last year's champ is ahead of Anthony Fedorov, but just by a bit; Jordin currently leads 58%-42%.

#3 Elliott Yamin vs. #6 Nikki McKibbin
In this battle of the third place finishers, Elliott is way out on top, 81%-19%.

#4 Kimberley Locke vs. #5 Blake Lewis
In Round 2's closest match, Kim and Blake are in a dead heat, with Kimberley enjoying an oh-so-slight lead of 50.2%-49.8%.

Jackson Bracket
#1 Carrie Underwood vs. #9 Mandisa Hundley
Carrie continues to roll, enjoying an 80%-20% lead over Mandisa.

#2 Chris Daughtry vs. # 7 Josh Gracin
Daughtry is having a surprisingly difficult time with Gracin -- right now he's only up 55%-45%.

#3 Latoya London vs. #11 Anwar Robinson
Anwar knocked off Paris Bennett in the first round, but as of now he's having trouble getting the best of Latoya. The Season 3 fourth place finisher is currently ahead 62%-37%.

#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #12 Gina Glocksen
After barely squeezing out a win over Jon Peter Lewis in the first round, Kat has her hands full with Gina -- she's barely leading 53%-47%.

See all of today's Idol Thoughts Headlines

Idol Thoughts' AMERICAN IDOL CENTRAL

American Idol Best-Of Lists

News, Recaps, Rankings and Commentary

News on Former Contestants

IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME

IDOL MADNESS -- Cowell Bracket Round of 64 RESULTS!

Round of 64 voting for the Cowell Bracket of IDOL MADNESS is now closed, and the results are in!

The draw above reflects the results. Round of 32 voting for the Cowell Bracket begins next weekend, so keep checking back to vote for your favorites.

There's still time to vote in the Seacrest Bracket -- click here!

And click here for the just-released Abdul Bracket!

COWELL BRACKET ROUND OF 64 RESULTS:

#1 Kelly Clarkson def. #16 Melissa McGhee
No surprise here, are the original American Idol demolished Season 5's 12th place finisher 89% to 11% in the bracket's most one-sided contest.

#2 Ruben Studdard def. #15 Stephanie Edwards
Play-in winner Edwards put up a good fight, but the Season 2 champ preailed, 63% to 37%.

#3 Tamyra Gray def. #14 Chris Sligh
Chris' fans made a last-minute push, but Season 1's fourth place finisher was able to home them off, 70% to 30%.

#4 Jennifer Hudson def. #13 Haley Scarnato
Haley's got great legs, but Jennifer's got an Oscar, and she showed how much that was worth by defeating last season's eighth place finisher 77% to 23%.

#5 Bo Bice def. #12 Lisa Tucker
Lisa never had a shot, falling behind early and losing to Season 4's runner-up 82% to 18%.

#6 Jasmine Trias def. #11 Rickey Smith
Riokey held an early lead, but Jasmine came roaring back, ultimately defeating Mr. "Hercules Hercules" 79% to 21%.

#10 Kellie Pickler def. #7 George Huff
In one of only two upsets and the closest match of the bracket, Pickler pickled Huff 64% to 36%.

#9 Chris Richardson def. #8 Scott Savol
Savol may have gotten to #5 back in Season 4, but he was knocked out in the first round by Chris, 72% to 28%.

IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME Main Page

Idol Thoughts' AMERICAN IDOL CENTRAL

American Idol Best-Of Lists

News, Recaps, Rankings and Commentary

News on Former Contestants

IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME

IDOL MADNESS: Monday January 14 Report

Voting is underway in IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME, and there's already been huge response!

Cowell Bracket Draw, Seedings and First Round Match-Ups

Here are updates on the Cowell Bracket's first round match-ups (all %'s as of 5PM EST):

#1 Kelly Clarkson vs. #16 Melissa McGhee

The original American Idol is currently wiping the floor with play-in winner Melissa McGhee, 92.7% to 7.3%.

#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #15 Stephanie Edwards

Season 2's champ Ruben Studdard has his hands full with play-in winner Stephanie Edwards. Right now, he's leading Edwards 68.2% to 31.8%.

#3 Tamyra Gray vs. #14 Chris Sligh

Chris Sligh's fans are coming on strong, but for now the Season 1 fourth place finisher is withstanding the challenge. Tamyra leads 75.8% to 24.2%.

#4 Jennifer Hudson vs. #13 Haley Scarnato

Oscar winner Hudson is not having a problem with Season 6' Scarnato, leading 81.1% to 18.9%.

#5 Bo Bice vs. #12 Lisa Tucker

Season Four runner-up Bice currently has 83.6% of the vote, far exceeding Tucker's
16.4%.

#6 Jasmine Trias vs. #11 Rickey Smith

Jasmine's fans have come on strong today, overcoming an early lead from Smith to surge to a 69.4% to 30.6% advantage.

#7 George Huff vs. #10 Kellie Pickler

There looks to be an upset-in-the-making here, as #10 seed Pickler is currently enjoying a 67.4% to 32.6% advantage over the lovable Season 3 fifth place finisher.

#8 Scott Savol vs. #9 Chris Richardson

Season 6' hearthrob is also looking to pull of an upset in the closest race this round. Richardson is currently leading Savol 63.3% to 36.7%.

Visit the IDOL MADNESS Main Page

Idol Thoughts' AMERICAN IDOL CENTRAL

American Idol Best-Of Lists

News, Recaps, Rankings and Commentary

News on Former Contestants

IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME

IDOL MADNESS: Cowell Brackets Seeding and First Round Match-Ups

Voting for this round ends Thursday January 17 at 11:59PM EST

We have seeded the candidates based both on their performance on the show and their accomplishments since then. Most of the finalists are seeded within 3 spots of their rank on the show (i.e. if a finalist was 3rd on the show, they can’t be seeded lower than 6th in the bracket) and we have made sure candidates from the same seasons can not face each other in the first two rounds.

