For the first five seasons of American Idol, shortly after the glittering coronation ceremony, there was a new #1 song on the Billboard HOT 100 from one of the Idol Finalists. Kelly Clarkson hit the top in Season One with A Moment Like This. Season Two Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up, Clay Aiken, hit #1 with This Is The Night. Fantasia topped the chart in Season Three with I Believe. The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season Four winner Carrie Underwood had a #1 smash with Inside Your Heaven and the Season Five winner, Taylor Hicks continued the streak of #1 hits with Do I Make You Proud.
Season Six winner Jordin Sparks marked the first time for the winning single to not hit the top of the Billboard HOT 100. Her song, This Is My Now, didn't even make the top 15 and it dropped off the chart quickly. The Season Seven winner, David Cook, managed to get up to #3 with The Time Of My Life, but this year's winner, The Season Eight Miss American Idol, Kris Allen will also have to settle for a chart debut outside of the top 10. His single, No Boundaries, has made it's chart debut this week at #11 selling 134,000 downloads.
While this may seem like it's bad news for the future success of the Miss American Idols, all of the other chart news isn't so bad. Turns out that seven (7) songs in the top 40 of the Billboard HOT 100 belong to American Idol finalists.
Three of the seven songs in the top 40 this week by American Idols belong to Kris Allen. Along with his No Boundaries at #11 he has his version of Heartless at #16 and his cover of Ain't No Sunshine at #37. The Season Eight Miss American Idol 1st runner up, Adam Lambert, was able to sell 115,000 copies of Mad World for it to land at #19.
Last year's winner, David Cook, performed his new single, Permanent, on the American Idol finals and it propelled the song to debut at #24 this week. Kelly Clarkson is continuing to enjoy success with the singles from her latest album, All I Ever Wanted. Her former #1 smash hit, My Life Would Suck Without You is still at #30 this week, while the follow up single, I Do Not Hook Up is at #32.
It may come as a surprise that Adam Lambert, who many regarded as the finalist with the most potential, only had one song in this week's top 40, but there's one other bit of information that cannot be overlooked. An i-tunes album called Season Eight Favorite Performances was made available for both Kris Allen and Adam Lambert. While Kris' collection of songs made it's debut on the album chart at #50 (10,000 downloads), Adam's collection came in all the way at #33 (16,000 downloads).
In the weeks ahead we'll see if their songs drop off the charts quickly or if they have some staying power....
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
The Season 8 American Idol is....
We've known for a full week now that Kris Allen managed to capture the Season 8 Miss American Idol crown. It was quite the unexpected surprise, but the dust has settled and I finally have some free time to review the fun musical festivities that lead up to his coronation. It was jammed packed with ten big #1 hits!
The season 8 top 13 finalists opened the show with a preview of what they will bringing on tour this summer. They brought an exuberant version of Pink's #1 smash from earlier this year, So What, to the stage to get things started with some energetic fun. Last year at this time, the audience was surprised to hear that the Season 7 Miss American Idol crown was being awarded to David Cook. In the 12 months that have followed David has struggled to make a dent on the Billboard Hot 100. He started out strong with his winning song, The Time Of My Life peaking at 3, but none of his other singles, Light On or Come Back To Me, came close to matching that success. So he is here tonight trying again to see if donating the proceeds to finding a cure for cancer will help make a hit out of his new song, Permanent.
Season 8 finalist, Lil Rounds then took the stage and never sounded better as she belted out like the true R&B diva that she is along with Queen Latifah. If Lil had done more performances like this every week, she might have made it to the finals. This amazing performance was followed by Jason Mraz singing his recent top 10 hit, I'm Yours, with finalists Alexis Grace and Anoop Desai. It just reminded us that Alexis and Anoop never really were that good anyway.
Awesome country music superstar, Keith Urban joined Kris Allen on stage to perform his latest single, Kiss A Girl. While Keith was incredible as always, nothing about this duet indicated that Kris was about to take the title. Kris was drowned out and overshadowed by Keith the whole time. Kris simply doesn't have the voice or the stage presence to hold his own next to a truly accomplished professional.
The string of #1 hits went into high gear when the top 5 girls then had some fun singing the song that Fergie took to #1 for 2 weeks in 2007, Glamorous. They followed it, along with Fergie herself, on her other #1 song from 2007, Big Girls Don't Cry. After such a hot solo album, Fergie has gone back to the Black Eyed Peas and now they are currently in their 7th big week at #1 on the Billboard HOT 100 with party anthem Boom Boom Pow.
