Favorite Albums of 2014

These were my favorite new albums of 2014:

Me. I Am Mariah: The Elusive Chanteuse - Mariah Carey

She has one of the most amazing voices in all of music and her new release in 2014 is an outstanding showcase for her depth and range. From the heartfelt ballad You're Mine to the joyful happiness of Make It Look Good there is something for every one here. The fact is that she has written songs for this collection that reflect an emotional level of wisdom and maturity that Mariah is rarely given credit for having. This is without a doubt the most under-rated and overlooked album of the year. From the open cut, Cry, where she displays a raw vulnerability, to the uplifting gospel closing track, Heavenly, Mariah is better than ever. The array of songs in between have catchy sing a long hooks and toe tapping beats that we have come to expect from Mariah, but on this collection they are actually better than we have ever heard from her in the past. If you love music, do yourself a favor and let yourself enjoy this hidden gem.

747 - Lady Antebellum

The fifth release from Lady Antebellum is another collection of great songs that you can listen to from beginning to end. Its first single was the outstanding country/pop jam, Bartender. The album is packed with other potential hit singles from the title track, 747 to the opening cut Long Stretch of Love. In addition, this collection is full of songs that pull on your emotional heart strings telling stories of love and longing like Damn You 17 and One Great Mystery.

My Everything - Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande was able to be the dominant force in pop music in 2014 because her sophomore album, My Everything, is over flowing with amazing pop music. The first single, Problem, grabs your attention with its infectious saxophone riff and keeps your attention with her amazing vocals singing the catchy hooks. While Problem was still dominating the charts, two more singles were released at the same time. Break Free is a high energy disco dance anthem while the superstar collaboration with Jessie J, Bang Bang, is without competition the party anthem of the year. As the year came to an end the fourth single, Love Me Harder, was all over the airwaves. With all of the other amazing tracks on this album, it is sure to remain dominant throughout 2015.

JHUD - Jennifer Hudson

The Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson is well known for her exceptional vocal abilities. She has won Grammys and critical praise for her first two albums, but on this third collection, JHUD, I think she has found the perfect songs and the perfect sound that fit her best. This album is an R&B/disco and funk filled musical extravaganza. Every track is a stand out because her powerhouse voice is matched with slamming and jamming beats that can keep up with her. This album is perfect for a festive party or for playing loud while you are driving. When one song ends it's fun to keep listening and hear the next one!

More Favorite Songs of 2014

I recently listed my Top 10 Favorite Songs of 2014. Just for clarification let me explain that those songs all had to meet the eligibility for that list by reaching the Top 10 on the Billboard HOT 100 during 2014. I happen to be one of those people that believes that "It's not a hit until it's a hit on Billboard". Just in case you don't know, in order to reach the top of the Billboard HOT 100, a song must get the most sales and radio airplay for any given week.

There were lots of other songs that I loved in 2014 that failed to make the top 10 on the Billboard HOT 100 singles chart. Here's a list of some of my other favorites in 2014. One thing that I can say about all of these songs is that it's a shame it didn't get more sales and airplay to do better on the Billboard HOT 100 singles chart.

In the ideal world, great songs from Country, Pop, Dance and R&B would all find their way to the upper positions of the Billboard HOT 100.

Somethin' Bad - Carrie Underwood with Miranda Lambert: The two biggest female artists in Country Music got together to provide the hottest rockin jam of the year.   

Small Town Throw down - Brantley Gilbert with Thomas Rhett and Justin Moore: There was so much young smoking hot country man testosterone raging through this song it was impossible not to love it!   

This Is How We Roll - Luke Bryan with Florida Georgia Line: There's just something about songs with young smoking hot country man testosterone raging through them. Gotta love it!   

Bottoms Up - Brantley Gilbert: This song is sexy as hell and it makes for the best shadow dance of the night. 

Bartender - Lady Antebellum: Every song Lady Antebellum releases seems to be better than the last! Bartender took them down an all new and exciting direction of catchy and fun country/pop awesomeness.   

Something In The Water - Carrie Underwood: Listen to her exceptionally outstanding vocals - How Sweet The Sound!! The best voice is country music also just happens to be the best voice in ALL of music.  

The Walker - Fitz and The Tantrums: From the distinctive whistle to the great beat and catchy hook, this song had no choice but to be one of the favorites of the year.   

Follow Your Arrow - Kacey Musgraves: There are those people who are dismissive of Country Music saying it is just a bunch of wacko religious conservatives and rednecks. But this song about kissing boys or kissing girls if that's what your into was awarded the Song of the Year by the Country Music Association, so just ponder that for a moment before you judge. :)   

River Bank - Brad Paisley: I always love it when a new song comes out that is perfect for dancing a County Line. Especially when it's as good as this one with such a fun video.  

Roller Coaster - Luke Bryan: It's a really great thing when the lyrics to a song relate perfectly to the things that happen in our own lives. Every time I heard this song I was taken back to that week that ended too soon and left me twisting like an old beach roller coaster.... 

The Top 10 Songs of 2014

The Top 10 songs of 2014!!
2014 has been a great year for fun pop songs getting into the upper portion of the Billboard HOT 100 Singles chart. Here's my Top 10 favorite songs of the year:

Problem - Ariana Grande

There was going to be no sophomore slump for this young lady. This first single from her second album is simply pop music perfection with its catchy beat and sing a long chorus. Ariana's voice is amazing and she looks better than everyone else in her mini skirts and go go boots!    

