Photo: Taylor Hicks in Grease

I wasn't sure anything was going to be scarier than those first shots of Clay Aiken in Spamalot, but lo and behold, I was wrong.

Here is a photo of American Idol winner Taylor Hicks in the Broadway revival of Grease.



Wowza.

Thoughts?

Idol Notes: Taylor Hicks Plays B-Ball, Kimberley Locke on Don't Forget and Jordin Sparks On Tour With Alicia Keys

Here's a bit of an update on what some former Idol contestants are up to:

-Season 5 winner Taylor Hicks will participate in the All-Star/Celebrity Basketball game , which is taking place tonight. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

-Season 2 third place finisher Kimberley Locke will appear on a special celebrity version of Don't Forget the Lyrics. Locke, who will be competing for charity, will be on the show on a TBD date in March.

-Finally, Season 5 champ Jordin Sparks will go on tour with multi-platinum Grammy winner Alicia Keys. This will surely provide Jordin with exposure to a new audience.

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IDOL MADNESS Wednesday Report -- Only One Day Left to Vote in the Round of 32 Matches!

There's only one more day of voting in the Round of 32, so spread the word to vote for your faves!

Voting for all Round of 32 matches ends Thursday January 31, 11:59PM EST.

Here are updates (as of 1/30 at 5:00PM EST) of the Round of 32 match-ups in all divisions. Click on any match-up to vote!

There look to be several upsets underway, and with only one day left of voting, there's very little time for some favorites to rebound. Among those in trouble: Taylor Hicks, Fantasia, Jordin Sparks, Chris Daughtry, Ruben Studdard and Katharine McPhee!

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
Today: Kelly 65.7%-34.3%
Jan. 29: Kelly 65.1%-34.9%
Jan. 27: Kelly 64%-36%
Jan. 26: Kelly 65.5%-34.5%
Jan 25: Kelly 67%-33%.

#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #10 Kellie Pickler
Today: Kellie 60.4%-39.6%
Jan. 29: Kellie 60.3%-39.7%
Jan. 27: Kellie 59%-41%
Jan. 26: Kellie 67%-33%
Jan 25: Kellie 66%-34%

#3 Tamyra Gray vs. #6 Jasmine Trias
Today: Jasmine 66.6%-33.4%
Jan. 29: Jasmine 65.1%-34.9%
Jan. 27: Jasmine 67%-33%
Jan. 26: Jasmine 72%-27%
Jan 25: Jasmine 75%-25%

#4 Jennifer Hudson vs. #5 Bo Bice
Today: Bo 56.8%-43.2%
Today: Bo 55.8%-44.2%
Jan. 27: Bo 58%-42%
Jan. 26: Bo 54%-46%
Jan. 25: Bo 55%-45%

Seacrest Bracket
#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
Today: Constantine 60%-40%
Jan. 29: Constantine 58.9%-41.1%
Jan. 27: Constantine 56%-44%
Jan. 26: Constantine 61%-39%
Jan 25: Constantine 75%-25%

#2 Clay Aiken vs. #7 RJ Helton
Today: Clay 73.4%-26.6%
Jan. 29: Clay 74.1%-25.9%
Jan. 27: Clay 70%-30%
Jan. 26: Clay 58%-42%
Jan 25: Clay 52%-48%

#3 Melinda Doolittle vs. #6 Vonzell Solomon
Today: Melinda 66.7%-33.3%
Jan. 29: Melinda 66.6%-33.4%
Jan. 27: Melinda 66%-34%
Jan. 26: Melinda 66%-34%
Jan. 25: Melinda 64%-36%

#5 LaKisha Jones vs. #13 Bucky Covington
Today: Bucky 69.8%-30.2%
Jan. 29: Bucky 69.3%-30.7%
Jan. 27: Bucky 71%-29%
Jan. 26: Bucky 71%-29%
Jan. 25: Bucky 72%-28%

