Yep, it's time once again to dig into Idol history and identify some of the best performances of all time. This time around, it's the Ten Best 'Top 5' Performances.
Click here to read Ten Best 'Top 6' Performances
Click here to read Ten Best 'Top 7' Performances
Click here to read Ten Best 'Top 8' Performances
The most famous runner-up tops this list, with two other runners-up and three winners also making the cut. This is also the first time that a contestant has had two songs on the list, and the recipient of this honor is not who you might expect it to be!
There were also so many good 'Top 5' performances that I decided to include a few more as honorable mentions. Enjoy...
1. Clay Aiken, "Solitaire"
This is one of those magical Idol performances, where everything -- singer, song, lighting, timing -- come together to create something truly memorable. Until Clay wrapped his golden vocals around this song, it was just an old Neil Sedaka chestnut. Once Clay got through with it, to paraphrase Mr. Sedaka himself, it was Clay's song forever. Truly astounding.
2. Tamyra Gray, "A House is Not a Home"
Simon called this performance one of the best that he had seen on television ever. While that may be a bit of an overstatement, there is no denying that Tamyra felt every single word of this Burt Bacharach classic, proving that she had the chops of a modern day Dionne Warwick. Bringing the audience, Paula Abdul, and herself to tears, Tamyra totally nailed it.
3. Carrie Underwood, "Bless the Broken Road"
Every once in a while a contestant gets the chance to sing a song that gives the audience an idea of what kind of music they will put out if/when they achieve success after the show. Giving an understated yet beautiful spin to this Rascal Flatts tune, Carrie did just that -- proving she more than had the chops to become a successful country music artist. With this performance she launched herself (and Rascal Flatts) into the stratosphere.
4. Katharine McPhee, "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree"
What Carrie did for Rascall Flatts, Katharine did for KT Turnstall. Boldly performing the entire song from a kneeling position (something she would repeat a few weeks later with "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"), Katharine flirted with the band members and the audience, and brought a youthful spark to this infectious tune. A perfect song choice and a near-perfect rendition.
5. Trenyce, "Proud Mary"
Trenyce must have known she didn't have a shot at cracking the Top 4 back in Season 2, but that didn't stop her from giving it her absoulte all on the classic Tina Turner song. What could have been karaoke-esque turned into a dazzling showcase for Trenyce's performance and vocal skills. She still got the boot, but this performance has lingered in the memory.
6. Latoya London, "Don't Rain on My Parade"
Latoya + Soaring high notes = Heaven. It's a hard song to do justice to, and Latoya just nailed it. Barbra Streisand, eat your heart out.
7. Fantasia, "What Are You Doing the Rest Of Your Life"
Speaking of Babs, Fantasia took on another of La Streisand's songs, and once again showed off her amazing interpretational skills. I mean, no one feels a song like Ms. 'Tasia. Dedicating this tearjerker of a song to her daughter, Fantasia left nary a dry eye in the house (in my house, at least).
8. Trenyce, "Love Will Keep Us Together"
Yes, surprisingly it is Trenyce who is the first performer to grab two spots on one list! Flirty and fun, Trenyce absolutely killed this song, making some wonder if they should have taken the one-named shoplifter more seriously earlier in the competition. Despite her strong one-two punch, it proved to be too little, too late.
9. Kelly Clarkson, "Walk on By"
Kelly has called this her least favorite Idol performance, but I love the way she showed off her lower register, wrapping her blues-y tones around the Burt Bacharach tune. I'd be lying, though, if I said that I haven't always wanted to hear her sing her original song choice for that evening, "Anyone Who Had a Heart." Now that would have been amazing.
10. Justin Guarini, "Look of Love"
How appropriate for Justin to sing about the "Look of Love," when he had been giving the camera that same gaze all season! Dressed, appropriately, in a flowy/hippie-esque shirt, this was Justin at his breeziest and sexiest. Easily one of his best performances.
Honorable Mentions:
Chris Daughtry, "Renegade"
Diana Degarmo, "Come On Get Happy"
Diana Degarmo, "Someone to Watch Over Me"
Kimberley Locke, "Where The Boys Are"
Latoya London, "Too Close for Comfort"
RJ Helton, "Best That You Can Do"
Please note, rankings are determined on American Idol performances only, not on what they have accomplished since their time on the show.