Chandelier - Sia

Sia used to be that featured singer on other people's songs, but this year her powerhouse voice broke through on her own with this exceptional song. Sia has now found herself nominated for the Grammy for Record of the Year with this outstanding single. 

Happy - Pharrell Williams

Yes, it was everywhere and people love to say they are sick of it, but it's not easy to deliver a song that is loved by all demographics of people across the board. It was more infectious than any song has been in years and it's much better to just give in and love it than trying so hard to hate it.   

Stay With Me - Sam Smith

This soulful ballad is going to lead Sam Smith to winning the top 4 awards at this years Grammys: He is a shoe in to take home Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Best New Artist.   

Bang Bang - Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj

This is without competition the party anthem and pop collaboration of the year. Hot beats and hot vocals all around!    

All Of Me - John Legend

This was the most popular song of the year for couples to use for their first dance at their weddings. And it's no surprise since John Legend provided the absolute best love song of all time.   

Dark Horse - Katy Perry

In 2014 Katy proved that she has pop music staying power. For over 5 years in a row she has been topping the charts and ruling the airwaves. Who else is doing that?? No one, that's who!!!   

Maps - Maroon 5

These guys just know how to serve up a catchy pop song. They can be hit or miss, but when they nail it, they really hit it on the head.   

Let It Go - Idina Menzel 

No one expected the original movie version of this song to actually cross over and become a pop hit, but this avalanche of success was unstoppable.   

All About The Bass - Meghan Trainor

Let's hear it for loving yourself as you are no matter what size you wear. And if it's catchy with a good beat it's even better!!!  

American Idol Grammy Nominations

The nominations for the 57th Grammy Awards have been announced and once again there were some Miss American Idol finalists who heard their names called.

The Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson is nominated for the Best R&B Performance for her track It's Your World from her latest album JHUD.

The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood, is up for two awards. Her spectacular song Something In The Water has earned her a nomination for Best Country Solo Performance. She is also nominated along with Miranda Lambert for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for their duet, Somethin' Bad.

The winners will be announced on Sunday February 8th.

Big debut for Carrie's Greatest Hits

The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood makes it five for five this week as her newly released Greatest Hits: Decade #1 becomes her fifth consecutive album to debut at #1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums sales chart.  The 25-song collection – which includes her new single, the GRAMMY®-nominated smash, “Something in the Water” – tops the chart with first-week sales of 94,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan, delivering the best-selling debut for a hits collection by an artist in any genre of music in more than six years. 
 
Greatest Hits: Decade #1 also powers its way into the Top 5 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, debuting at #4, with the chart's sales and streaming methodology registering an equivalent of 103,000 albums.
 
Remarkably, not since November of 2005, when Underwood emerged on the scene with her now-7x-Platinum debut album, Some Hearts, has any female artist debuted with as high an opening-week sales tally for a hits package.

“One of the most spectacular elements of Carrie Underwood's career continues to be the sheer depth and breadth of her music, whatever the subject matter, from the most nuanced performances to songs that just blow the roof off,” remarked Sony Music Nashville Chairman & CEO Gary Overton.  “With her Greatest Hits package debuting at #1, and ‘Something in the Water' already a massive hit, it's an incredible testament to how profoundly Carrie's songs have connected with fans over the past 10 years, as well as the awesome promise of the decades of music still to come.”
 
Kicked off by the record-setting success of the Gold-certified Top-5-and-climbing first single, “Something in the Water” (penned by Underwood, Chris DeStefano, and Brett James),Greatest Hits: Decade #1 also includes the new song “Little Toy Guns” (written by Underwood, Chris DeStefano, and Hillary Lindsey) and four songs in never-before-released versions, as well as all 18 of Underwood's #1 hits. 

2014 Year End Charts

The #1 album on the Billboard charts for all of 2014 is The Soundtrack to the movie Frozen featuring Idina Menzel.

There were some strong showings from the Miss American Idol finalists on the 2014 year end charts. The Season 1 Miss American Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson has the highest ranking at #17 with her holiday album Wrapped in Red. The Season 5 Miss American Idol third runner up, Chris Daughtry comes in at #86 with his album Baptized. The Season 10 Miss American Idol winner, Scotty McCreery, comes in at #170 with his album See You Tonight. The Sound of Music: Music from the NBC Television Event featuring songs from the Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood, finishes out the year at #197.

The Top 5 singles for 2014 on the Billboard HOT 100 are: #1 Happy by Pharrell Williams, #2 Dark Horse by Katy Perry, #3 All Of Me by John Legend, #4 Fancy by Iggy Azalea and at #5 Counting Stars by OneRepublic.

The Miss American Idol finalist who makes the highest showing on the year end singles chart is also the ONLY Miss American Idol finalist who made the chart. It is no surprise that it is the Supreme Miss American, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood. at #99 with her duet with Miranda Lambert, Somethin' Bad.

The Miss American Idol winners also had a minimal showing on the Billboard 2014 Top Artists of the Year chart:  The Season 1 Miss American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson lands at #97.