Abdul Bracket
#1 Fantasia vs. #9 Ace Young
Today: Ace 67.4%-33.6%
Jan. 29: Ace 67.2%-33.8%
Jan. 27: Ace 66%-34%
Jan. 26: Ace 68-32%
Jan. 25: Ace 69%-31%

#2 Jordin Sparks vs. #7 Anthony Fedorov
Today: Anthony 57.9%-42.1%
Jan. 29: Anthony 56.5%-43.5%
Jan. 27: Anthony 56%-44%
Jan. 26: Anthony 52%-37%
Jan. 25: Jordin 58%-42%

#3 Elliott Yamin vs. #6 Nikki McKibbin
Today: Elliott 78.1%-21.9%
Jan. 29: Elliott 77.7%-22.3%
Jan. 27: Elliott 76%-24%
Jan. 26: Elliott 77%-23%
Jan. 25: Elliott 81%-19%

#4 Kimberley Locke vs. #5 Blake Lewis
Today: Blake 51.2%-48.8%
Jan. 29: Blake 51.1%-48.9%
Jan. 27: Blake 51.7%-48.3%
Jan. 26: Blake 51.5%-48.5%
Jan. 25: Kimberley 50.2%-49.8%

Jackson Bracket
#1 Carrie Underwood vs. #9 Mandisa Hundley
Today: Carrie 71.5%-28.5%
Jan. 29: Carrie 71.7%-28.3%
Jan. 27: Carrie 72.4%-27.6%
Jan. 26: Carrie 76%-24%
Jan. 25: Carrie 80%-20%

#2 Chris Daughtry vs. # 7 Josh Gracin
Today: Josh 54%-46%
Jan. 29: Josh 53.9%-46.1%
Jan. 27: Josh 58%-42%
Jan. 26: Josh 50.3%-49.7%
Jan. 25: Chris 55%-45%

#3 Latoya London vs. #11 Anwar Robinson
Today: Latoya 56.7%-43.3%
Jan. 29: Latoya 57.5%-42.5%
Jan. 27: Latoya 58.5%-41.5%
Jan. 26: Latoya 57%-43%
Jan. 25: Latoya 62%-37%

#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #12 Gina Glocksen
Today: Gina 54.9%-45.1%
Jan. 29: Gina 55%-45%
Jan. 27: Gina 55%-45%
Jan. 26: Gina 52%-48%
Jan. 25: Katharine 53%-47%

See all of today's Idol Thoughts Headlines

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IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME

IDOL MADNESS: Tuesday 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!

Chris Daughtry appears to be making a last minute push in his battle with Josh Gracin; Jordin Sparks and Katharine McPhee are still struggling with Gina Glocksen and Anthony Fedorov, respectively; Blake Lewis and Kimberley Locke continue to meet each other vote-for-vote; and Taylor Hicks and Constantine Maroulis' fanbases continue to spar.

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
Today: Kelly 65.1%-35.9%
Today: Kelly 64%-36%
Yesterday: Kelly 65.5%-34.5%
Jan 25: Kelly 67%-33%.

#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #10 Kellie Pickler
Today: Kellie 60.3%-39.7%
Jan. 27: Kellie 59%-41%
Jan. 26: Kellie 67%-33%
Jan 25: Kellie 66%-34%

#3 Tamyra Gray vs. #6 Jasmine Trias
Today: Jasmine 65.1%-34.9%
Jan. 27: Jasmine 67%-33%
Jan. 26: Jasmine 72%-27%
Jan 25: Jasmine 75%-25%

#4 Jennifer Hudson vs. #5 Bo Bice
Today: Bo 55.8%-44.2%
Jan. 27: Bo 58%-42%
Jan. 26: Bo 54%-46%
Jan. 25: Bo 55%-45%

Seacrest Bracket
#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
Today: Constantine 58.9%-41.1%
Jan. 27: Constantine 56%-44%
Jan. 26: Constantine 61%-39%
Jan 25: Constantine 75%-25%