Other than that, it’s pretty subjective and we have tried to keep it interesting and balanced. Now it’s up to you to vote! Polls are now open!

COWELL BRACKET

1st round match-ups:

#1 Kelly Clarkson vs. #16 Melissa McGhee
#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #15 Stephanie Edwards
#3 Tamyra Gray vs. #14 Chris Sligh**
#4 Jennifer Hudson vs. #13 Haley Scarnato
#5 Bo Bice vs. #12 Lisa Tucker
#6 Jasmine Trias vs. #11 Rickey Smith
#7 George Huff vs. #10 Kellie Pickler **
#8 Scott Savol vs. #9 Chris Richardson

**Featured match

We tried to keep all the brackets pretty even but if there was a “Bracket of Death”, it would be this one. #1 seed is the first ever American Idol, multi-platinum, 2-time Grammy Award winner Kelly Clarkson, who starts off the action against play-in winner Melissa McGhee from Season 5. Barring any upsets, she could face the only Oscar winner in the competition, #4 seed, Jennifer Hudson, in the Sweet Sixteen.

In the other half of the bracket, Season 2 winner Ruben Studdard could face tough competition from the likes of #15 seed Stephanie Edwards (Season 6), country favorite #10 seed Kellie Pickler (Season 5), and #3 seed Tamyra Gray just to get to the bracket finals. Whoever wins this bracket will definitely be a force in the Final Four!

Check back for my predictions on who will be victorious in their first round match-ups.

And remember, voting starts now!

Seed Name Season / Place
1 Kelly Clarkson 1 / 1
2 Ruben Studdard 2/ 1
3 Tamyra Gray 1 /4
4 Jennifer Hudson 3 / 7
5 Bo Bice 4 / 2
6 Jasmine Trias 3 / 3
7 George Huff 3 / 5
8 Scott Savol 4 / 5
9 Chris Richardson 6 / 5
10 Kellie Pickler 5 / 6
11 Rickey Smith 2 / 8
12 Lisa Tucker 5 / 10
13 Haley Scarnato 6 / 8
14 Chris Sligh 6 / 10
15 Stephanie Edwards 6 / 11
16 Melissa McGhee 5 / 12

Idol Thoughts' AMERICAN IDOL CENTRAL

American Idol Best-Of Lists

News, Recaps, Rankings and Commentary

News on Former Contestants

IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME

Ten Best Initial American Idol Auditions of All Time

As my post 'Am I Wrong For Dreading the American Idol Auditions?' illustrates, I'm not the biggest fan of the initial audition round of American Idol. Having said that, there have been some truly fantastic initial auditions, and I thought I'd pay tribute to those now.

Please note, this list only includes auditions that were televised during the original season. Thus, auditions like Kelly Clarkson's, which were not originally shown, are not included.

Here we go...

1. Frenchie Davis
What a force of nature! There was no full-figured divas in Season 1 of American Idol, so when Frenchie walked in during Season 2, no one knew what to expect -- or how Simon and co. would respond. They had no choice after her tour de force delivery of "And I Am Telling You...", which simply blew the roof off the place. If Frenchie hadn't been disqualified from the competition, we very well might be referring to her as American Idol Winner Frenchie Davis.

2. Justin Guarini
The sad truth is, Justin was never as good as this first audition. Smooth, sexy and confident, he sounded fantastic, wooing both Paula and the audience.

3. Clay Aiken
Paula was "away" during Clay's Idol debut, and what she missed is the stuff of legends -- a ridiculously strong voice coming from a dweeby white kid. It threw the judges for a loop --Randy didn't know what to make of it, and even Simon had to acknowledge the power of this kid's voice. Amazing.

4. Jennifer Hudson
Apparently the producers didn't think highly enough of the future Oscar winner to include her with the rest of the auditions -- she was shepherded off to the "Best of the Rest" special. No matter -- she stood and sang, and I was instantly in love.

5. Melinda Doolittle
The first time timid back-up singer Melinda opened her mouth to croon "For Once In My Life" it was clear she had something special. It was also the first time we saw her modest "Who me?" expression, catapulting her to instant frontrunner status.

6. Katharine McPhee
She looked a little rough (and insecure), but Season 5's second place finisher sounded spot-on and showed enormous control singing "God Bless the Child." Fantastic.

7. Kimberley Locke
She would go on to sing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" several more times throughout the season, but it was this first rendition that was the most impressive. Simon called it a "master-class in singing." I'd agree.

8. Jordin Sparks
She was a bit too sweet for Simon's liking, but the growl she whipped out in the middle of Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me" gave a hint of the vocal prowess she would later display.

9. Tamyra Gray
Coming in like a spitfire on Red Bull, Tamyra was the first girl on Idol to really show some pipes. The judges took notice -- and so did the audience.

10. Ruben Studdard
Like Frenchie, the judges didn't quite know what to make of the big guy, who showed effortless charm crooning "Ribbon in the Sky." His style (and smile) didn't change much over the course of the season, but who cares -- he's the Velvet Teddybear!

Honorable Mentions:
Josh Gracin
Fantasia
Diana Degarmo
Carrie Underwood
Chris Daughtry
LaKisha Jones
Taylor Hicks
Constantine Maroulis

More American Idol Best-Of Lists

Idol Thoughts' AMERICAN IDOL CENTRAL

American Idol Best-Of Lists

News, Recaps, Rankings and Commentary

News on Former Contestants

IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME

How do the Idol's Debut Sales Weeks Stack Up?