New Carrie Underwood on the charts

The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood is making waves and making history with her compelling new single, “Something in the Water,” the first single from her December 9 album release, Greatest Hits: Decade #1.  Released on Monday, September 29, “Something in the Water” has amassed more than 124,000 digital sales to date, earning the highest first-week sales tally of Underwood’s career.  The sales figure also marks the best opening-week sales of any female country artist in 2014.

On the Billboard HOT 100 Something In The Water entered the chart at #24. 

On its official airplay impact date, “Something in the Water” set the all-time record for a country single at Mediabase, achieving a massive 144 total stations on impact date. 

In all, the single tallies a whopping 157 first-week stations on board, including Billboard and Country Aircheck reporting stations.

On the Mediabase country airplay chart, “Something in the Water” explodes onto the chart at #25, tying Underwood’s previous personal-best debut (2007’s smash, “So Small”) and also tying the highest debut of any artist in 2014.

On the Billboard Country Airplay chart, Underwood further notches a career-high chart entry, as the single debuts at #17, simultaneously achieving the year’s highest debut for a solo artist.

Named last week’s USA Today Song of the Week, the publication praised “Something in the Water,” lauding the song’s production and “the purity” of Underwood’s vocals.

JHud back on the charts

The Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson debuts at No. 2 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums with her third album JHud (24,000 copies sold in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan). On the Billboard 200, the new set enters at No. 10; her first two began and peaked at No. 2. The rank is familiar to Hudson, as its her third set to peak in the runner-up slot. Her last release, I Remember Me, also debuted and peaked at No. 2 (165,000) in 2011. Her 2008 eponymous debut also reached No. 2 with 56,000 sold in its first full week.  The new album's "It's Your World" (featuring R. Kelly) bullets at No. 12 on the Adult R&B singles chart with a 7 percent rise in spins, according to Nielsen BDS.

CMA Awards 2014

Country Music's Biggest Night is coming up on Wed. Nov. 5th. That's when the 48th Annual CMA Awards will be handed out. For the 7th year in a row, the Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood, will be co-hosting the show along with Brad Paisley.

The nominations were just announced today and American Idol judge, Keith Urban, is up for Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year for his latest release, Fuse. He is also nominated in the category Musical Event of the Year for his duet with Miranda Lambert, We Were Us. Finally, he is up for the biggest award of the night, Entertainer of the Year.

The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood is also a multiple nominee to go along with her hosting duties. The video for Something Bad is nominated for Video of the Year and her collaboration with Miranda Lambert is also up for Musical Event of the Year. Carrie also has her ninth nomination for Female Vocalist of the Year.

Caleb Johnson - Testify

I think we all owe Candice Glover an apology. A lot was made in February when Glover’s Music Speaks sold a tepid 19K copies in its first week. That was the slimmest first-week sales tally ever for the debut album by an American Idol winner. Glover relinquishes that dubious record this week to this year’s Idol champ, Caleb Johnson, whose Testify sold just 11K copies in its first week.

Testify enters the Billboard 200 at #24, which is also the lowest chart entry position ever for anIdol champ’s first album. (The old record here was Lee DeWyze's Live It Up, which debuted and peaked at #19.)

At this point, it seems obvious that the fault lies not with any individual contestant, but with the agingIdol franchise itself. Idol may have a little more life left in it as a TV show, but it seems to have simply run its course an important album-selling force.

It was nice while it lasted.

The first post-Idol albums by the first five winners each sold 240K or more copies in their first weeks. The first to fall short of that level was Jordin Sparks's Jordin Sparks, which sold 119K in its first week in November 2007. Season 7 winner David Cook got the franchise back on track when David Cook sold 280K in its first week in November 2008.

The first winner to fall short of 100K was Season 8 champ Kris Allen, whose Kris Allen sold 80K in its first week in November 2009. He had to live with that embarrassment for exactly one year, until Season 9 winner Lee DeWyze's Live It Up sold about half as many copies (39K) in its first week in November 2010.

Season 10 champ Scotty McCreery reversed the downward trend (and not a moment too soon!) when Clear As Day sold 197K copies in its first week in October 2011. Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips did nearly as well when The World From the Side of the Moon sold 169K in its first week in November 2012.

But now we’re back in the cellar. Everything runs its course eventually. Glee isn’t the force it once was, either. But the fact that so few people are interested in buying the first album by an Idol winner is amazing. The ratings of the TV show are also down, but not to this degree. Nielsen reported that 10.53 million people watched the Idol finale in May. That’s about one-fourth of the 38.06 million that watched the Season 2 finale in May 2003 (the top-rated Idol finale ever).

A contributing factor, of course, is that album sales are down overall. This isn’t just an Idol problem. But industry-wide sales declines can’t explain a drop-off this steep.

You may be surprised to learn which Idol winner’s debut album sold the most copies in its first week.Kelly Clarkson? Carrie Underwood? Nope. It’s Season 2 winner Ruben Studdard, whose Soulfulsold 417K copies in its first week. That tally, as good as it was, fell short of the first-week sales by Season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken, whose Measure of a Man had sold 613K copies just eight weeks earlier.

Carrie wins the Video of the Year - AGAIN!!!

The 2014 CMT Video Music Awards was a very fun night of great music, but unlike previous years when it included a parade of Miss American Idol winners and finalists, the only one to be featured prominently was the Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood.

She graced the stage once to present an award, but we had to wait until the very end of the show to see her again. 

