Monday, May 31, 2010

Chris Daughtry and Kelly Clarkson duet on "Fast Car"

Daughtry fans got a nice surprise Sunday night when Chris brought fellow Idol alum Kelly Clarkson onstage during the band's set at its concert at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena. Watch the two duet on Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" below:



Daughtry's 18-song set list featured guest appearances by 3 Doors Down's Brad Arnold (on "Whipping Post") and Lifehouse's Jason Wade (on "Home"). I think it would be fair to say that Chris and Kelly are two of the three biggest talent scores that show has and will ever produce.

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Saturday, May 29, 2010

'Idol' odds 'n ends: Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox visit 'Ellen'

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>Lee DeWyze made his first talk show appearance on who else's show but Ellen DeGeneres' very own Ellen yesterday. Watch his interview and performance of "Hallelujah" below (why he didn't perform "Beautiful Day" I don't know):



Crystal Bowersox also appeared on the show, where she performed "Up to the Mountain" after joining Lee on Ellen's signature couch.

>It looks like Paula Abdul is getting the last laugh after all. CBS announced earlier this week that Paula will star as executive producer, lead judge, coach, mentor and advocate of the network's new reality series Got to Dance. Per TheWrap.com:

Based on a popular British show that began last year on Sky TV, the series will see the former choreographer return to her dance roots. Like "Idol" or "So You Think You Can Dance," amateur contestants from across the coutnry will audition for Abdul and a panel of experts before performing live in the semi-finals and finals to compete for the "Got to Dance" championship.

So basically it's CBS's version of So You Think You Can Dance? Good for Paula. Regardless, it's not impossible for her to also co-judge X-Factor in Fall 2011, so hopefully there's still room for that to happen.

>Carrie Underwood and Jennifer Hudson took part in the tribute special for Brooks & Dunn on CBS's ACM Presents: Brooks & Dunn - The Last Rodeo, which aired last Sunday (if you didn't know about this it was probably because you were watching the Lost or The Celebrity Apprentice finales). Watch Carrie perform the duo's "Neon Moon" below:



Watch Jennifer's performance of "Believe" below:



Who knew Jennifer could sing country so well? The special was a way to say a final farewell to Brooks & Dunn, who are in the process of breaking up after 20 years of performing together and are doing one last concert tour together. Ratings-wise the special pulled in a 1.8 adults 18-49 rating and an average of 10.1 million viewers over two hours.

>Aside from having winners and runners-up on her show, Ellen DeGeneres might be setting herself up with a backup career to supplement her talk show if the Idol producers yank her contract prematurely, as she announced on her show Wednesday that she was starting her own record label, eleveneleven, with the first artist signed being 12-year-old YouTube sensation Greyson Chance. Per Reuters:
"Greyson ... inspired me to start a record label called eleveneleven. He is my first artist and we are making a record together," DeGeneres said in a statement released on Tuesday.

DeGeneres said she will continue to use her show as a platform to find new artists, whom she will sign to eleveneleven. The record label is being set up in collaboration with Telepictures Productions.

Greyson visited Ellen to perform on Wednesday. Watch his performance of the original song "Broken Hearts" below:



So what do you think, will this move give Ellen the street cred she needs to hang onto her judging slot on Idol? She's signed for something like four seasons anyway, but if there was a real need she could easily wiggle out of that commitment. Regardless, this might end up being the smartest business decision Ellen has made yet.

>It's not surprising this year's Idol season finale was the lowest-rated (and watched) one on record, but it's amazing to actually compare these numbers with the numbers from seasons' past. Robert Seidman at TVBytheNumbers put together a handy chart of rating scores and total viewers from all nine seasons:

09/04/2002 American Idol - Season 1 10.8 23.02
05/21/2003 American Idol - Season 2 16.8 38.06
05/26/2004 American Idol - Season 3 12.0 28.84
05/25/2005 American Idol - Season 4 12.5 30.27
05/24/2006 American Idol - Season 5 14.2 36.38
05/23/2007 American Idol - Season 6 11.5 30.76
05/21/2008 American Idol - Season 7 11.4 31.688
05/20/2009 American Idol - Season 8 10.0 28.86
05/26/2010 American Idol - Season 9 8.2 24.2

Wow, the word "ouch" seems to come to mind when looking at those figures together. Although TV ratings have been on a steady decline in general over the past 10 years, Idol's finale seems to be an exception to the rule and is more based on factors like the quality of its competitors and the general buzz going into the finale, which explains Season 2's, Season 5's and Season 7's high numbers, as well as Season 3's (and now Season 9's) low numbers. This might be one trend that won't continue after the quality of this past season left a bad taste in most people's mouths.