This week's sales numbers are in (click here to see them), and Jordin Sparks cannot be happy -- she had the lowest selling debut week for any Idol champ's debut CD. In fact, she was only able to sell about 50% of what the previous lowest (Fantasia) had amassed. Curious, I'd say, considering Jordin's single "Tattoo" is quickly rising up the Hot 100.

Here are the sales numbers for the six Idol champs, from highest to lowest. Obviously, one week's numbers don't tell the whole story -- Carrie Underwood's first week total, for example, is less than 5% of the 6 million CD's she eventually sold.

Here's the numbers...

1. Ruben Studdard, Soulful
400K

2. Carrie Underwood, Some Hearts
315K

3. Taylor Hicks, Taylor Hicks
298 K

4. Kelly Clarkson, Thankful
297K

5. Fantasia, Free Yourself
240K

6. Jordin Sparks, Jordin Sparks
120K

IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME (Cowell Bracket) Round of 64 -- #2 Ruben Studdard vs. #15 Stephanie Edwards

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Visit IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME Main Page

OTHER COWELL BRACKET ROUND OF 64 MATCH-UPS:

#1 Kelly Clarkson vs. #16 Melissa McGhee
#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #15 Stephanie Edwards
#3 Tamyra Gray vs. #14 Chris Sligh
#4 Jennifer Hudson vs. #13 Haley Scarnato
#5 Bo Bice vs. #12 Lisa Tucker
#6 Jasmine Trias vs. #11 Rickey Smith
#7 George Huff vs. #10 Kellie Pickler
#8 Scott Savol vs. #9 Chris Richardson

Idol Thoughts' AMERICAN IDOL CENTRAL

American Idol Best-Of Lists

News, Recaps, Rankings and Commentary

News on Former Contestants

IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME

IDOL MADNESS (Cowell) Rnd of 32: #2 Ruben Studdard vs. #10 Kellie Pickler

Division: Cowell Bracket

The Match-Up: #2 Ruben Studdard vs. #10 Kellie Pickler

Idol Thoughts Prediction: Kellie smoked #7 George Huff in the first round -- will she do the same to the Season 2 champ? I'm predicting Pickler will pull out a win over the Velvet Teddybear, 58%-42%.

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Round of 32 Match-Ups:

Cowell Bracket
#1 Kelly Clarkson vs. #9 Chris Richardson
#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #10 Kellie Pickler
#3 Tamyra Gray vs. #6 Jasmine Trias
#4 Jennifer Hudson vs. #5 Bo Bice

Seacrest Bracket
#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #7 RJ Helton
#3 Melinda Doolittle vs. #6 Vonzell Solomon
#5 LaKisha Jones vs. #13 Bucky Covington

Abdul Bracket
#1 Fantasia vs. #9 Ace Young
#2 Jordin Sparks vs. #7 Anthony Fedorov
#3 Elliott Yamin vs. #6 Nikki McKibbin
#4 Kimberley Locke vs. #5 Blake Lewis

Jackson Bracket
#1 Carrie Underwood vs. #9 Mandisa Hundley
#2 Chris Daughtry vs. # 7 Josh Gracin
#3 Latoya London vs. #11 Anwar Robinson
#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #12 Gina Glocksen

Visit the IDOL MADNESS Main Page

Kimberley Locke Responds to Tour Rumors with Clay and Ruben

Former American Idol contestant Kimberley Locke has taken to her myspace blog to try and dispel some rumors about a potential tour featuring her, Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard (see Studdard, Aiken and Locke to Reunite on the Road?). Apparently Clay had responded that the rumors of the our were "unauthorized," which inspired Locke to set the record straight.

In the blog posting, excerpted below, she confirms that she gave the information to Billboard magazine, and says that she was being truthful in saying there were "talks." She also, it should be noted, makes a bit of a snide comment about her former roommate Clay, saying, "If Clay had chosen to return my phone calls over the last two months, he would perhaps not feel as "unfortunate," and he would have been made aware that I mentioned it to Billboard."

Ouch.

Here is an excerpt from the post:

"I just wanted to clarify that recently during an interview regarding my "Christmas" album with Billboard, I was asked about any fellow Idols that I may speak with. I mentioned that I had spoken with only Clay and Ruben because I do try my best to keep in touch with them. I went on to say in that interview that I had spoken with them about a reunion concert tour idea and that Ruben and Clay were game for it because they told me they were. In fact, in my last conversation with Clay he suggested that my manager and agents contact his. They did. And they have spoken. And in telling Billboard we were "in talks" and "Now it's up to our agents and managers to book it," I was being truthful in the information that I had received. I told Billboard I was "hopeful" that the tour would come together. (That didn't get printed.) In no way did I imply that we were all committed to this tour idea. So contrary to Clay feeling "unfortunate," that the story "found it's way to the press unauthorized," it was not "unauthorized." It was put out there by me, who conceived the touring idea and called my friends for their involvement. If Clay had chosen to return my phone calls over the last two months, he would perhaps not feel as "unfortunate," and he would have been made aware that I mentioned it to Billboard. I want to thank the fans of Clay and Ruben and my own who were positive and supportive of this idea, which again, was just an idea. It will now be put to rest."

Click for more News on Former American Idol Contestants

Click for Today's Top 10 Posts

Aiken, Locke and Studdard Reuniting on the Road?

Get ready for a reunion of American Idol Season 2's Top 3 finishers.

According to a blog posting on Kimberley Locke's myspace page, she, Ruben Studdard, and Clay Aiken are in talks to tour together next year. The proposed tour, which would feature duets and trios from the perfomers, would be called "Reunited: 5 Years Later."

While Aiken and Studdard's first CD's sold well, both faltered with subsequent releases. Studdard has had moderate radio success on the Urban AC charts, while Locke has been a fairly consistent presence on the AC chart (her latest, a cover of "Band of Gold," is currently in the Top 20 of that chart).