In addition, since we don't know whether Phil Stacey or Chris Richardson finished at #5 for Season 6, I have (possibly incorrectly) put Phil on the list of 6th place finishers, and Chris appears on this list
1. Paris Bennett(Season 5)
Best Known For: Strong jazzy voice; uncannily mature performance style
Best Performance: "Fever," "The Show Must Go On"
Worst Performance: Not a terrible performance in the bunch, but if I had to name one I'd go with "How Do I Live"
Post-AI: Debut CD, "Princess P," released later this month
2. Trenyce (Season 2)
Best Known For: Sadly, her shoplifiting arrest (that mug shot is pretty memorable)
Best Performance: "Proud Mary," "Love Will Keep Us Together"
Worst Performance: "I Need You"
Post AI: Busy acting and singing in stage productions around the country, but has yet to make it to Broadway
3. George Huff (Season 3)
Best Known For: Lovable personality, and "bopping" dance style
Best Performance: "Take Me to the Pilot"
Worst Performance: "I Can Love You Like That"
Post AI: Released an album in late '05 called "Miracles"
4. Chris Richardson(Season 6)
Best Known For: Being a Justin Timberlake look-and-sound-alike (and, in my opinion, the cutest male contestant the show has ever had)
Best Performance: "Geek in the Pink," "Don't Get Around Much Anymore"
Worst Performance: "The Boss"
Post AI: We'll see...
5. RJ Helton(Season 1)
Best Known For: Being called a "loser" by Simon, resulting in the famous Season 1 fight between Simon and Randy
Best Performance: "Lately"
Worst Performance: "I Won't Dance"
Post AI: Released an album of Christian music (which is actually pretty good); recently publicly came out of the closet; quoted in a recent article about "American Idol's Gay Secret" in Advocate magazine
6. Scott Savol(Season 4)
Best Known For: Probably the least charming contestant American Idol has ever had
Best Performance: "Never Too Much"
Worst Performance: Even though his voice isn't really that bad, I'd have to say...the rest
Post AI: Shockingly, he's "working on a CD"
Here we go again...on to the Ten Best Top 9 performances of all time.
This list actually surprised me more than any of the previous ones, as it includes performances from several contestants (Constantine, Kellie, Ace) who I would not necessarily consider myself a huge fan of. It's always fun when a contestant surprises you and puts forward a performance you didn't see coming. Apparently, the Top 9 is a round full of such surprises.
Ranking the 10th Place Finishers
Ten Best Top 10 Performances of All Time
Ten Best Top 11 Performances of All Time
Ten Best First Finals Performances
Ten Best Semifinals Performances of All Time
1. Jennifer Hudson, "Circle of Life" (SF: #8)
I loved Jennifer from the moment I laid eyes on her in her initial audition, but through the semifinals and the first few rounds of the finals, she seemed to be struggling to fit her huge vocals with a performance style that worked on the small screen. With this astounding performance, however, she showed exactly what she is capable of, transforming an already moving song into a soaring anthem. Showing dazzling poise and impeccable vocal abilities, Jennifer stole the show with this performance, impressing Elton John, the judges, and the audience alike. She may have won the Oscar for Dreamgirls, but as far as I'm concerned this was her first really award-worthy performance. Spectacular.
2. George Huff, "Take Me to the Pilot"
After a bit of a rough start to the finals, George came roaring back with this joyful, soulful, and playful performance of the Elton John tune -- a performance that was so full of life it was nearly impossible not to enjoy. This is easily George's strongest performance, as well as the best male performance of that year's competition.
3. Constantine Maroulis, "My Funny Valentine" (Top 12: #10, Top 10: #4)
Let's just say I don't consider myself Constantine's biggest fan -- yet, here he is for the third time on one of my "Ten Best" lists. I guess I have to acknowledge that I enjoyed his performances more than I thought I did! This one may have been his very best, as he got to show off his musical theater training and really give a classy vocal performance of the beautiful standard. It may not have quite the level of vocal sophistication that Melinda Doolittle brought to it this season, but it was pretty dang good.
4. Clay Aiken, "Everlasting Love" (SF: #4, Top 12: #3, Top 11: #2)
By this point in the competition it was abundantly clear that Clay could sing just about anything, but when he put his stellar vocals together with a fun, uplifting song, the effect was never more enjoyable. Making it look effortless, Clay once again wow'ed his fans with this fantastic performance.
5. Latoya London, "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" (SF: #1, Top 11: #10)
Latoya could hit a series of high notes to bring home a song better than almost any contestant in Idol history, and she showed off those skills on this soaring version of Elton John's ballad. Her final notes are simply breathtaking.
6. Ace Young, "Tonight I Wanna Cry"
Again, I am as shocked as many of you probably are to see Ace's name on this list -- let's just say I really was not a fan of the pretty-boy back in Season 5. However, his tender and well-sung version of the Keith Urban song really was quite excellent and rather moving-- it was the best fit between singer and song that Ace found during the entire competition.
7. Nikko Smith, "One Hand, One Heart"
The theme for the Top 9 during Season 4 was Broadway, and while Carrie and company chose mostly boring standards from 50's musicals, Nikko managed to put a contemporary and soulful spin on this beautiful ballad from "West Side Story." This was my favorite performance from Nikko -- unfortunately it was also the performance that got him voted out.
8. Katharine McPhee, "Bringing out the Elvis" (SF: #10, Top 11: #6)
I wasn't sure how Katharine was going to fare during country week in Season 5 -- she didn't exactly have much of a twang in her voice, so song choice was crucial for Ms. McPhee. In wisely choosing this soul/country tune, she brought some sass and attitude to the proceedings, and proved that she's capable of singing just about anything.