#2 Clay Aiken vs. #7 RJ Helton
Today: Clay 74.1%-25.9%
Jan. 27: Clay 70%-30%
Jan. 26: Clay 58%-42%
Jan 25: Clay 52%-48%

#3 Melinda Doolittle vs. #6 Vonzell Solomon
Today: Melinda 66.6%-33.4%
Jan. 27: Melinda 66%-34%
Jan. 26: Melinda 66%-34%
Jan. 25: Melinda 64%-36%

#5 LaKisha Jones vs. #13 Bucky Covington
Today: Bucky 69.3%-30.7%
Jan. 27: Bucky 71%-29%
Jan. 26: Bucky 71%-29%
Jan. 25: Bucky 72%-28%

Abdul Bracket
#1 Fantasia vs. #9 Ace Young
Today: Ace 67.2%-33.8%
Jan. 27: Ace 66%-34%
Jan. 26: Ace 68-32%
Jan. 25: Ace 69%-31%

#2 Jordin Sparks vs. #7 Anthony Fedorov
Today: Anthony 56.5%-43.5%
Jan. 27: Anthony 56%-44%
Jan. 26: Anthony 52%-37%
Jan. 25: Jordin 58%-42%

#3 Elliott Yamin vs. #6 Nikki McKibbin
Today: Elliott 77.7%-22.3%
Jan. 27: Elliott 76%-24%
Jan. 26: Elliott 77%-23%
Jan. 25: Elliott 81%-19%

#4 Kimberley Locke vs. #5 Blake Lewis
Today: Blake 51.1%-48.9%
Jan. 27: Blake 51.7%-48.3%
Jan. 26: Blake 51.5%-48.5%
Jan. 25: Kimberley 50.2%-49.8%

Jackson Bracket
#1 Carrie Underwood vs. #9 Mandisa Hundley
Today: Carrie 71.7%-28.3%
Jan. 27: Carrie 72.4%-27.6%
Jan. 26: Carrie 76%-24%
Jan. 25: Carrie 80%-20%

#2 Chris Daughtry vs. # 7 Josh Gracin
Today: Josh 53.9%-46.1%
Today: Josh 58%-42%
Yesterday: Josh 50.3%-49.7%
Jan. 25: Chris 55%-45%

#3 Latoya London vs. #11 Anwar Robinson
Today: Latoya 57.5%-42.5%
Jan. 27: Latoya 58.5%-41.5%
Jan. 26: Latoya 57%-43%
Jan. 25: Latoya 62%-37%

#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #12 Gina Glocksen
Today: Gina 55%-45%
Jan. 27: Gina 55%-45%
Jan. 26: Gina 52%-48%
Jan. 25: Katharine 53%-47%

See all of today's Idol Thoughts Headlines

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IDOL MADNESS: Saturday 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 1/26 at 7:00PM 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
Kelly is holding onto her lead, but Chris is making up a very little bit of ground.
Yesterday: Kelly 67%-33%.
Today: Kelly 65.5%-34.5%

#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #10 Kellie Pickler
Pickler holds onto her lead from yesterday, posting an almost identical score.
Yesterday: Kellie 66%-34%.
Today: Kellie 67%-33%

#3 Tamyra Gray vs. #6 Jasmine Trias
The question remains: where are the fans of Tamyra Gray? Jasmine still has a dominant lead over the Season 1 4th place finisher.
Yesterday: Jasmine 75%-25%
Today: Jasmine 72%-27%

#4 Jennifer Hudson vs. #5 Bo Bice
The Oscar winner is still struggling with Season Four runner-up Bo.
Yesterday: Bo 55%-45%
Today: Bo 54%-46%

Seacrest Bracket
#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
Looks like the Soul Patrol woke up, because they've made some serious ground in this battle with Constantine, though the Greek still leads by a fairly wide margin.
Yesterday: Constantine 75%-25%
Today: Constantine 61%-39%

#2 Clay Aiken vs. #7 RJ Helton
The Claymates also seem to have gone into overdrive, bumping up their boy's lead over RJ by 6%.
Yesterday: Clay 52%-48%
Today: Clay 58%-42%