The best performance of the night was saved for last as Carrie rocked the stage to perform her latest single, Something Bad (a duet with Miranda Lambert). It's a high energy anthem that is super fun. 

Immediately after the amazing performance of Something Bad, the Supreme Miss American Idol's name was called to the stage to accept the biggest award of the night. Carrie Underwood and See You Again won the CMT Buckle for the 2014 VIDEO OF THE YEAR!

This is especially impressive in that she just won this same top honor last year when her video for Blown Away won the CMT Buckle for the 2013 Video of the Year AND her video for Good Girl won the CMT Buckle for the 2012 Video of the Year!!! 

And the Season 13 Miss American Idol winner is.....

The Season 13 grand finale was jam packed with star studded performers including Lady Antebellum, Jason Mraz, KISS, and John Legend. The only Miss American Idol winner to come back was Season 11 Miss American Idol winner, Phillip Phillips. While he has become quite successful since his win, the record shows that he was never one of my favorites as I kept hoping he would just get sent home. Tonight I gained an entirely new appreciation of his talent though. He performed his latest single, Raging Fire after Season 13 finalist Sam Woolf made a horrifying attempt at Phillip's hit song Home. It's like this: Sam is so awful he made Phillip Phillips sound good!!!! 

Caleb and Jena shared the stage for one last duet together on It Takes Two. They then both went center stage to have the final results revealed. The Season 13 Miss American Idol winner is.... CALEB JOHNSON!

He sang his debut single As Long As You Love Me, and the glitter fell around him. After three years of trying out for American Idol he finally made it all the way to the top. It was emotionally overwhelming and he sang half of the song because he was too busy hugging people and fighting back his tears of joy.  

Caleb VS. Jena

The Season 13 finals is a match between the powerhouse rocker Caleb Johnson and Jena Irene.

Caleb tore the roof off the place with his electrifying performances of Dream On, Maybe I'm Amazed and his debut single, As Long As You Love Me. He has an outstanding vocal range that looks effortless while he is commanding the stage and delivering a top notch rock concert.

Jena doesn't even come close to having his stage presence and vocal abilities. Her version of Dog Days Are Over fell completely flat and her cover of Can't Help Falling In Love was boring. Her debut single, We Are One, was an unfocused mess.

All season long I have been waiting for Jena to get eliminated, but here she is in the finals. Clearly she is going to win so there is no point in predicting that Caleb will take the crown. That simply isn't going to happen.

2014 Billboard Awards

The 2014 Billboards once again was an opportunity for some of the most successful American Idols to be on TV.

The Season 11 Miss American Idol winner, Phillip Phillips, was on hand to serve as a presenter. Also there, to give an introduction to her longtime boyfriend, Jason DeRulo, was Season 6 Miss American Idol winner Jordin Sparks.

But the biggest American Idol moments of the evening came from the Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood. She gave the most exciting performance of the night performing a brand new song with Miranda Lambert called Something Bad. It's already racing up the itunes sales chart!

In addition, Carrie won the 2014 Milestone Award which recognizes her innovation and success over the past year.

The Top 3 - Results

The Season 13 finals will be a face off between Caleb Johnson and Jena Irene.

Unfortunately that means that the very talented musician, songwriter, artist and vocalist Alex Preston has been eliminated. For his last opportunity to sing on the Idol stage he once again provided an outstanding rendition of his original song, Fairytales. We wish him the best in his future career in the music business.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXwYLd4_Obs

This song is a serious hit.

The Top 3 Sing

The Top 3 finalists each sang three songs this week. Alex Preston has once again proven himself as an amazing artist, musician, singer and performer. Like he has done every week since the competition began he reinvented and elevated his song choices to new heights. Pompeii, Stay and The Story of My Life are all good songs by the original artists, but Alex very skillfully made all of them even more vibrant and exciting. He is a genuine talent.

Caleb Johnson also did a good job this week. While he doesn't have the same gift of reinventing songs that Alex does, Caleb has a powerful command of the stage. He has a strong vocal ability and he is a dynamic live performer. He took songs from three different eras: Dazed and Confused from the 60's, Never Tear Us Apart from the 80's and Demons from the present and made them all sound fresh.

Jena Irene has none of the impressive talents that Alex and Caleb do. Whereas they were both able to cover songs and actually improve them or make them their own, Jena's renditions pale in comparison to the originals. Her Titanium was nothing short of dreadful in comparison to Sia, and her Heart Attack completely fizzled compared to Demi Lovato.

Alex and Caleb should be in the finals next week. It's finally time for Jena to be eliminated.

The Top 4 - Results

The Season 13 Top 3 American Idol finalists were revealed tonight to be Alex Preston, Caleb Johnson and Jena Irene.

Unfortunately, that means that the very talented Jessica Meuse has been eliminated. She has an amazing vocal range and a fantastic gift for writing original songs. She performed one of those songs, Blue Eyed Lie, as her final farewell. This song has serious hit potential.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWn-iDzOt7c

Give it a listen on youtube. You will likely find yourself wanting to head over to itunes next and buy it.

The Top 4 Sing

Each of the Top 4 finalists sang three songs this week. It is clear that they are all giving their best efforts and they clearly want to win.

The stand out all season long has been Alex Preston. He embodies true artistry with his outstanding vocal range and skillful musicianship. Tonight he truly soared on his renditions of I'm Yours, Too Close and Yellow.