The party then went back to 1984 for a some classic #1 hit duets with the original artists! Season 8 Miss American Idol 3rd Runner Up, Alison Iraheta, gave a heartfelt rendition of Cyndi Lauper's #1 song (2 weeks) Time After Time. The time warp continued as Season 8 Miss American Idol 2nd Runner Up Danny Gokey butchered Lionel Richie's classic ballad, Hello (2 weeks). Lionel then joined him on stage to prevent his tropical dance jam All Night Long that spent 4 weeks at the top of the charts from falling victim to Danny's inability to sing.
The crowd then got their money's worth when Adam Lambert took the mic and showed off his vocal skills with the 1976 top 10 hit power ballad from Kiss, Beth. The stage then erupted in an explosion of high energy fire and power as the classic glam rockers themselves showed up in full make-up to back up Adam singing Detroit Rock City and Rock and Roll All Night. Everything that Adam did on stage exclaimed WINNER and hit maker, but we all know how that ended up turning out....
There was then this weird banjo collaboration that put finalists Michael Sarver and Megan Joy along with comedian Steve Martin. Thankfully it was followed by more #1 hits courtesy of guitar legend, Carlos Santana. Finalist Matt Giraud didn't completely destroy Black Magic Woman, but knowing that it was inevitable if he kept singing solo, the rest of the top 13 joined him on the mega huge smash from 1999 that spent 12 weeks at the top, Smooth. The top 8 boys had some fun with the song that Rod Stewart took to #1 for 4 weeks in 1978, Do Ya Think I'm Sexy. Rod then performed his very first chart topper that spent 5 weeks at #1 in 1971, Maggie May.
Kris Allen and Adam Lambert then took the stage together to declare that We Are The Champions. This outstanding song by Queen went all the way up to #4 in 1977 and the band joined the top two finalists for an exceptional rendition. Seriously, though, Adam completely owned this song while Kris almost disappeared into the background. This is a fact that Kris openly admitted just after Ryan read his name as the winner of the Season 8 Miss American Idol crown. Kris stated, "Adam deserves this" while he was in disbelief with the rest of the audience.
Kris then struggled his way with his limited vocal abilities through the winning single, No Boundaries. For the first 5 seasons of American Idol, they were able to generate a #1 chart topper on the Billboard HOT 100, but that changed with seasons 6 and 7. Does Kris or Adam have what it takes to turn things around and have Season 8 hit the top again? We'll know soon....
The season 8 top 13 finalists opened the show with a preview of what they will bringing on tour this summer. They brought an exuberant version of Pink's #1 smash from earlier this year, So What, to the stage to get things started with some energetic fun. Last year at this time, the audience was surprised to hear that the Season 7 Miss American Idol crown was being awarded to David Cook. In the 12 months that have followed David has struggled to make a dent on the Billboard Hot 100. He started out strong with his winning song, The Time Of My Life peaking at 3, but none of his other singles, Light On or Come Back To Me, came close to matching that success. So he is here tonight trying again to see if donating the proceeds to finding a cure for cancer will help make a hit out of his new song, Permanent.
Season 8 finalist, Lil Rounds then took the stage and never sounded better as she belted out like the true R&B diva that she is along with Queen Latifah. If Lil had done more performances like this every week, she might have made it to the finals. This amazing performance was followed by Jason Mraz singing his recent top 10 hit, I'm Yours, with finalists Alexis Grace and Anoop Desai. It just reminded us that Alexis and Anoop never really were that good anyway.
Awesome country music superstar, Keith Urban joined Kris Allen on stage to perform his latest single, Kiss A Girl. While Keith was incredible as always, nothing about this duet indicated that Kris was about to take the title. Kris was drowned out and overshadowed by Keith the whole time. Kris simply doesn't have the voice or the stage presence to hold his own next to a truly accomplished professional.
The string of #1 hits went into high gear when the top 5 girls then had some fun singing the song that Fergie took to #1 for 2 weeks in 2007, Glamorous. They followed it, along with Fergie herself, on her other #1 song from 2007, Big Girls Don't Cry. After such a hot solo album, Fergie has gone back to the Black Eyed Peas and now they are currently in their 7th big week at #1 on the Billboard HOT 100 with party anthem Boom Boom Pow.
The party then went back to 1984 for a some classic #1 hit duets with the original artists! Season 8 Miss American Idol 3rd Runner Up, Alison Iraheta, gave a heartfelt rendition of Cyndi Lauper's #1 song (2 weeks) Time After Time. The time warp continued as Season 8 Miss American Idol 2nd Runner Up Danny Gokey butchered Lionel Richie's classic ballad, Hello (2 weeks). Lionel then joined him on stage to prevent his tropical dance jam All Night Long that spent 4 weeks at the top of the charts from falling victim to Danny's inability to sing.