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

#5 LaKisha Jones vs. #13 Bucky Covington
Bucky pulled off Round 1's biggest upset by sending Diana Degarmo packing; it looks like he's on his way to doing the same thing to LaKisha.
Yesterday: Bucky 72%-28%
Today: Bucky 71%-29%

Abdul Bracket
#1 Fantasia vs. #9 Ace Young
Fantasia fans, where are you? Your girl is still losing to Ace!
Yesterday: Ace 69%-31%
Today: Ace 68-32%

#2 Jordin Sparks vs. #7 Anthony Fedorov
Last year's champ is in serious trouble -- she's lost her lead to Anthony, and is down almost 20% from yesterday. Not good!
Yesterday: Jordin 58%-42%
Today: Anthony 52%-37%

#3 Elliott Yamin vs. #6 Nikki McKibbin
Yesterday: Elliott 81%-19%
Today: Elliott 77%-23%
In this battle of the third place finishers, Elliott has lost about 4% points, but is still way out on top.

#4 Kimberley Locke vs. #5 Blake Lewis
Blake has taken over the lead, but this is still one of Round 2's closest contests.
Yesterday: Kimberley 50.2%-49.8%
Today: Blake 51.5%-48.5%

Jackson Bracket
#1 Carrie Underwood vs. #9 Mandisa Hundley
Mandisa has gained a bit of ground, but Carrie continues to roll.
Yesterday: Carrie 80-20%
Today: Carrie 76%-24%

#2 Chris Daughtry vs. # 7 Josh Gracin
There's only a few votes separating these two, with Josh having taken over the lead. Where are the Daughtry fans at?
Yesterday: Chris 55%-45%
Today: Josh 50.3%-49.7%

#3 Latoya London vs. #11 Anwar Robinson
This has turned into much more of a contest, thought Latoya still maintains the lead.
Yesterday: 62%-37%
Today: 57%-43%

#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #12 Gina Glocksen
After finishing yesterday on top, Kat has lost some ground and is currently behind Gina.
Yesterday: Katharine 53%-47%
Today: Gina 52%-48%

See all of today's Idol Thoughts Headlines

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IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME

IDOL MADNESS Seacrest Bracket RESULTS!

There is still time to vote in the Abdul Bracket!

Click to see the just-released first round match-ups of the Jackson Bracket!

Seacrest Bracket First Round RESULTS:

#1 Taylor Hicks def. #16 Matt Rogers
#2 Clay Aiken def. #15 Jessica Sierra
#3 Melinda Doolittle def #14 Amy Adams
#13 Bucky Covington def. #4 Diana Degarmo
#5 LaKisha Jones def. #12 Ryan Starr
#6 Vonzell Solomon def. #11 Kimberly Caldwell
#7 RJ Helton def. #10 Sanjaya Malakar
#9 Constantine Maroulis def. #8 Trenyce

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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

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IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME

IDOL MADNESS: Seacrest Bracket Seeding and First Round Match-Ups

View The Results of the Cowell Bracket First-Round Match-Ups

Vote in the Just-Released Abdul Bracket

Voting for the Seacrest Bracket Ends Saturday January 19 at 11:59PM EST

SEACREST BRACKET 1st Round Match-Ups

#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #16 Matthew Rogers
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #15 Jessica Sierra
#3 Melinda Doolittle vs. #14 Amy Adams
#4 Diana Degarmo vs. #13 Bucky Covington
#5 LaKisha Jones vs. #12 Ryan Starr
#6 Vonzell Solomon vs. #11 Kimberly Caldwell
#7 RJ Helton vs. #10 Sanjaya Malakar
#8 Trenyce vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis

The #1 seed in the Seacrest bracket is Season 5 winner and Soul Patrol captain Taylor Hicks. With a bracket that includes Clay Aiken (#2 seed), Melinda Doolittle (#3), Diana DeGarmo (#4) and Lakisha Jones (#5), this bracket could be anyone’s game. A potential 4 vs. 5 match-up would have possibly two of the biggest female voices on the show head-to-head for a place in the Sweet Sixteen.