What do you think -- is the tour a good idea, or a little desperate?

Click for more News on Former American Idol Contestants

Click for This Week's Top 10 Posts

*The potential tour will be discussed in the 9/15 issue of Billboard magazine

The Ten Best (And Five Worst) Moments from the American Idol Finale

You can read my recap of the American Idol finale here, but here are my Ten Best and Five Worst moments from last night's show.

Best Moments
1. Blake Lewis jamming with Doug E. Fresh
This was like nothing that has ever been seen on the American Idol stage. Blake finally got to really show off his skills, and the excitement on his face was adorable. Definitely the highlight of the show.

2. Jordin being named the winner and singing "This is My Now"
Sure, there wasn't much suspense, and I didn't cry like I did when Kelly and Fantasia were named winners, but it was moving, nonetheless, to see Jordin's beaming face and the familiar confetti burst at the key change. Another Idol has been crowned.

3. Kelly Clarkson singing "Never Again"
Proving once and for all who the real American Idol is, Kelly growled her way through her fantastic new single. She sounded amazing! And to all those who claimed she was "fat" after "Idol Give Back" -- how 'bout that outfit? Smokin'!

4. Melinda Doolittle singing with Bebe and Cece Wynans
You gotta love Melinda, and you gotta love seeing her jam with the pair who she used to sing back-up for. This girl's gonna do big things.

5. Beatles medley
It was a little drawn out, and neither Taylor or Carrie got the chance to really shine, but Kelly's "Sgt. Pepper" rock-out with Joe Perry was fierce. It would have been cool to see some of the former Idol winners sing together, but this was a nice reminder of the kind of talent the show has produced.

6. Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis dueting on "I Saw Her Standing There"
Totally playful and charming -- you gotta love these kids.

7. Jordin Sparks and Ruben Studdard dueting on "You're All I Need"
Yes, I wish Jordin had gotten the opportunity to sing with a bigger or more exciting star (Jennifer Hudson was in the audience -- she couldn't be convinced to join in on the festivities?), but they sounded absolutely fantastic together on this song.

8. Green Day singing the John Lennon song
I love Green Day. No more need be said.

9. Top 6 boys singing with Smokey Robinson/Top 6 girls singing with Gladys Knight
I could do without seeing Smokey and Gladys on the Idol stage again, but it was great to see Stephanie, Chris Sligh, and Gina Glocksen, all voted out before they should have been. On the other hand, it was not so great to see Haley or Sanjaya, who stuck around much longer than they should have. It was especially cool to see Gladys Knight flanked by Melinda on one side and LaKisha on the other -- I wish they had gotten the opportunity to do some even more wailing with Gladys.

10. Carrie Underwood singing "I'll Stand By You" -- Not the most exciting performance Carrie has ever given, but very solid, nonetheless. And 6 million albums sold? Wow.

Worst Moments

1. Golden Idol awards -- I hated every single second of these, and they didn't even result in a trainwreck-esque so-horrible-it's-amazing moment like last year's Michael Sandecki/Clay Aiken debacle. Painful.

2. Bette Midler -- Oh Bette, what happened? I've seen the Divine Ms. M in concert, and she is amazing, but this performance sounded terrible and was even more awkwardly interpreted. Bette, Bette, Bette.

3. 10 minute over-run
Luckily I was watching the show live, but if I had Tivo'ed it and discovered I had missed out on the announcement of the winner I would have been pissed. I mean, people spent four months of their time investing in the show and then missed out on the chance to see it all come to a close --not a very respectful way to treat the show's loyal viewers.

4. Sanjaya and Joe Perry -- I never need to see Sanjaya perform again, and I certainly never need to hear him sing "You Really Got Me." I was embarrassed to be watching it, and even more embarrassed for Joe Perry. Luckily he got play for a real musician (Kelly Clarkson) later on in the show.

5. Gwen Stefani -- Totally pointless, and totally uninspired. And not even live? Gimme a break!

Click here for more American Idol News/Commentary

Jordin Sparks is the New American Idol

Like KellyClarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, and Taylor Hicks before her, Jordin Sparks has won American Idol.

Jordin is very deserving of the title, and will no doubt go on to join Kelly, Carrie and the others in selling millions of records. Blake, too, will likely have a very nice career, and he was humble and gracious in defeat.

I was happy for Jordin as Seacrest announced her name at 10:05PM (those who Tivo'ed the show were probably pissed), but I couldn't help feeling the coronation felt a little anticlimactic. If there was any doubt that Jordin was going to win this competition after Melinda was eliminated, it was removed entirely once Blake opened his mouth to sing "This is My Now" on last night's show. There was practically no suspense and no build up to the announcement, which took a bit of fun out of the proceedings.

And that was the other problem -- last year's festivities were so fun, in a circus freakshow kind of way (remember the Clay Aiken lookalike? I mean, that is genius television), and the talent level was so high (Mary J. Blige singing with Elliott? Prince?), that this year's finale was bound to suffer by comparison.

I did love that almost all of the former winners were back (Fantasia couldn't get out of The Color Purple), and they were all in fine form. I was especially pleased to see my girl Kelly Clarkson rocking out and doing her thing -- she sounded amazing on "Never Again" and was definitely the highlight of the Beatles medley. It was also nice to see some of the Top 12 again -- I realized I had almost forgotten about Brandon and Stephanie, and I also realized I wish I could forget about Sanjaya (poor Joe Perry must have wondered what he got himself into when Sanjaya started to sing).

I didn't love, however, the random performances from Tony Bennett and Gwen Stefani. This is a night about Idol, and the two of them just felt boring and out of place (even Dancing with the Stars was able to resist the temptation of having out-of-place musical guests). I'm also sick of Smokey Robinson and Gladys Knight -- does Idol have them on retainer? They seem to show up at almost every Idol event.