The crowd then got their money's worth when Adam Lambert took the mic and showed off his vocal skills with the 1976 top 10 hit power ballad from Kiss, Beth. The stage then erupted in an explosion of high energy fire and power as the classic glam rockers themselves showed up in full make-up to back up Adam singing Detroit Rock City and Rock and Roll All Night. Everything that Adam did on stage exclaimed WINNER and hit maker, but we all know how that ended up turning out....
There was then this weird banjo collaboration that put finalists Michael Sarver and Megan Joy along with comedian Steve Martin. Thankfully it was followed by more #1 hits courtesy of guitar legend, Carlos Santana. Finalist Matt Giraud didn't completely destroy Black Magic Woman, but knowing that it was inevitable if he kept singing solo, the rest of the top 13 joined him on the mega huge smash from 1999 that spent 12 weeks at the top, Smooth. The top 8 boys had some fun with the song that Rod Stewart took to #1 for 4 weeks in 1978, Do Ya Think I'm Sexy. Rod then performed his very first chart topper that spent 5 weeks at #1 in 1971, Maggie May.
Kris Allen and Adam Lambert then took the stage together to declare that We Are The Champions. This outstanding song by Queen went all the way up to #4 in 1977 and the band joined the top two finalists for an exceptional rendition. Seriously, though, Adam completely owned this song while Kris almost disappeared into the background. This is a fact that Kris openly admitted just after Ryan read his name as the winner of the Season 8 Miss American Idol crown. Kris stated, "Adam deserves this" while he was in disbelief with the rest of the audience.
Kris then struggled his way with his limited vocal abilities through the winning single, No Boundaries. For the first 5 seasons of American Idol, they were able to generate a #1 chart topper on the Billboard HOT 100, but that changed with seasons 6 and 7. Does Kris or Adam have what it takes to turn things around and have Season 8 hit the top again? We'll know soon....
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
The Season 8 Finals!
I knew from the beginning that Adam Lambert would be here in the Season 8 American Idol finals, but Kris Allen has risen above all the others to surprise us and take the place right next to him. They are going to sing three songs each tonight to win our votes...
The first selection from Adam was his rendition of the Tears For Fears song Mad World that he did earlier in the competition. This time it was even bigger and better than before. We were treated to another grand entrance down a dramatic staircase and the stage was covered with fog. He wore an even more over the top glam rock, goth ensemble and his vocals were just has spectacular as we have come to expect.
Kris is going to have to step up to the challenge of following the Adam Extravaganza all night and for this first round he decided to resurrect his performance of Bill Wither's Ain't No Sunshine. He sat at the piano and brought his subtle style to this wonderful song. While his vocals have never been his stand-out feature, he still can entertain in a way that is appealing to the mainstream. He re-created this song just enough making sure not to offend anyone.
The second round features songs selected by the American Idol creator, Simon Fuller. For Adam the choice was Sam Cooke's 1965 hit A Change Is Gonna Come. This song allowed Adam to interpret a different kind of song than usual: the social anthem. He once again demonstrated that he can elevate a song to a new and exciting place with his exceptional vocal skills. He seriously commands the stage and provides pure energy and entertainment.
Marvin Gaye had his own social anthem with What's Going On that peaked at #2 in 1971. Kris Allen decided to use his acoustic guitar this time around and delivered his watered down version of the song. With his pretty face and light vocals the vibe at this protest/demonstration was very laid back.
And now the time has come to debut the inspirational first single for the American Idol winner. This year the song is called No Boundaries and it's a message that Adam Lambert has exemplified every week. He brought his complete originality to what could have been something very sappy. Instead, he made it so much more than inspirational. It was a driving force of immediacy and motivation!
Kris Allen had to then take on the same song, No Boundaries, but there was definitely a problem. Without his piano or guitar he only had his vocals to take on stage with him and that left him with one huge boundary. His vocals aren't nearly impressive enough to inject the necessary inspiration into the lyrics.
One of these young men is being sent Home Sweet Home tomorrow night while the other will be crowned the Season 8 Miss American Idol. In order to provide an example of the standard of excellence that has been set, The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood, graced the stage to demonstrate what Adam or Kris must live up to. She performed her stellar rendition of Motley Crue's power ballad to close out this fun night of musical entertainment.
The prediction for who will get that crown tomorrow night is easy. It completely belongs to Adam Lambert. He has the impressive vocal range and totally fearless stage presence to rise up to the standard Carrie built. Kris is very good, but safe. He breaks no barriers and pushes no envelopes. The American Idol winner should do all that and more and Adam Lambert far exceeds expectations.
