10. Blake Lewis "You Give Love a Bad Name"- Blake was a trailblazer for American Idol for many reasons. A beat-boxer who sang incredibly well, he infused the sixth season of my beloved show with a uniqueness that was MIA that year. In an four month story-arc filled with Lakisha, Melinda, and Jordin belting out the same old perfect melodies, Blake (and his adorable outfits) lit up the stage with his personality. You Give Love a Bad Name was arguably his most risky performance, and it propelled him into the top 2. With it's four straight measures of boxing, it's decidedly un-Bon Jovi melody, and his rampant charisma, he worked it out and gave us the most exciting song of season 6.
9. Melinda Doolittle "My Funny Valentine"- I was going to give Constantine Maroulis the MVP on this song, but I recently watched both performances back to back, and Mindy Doo is clearly the belle of the ball when it comes to humorous lovers. The woman broke it DOWN and sang with such a gusto and bravado, something we never really saw again. The infusions of "who, MEEE? I'm a good singer?!" were gone for the night, and the girl made mince meat out of the Rodgers and Hart number.
8. Carrie Underwood "Alone"- While I did not want Carrie to win (Vonzell Soloman's quirky goodness was far more my taste), I cannot fault her for her song choice in Heart's "Alone." Since she conquered the stage with that vocal, contestants have been trying unsuccessfully to match it. You know if Carly Smithson's version sounds bad by comparison, you have an incredible notch in the Idol wall of fame.
7. David Cook "Billie Jean"- Simultaneously enraging and engaging the American public, the proclaimed "rocker" of the seventh season kicked ass with this re-done version of a Michael Jackson classic. Some (drama queeny) people got upset that he used a cover song to base his off of, but he none the less rocked it out with style. Chris Cornell himself could not do a better job making this song into a sexy power ballad. Covering the cover is hard enough, but to outshine both versions is a real feat.
6. Jason Castro "Hallelujah"- Some dub the seventh season of American Idol as "Artist Idol" because musicians were allowed to play instruments for the first time. This was none more true than with Jason Castro, who was as Anti-Idol as you can get. With his pretty but flimsy voice, he charmed the hearts of America and placed fourth. This was due in large part to his amazing semi-final take on Hallelujah. With tears in his eyes and a crack in his vocal, he got a "brilliant" rating from Mr. Cowell and a safe passage to the top 12. Hallelujah indeed.
5. Allison Iraheta "Someone to Watch Over Me"- This was the most moving performance from the teenager I have ever seen on the show. I teared up when her voice broke on the line "Although he's not the man some/girls think of as handsome." The designated rocker chick gave the old-timey number a youthful energy and passion. She simply OWNED Rat Pack week, and even more so for suffering through that shitty critique from Simon that she was "robotic in parts." Screw you, Mr. Cowell. Without you, she would have sailed through to the top three. Then we wouldn't have had Danny Gokey (aka, "ghoulish widower") singing "Dream On" as if it was a White Stripes song. Ugh. (Yes, I am still bitter.)
4. Katharine Mcphee "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"- Kat was not my favorite during Idol's consistent yet tedious fifth season, but her Simon-picked song choice of "Rainbow" turned out to be her best on the show. Even though Jason Castro covered a better version of the classic in season 7, there is no way anyone will be able to match the raw power that Mcphee inspired. I remember downloading the song as soon as it came out and listening to it over thirty times in one night. Down with Hicks! Long live Mcpheever!
3. Carly Smithson "Here You Come Again"- Not many people will remember this smoldering ballad from Ms. Ireland 2008, but it is more than worth a mention. She took Dolly Parton's mid-tempo song and changed it up to be slow and delicate, producing an immaculate performance that, in my opinion, exceeded anything else for that season. Her voice soared over the verses, and built up into that final, incredible glory note at the end. America got it wrong sending this one home so early.
2. Adam Lambert "Mad World"- The One Who Occasionally Sounds Like a Wounded Cat came out on the dreary "Year You Were Born" week and ran DVR schedules over the time limit all across the country. He got a standing ovation by Simon (rare), a proclamation of him "definitely being in the finals" (less rare), and a walloping 42% of the vote (according to Idol experts) on a night with 8 people singing. He finally showed his true colors (the primary one obviously being blue) and didn't seem as if he was acting. This, unfortunately, was not true of the vampire-y encore in the finale, which might be part of the reason he only achieved runner up status. But, icy lighting and all, Adam really blew this song out of the water (okay, enough blue puns) and, in doing so, pretty much ordered America to advance him straight to the finals. Don't pass Go. Don't collect 200 bizarre critiques.
1. Fantasia Barrino "Summertime"- This undoubtably marks the longest I have cried over an Idol vocal (and I was fourteen, folks!) Fantasia took her soul and threw it on the stage, making contenders like LaToya London and Diana Degarmo (not to mention the awful Jasmine Trias) quake in their boots. It was perfection. It was immaculate. It had the Dawg standing up on his paws and shouting about it being the best 90 seconds the show had ever seen. In that moment, ladies and gentlemen, a star was born.
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