Caleb Johnson has done well also throughout the competition. He's a big guy with a big voice who can seriously rock the house. My only problem with him is that he seems better suited for the 1970's classic rock era and doesn't really seem current or fresh for the present music scene. But his version of Maybe I'm Amazed was quite inspiring.

Jessica Meuse was truly at her best last week and tonight she reached that same level of excellence again with her performance of You And I. It was raw, genuine, sincere and the vocal range was spectacular.

While Jessica was able shine with a Lady Gaga song, Jena Irene was a complete mess with her attempt at Bad Romance. It was all unfocused screaming without a shred of emotional connection or purpose.

It will be sad to see Alex, Caleb or Jessica go home at this point. The only one who will not be missed is Jena, so hopefully she will be the lowest vote getter this week.

The Top 5 - Results

If I keep predicting week after week that the same finalist is going to be sent home, I will have to get it correct eventually, right?

Well this was finally the week. I correctly predicted that Sam Woolf was going to be the lowest vote getter weeks ago, but the judges decided to save him and made us endure more of his bland and boring performances. But this week, there was no saving him.

His thoroughly flat and funkless renditions of songs have sent him packing so now we can look forward to next week's show with an entirely new sense of hope.

The Top 5 Sing

This week the top 5 finalists each performed two songs that were suggest from fan tweets and video submissions.

It's no surprise at all that the best of the night was once again Alex Preston. His first song, Sweater Weather, was a selection that was a little more up-tempo for than usual, but it was still perfect for him. But he was completely amazing on his second song. He took the totally awful Say Something and he made it more emotional and listenable than ever. All you have to do is look at the itunes chart to see that people are buying it and it keeps climbing higher and higher.

Jessica Meuse completely shined tonight as well very successfully elevating both of her songs to an entirely new level that that original artists were not capable of. First she improved Human with her amazing vocals and then she absolutely re-invented Summertime Sadness and made us completely forget the dreadful version by Lana Del Rey.

The worst of the night and prediction for the bottom two is still Jena Irene and Sam Woolf. Jena is and always will be that annoying girl in your high school who gets the lead in the musical, but she has absolutely no star quality to really make it in the real world. She has even less staying power than previous Idol finalist, Haley Reinhart. Sam Woolf was saved by the judges and now we are suffering the consequences. His completely funkless version of Ed Sheeren's Sing was just plain sad. The boy is blank and expressionless while he tries to sing, but he has absolutely no vocal range. He should definitely be the one sent home this week.

Carrie Underwood makes the Top 100

The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood can add yet another honor to her list. Time Magazine has included her in their list of The 100 Most Influential people. Her friend and CMA Awards co-host, Brad Paisley, had this to say about her: 

The All Around American Idol
I remember Underwood early on telling me how badly she wanted to earn her place in our industry. It was 2005, and she had just won American Idol and had her first No. 1 song.
Fast-forward to 2014. Not only has she earned her place, she’s also raised the bar: she’s a prolific songwriter, a trendsetter and an Opry member. But it’s her decency as a person that is so impressive. She’s an advocate for causes like animal rights and the Red Cross. She has publicly challenged lawmakers when she’s disagreed with them, and covered controversial issues in her music. She can sing the fire out of a song and tell a joke. I’m always amazed at her comedic timing and instincts when we co-host the CMA Awards. She has faith, a sense of self and loves a good challenge. When most singers tackle a Broadway musical, it’s in front of a thousand people. She did it in front of 20 million.
So many young girls want to be just like her. In that sense, I see hope for the world. If I had a daughter, nothing would make me happier than to hear her say she wanted to grow up to be like Carrie Underwood.

Carrie Underwood - Milestone Award Finalist

The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood has scored 18 top 10 hits on Billboard's Country Airplay chart, the best starting run ever by a woman. She has also innovated on the small screen, recently starring in "The Sound of Music Live!"

This has earned her the position as a contender for the Billboard Milestone Award. Voting is going on now and the winner will be announced at the Billboard Awards on Sunday May 18th. 

http://www.billboard.com/milestone

The Top 7 - Results

This week I did not correctly predict either of the bottom two. Unfortunately that means viewers will have to suffer through more boring performances from CJ and Sam as well as having to endure the annoying vocal efforts of Jena.

The bottom two ended up being Jessica Meuse and Dexter Roberts. Jessica has a great voice and draws comparisons to classic rockers like Stevie Nicks as well as Ann Wilson of Heart. Dexter is a real down home country boy and every word he sings comes off as genuine and authentic. He has delivered very good performances week after week, so it is very sad that he ended up being the lowest vote getter this week and he has been eliminated from the competition too soon.

The Top 7 choose for each other

This week we got an American Idol first. The contestants were given the opportunity to suggest the song choices for their competitors. The finalists were then able to select their favorite from the options they were given.

Alex Preston has once again risen to the top with his exceptional performance of Ed Sheeran's A-Team. Alex is quite simply a gifted musician and vocalist. With everything her does it is obvious that being a recording artist and live performer is what he is meant to be. Not only can he play multiple musical instruments, but his vocal range is nothing less than impressive. What's most amazing is that he makes it look so effortless.