On an editorial note...
Turns out I will not be home to watch the show live tomorrow night and see the glitter shower down on the winner. My full review of the performances will, therefore, be posted late.
The first selection from Adam was his rendition of the Tears For Fears song Mad World that he did earlier in the competition. This time it was even bigger and better than before. We were treated to another grand entrance down a dramatic staircase and the stage was covered with fog. He wore an even more over the top glam rock, goth ensemble and his vocals were just has spectacular as we have come to expect.
Kris is going to have to step up to the challenge of following the Adam Extravaganza all night and for this first round he decided to resurrect his performance of Bill Wither's Ain't No Sunshine. He sat at the piano and brought his subtle style to this wonderful song. While his vocals have never been his stand-out feature, he still can entertain in a way that is appealing to the mainstream. He re-created this song just enough making sure not to offend anyone.
The second round features songs selected by the American Idol creator, Simon Fuller. For Adam the choice was Sam Cooke's 1965 hit A Change Is Gonna Come. This song allowed Adam to interpret a different kind of song than usual: the social anthem. He once again demonstrated that he can elevate a song to a new and exciting place with his exceptional vocal skills. He seriously commands the stage and provides pure energy and entertainment.
Marvin Gaye had his own social anthem with What's Going On that peaked at #2 in 1971. Kris Allen decided to use his acoustic guitar this time around and delivered his watered down version of the song. With his pretty face and light vocals the vibe at this protest/demonstration was very laid back.
And now the time has come to debut the inspirational first single for the American Idol winner. This year the song is called No Boundaries and it's a message that Adam Lambert has exemplified every week. He brought his complete originality to what could have been something very sappy. Instead, he made it so much more than inspirational. It was a driving force of immediacy and motivation!
Kris Allen had to then take on the same song, No Boundaries, but there was definitely a problem. Without his piano or guitar he only had his vocals to take on stage with him and that left him with one huge boundary. His vocals aren't nearly impressive enough to inject the necessary inspiration into the lyrics.
One of these young men is being sent Home Sweet Home tomorrow night while the other will be crowned the Season 8 Miss American Idol. In order to provide an example of the standard of excellence that has been set, The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood, graced the stage to demonstrate what Adam or Kris must live up to. She performed her stellar rendition of Motley Crue's power ballad to close out this fun night of musical entertainment.
The prediction for who will get that crown tomorrow night is easy. It completely belongs to Adam Lambert. He has the impressive vocal range and totally fearless stage presence to rise up to the standard Carrie built. Kris is very good, but safe. He breaks no barriers and pushes no envelopes. The American Idol winner should do all that and more and Adam Lambert far exceeds expectations.
On an editorial note...
Turns out I will not be home to watch the show live tomorrow night and see the glitter shower down on the winner. My full review of the performances will, therefore, be posted late.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
The Results - Judges Choice
Multi-platinum selling #1 hit maker and winner for the 2001 Grammy for Best New Artist, Alicia Keys graced the American Idol stage to raise some more awareness about the great work being done with the funds raised from Idol Gives Back. A very talented young man from Africa then performed his energetic pop song to show what can result when someone is given the opportunity to reach success.
Danny Gokey was the first to take center stage with Ryan and relive his home visit to Milwaukee. The best thing to come out of this was the slogan "SCREAM ON" that simply and directly illustrates what listening to him has been like all these weeks. It, of course, comes from the completely dreadful rendition of Aerosmith's Dream On that he completely butchered. The other special moment was the reunion with his boyfriend who was by his side for the entire visit.
Kris Allen was welcomed back to Arkansas by thousands of fans who were thrilled at the chance to hear him sing live for them. He was surrounded by his incredibly proud family who couldn't hold back the emotions they felt for this charming and talented finalist.
The Season Six Miss American Idol winner, Jordin Sparks, enjoyed a wonderfully successful 2008 landing three smash hit singles in the top 10 of the Billboard HOT 100. She came back to the American Idol stage to show she has every intention of continuing the hits into 2009. She completely took control of the stage in a glittering little black dress looking totally fabulous and sounding as great as ever on her latest single Battlefield.
Adam Lambert went home to San Diego and his visit was highlighted by the time he spent with the theater group he started with as a young boy. He took his own advice and never gave up on practicing to reach his current well-deserved status as the next big thing. Adam is an inspiration to to us all.