Green Day I didn't mind, because I love Green Day, and the African Boys Choir were just as adorable as they were on "Idol Gives Back," but Bette Midler -- oy! I was prepared to be psyched for The Divine Ms. M, but she really disappointed me. She sounded awful, and seriously, Bette, enough with miming the wings. That performance was kind of a disaster.

Melinda Doolittle fared much better singing with Bebe and Cece Wynans, and, although Jordin and Ruben gelled really nicely on "You're All I Need to Get By," I can't help but think she got cheated out of singing with a bigger star, or someone cooler. I mean, Blake got jam with Doug E. Fresh (which was fierce), they couldn't find someone else to sing with Jordin? And how come Sanjaya got to sing but LaKisha didn't? These are questions I will probably never get the answers to.

All in all, it wasn't a painful evening (unless you count the horrible Golden Idol awards, which I am choosing not to think about), but it wasn't quite the electricity-filled night last year's finale turned out to be.

Having said that, we've got a great, deserving winner, and a great, deserving runner-up -- in a season of crazy ups and downs, that's all we can really ask for.

Congratulations Jordin, and thanks to the whole crew for one helluva season.

Even though Idol is over, there will still be news on former contestants (including this year's group), sales and radio information, best-of lists, and recaps of summer shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Big Brother. Bookmark Idol Thoughts now!

Click for more American Idol News/Recaps

Ten Best 'Top 3' Performances of All Time

With this year's finale right around the corner, it's time to rank the Ten Best 'Top 3' Performances of all time. This is a round that has produced some of the most memorable performances in Idol history. Interestingly, while four of the five winners have a performance that made the list, the top 4 spots are actually taken by runners-up.

Reminder: This year's performances are not eligible for the Ten Best lists.

Here we go...

1. Katharine McPhee, "Over the Rainbow"
When it was first announced that Simon Cowell had chosen this song for Katharine to sing, I'm sure there was a lot of eye-rolling going on around the country (my own eyes included). But when she appeared on screen, looking gorgeous as she draped herself across the floor, and started singing the rarely-sung opening a capella, all doubts immediately vanished. Rarely have a song and singer merged so beautifully on the Idol stage, as Katharine gave an emotional, moving, incredibly well-sung and interpreted performance. This is one of the most dazzling performances in Idol history.

2. Bo Bice, "In a Dream"
There has been a lot of talk about all of the risks Blake Lewis has taken this season, but one of the biggest risks in Idol history came when Bo Bice elected to sing, completely a capella, the little-known song "In a Dream." Not only did he sound great, and do something that no performer had done before him (or, for that matter, since), he reminded us what the Idol competition is all about -- pure voice. They start their Idol experience by singing a capella in front of the judges, and Bo completed the circle by doing the same thing in the Top 3. Totally balls-y and totally fantastic.

3. Diana Degarmo, "Don't Cry Out Loud"
Who would have thought that a treacly 70's ballad by Melissa Machester could have such life in 2004? Diana's style may not have been to everyone's liking, but as her voice soared on the choruses of this tune ("Don't cry out looooooooooooooooud") it became impossible for even her biggest detractors to acknowledge how much talent this teenager had.

4. Clay Aiken, "Unchained Melody"
We've heard many times throughout the seasons that this is Simon Cowell's favorite song, but of all the contestants who have attempted to do it justice, Clay is the only one who has succeeded (Kellie Pickler's Season 5 rendition ranks as one of the very worst). Although we hardly needed another reminder, this performance confirmed that Clay's voice was truly magical.

5. Kelly Clarkson, "Without You"
This is probably one of the most challenging songs ever tackled on the Idol stage, and Kelly managed to make Mariah Carey's rendition look practically irrelevant after wrapping her golden voice around the tune. Somehow she managed to step it up even further on her results show performance of the song -- in fact, if I could have included Kelly's results show performance on this list it probably would have grabbed the #1 spot. It was readily apparent by this point in Season 1 that Ms. C could do no wrong.

6. Kimberley Locke, "Inseparable"
Kimberley didn't have a chance in hell at making the finals in Season 2, but it didn't stop her from performing her heart out. All three of her performances that evening were fantastic, but best of all was this Toni Braxton number, which perfectly suited K-Lo's rich, sultry tones. She wasn't going to go any futher in the competition, but she certainly left the viewers with a good taste in their mouths.

7. Taylor Hicks, "Try a Little Tenderness"
Once Chris Daughtry had gotten the boot back in Season 5 it was pretty clear Taylor was going to take the title, and he made further strides at securing his claim to the top spot with this spirited performance. It was just the trick to get his "Soul Patrol" all fired up, and may have even gained him a new fans in the process. The question is -- where did all those fans go?

8. Carrie Underwood, "Making Love Out of Nothing At All"
I've said it before and I'll say it again -- Carrie Underwood + 80's power ballad = sheer bliss. While this performance didn't have quite the punch of her earlier triumph "Alone," wailing the Air Supply tune helped her show she could do more than sing contemporary country tunes.

9. Elliott Yamin, "I Believe to My Soul"
The true sign of a great Idol performance is when a contestant can sing an unknown song and really make it work. Elliott accomplished this feat with his final performance of the season, taking the little known tune and using a combination of soulful vocal licks and his undeniably likeable personality to hit this one completely out of the ballpark. He may not have made it to the finals, but he's a winner in my book.

10. Ruben Studdard, "Smile"
I thought it was a strange song choice back in Season 2, but in retrospect this was a perfect choice for the Velvet Teddy Bear. It was his smile, after all, that had first endeared him to the audience, and singing the Charlie Chaplin number reminded viewers just why they fell in love with him in the first place.