In the other half of the brackets, Season 6’s favorite head of hair makes his appearance at the #10 seed. Sanjaya faces off #7 seed RJ Helton for the chance to face #2 seed Clay Aiken. Clay should easily handle the legally-challenged #15 seed Jessica Sierra (though crazy things could happen in a single-elimination tournament).

Remember, voting starts now!

IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME Main Page

Seed / Name
1 Taylor Hicks
2 Clay Aiken
3 Melinda Doolittle
4 Diana Degarmo
5 LaKisha Jones
6 Vonzell Solomon
7 RJ Helton
8 Trenyce
9 Constantine Maroulis
10 Sanjaya Malakar
11 Kimberly Caldwell
12 Ryan Starr
13 Bucky Covington
14 Amy Adams
15 Jessica Sierra
16 Matthew Rogers

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Where is American Idol Season 6' Breakout Star?

About seven months after the end of the last season of American Idol, and with under two weeks to go until Season 7 gets going, the question remains...

Where is Season 6' breakout star?

Granted, Jordin Sparks has had radio success with her single "Tattoo" (still in the Top 10 on the pop chart), and both she and Blake Lewis had respectable debut sales weeks for their respective albums. And, yes, LaKisha Jones is now on Broadway in The Color Purple, Chris Richardson and Phil Stacey are both supposedly working on albums, and Sanjaya Malakar remains a household name. While there is still plenty of time for any of these contestants to really enter into the next level of superstardom, none of them has (yet) come close to rivaling the success of the show's most famous alumni.

So...where's the Clarkson? The Underwood? The Daughtry?

You don't have to be a superstar to be successful -- Elliott Yamin, Kellie Pickler, Kimberley Locke and Bucky Covington have made very nice careers for themselves, without selling millions of albums. And, not every season's winner was an instant mega-star -- Fantasia, for example, was well-received out-of-the-gate, but it wasn't until her tour de force performance in The Color Purple that people started really taking her seriously.

Additionally, it doesn't have to be the show's winner who breaks out -- while both Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee still have a presence on the music (and movie) scene, Daughtry made it clear right from the get-go that he was a force to be reckoned with, while Jennifer Hudson took two years after her elimination from the show before she became a household name. However, none of this past season's contestants can claim they have done the same -- or that they even have the real potential to do so.

Will Melinda Doolittle release an album and become the next Norah Jones? Will Jordin's follow-up singles significantly boost her album sales? Will Chris Richardson become the next Justin Timberalke? I'm just not sure.

With Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson under their belt, there's no doubt the show has already produced huge stars, but the bigger question for the show is: is it still capable of doing so?

I believe it is, and if you buy into the hype for the upcoming season, we may find our "biggest star yet!" While that remains to be seen, I'm hoping some of this year's performers tap into whatever that intangible thing is that makes someone not just successful, but special. It's happened before -- I believe it can happen again.

Opinion Polls & Market Research

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Daughtry, Underwood, Clarkson, Hicks, Pickler, Fantasia, Yamin, McPhee and Covington All Finish in the Top 200 Year-End Album Chart

While Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis haven't seen much traction with their newly released albums, former Idol contestants Chris Daughtry and Carrie Underwood are doing just fine, thank you very much. Daughtry's album Daughtry was the number one selling album of the year according to Billboard, moving 3.2 million albums, while Underwood's Some Hearts (released in 2005!) was the year's #5 album.

Outside of the top 20, Underwood's sophomore album, Carnival Ride, finished at #56; Kelly Clarkson's My December took the #66 spot; Taylor Hicks' debut grabbed #74; Kellie Pickler's Small Town Girl was #95; Fantasia's self-titled second disc was #105; Elliott Yamin finished at #114; Katharine McPhee grabbed #159; and Bucky Covington took #187.