Including Katy Perry, who performed her latest single, Waking Up In Vegas. She was wearing a slick and satiny cape with the name "Adam Lambert" written across it. After spending four weeks at #1 in 2008 with her catchy hit I Kissed A Girl she has demonstrated that she knows how to combine her vibrant personality and stage presence with great songs. Adam will easily be able to join the world of chart topping hits, while Danny won't have a clue out there.
The first person to make it to the finals is Kris Allen! and standing next to Kris will be Adam Lambert. America has finally gotten it right and Danny Gokey is out of the competition. Just to remind us one more time that he never belonged here, Danny destroyed You Are So Beautiful for the last time.
The finals next week is sure to be a night of great music and entertainment with Kris and Adam going head to head!
Danny Gokey was the first to take center stage with Ryan and relive his home visit to Milwaukee. The best thing to come out of this was the slogan "SCREAM ON" that simply and directly illustrates what listening to him has been like all these weeks. It, of course, comes from the completely dreadful rendition of Aerosmith's Dream On that he completely butchered. The other special moment was the reunion with his boyfriend who was by his side for the entire visit.
Kris Allen was welcomed back to Arkansas by thousands of fans who were thrilled at the chance to hear him sing live for them. He was surrounded by his incredibly proud family who couldn't hold back the emotions they felt for this charming and talented finalist.
The Season Six Miss American Idol winner, Jordin Sparks, enjoyed a wonderfully successful 2008 landing three smash hit singles in the top 10 of the Billboard HOT 100. She came back to the American Idol stage to show she has every intention of continuing the hits into 2009. She completely took control of the stage in a glittering little black dress looking totally fabulous and sounding as great as ever on her latest single Battlefield.
Adam Lambert went home to San Diego and his visit was highlighted by the time he spent with the theater group he started with as a young boy. He took his own advice and never gave up on practicing to reach his current well-deserved status as the next big thing. Adam is an inspiration to to us all.
Including Katy Perry, who performed her latest single, Waking Up In Vegas. She was wearing a slick and satiny cape with the name "Adam Lambert" written across it. After spending four weeks at #1 in 2008 with her catchy hit I Kissed A Girl she has demonstrated that she knows how to combine her vibrant personality and stage presence with great songs. Adam will easily be able to join the world of chart topping hits, while Danny won't have a clue out there.
The first person to make it to the finals is Kris Allen! and standing next to Kris will be Adam Lambert. America has finally gotten it right and Danny Gokey is out of the competition. Just to remind us one more time that he never belonged here, Danny destroyed You Are So Beautiful for the last time.
The finals next week is sure to be a night of great music and entertainment with Kris and Adam going head to head!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
The Top 3 sing the judges choice
For the first time in 8 seasons of American Idol, three boys have made it to the top. Here's what they did to prove they are worthy of wearing the Miss American Idol crown this season:
Danny Gokey went first singing a song selected by Paula Abdul. In 1988 Terence Trent D'arby hit #30 with his hit Dance Little Sister. It's a fun and energetic song that Terence brought his unique style to. Danny got up there and screamed like he usually does with absolutely no style or stage presence. There is nothing special about this finalist.
Kris Allen then performed his song that was selected by Kara and Randy. One of the biggest hits of 2007 spending many weeks in the top 5 on the Billboard HOT 100 was Apologize by One Republic. It's a haunting ballad with a hypnotic beat. Kris sat at the piano and mesmerized the crowd with his skillful and talented interpretation. And it goes without saying that he looked better than ever in the spotlight.
Adam Lambert was next singing his song personally chosen by Simon Cowell. U2 released One as a single in 1992 from their album Achtung Baby and it peaked at #10. Adam took this great song and made it even better. He brought even more emotion and more passion with his exceptional and unique vocals.
In case you were wondering when the Idol Gives Back show was going to be this year, we learned tonight that there isn't going to be one. The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood went all the way to Africa to provide an update on how the millions of dollars raised have been spent. A lot of great stuff has been done with the support of American Idol fans.
For the second round tonight, the top three finalists were able to select any song of their choice. Danny Gokey decided that he would take a stab at the top 5 classic ballad from 1975, You Are So Beautiful by Joe Cocker. The original version was such a huge success because it paired a simple sentiment with Joe Cocker's notable stage antics that were often described as spastic. Danny just sat there while his rendition of this amazing song provided nothing of note. His vocals were boring and his stage presence is non-existent.
Earlier this season Kanye West performed his recent #2 hit, Heartless, on the American Idol stage. I went on the record stating that his live performance was a mess and that Kanye cannot sing. Tonight Kris Allen demonstrated how this catchy pop hit should have sounded all along. He turned the song into an acoustic guitar extravaganza with smooth buttery vocals that just pulled in the audience and left us all wanting more.