Jena Irene, on the other hand, is nothing but overrated and annoying. To hear the judges gush about her you would think she is good, but the reality is that she is a whole lot of nothing special. There is nothing exceptional about her from her voice, to her appearance to her stage presence. She said it best herself in the song lyrics to Radiohead's Creep, "what am I doing here. I don't belong here."

So along with Jena, my prediction for the bottom three is CJ Harris and Sam Woolf. Both CJ and Sam take boring to a new level of drab and dreary. After being in the bottom for the past three weeks, CJ will finally be the one going home.

The Top 8 - Results

This week only a bottom two was revealed instead of a bottom three. That being the case, I only got one of my predictions correct as I knew that CJ Harris would be one of them.

Had there been a bottom three I am certain that Sam Woolf would have been there, but as it turns out, he was safe this week. Instead, the delightful and talented Malaya Watson was not only in the bottom two, but she was the lowest vote getter and her time in the competition has ended way too soon.

In her time on the show she has quite skillfully performed songs by powerhouse divas such as Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan and Jennifer Hudson. Even while overwhelmed with emotion she was able to deliver an outstanding rendition of I Am Changing from Dreamgirls as her final performance.

The Top 8 sing 80's

As they prepared to sing music from the 80's the Top 8 finalists had the chance to work with the Season 7 Miss American Idol winner, David Cook. David set the standard for reinvented a song and making it his own every week during the competition.

The best of the bunch this week was Alex Preston once again. He very masterfully injected a gripping new layer of depth and emotions into Every Breath You Take by The Police. He truly made it into a brand new song and it is already charting on the itunes top 100 singles list. Also, continuing her improvement this week was Malaya Watson who tackled Through The Fire by Chaka Khan.

My prediction for the bottom three this week is the same as last week. Jena Irene tried her best to reinvent I Love Rock and Roll by Joan Jett, but it was a humongous epic failure. CJ Harris took the dreadful Free Falling and made it even more unbearable with his dreary interpretation.

Rounding out the bottom three should be Sam Woolf who I correctly predicted as the lowest vote getter last week, but the judges decided to save him. And for what? So he could bore us to death with his flat and lifeless rendition of Time After Time. This week he will be the lowest vote getter again and there will be no saving him.

The Top 8 - Results

The Season 5 Miss American Idol 3rd Runner Up, Chris Daughtry, may not have won the crown, but he did go on to become one of the best selling finalists in the history of the show. Last year he released his 4th album called Baptized and the single Waiting For Superman has been slowly rising on the charts since then. After performing it on the show tonight it should get a good sales boost.

And speaking of sales boosts - the original song, Fairy Tale, that finalist Alex Preston performed last night is available for download on itunes and it is all the way up at #38!!! The songs by all of the Top 8 are available, but his is the only one that is having such an impressive and significant impact.

This week I am happy to report that I correctly predicted two of the bottom three. Unfortunately, Malaya Watson was in the bottom three along with CJ Harris and Sam Woolf. In his third week in the bottom three, Sam Woolf was finally the lowest vote getter and on his way out. His singing and personality are completely boring bland, but somehow as he was putting us to sleep singing for the judges save they actually decided to use it and bring him back next week!!!!

The Top 8 audition again!

This week the top 8 finalists were given the chance to re-sing the song they did at their original audition, but this time is was with the full band and in front of millions of fans.

Once again Alex Preston has come out as the front runner. He performed an original song of his called Fairy Tale that could easily be a hit for him. Jessica Meuse also shined tonight doing one of her original songs and it helped to propel her as a strong contender. Malaya Watson was so bad with her first performance in the top 13 that she should have been sent home, but after surviving that week she has consistently improved. Tonight she completely delivered Ain't No Way and she is on track to make it all the way to the finals.

My prediction for the bottom three this week is that same as last week. CJ Harris can only do one thing and unfortunately he doesn't really do it all that exceptionally well. Jena Irene made a mess this week of Rolling In The Deep. She has a very annoying voice and totally lacks any star quality. But the worst of the worst continues to be Sam Woolf who is so boring and bland watching grass grow would be more interesting. He has been in the bottom three for the past couple of weeks so this should finally be the week when he gets sent home.

The Top 9 - Results

This week I correctly predicted two of the bottom three. Sam Woolf may be getting a few teenage girls to scream for him, but that isn't turning into enough votes to keep him out of the bottom three. Thankfully the rest of America is just as bored by him as I am so he shouldn't be lasting much longer in the competition. CJ Harris served up two weeks in a row of messed up performances. At least this week it put him in the bottom three when he actually should have been sent home last week.

Sadly, while these two contestants are coming back next week, the lowest vote getter of the week was the delightful and talented Majesty Rose. She is a ray of sunshine every time she takes the stage. She illustrated this perfectly as she sang Happy for the save. She was vibrant, lively and thoroughly entertaining. For some reason, the judges decided not to save her so another talented finalist is going home too soon.

The Top 9 sing with the band

The front-runners continue to be Alex Preston and Majesty Rose. While they are both very different from each other, they still both possess the perfect blend of star qualities: impressive vocal range, stage presence and a unique and different personal style.

Alex performed Don't Speak with his enthralling musical gifts while Majesty completely owned her version of Shake It Out.

My prediction for the bottom three this week is Jena Irene, Sam Woolf and CJ Harris. Jena is the girl in your high school musical who can sing the loudest so she gets the lead, but she has absolutely zero stage presence or star quality. Sam served up yet another completely flat and boring performance. He has no personality at all. CJ is clearly trying very hard, but he simply does not have the vocal range to stick around.