Honorable Mentions:

Carrie Underwood, "Cryin'"
Clay Aiken, "Mack the Knife"
Fantasia, "A Fool in Love"
Fantasia, "Chain of Fools"
Justin Guarini, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down"
Justin Guarini, "Let's Stay Together"
Kelly Clarkson, "Think Twice"
Kimberley Locke, "Band of Gold"
Ruben Studdard, "If Ever You're In My Arms Again"
Vonzell Solomon, "On the Radio"

Read more American Idol Best-Of Lists

Ten Best 'Top 4' Performances of All Time

Yep, it's time to rank the Ten Best 'Top 4' Performances of all time. There were actually fewer standouts than there were back in the Top 5, but the list still includes some classic performances, including four of the five winners, three runners-up, and two tunes from Elliott Yamin. I've also included some honorable mentions. Here we go...

1. Kelly Clarkson, "I Surrender"
Yes, I know this performance was not vocally perfect, and Kelly's voice sounded a bit ragged, but, to me, this is one of the most dramatic performances ever seen on the Idol stage, and the imperfections in Kelly's vocals make the performance that much more stirring. Simply stunning.

2. Diana Degarmo, "No More Tears"
Taking on the combined vocal talents of Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer is no easy feat, but Diana more than rose to the challenge back in Season 3, providing one of the most thrilling vocal performances of that season. This is the performance that propelled Diana toward the finals.

3. Elliott Yamin, "Trouble"
Most folks had written Elliott off coming into the Top 4, thinking Taylor, Katharine and Chris were locks to get to the next round. But with his rousing, soulful, attitude-filled version of this Elvis song, Elliott made clear he wasn't giving up that easily.

4. Justin Guarini, "Get Here"
Justin made Paula cry with this song in the Hollywood round, and he wisely saved it for the Top 4 to reprise it. Perfectly suiting his vocals, this was, in my opinion, Justin's strongest performance of the competition.

5. Taylor Hicks, "In The Ghetto"
It's no secret that I was not Taylor's biggest fan, but he won me over big time with his rendition of this Elvis Presley song, ditching many of his Taylor-isms to give the song some serious soul and gravitas. Easily my favorite Taylor performance ever.

6. Clay Aiken, "To Love Somebody"
Jordin got lots of praise for her rendition last week, but in my mind Clay's is the definitive Idol version of this song. Combine that soaring voice with the beautiful swell of the music, and how could you go wrong?

7. Carrie Underwood, "Sin Wagon"
Whenever you combined Carrie's spot-on vocals with contemporary female country singers, she hit it out of the park, and her rendition of this Dixie Chicks tune is no exception. This song allowed Carrie to show off her fun and flirty side, which no doubt helped her take the title over Bo Bice a few weeks later.

8. Vonzell Solomon, "Don't Leave Me This Way"
Vonzell must have been a disco queen in another lifetime, I have no doubt. As she wailed this 70's classic, she showed why she deserved a spot in the Top 3.

9. Elliott Yamin, "If I Can Dream"
Yep, it was Elliott's night during the Top 4 last season, as he injected this Elvis ballad with trademark Yamin vocal licks and soul. I'd take this version over the creepy Celine Dion/Elvis duet any day.

10. Ruben Studdard, "How Do You Mend a Broken Heart"
When Ruben just stood there, infusing the perfectly written 70's classic with his patented booming, soulful sound, he couldn't go wrong. This was a much better fit for Ruben than it was for Melinda this year (although, to be fair, Melinda did tear up the final notes).

Honorable Mentions:
Anthony Fedorov, "If You Don't Know Me By Now"
Diana Degarmo, "This is It"
Fantasia, "Holding Out For a Hero"
Josh Gracin, "To Love Somebody"
Nikki McKibben, "Mary Jane"
Ruben Studdard, "Nights on Broadway"
Tamyra Gray, "Feel the Fire"

The Ten Most Shocking Results in American Idol History

Over the years, American Idol has supplied us with many shocking results. Here are my picks for the most surprising.

1. Tamyra Gray's elimination (Season 1)
We didn't even know shocking results were possible at this point in Season 1 -- we just assumed the two best singers (Kelly and Tamyra) would make it to the finals. Boy, were we wrong! I wish I had a photo of my face when the results were announced -- my jaw was literally on the floor.

2. Three Divas/Jennifer Hudson's elimination (Season 3)
No more needs be said about this one -- the looks on the faces of Latoya, Fantasia, and Jennifer said it all.

3. Latoya London's elimination (Season 3)
Jasmine instead of Latoya? Simply insane.

4. Chris Daughtry's elimination (Season 5)
Slightly less surprising than Tamyra and Latoya's ousters, simply because at this point in the show's run we knew surprising results were possible. Also contributing to the exit -- Elliott, who was presumed to be the most vulnerable, came out firing, and Chris suffered from dreaded voter compacency.

5. Ruben Studdard's first Bottom 2 appearance (Season 2)
Ruben's trip to the Bottom 2 caused Oprah to call her friend Gayle and proclaim "Girl, we need to start voting!" When Oprah is shocked, you know it's big.

6. Constantine Maroulis' elimination (Season 4)
Even though he was considered a favorite, his lackluster Nickleback cover made it less than mind boggling why the rocker got the boot.

7. Ruben Studdard winning over Clay Aiken (Season 2)
After "Bridge Over Troubled Water" I thought Clay had it in the bag. I still think if busy signals hadn't been a factor Clay would have been Season 2's champ.

8. Sabrina Sloan not making it into Top 12 (Season 6)
I'm still sore about this one -- the girl could sing! It only make it hurts more that she lost out on a spot due to Haley Scarnato.