The last performance of the night was Adam Lambert's thrilling interpretation of the #12 hit from 1993, Aerosmith's Cryin'. As the cover boy on the current edition of Entertainment Weekly, Adam is already the proven stand out star of the season. He has earned this position from his outstanding vocal range that he showcased tonight like he has every week so far. He genuinely takes command of the stage every time he steps up to the mic. He oozes star quality with every note he sings and every step he takes.
The prediction for who should be in the finals is a complete no brainer. Kris Allen has gotten better every week showing that he is so much more than a pretty face. He's a multi-talented musician with incredibly smooth vocal skills. Adam Lambert is already destined to hit the top of the charts with fresh and energetic hot hits. His voice and face demand to be on the radio and in videos. And then there's the lump named Danny Gokey. The judges have inappropriately showered praise on him all season and he's fallen for it. He thinks he's a great singer, yet he's only been able to scream and shriek week after week. Danny should spare himself the embarrassment and hope he doesn't make it to the finals next week. Let the talented finalists, Kris and Adam take that special place and give the fans a very exciting show.
Danny Gokey went first singing a song selected by Paula Abdul. In 1988 Terence Trent D'arby hit #30 with his hit Dance Little Sister. It's a fun and energetic song that Terence brought his unique style to. Danny got up there and screamed like he usually does with absolutely no style or stage presence. There is nothing special about this finalist.
Kris Allen then performed his song that was selected by Kara and Randy. One of the biggest hits of 2007 spending many weeks in the top 5 on the Billboard HOT 100 was Apologize by One Republic. It's a haunting ballad with a hypnotic beat. Kris sat at the piano and mesmerized the crowd with his skillful and talented interpretation. And it goes without saying that he looked better than ever in the spotlight.
Adam Lambert was next singing his song personally chosen by Simon Cowell. U2 released One as a single in 1992 from their album Achtung Baby and it peaked at #10. Adam took this great song and made it even better. He brought even more emotion and more passion with his exceptional and unique vocals.
In case you were wondering when the Idol Gives Back show was going to be this year, we learned tonight that there isn't going to be one. The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood went all the way to Africa to provide an update on how the millions of dollars raised have been spent. A lot of great stuff has been done with the support of American Idol fans.
For the second round tonight, the top three finalists were able to select any song of their choice. Danny Gokey decided that he would take a stab at the top 5 classic ballad from 1975, You Are So Beautiful by Joe Cocker. The original version was such a huge success because it paired a simple sentiment with Joe Cocker's notable stage antics that were often described as spastic. Danny just sat there while his rendition of this amazing song provided nothing of note. His vocals were boring and his stage presence is non-existent.
Earlier this season Kanye West performed his recent #2 hit, Heartless, on the American Idol stage. I went on the record stating that his live performance was a mess and that Kanye cannot sing. Tonight Kris Allen demonstrated how this catchy pop hit should have sounded all along. He turned the song into an acoustic guitar extravaganza with smooth buttery vocals that just pulled in the audience and left us all wanting more.
The last performance of the night was Adam Lambert's thrilling interpretation of the #12 hit from 1993, Aerosmith's Cryin'. As the cover boy on the current edition of Entertainment Weekly, Adam is already the proven stand out star of the season. He has earned this position from his outstanding vocal range that he showcased tonight like he has every week so far. He genuinely takes command of the stage every time he steps up to the mic. He oozes star quality with every note he sings and every step he takes.
The prediction for who should be in the finals is a complete no brainer. Kris Allen has gotten better every week showing that he is so much more than a pretty face. He's a multi-talented musician with incredibly smooth vocal skills. Adam Lambert is already destined to hit the top of the charts with fresh and energetic hot hits. His voice and face demand to be on the radio and in videos. And then there's the lump named Danny Gokey. The judges have inappropriately showered praise on him all season and he's fallen for it. He thinks he's a great singer, yet he's only been able to scream and shriek week after week. Danny should spare himself the embarrassment and hope he doesn't make it to the finals next week. Let the talented finalists, Kris and Adam take that special place and give the fans a very exciting show.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The Results - ROCK!!!!
Slash was a great mentor last night really bringing out some rocking energy from the Top 4 finalists. To open tonight's results show, he played guitar while they performed a fun version of Alice Cooper's top 10 hit from 1972, School's Out. Just like the performances from last night, the weak link in the group was Danny. He's just so out of place when compared side by side with the others who can simply sing better.