Any one of these three could be sent home and not be missed, but my prediction for the lowest vote getter of the week is Sam Woolf.

The Top 10 - Results

This week I did not correctly predict any of the bottom three. CJ Harris was a complete mess this week, but he still managed to get enough votes to keep him safe. Meanwhile, Dexter Roberts delivered a very good performance of Cruise by Florida Georgia Line, yet he was in the bottom three. Also, Majesty Rose is easily one of the most charismatic and talented finalists this show has ever seen and she was also at risk of elimination.

The final person joining Dexter and Majesty in the bottom three was MK Nobilette. Admittedly, her performance this week wasn't as strong as it could have been, but it wasn't bad enough that she should be sent home. Especially after hearing her perform All Of Me by John Legend as she sang for the judges save it was very clear that she is incredibly gifted.

But, the judges did not decide to save her and she is out of the competition way too soon.

The Top 10 sing HITS

The top 10 finalists performed songs that are recent hits on the charts. The best performance of the night once again came from Alex Preston who sang The Story Of My Life by One Direction. Alex has a signature style and sound that he confidently brings to everything that he does and tonight was no exception.

Other stand out performances came from Malaya Watson who completely nailed it with her version of When I Was Your Man and Majesty Rose who showed yet another side of her range and versatility on her rendition of Wake Me Up.

My prediction for the bottom three this week is Sam Woolf, who gets more boring and drab every week, Jena Irene, who would need about a million more glow sticks to make even a blip on my radar and CJ Harris. What can I say about CJ except that tonight he just choked. He appeared to be a nervous wreck of a deer caught in the headlights in his weak attempt at Invisible by Hunter Hayes. My prediction is that CJ will be the one going home.

The Top 11 - Results

I am very happy to report that both MK and Alex were safe this week. Thank goodness MK was not even in the bottom three this week like she has been for the past two weeks!

I correctly predicted two of the bottom three this week. Sam Woolf and Ben Briley gave lackluster performances and they ended up where they should have. Unfortunately, the wonderful and talented Majesty Rose was also in the bottom three. She is a beautiful, young talented singer and performer and this was a wake up call. She will be getting my votes every week from now on.

While Sam was a completely boring disaster last night, Ben ended up being the lowest vote getter. He tried to mix things up last night and show his range, but his fans wanted him to stay the same and he lost their votes as a result. The judges did not use their save so we had to say goodbye to him too soon.

The Top 11 Movie Night

It was a night of strong performances as the Top 11 finalists sang music from the movies. As expected, MK and Alex continue to be the leaders of the pack. MK Nobilette delivered an impressive and emotional rendition of To make You Feel My Love while Alex Preston added his genuine and raw essence to Falling Slowly.

Surprisingly, Malaya Watson, scored for the second week in a row with her powerhouse vocal on I Am Changing. She is still a wacky doofus, but the voice was there. The other contestant who stepped it up this week was Majesty Rose who took on the current hit from Idina Menzel, Let It Go. Majesty has the stage presence, the style and the great voice to really make some waves in the music business.

My prediction for the bottom three this week is Sam Woolf, Jessica Meuse and Ben Briley. Ben made an unfortunate song choice in Benny and the Jets that had him veer to far away from his fan base. Jessica simply is not translating her experience performing in small clubs to appearing on TV. But Sam was the biggest hot mess and he should definitely be the one going home this week. His attempt at Come Together was sad and droopy. The poor boy has absolutely no personality and he is a fish out of water trying to compete on this big high profile stage.

The Top 12 - Results

The Season 11 Miss American Idol winner, Phillip Phillips, has enjoyed some pretty significant success with his debut album. The two singles, Home and Gone, Gone Gone, are still getting a lot of radio airplay. On tonight's results show he performed the first single from his second album and the wave of success is sure to continue. The single is called Raging Fire and it has already leaped into the Top 10 on itunes.

This week I correctly predicted two of the bottom three. I was right about Jena Irene and Emily Piriz. Unfortunately, the very talented and unique MK Nobilette was in the bottom three for the second time. She is very good and I now even more enthusiastic about voting for her next week.

I was also correct in predicting that Emily would be the lowest vote getter. The judges decided not to use their "save".

The Top 12 bring it Home

Tonight the top 12 finalists performed songs that remind them of home. The best performance of the night came from Alex Preston who delivered a fresh and insightful take on Gavin DeGraw's I Don't Want To Be. Alex is an extremely talented musician and vocalist through and through and he can always be counted on to provide a personal and compelling performance.

Right up there with the best is MK Nobilette who performed Drops of Jupiter by Train. She has a true and genuine personal style that is as unique as her impressive vocal gifts. It was very wrong that she ended up in the bottom three last week and I hope it does not happen again.

I have to give an honorable mention to the most improved of the week: Malaya Watson went from an out of control train wreck last week to a tasteful and classy gospel vocalist and pianist this week.

My prediction for this week's bottom three is Sam Woolf who is simply boring, Jena Irene who is getting lost in the crowd and Emily Piriz who foolishly tried to showcase her voice with a Jennifer Lopez song. It was a very bad choice since Jennifer is a dancer and not really a singer. Poor Emily got lost on stage and was barely noticeable surrounded by the energy of the band. Emily is most likely to be the contestant who is going home this week.