Here are the year's Top 20:

1. DAUGHTRY Daughtry
2. KONVICTED Akon
3. THE DUTCHESS Fergie
4. HANNAH MONTANA Soundtrack
5. SOME HEARTS Carrie Underwood
6. ALL THE RIGHT REASONS Nickelback
7. FUTURESEX/LOVESOUNDS Justin Timberlake
8. HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2 Soundtrack
9. NOW 23 Various Artists
10. MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT Linkin Park
11. B'DAY Beyonce
12. GRADUATION Kanye West
13. ME AND MY GANG Rascal Flatts
14. LOVE The Beatles
15. THE SWEET ESCAPE Gwen Stefani
16. HANNAH MONTANA 2 (SOUNDTRACK)/MEET MILEY CYRUS Miley Cyrus
17. AWAKE Josh Groban
18. NOT TOO LATE Norah Jones
19. TAYLOR SWIFT Taylor Swift
20. KINGDOM COME Jay-Z

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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 (Seacrest Bracket) Rnd of 64: #1 Taylor Hicks vs. #16 Matthew Rogers

Opinion Polls & Market Research

SEACREST BRACKET

1st round match-ups:

#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #16 Matthew Rogers
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #15 Jessica Sierra
#3 Melinda Doolittle vs. #14 Amy Adams
#4 Diana Degarmo vs. #13 Bucky Covington
#5 LaKisha Jones vs. #12 Ryan Starr
#6 Vonzell Solomon vs. #11 Kimberly Caldwell
#7 RJ Helton vs. #10 Sanjaya Malakar
#8 Trenyce vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis


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IDOL MADNESS (Seacrest) Rnd of 32: #1 Taylor Hicks vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis

Division: Seacrest Bracket

The Match-Up: #1 Taylor Hicks vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis

Idol Thoughts Prediction: Constantine swept past #8 Trenyce in the first round with relative ease -- will he knock off the top seed (and former Idol champ) Hicks in the same way? Don't underestimate the power of Maroulis' fans -- I think he'll prevail 70%-30%.

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

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Lots More Buzz on Tonight's Finale Extravaganza - Spoilers!

Lots of information is trickling in about tonight's American Idol finale extravaganza.

DO NOT READ IF YOU WANT TO BE SURPRISED

While there had been rumors circulating that Britney Spears might be showing up at the Kodak Theater tonight, Star magazine is reporting that Green Day will be the surprise guest at tonight's festivities, closing the show a la Prince last year.

Other celebrity performers expected include Tony Bennett, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight (who will likely perform with the Top 6 girls), and Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry (who will perform with the Top 6 boys). Former Idols Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and Taylor Hicks will also be on hand to perform.

Rumors continue to circulate that Jordin will perform with the Dreamgirls, and Jennifer Hudson's appearance in the audience last night did little to dispel that gossip. Blake will supposedly perform with Doug E. Fresh.

Oh yeah, and Peter Noone from Herman & The Hermits will be there. I mean, really, enough with the freakin' Hermits already.

Keep checking Idol Thoughts for more updates.

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Idol Thoughts Inaugural Person of the Day: Simon Cowell

Idol Thoughts Person of the Day is a new daily feature that identifies one person I am currently diggin'. This could be anyone -- it could be a singer, actor, politician or none of the above, but it will be someone who has done something noteworthy, someone I have fond memories of, or simply someone that I like and want to write about.



The inaugural Person of the Day is...Simon Cowell!

There are a number of reasons Simon could qualify as Idol Thoughts Person of the Day (the fact that American Idol would be far less entertaining without him is obviously at the top of that list), but he grabs the title today for not being afraid to speak his mind. No, I'm not talking about his brutally honest critiques of the American Idol contestants, I am talking about his inability to censor himself when he is talking about the show in the media. Most entertainers who have millions and millions of dollars riding on them hedge their bets when speaking candidly about their projects -- not Simon! He says what he wants, when he wants to, and you gotta love him for that.