9. Kellie Pickler, "Fancy"
First off, I must admit that I am a huge sucker for this song -- the tale about a girl who is encouraged by her mother to be a hooker has a soft spot in my heart, and Reba McEntire's version is one of my favorite tunes. And while Kellie certainly doesn't reach the level of Ms. Reba in this performance, she showed some spunk and pluck, and a surprisingly competent singing voice, in this performance. It was "country week," so she should have done well -- and, for once, she did.
10. Trenyce, "I'm Every Woman" (Top 12: #6)
I would like to propose that Whitney Houston's "I'm Every Woman" and "I Have Nothing" be permanently retired from the competition. Trenyce was one of the first to sing the song on the show, and although Vonzell Solomon would end up singing it better a couple of season's later, I must commend Trenyce for her very entertaining version. Always in the shadow of Ruben, Clay, and Kim L., with this performance Trenyce found a way to make herself stand out.
Ranking the 10th Place Finishers
Ten Best Top 10 Performances of All Time
Ten Best Top 11 Performances of All Time
Ten Best First Finals Performances
Ten Best Semifinals Performances of All Time
They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Sure, they've performed in the semifinals in front of a small studio audience, but stepping onto the bigger stage in the Top 12 (or Top 10, as the case was in Season 1) provides contestants with the opportunity to really take it up a notch and solidify their connection with the viewers, or, if they've yet to make much of a dent, provide them with one more chance to really grab the audience's attention.
Sometimes a strong first performance in the finals can sustain you for quite awhile, even if you never end up living up to the potential you initially showed (Carmen Rasmussen, Jasmine Trias). Alternatively, a rough or shaky first showing could find you trying to fight your way out of the Bottom 3 for weeks (Kimberley Locke, Jennifer Hudson).
So, in anticipation of the start of the Top 12 tomorrow, here is my list of the ten best first Finals performances:
1. Kelly Clarkson, "You're All I Need"
I fell 3/4 of the way in love with Kelly after she sang "Respect" in the semifinals, but it was this performance that sent me right over the top. Everything from her sassy sauntering around the stage, adorable facial expression, her 1-legged pants, and her AMAZING voice makes this one of my very favorite Idol performances of all time. This was the night I fell head over heels and never looked back.
2. Chris Daughtry, "Higher Ground"
If there was any question about whether or not Chris was going to be able to adapt his style to non-rock songs, this answered it once and for all. Despite the cheesy themes, he showed he wasn't going to compromise who he is as an artist.
3. Clay Aiken, "I Can't Help Myself"
Riding on the wave of momentum from having been the people's Wildcard choice in Season 2, Clay effortlessly continued his ascent into the hearts of millions of Americans with this effortless performance. He was gettin' close to having (at least part of) America right in the palm of his hands (and at the bat of his eye, of course).
4. Diana Degarmo, "Think"
I didn't always love Diana, but this performance featured some off-the-charts high belting. Say what you will about her, but this girl can sii-iii-iing.
5. Tamyra Gray, "Touch Me In The Morning"
Along with Justin Guarini, Tamyra was the clear favorite coming into the Finals in Season 1, and she handled that pressure quite nicely with this passionate, soulful performance. To this date I think the Kelly vs. Tamyra rivalry is the best the show has ever had (with Clay and Ruben a close second).
6. Trenyce, "Come See About Me"
Paula's wildcard pick Trenyce had nothing to lose when she came out lookin' like Janet Jackson and flirted her way through the Motown hit. While her facial expressions were a bit much on the smaller semifinals stage, on the big stage she looked like a pro.
7. Fantasia, "Signed, Sealed, Delivered"
Quintessential Fantasia...slurring her s's and groovin' to Stevie Wonder. As good as it was, though, I don't think anyone could have known she had a "Summertime" lurking in there.
8. Taylor Hicks, "Takin' it to the Streets"
Featuring impressive vocals, spastic dance moves, and loads of personality, it was difficult not to be charmed by Taylor's, well, Taylor-ness. The song and performer were such a good fit it ended up becoming the B-side on his first single.
9. Jasmine Trias, "Inseparable" 
Oh Jasmine, this performance was so promising -- if only you had lived up to that promise! Delivering a cool, innocently sexy version of the Toni Braxton song in Season 3, she showed off her gorgeous tone and did not go off pitch even for a moment. That was the last time that happened, thats for damn sure.
10. Constantine Maroulis, "You Make Me So Very Happy"
An odd choice for me, to be sure, since I am definitely not Constantine's #1 fan, but of all the Top 12 performances in Season 4, this, for me, was the best. I had found him awkward and poseur-esque in the Semifinals and wasn't expecting much of him, but he surprised me with a casual, well-sung performance that I, much to my own chagrin, enjoyed very much.
Did I include or leave off your favorite first finals performance? Leave a comment and let me know! And check out my list of the Ten Best Semifinal Performances.
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