Even if you don't have the best voice in the world, you can still be a successful recording star and live performer if you have an exciting style and stage presence. Paula Abdul didn't become a chart topping, award winning, multi-platinum superstar because of her multi-octave vocal range, that's for sure. She knows how to put on a very entertaining show. She's a very accomplished dancer and choreographer and tonight she demonstrated on the American Idol stage that even 18 years after her last #1 hit, she can strut her stuff better than the rest. Her new single is called I'm Just Here For The Music, and who knows, the fans might bring her back to the charts...
Another artist, Gwen Stefani and No Doubt, are also a little weak in the area of vocal range, but they can deliver a great performance with a combination of funky fashion and catchy beats. They performed one of their oldies, I'm Just A Girl, since they don't have a new album to promote. No Doubt will be hitting the road for a reunion tour now that Gwen has decided she has had enough of the solo spotlight.
Having No Doubt sing after Paula was all a way of trying to drive the point home to Danny Gokey that he has nothing going for him and he'll never be a successful recording star. He has no vocal range and he has no stage presence or style to fall back on.
Chris Daughtry ended up as the Season Five Miss American Idol 3rd Runner-Up. While he never got a chance to wear the crown his reward ended up being the fact that his debut album turned into a 5-times platinum album that was the best selling release for 2007. The follow-up will be coming out this July and he returned to the American Idol stage to sing the first single, No Surprise. It's sure to be added to the string of even more hits for him.
Tonight's results show was pretty much a non-stop concert of entertaining music, but they finally got to some results and Kris Allen was the first of the finalists to be informed that he is safe. He was followed by Adam Lambert and for some crazy reason, Danny has also made it to the top three. That means the last remaining girl, Allison Iraheta, is the lowest vote getter of the week and she is going home.
There goes the hope of an exciting finals face-off between Adam and Allison. At least there's still a chance that Kris will join Adam in the finals. Danny doesn't belong in this competition any more. We've seen everything he can do and it hasn't been any good at all.
Even if you don't have the best voice in the world, you can still be a successful recording star and live performer if you have an exciting style and stage presence. Paula Abdul didn't become a chart topping, award winning, multi-platinum superstar because of her multi-octave vocal range, that's for sure. She knows how to put on a very entertaining show. She's a very accomplished dancer and choreographer and tonight she demonstrated on the American Idol stage that even 18 years after her last #1 hit, she can strut her stuff better than the rest. Her new single is called I'm Just Here For The Music, and who knows, the fans might bring her back to the charts...
Another artist, Gwen Stefani and No Doubt, are also a little weak in the area of vocal range, but they can deliver a great performance with a combination of funky fashion and catchy beats. They performed one of their oldies, I'm Just A Girl, since they don't have a new album to promote. No Doubt will be hitting the road for a reunion tour now that Gwen has decided she has had enough of the solo spotlight.
Having No Doubt sing after Paula was all a way of trying to drive the point home to Danny Gokey that he has nothing going for him and he'll never be a successful recording star. He has no vocal range and he has no stage presence or style to fall back on.
Chris Daughtry ended up as the Season Five Miss American Idol 3rd Runner-Up. While he never got a chance to wear the crown his reward ended up being the fact that his debut album turned into a 5-times platinum album that was the best selling release for 2007. The follow-up will be coming out this July and he returned to the American Idol stage to sing the first single, No Surprise. It's sure to be added to the string of even more hits for him.
Tonight's results show was pretty much a non-stop concert of entertaining music, but they finally got to some results and Kris Allen was the first of the finalists to be informed that he is safe. He was followed by Adam Lambert and for some crazy reason, Danny has also made it to the top three. That means the last remaining girl, Allison Iraheta, is the lowest vote getter of the week and she is going home.
There goes the hope of an exciting finals face-off between Adam and Allison. At least there's still a chance that Kris will join Adam in the finals. Danny doesn't belong in this competition any more. We've seen everything he can do and it hasn't been any good at all.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
The Top 4 sing ROCK!
As the lead guitarist of Guns and Roses, tonights mentor, Slash, hit #1 for 2 weeks in 1988 with Sweet Child O' Mine. He then topped the charts again for 7 weeks in 1991 as the lead guitarist on Michael Jackson's Black or White. He clearly has the credibility to teach these finalists a thing or two...
The real Robert Plant may have moved on to winning Grammys for making country music with Allison Kraus, but the rocker who hit #4 in 1970 with Led Zeppelin on Whole Lotta Love was brought back in the form of Adam Lambert on the American Idol stage. This performance was live music at it's best. Adam has raised the bar so high above the other finalists that he should be unreachable. His voice resonated with passion, power and energy and he looked completely convincing in the role of glam rocker.