So much Adam Lambert on Glee

Tonight's episode of Glee was quite literally a Season 8 Miss American Idol 1st runner up Adam Lambert glam-stravaganza!!!!

He started out doing a performance of Heart's Barracuda with Rachel. They jammed and banged their heads to this amazing classic rock anthem.

Then, he joined both Santana and Rachel on a cover of Laura Branigan's Gloria. It was like a competition of them all trying to out sing each other. The song never sounded better.

It's rare that a guest star gets to perform more than two songs in one episode, but he then joined Kurt and Demi Lovato for a third song! This time it was the #1 smash by Diana Ross and the Supremes from 1965, The Happening. It was fun and fabulous!

Finally, Adam added his vocals to the grand finale of the night as the entire cast closed the show with an uplifting version of Hold On by Wilson Phillips.

It is so great seeing Adam Lambert on TV every week on the best show on TV!!!!

The Top 13 - Results

Nine months after her crowning as the Season 12 Miss American Idol winner Candice Glover’s "Music Speaks" sold 19,000 copies in its first week. "Music Speaks" enters The Billboard 200 at No. 14. Unfortunately, That's the lowest first-week sales tally for the debut album by an "American Idol" winner in the show's 12-year history. The old record was set in 2010 when Lee DeWyze's "Live It Up" sold 39,000 copies in its first week.

Her appearance on this week's results show will hopefully give her a sales boost. She performed two songs that both showcased her outstanding vocals talents and they were catchy as well. 

The bottom three turned out to be Kristen O'Conner, Malaya Watson and MK Nobilette. My only accurate prediction was that Malaya would be in the bottom three, and it came as quite a surprise that MK, who is one of the best talents of the group, was down there. 

It turned out that Kristen was the lowest vote getter and the judges decided not to use their "save". She is a very pretty and talented young woman and it is a shame that her time in the competition has come to an end too soon. 

The Top 13 of Season 13 Perform

After the top 13 of Season 13 performed there were two stand out who I predict will make it to the finals. The first is MK Nobilette who performed satisfaction by Allen Stone. She delivered this unknown track with complete confidence and her vocals were flawless. The other contestant to watch is Alex Preston. He stood center stage lit up by a red spotlight performing A Beautiful Mess with his guitar. He was mesmerizing as he pulled the audience into his world.

My prediction for the bottom three this week is Sam Woolf, Jena Irene and Malaya Watson. America should definitely be sending Malaya home. She may have a lot of energy and personality but she does not know how to harness all that and put it into a great vocal performance. What she did to the Bruno Mars hit Runaway Baby should never be done again.

Idols are Top Earners!

The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood tops this year's list of the highest-paid "Idol" alums, pulling in $31 million thanks to platinum-selling "Blown Away," extensive touring and endorsement deals with the likes of Olay. All in all, Underwood has earned $83 million over the past five years, and she's one of many acts continuing to profit from her exposure on the show. 

Kelly Clarkson ranks second with $7 million, banking the bulk of her bucks on the road. She's followed by 2012 winner Phillip Phillips and 2009 runner-up Adam Lambert, who are tied for third with $5 million apiece.

"Adam used the launching pad of 'American Idol' very well to have a successful recording career," says his co-manager Martin Kirkup. "I think the main part of his career still lies ahead of him."

Phillips, meanwhile, has been quick to capitalize on his 2012 "Idol" win. His coronation song, the Mumford-esque "Home," went on to sell more than 4 million copies--the best of any in Idol's history -- and his debut album earned platinum certification. He's been adding to his coffers on the road, playing more than 90 shows in our scoring period.
The show itself, now entering its 13th season, is on a more dubious trajectory.

Ratings have dipped 30 percent each of the past two years, a trend that "Idol"'s brass is trying to stop by revamping the show. There's a new set, new lighting, new theme music and new judges: Harry Connick, Jr. and Jennifer Lopez will join Keith Urban, the lone holdover from last year's trio.

Despite the negative trends, last year's winner Candice Glover should be optimistic: Phillips and Scotty McCreery, who ranks sixth with $3 million, are reversing a trend of recent winners who've gone on to have underwhelming solo careers. Even older victors like Fantasia Barrino (2004) and Taylor Hicks (2006) cracked the list, with $1.5 and $2.5 million in income, respectively.

"The platform of 'American Idol' changed my life," says Hicks, who now owns a restaurant in his native Alabama and recently became the first Idol alum to land a Las Vegas residency. "I am very thankful. ... To have that platform has allowed me to blossom."

Earnings estimates are calculated with the help of data from Pollstar Pro, the RIAA, Nielsen SoundScan as wells industry veterans, the musicians' handlers and some of the artists themselves. These numbers reflect pretax earnings from June 2012 through June 2013.

Older graduates of the show no longer have to worry about handing back the bulk of their bucks to "Idol," but more recent winners must turn over about half of their income -- before paying any remaining agents, managers and attorneys, not to mention Uncle Sam. Last year, McCreery estimated he'd only pocket somewhere around one-fifth of his gross earnings, though he didn't seem to mind too much. "It's depressing when you look at it, but I'm still making a good amount," he said. "I'm not in any way complaining ... I'm doing a lot better than I was a few summers ago, living off the coin jar in my truck."