The top 9 finalists had the chance to visit with Ryan in the radio studio this week as he counted down the Top 40 hits of the week. The top 40 is tabulated by combining the songs with the most radio airplay with the songs with the most sales into one comprehensive chart. Sales and Airplay is what it's all about in the music business and that's what these finalists hope to achieve. Here's how they sound trying to sing the songs that are currently the top selling downloads at itunes:
Usher hit the top 10 in 2006 with Caught Up from his top selling multi-platinum album, Confessions. Anoop Desai wants so much to be in the same league as Usher, but this performance showed very clearly that he is not. While he has demonstrated his ability to sing some nice and soulful vocals, his stage presence is simply not up to par.
I'm not really sure how Bob Marley's Turn Your Lights Down Low qualified as a top download, but Meagan Joy performed it somehow. It was more of the same bouncy quirky essence that she delivers every week. If you are a fan you will like it, but if not, you are ready to see her go.
Rascal Flatts had a huge #1 Country Hit in 2006 with What Hurts The Most. Danny Gokey has already shown us that his limited vocals are perfect for butchering a Carrie Underwood song and tonight he has done the same to Rascal Flatts. Every note was strained, weak and so much worse than the original.
It was 1995 when No Doubt dominated the airwaves with Don't Speak. Alison Iraheta made her big pink hair even bigger as she played her guitar in accompaniment to her rocking vocals. She did a great job adding her raspy edge to this great song. Very well done.
In 1978 Billy Joel won the Grammy for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year for Just The Way You Are after it peaked at #3 on the Billboard HOT 100. (I'm really not understanding the theme this week) Scott MacIntyre sounded great with this piano anthem. His vocals were very strong and he continued with his signature warmth and sincerity. Last week he allowed his people to dress him in pink pants and tonight he let them give him a big moussed up 80's hairstyle. It's kinda funny, but he needs no gimmick to shine - his genuine talent is all he needs.
You Found Me by The Fray is currently #23 on the itunes Top Songs chart. Matt Giraud seems, like me, to have taken a more literal interpretation of this week's theme as he played his piano in the middle of the audience and performed this hit. This week he didn't make a fool of himself as much as he did last week, but with only his vocals to consider, they just weren't that good. Boring and bland is all that can be said.
In 2002 Celine Dion released I Surrender on her album A New Day Has Come. In addition to showing us a new hair style every week, Lil Rounds makes a genuine effort to give us something different every week. Tonight it was a straight up adult contemporary power ballad. Her vocals are far superior to most of the other finalists, but it would have been nice if she had served us a current hot selling hip hop song. We know she can do it, but she's not illustrating it every week. I don't ever want to hear her sing Celine Dion again.
Wild Cherry became a one hit wonder after spending three weeks at #1 in 1976 with Play That Funky Music. Adam Lambert decided to try and take this classic oldie and make it sound current and fresh. Every week he has shown us that he is not going to play it safe and tonight this rendition was captivating and energizing. He leaves us looking forward to what unexpected and exciting thing he's going to do next week.
Bill Withers peaked at #3 in 1971 with Ain't No Sunshine. Kris Allen put down the guitar, sat at the piano and showed that he's so much more than a pretty face. This completely different arrangement would make a video that is worth both watching and listening to. An excellent presentation.
So this Top itunes downloads theme ended up being an unfocused sloppy mess, but there were still some good performances that came out of it. My top five continues to be Adam Lambert, Lil Rounds, Scott MacIntyre, Kris Allen and Allison Iraheta. The others are simply failing to impress. While Danny Gokey is an over-rated tragedy on stage I'm going to stop predicting that he will end up in the bottom three. That leaves my prediction being Anoop Desai, Meagan Joy and Matt Giraud. I think Anoop will be going home.
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