9. Jim Verraros making it into Top 10 (Season 1)
Again, we didn't know what to expect back in Season 1, and Jim making into the Top 10 was just the first of several surprises.

10. Vanessa Olivarez' elimination (Season 2)
Vanessa was definitely not the worst during the Top 12 in Season 2 (I'd give that honor to Charles Grigsby or Julia DeMato), so her early ouster was nearly impossible to predict.

What do you think are the most shocking results in Idol history?

Former Idols Account For 15% of Pop's Top 40

I was glancing at the Mediabase charts this morning, and noticed something pretty remarkable -- now that Elliott Yamin's "Wait for You" has entered the Top 40 Pop chart, there are now a whopping SIX songs from former American Idol contestants on this chart. That is 15% -- astounding by any measure. The six songs on this chart are:

7. Daughtry, "It's Not Over"
14. Carrie Underwood, "Before He Cheats"
21. Daughtry, "Home"
23. Kelly Clarkson, "Never Again"
27. Katharine McPhee, "Over It"
40. Elliott Yamin, "Wait For You"

Wow.

The radio airplay domination doesn't end there...there are 12 (twelve!) former Idols with a song on either the Pop, Hot AC, AC, Urban AC, or Country charts (including all five of the show's winners), and 15 different songs overall. What does this prove? Anyone who suggests that Idol isn't having a huge influence on the music biz is full of crap!

Here's a breakdown of how the Idols are currently looking on the radio:
(*note, these numbers are from Mediabase charts, which are updated about twice a day, and not from Billboard's weekending charts)

• Daughtry's two singles ("It's Not Over" at #2 and "Home" at #18) as well as Underwood's "Before He Cheats" (#9) and Clarkson's "Never Again" (#22) are all in the Top 30 on the Hot AC chart. That's 13%.




• Kimberley Locke's "Change" (#12), Daughtry's "It's Not Over" (#18), Taylor Hicks' "Just To Feel That Way" (#20), and Underwood's "Before He Cheats" (#25) are all in the Top 30 on the Mainstream AC chart, with Kelly Clarkson's "Because of You" and "Behind These Hazel Eyes" still receiving a ton of weekly spins.




• Carrie's "Wasted" is currently the #1 song on the Country chart, with Bucky Covington's "A Different World" (#23) and Kellie Pickler's "I Wonder" (#25) also doing well. Carrie's "Before He Cheats" is recurrent on this chart.




• Ruben Studdard has two songs in the Top 15 on the Urban AC chart ("Make Ya Feel Beautiful" at #7 and "Change Me" at #15), while Jennifer Hudson's "And I Am Telling You" is at #10 and Fantasia's ""When I See You" is at #13).

I'll say it again...wow.

Is Sanjaya The (Gulp) Second Coming of Tamyra Gray?

Before I begin, let me prefice this by saying I am not a fan of Sanjaya Malakar. I believe his success is damaging the credibility of American Idol, and I literally can not wait until he gets voted off the show.

Having said that, I have started to think that Sanjaya might (gulp) be the second coming of Tamyra Gray.

What, you say? How dare I compare the pitchless wonder to one of the greatest Idol contestants ever? Sacrilege!

Bear with me as I lay out this theory...

There are two different kinds of Idol contestants -- those who come out every week, regardless of the theme, and perform in their own style, adapting their song choice to what they do; and those who wholeheartedly embrace that week's theme, evoking the style to the extent that they attempt to actually become an artist from that genre or time period.

Ruben Studdard, Chris Daughtry, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, and Bo Bice are examples of the first kind of Idol contestant -- they would take a song, be it from the 60's, a country tune, or a current pop hit, and sing it in their own unique style. Every song Ruben sang, be it "A Whole New World," "Sweet Home Alabama," or "Nights on Broadway," was a Ruben song. LaKisha Jones and Chris Richardson are doing that this year -- each week, the song, regardless of the theme, feels like LaKisha or feels like Chris. This is not a bad thing -- in fact, it could be a great thing. A successful Idol contestant, after all, should be able to sing anything, and the success of Ruben, Daughtry, 'Tasia, Carrie, and Bo is a testament to how well this strategy works in the competition.

Then there is the other kind of contestant -- the one who really throws himself into each week's theme, adopting the persona of the time period or style in an attempt to really summons the vibe of the genre. In my opinion, Tamyra Gray is the perfect, and most succesful, example of this kind of contestant (Nadia Turner is another, slightly less successful example). For the motown theme, Tamyra was Diana Ross. For the 60's, she became Tina Turner. She turned into Roberta Flack for the 70's, Cab Calloway for standards week, Dionne Warwick for Burt Bacharach week, etc. From hairstyle to clothing choices, Tamyra didn't adapt the song to her style, she adapted her style to the theme. And it was often thrilling to watch.

So, I come back to my original question -- is Sanajaya Malakar the second coming of Tamyra Gray?

As far as I am concerned, no contestant since Tamyra has so immersed themselves in the different themes as Sanjaya has. For British invasion week, he rocked out like the Kinks, hairstyle and all. For Gwen Stefani week, he transformed into a ska punk rocker, complete with faux-hawk. Tony Bennett week meant Sanjaya slicked his hair back and rocked a white suit. And now, according to comments made by Jennifer Lopez's manager in this morning's Variety, it appears Sanjaya will actually sing a Spanish-language song. Talk about really embracing the genre!

Of course there is no way for Sanjaya to even hold a candle to Tamyra Gray -- he simply doesn't have the vocal chops (not by a thousand miles) or the performance savvy. But (and of course I am not the first person to suggest this) I believe Sanjaya's success in this competition has come, at least in part, because of his willingness to really throw himself into each week's theme. Despite the nails-on-chalkboard sound that he produces, there is no denying the entertainment value in watching someone embrace the spirit of each week's genre like Sanjaya has. And it creates an additional excitement value -- what will he do next?