Thanks to USA Today, here are a few examples of thoughts he has expressed in the past week:

On Melinda Doolittle's elimination last week:
"When you allow the public to choose, you've got to live and die by the vote. I didn't agree with the vote. More people should have dialed for Melinda -- it's as simple as that. It just didn't seem fair to me, so I felt for her. There's nothing much you can say... 'You sang better than anybody else, you gave it 100% every week, you're not in the final.' It didn't seem right."

On host Ryan Seacrest and apparently on-camera tension:
"It's rather like having a silly little dog who likes to jump up on your lap, and you just swat the dog off. And occasionally in a very stern voice you have to say 'No.' That's how I deal with Ryan."

On Sanjaya Malakar:
"I like crazy. I would never want to be in a situation where we cast the 12 (finalists) as just normal people, because I think it would be boring. The (judging) panel is wacky enough, and therefore I think the contestants should be as strange as well. I quite like that, and I thought the whole Sanjaya thing was hysterical. I'm happy now because he's out. I don't think I'd be happy if he was in the finals... Looking back, I thought it was quite amusing."

On Taylor Hicks:
"I was talking to someone about this the other day and I was saying, 'Don't confuse talent with popularity because actually this is a talent show.' No one listened to me at the time, and they all laughed at me last year. I remember saying that he's not the best person we've had enter. He's just the most popular."

On Kelly Clarkson and her upcoming album:
"Kelly is not a puppet; she does not like to be told what to do. She... made it absolutely clear that she wanted to steer the musical direction on this record. You (the record company) just gotta say, 'You know what? This girl has given us millions and millions of sales.' You've got to give her that opportunity... Because Kelly will be here for 30 years. She has one of the best pop voices in the world right now."
How can you not love honesty like that? Congrats, Simon, on being the first Idol Thoughts Person of the Day!

American Idol Finale Buzz: Will Britney Be There?

Perezhilton.com is reporting that a rumor is circulating that Britney Spears will be performing on this week's American Idol finale. Could it be true? I mean, the president deigned it a worthy platform to try and redeem his public image a few weeks back by appearing on the show, why wouldn't Britney use the same platform to announce to the world that she is back and better than ever?

I'll believe it when I see it. But, lest we forget, last year at this time there were rumblings about Prince -- and look who showed up in the final moments of Season 5. If Britney does decide to lip synch and dance for the country it would be quite the watercooler moment, that's for sure.

All of this talk gets me thinking -- what surprises are in store for us this week? Last year, in addition to Pince, we got Chris Daughtry and Live duetting on "Mystery" (a track that has gotten many a spin on my ipod), Meat Loaf and Katharine McPhee doing a totally bizarre duet of Celine Dion's "All Coming Back to Me," Mary J. Blige nearly eating Elliott Yamin for lunch singing U2's "One," and Toni Braxton sexin' it up with Taylor Hicks on "In the Ghetto." How can they possibly top that?

I've heard that both Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood will be returning to the Idol stage, and I would imagine Taylor Hicks and even Katharine McPhee or Chris Daughtry might make appearances. I've also heard an unsubstantiated rumor that Jordin Sparks will be performing with the Dreamgirls. Although I'm skeptical Beyone would show up, Jennifer Hudson does have an album with Clive Davis coming out later this year.

Will there be exciting duet partners this year? A Melinda/Gladys Knight duet would be fierce, and whipping out Jennifer Holliday to sing with LaKisha would bring the house down. And how entertaining does a J-Lo/Sanjaya pairing sound? The possbilities are endless!

Stay tuned to Idol Thoughts for more news on the finale as it trickles in. Remember, even after American Idol comes to an end, there will continue to be updates on former Idol contestants (including this year's crew), along with recaps and commentary on summer shows "So You Think You Can Dance," "On the Lot," "Top Chef," "Big Brother," "Pirate Queen" and more (see Summer TV) So bookmark Idol Thoughts now!

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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"

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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"

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.

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.