Janis Joplin ended up being a one hit wonder on the Billboard HOT 100 with her #1 smash Me and Bobby McGee hitting the top after her untimely death. Allison Iraheta has definitely brought the spirit of Janis to the American Idol stage every week, but tonight she literally channeled her with her rendition of Cry Baby. The vocals were raw and ached with an emotional punch. Allison never sounded better than she did tonight.
Danny Gokey and Kris Allen joined forces to sing the classic rock anthem Renegade that Styx took to #16 in 1979. The smooth vocals from Kris easily saved this from being a total mess. Danny was just screaming as usual and Kris added the exact right sound of harmonies to keep the melody listenable.
Kris Allen then had the chance to take the stage on his own with his version of Come Together (#1 for 1 week in 1969) by the Beatles. In just six years the Beatles accumulated 20 #1 hits on the Billboard HOT 100 and this song choice allowed Kris to show a different side of himself. He used an electric guitar and took it up more than a few notches than usual. While he was a little out of his element, he managed to save it with inherent talent and respect for the music.
With Danny Gokey's opportunity to sing solo on Aerosmith's #6 hit from 1976, Dream On, all of his shortcomings were pathetically exposed. The judges have built him up all season to make him think he can do anything, so you have to admire his effort. But he missed the mark on every aspect. He looked totally dopey in his little vest and suit pants. His voice completely lacks the range necessary for this kind of song so the high notes were just unpleasant shrieks and the rest of the song was just his usual screams. The last note was seriously embarrassing.
Foghat took Slow Ride to the top 20 in 1976. Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta showed us with their duet of this song that they know how to see how high the bar has been raised and reach for it. Their vocals were a masterful blend of enthusiasm and talent. Wonderful rock and roll entertainment.
Adam genuinely set the bar very high with his performances tonight and Allison showed that she is up for the challenge to get up there with him. This theme was a little rough for Kris so he should end up in the bottom two with Danny. If people are voting to keep the talented singers with stage presence and recording star quality on the show, Danny Gokey should be the odd man out and he should finally be going home.
The real Robert Plant may have moved on to winning Grammys for making country music with Allison Kraus, but the rocker who hit #4 in 1970 with Led Zeppelin on Whole Lotta Love was brought back in the form of Adam Lambert on the American Idol stage. This performance was live music at it's best. Adam has raised the bar so high above the other finalists that he should be unreachable. His voice resonated with passion, power and energy and he looked completely convincing in the role of glam rocker.
Janis Joplin ended up being a one hit wonder on the Billboard HOT 100 with her #1 smash Me and Bobby McGee hitting the top after her untimely death. Allison Iraheta has definitely brought the spirit of Janis to the American Idol stage every week, but tonight she literally channeled her with her rendition of Cry Baby. The vocals were raw and ached with an emotional punch. Allison never sounded better than she did tonight.
Danny Gokey and Kris Allen joined forces to sing the classic rock anthem Renegade that Styx took to #16 in 1979. The smooth vocals from Kris easily saved this from being a total mess. Danny was just screaming as usual and Kris added the exact right sound of harmonies to keep the melody listenable.
Kris Allen then had the chance to take the stage on his own with his version of Come Together (#1 for 1 week in 1969) by the Beatles. In just six years the Beatles accumulated 20 #1 hits on the Billboard HOT 100 and this song choice allowed Kris to show a different side of himself. He used an electric guitar and took it up more than a few notches than usual. While he was a little out of his element, he managed to save it with inherent talent and respect for the music.
With Danny Gokey's opportunity to sing solo on Aerosmith's #6 hit from 1976, Dream On, all of his shortcomings were pathetically exposed. The judges have built him up all season to make him think he can do anything, so you have to admire his effort. But he missed the mark on every aspect. He looked totally dopey in his little vest and suit pants. His voice completely lacks the range necessary for this kind of song so the high notes were just unpleasant shrieks and the rest of the song was just his usual screams. The last note was seriously embarrassing.
Foghat took Slow Ride to the top 20 in 1976. Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta showed us with their duet of this song that they know how to see how high the bar has been raised and reach for it. Their vocals were a masterful blend of enthusiasm and talent. Wonderful rock and roll entertainment.
Adam genuinely set the bar very high with his performances tonight and Allison showed that she is up for the challenge to get up there with him. This theme was a little rough for Kris so he should end up in the bottom two with Danny. If people are voting to keep the talented singers with stage presence and recording star quality on the show, Danny Gokey should be the odd man out and he should finally be going home.
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