So yes, maybe Sanjaya is the second coming of Tamyra -- in some sort of alternative universe where pitch and tone are irrelevant.

Now that we've identified that -- can we please get rid of the kid?

Carrie Underwood is Crossing Over

Much has been written about how successful Carrie Underwood has become since winning the title of American Idol in May 2004. Her songs have dominated country radio. Her CD has sold over 5 million copies. She's picked up lucrative endorsement deals. She has won Grammys, CMA's, American Music Awards, and more.

Yes, all of this has been said before.

What I would like to discuss is something that has been happening a bit more recently, and, as far as I am concerned, is as noteworthy as the other remarkable things she has accomplished in the past couple of years -- namely, her burgeoning crossover appeal.

Yes, she has had two #1 smashes on the country charts ("Jesus Take the Wheel" and "Before He Cheats") as well as a #2 hit ("Don't Forget to Remember Me"). In addition, her most recent single, "Wasted," is in the Top 3 on that chart. There is no denying she is a bona fide country music star.

But Carrie doesn't seem content to just be a "country artist" -- her songs are now making a huge dent on non-country radio. "Before He Cheats" is skyrocketing up the Hot AC chart and, even more notably, the song about getting revenge on a cheating lover has broken into the Top 20 on the Top 40 pop chart. It is one of the fastest rising songs on both charts.

As of this morning, "Before He Cheats" is the #20 song on the Top 40 pop chart, with a bullet (indicating increased airplay) of 540 spins. The song is currently outperforming new singles from Christina Aguilera, Katharine McPhee, and Beyonce/Shakira. For a country artist, that is incredible.

In addition, "Before..." is the #15 song on the Hot AC chart, with the single largest bullet on that chart.

What makes all of this so noteworthy is that we are a long way from the days when Faith Hill and Shania Twain were topping the pop charts with crossover hits. The country and pop genres are so separate these days that aside from Underwood there is no other country artist in the Top 30 on the pop chart, and The Wreckers are the only other country act on the Hot AC chart.

It is not shocking, in and of itself, that an American Idol winner would have some crossover appeal -- after all, they do perform in front of a very large audience with a variety of musical tastes during their time in the competition. But while Kelly Clarkson, despite her huge radio and sales success, has mainly appealed to the pop/rock crowd (with some country crossover), Fantasia and Ruben has stuck mainly to R&B, and Kellie Pickler, Josh Gracin, and Bucky Covington have seen practically zero non-country airplay, Carrie doesn't seem to be having a problem getting her music played anywhere she wants.

It seems perhaps Simon was on to something when he told Carrie he could see her selling more albums than anyone else in the history of the show. With this kind of crossover appeal, it's hard to imagine that won't be the case.

Ten Best Top 10 Performances of All Time

Yes, it's that time again. In anticipation of this week's Top 10, here is my list of the Ten Best Top 10 Performances of all time.

Click here to read Ten Best Semifinal Performances, Ten Best First Finals Performances, and Ten Best Top 11 Performances.

Please note, due to the fact that Kelly Clarkson's "You're All I Need" and Tamyra Gray's "Touch Me in the Morning" were included on the Ten Best First Finals Performance list even though they were Top 10 Performances, this list has only 8 entries. Had they been included, Kelly would have been #1 on this list, with Tamyra clocking in at #5.

1. Ruben Studdard, "Sweet Home Alabama"
"Superstar" may be his signature song, but this is the performance that really sealed the deal on what Ruben had to offer the competition -- a great big voice with a ridiculously infectious smile to match. Joyfully singing about his homestate with a huge 205 t-shirt on, Ruben was about as lovable a contestant as there has been on American Idol, and this performance personifies why.

2. Taylor Hicks, "Trouble"
To some, even at this point in the competition, Taylor was simply a novelty act, but this performance of the little known Ray Lamontaigne song showed that Taylor had a real voice to go with his quirky personality.


3. Bo Bice, "Remedy"

4. Constantine Maroulis, "I Can't Make You Love Me"

This was the round when it became clear what the differences between the two Season 4 rockers were. Both Bo and Constantine gave great performances this week, Bo rockin' out on "Remedy" and Constantine sounding better than he had the whole competition on a surprisingly understated take on "I Can't Make You Love Me." Had Constantine left the rockin' to Bo, instead of making the ill-advised choice of trying to prove his credibility by singing Nickelback in the Top 6, he might have gone further in the competition.

5. Carrie Underwood, "Independence Day"
Carrie sang the hell out of this Martina McBride song two years ago -- now she is outselling her idol and beating her at award shows. This kind of country pop is Carrie's bread and butter, and has helped her sell over 5 million albums.

6. Kimberley Locke, "I Can't Make You Love Me"
Kimberley's smoky vocal tone and quality is the perfect match for this Bonnie Raitt song, and she shows off her control to excellent effect. I am convinced that had she been dressed better (her jeans and top made her look a bit too casual) this performance would have been much more better-received. As is, it egregiously landed her in the Bottom 3.

7. Vonzell Solomon, "I Have Nothing"
Yes, this song has been sung ad nauseum on the show, but Baby V managed to give it her own twist in Season 4, easily scaling the Whitney high-notes. Until this point in the competition, Vonzell wasn't taken very seriously as a contender. After this performance, though, even Simon had to admit he was impressed.

8. Elliott Yamin, "I Don't Wanna Be"
Elliott knew he was taking a risk singing a song Bo Bice had gotten great acclaim for during the previous season, but he took it on anyways, infusing it with a soul and texture that had been missing from Bice's more straight-up rock version. This performance closed the Top 10 in Season 5, and was the first time Elliott looked truly relaxed and like he was having fun on stage. He nailed it.