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Thursday, May 27, 2010

Blake Lewis goofs off with his "Idol peeps" backstage

Prior to that huge Idol extended family of former finalists taking the stage during the tribute to Simon Cowell of "Together We Are One" in conjunction with seven of the show's former winners, it seems the dozens of alums had some fun backstage thanks to Blake Lewis. Watch his mini documentary below:



The video was accompanied by this caption on TwitVid:
Before we were on stage we partied!! Boooyakasha. Love my idol peeps!
Yep, that's Blake alright.

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American Idol: 2002-2010

The title pretty much says it all. Tonight is the night that American Idol died.

I was thinking about how I would recap Idol's ninth season, and I decided instead of duplicating last season's marathon rant about how horrible the season was, I will keep it short and sweet.

Following last season's finale I was on the verge of not coming back to continue this blog for Season 9. I wanted to quit so many times, but my enjoyment of following the careers of alums from seasons past kept me motivated to continue blogging. By the time January rolled around, I was about to announce I would not be live blogging the season, but something made me decide to give it another try in case the season ended up being good. Sadly, that did not come to be.

Season 9 is the black sheep/ugly duckling/bastard child of the Idol franchise, not only for its lack of talent (save for a few contestants), horrible production, self-absorbed judges, addition of Ellen DeGeneres as a judge, focus on guest performers rather than contestants, awkward Ryan Seacrest drunk hosting performances, appallingly bad 'Idol Gives Back' special, poor auditions, horrible mentors (Miley Cyrus? Adam Lambert?), pants on the ground (okay, that was actually pretty good...at first...before Brett Favre killed it with his "spoof"), boring Ford commercials, boring themes, old themes, tired themes, messy camera angles, dazed and confused audiences, more Ryan being drunk or stoned or just flirting with Simon, Randy's "dudes," Kara's nonsense, Simon's departure, lack of Paula's antics, Miley Cyrus's results show "performance," rejection of Angela Martin, Joe Jonas as a guest judge, basically all the guest judges, lack of a cheesy coronation single, the judges' save, Dane Cook at the finale, or its result, but for the sheer fact that it took up a minimum of two hours of FOX's prime time each week for five-and-a-half months.

In short, Season 9 basically killed what little love I had for this show after Season 8 left it dangling by a thread. I will still always have the memories of actual good seasons and their finalists. But as for the show in its current form, it's finished as far as I'm concerned.

(p.s. I realize how many times I used the words "I" and "me" in this post and would like to apologize. I'm not as self-centered as I might sound...oops there are two more "I"s!)

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Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Watch Lee DeWyze's winning moment

If you missed it for whatever reason (or you had to do a double take to make sure he actually won), you can watch Lee DeWyze's winning moment below:



Sorry about the cam rip, it was all I could find. Perhaps it will be replaced when a quality video of the moment surfaces. But for now, this will have to do.

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Poll of the week: Lee DeWyze favorite Top 2 contestant

After a less than exciting final result, Lee DeWyze can now celebrate something else in addition to his big win: he can say he was the favorite Season 9 contestant among IDOL LIVE readers.

For the final week of competition, Lee stole 56 votes from Crystal's 33 votes for a 62%-37% margin of victory.

For the overall season, Lee also won that with 345 votes in all to Crystal's 308 votes. That may not seem like a lot, and that's because it isn't. I guess people just weren't excited about voting for anyone this season (go figure).

In the latest edition of the poll of the week series, readers are asked what their favorite coronation single is of all nine season. You will have exactly one week to vote.

Crystal Bowersox 33 (37%)
Lee DeWyze 56 (62%)

Total votes: 89

Running total for Season 9:
24th - Haeley Vaughn (0 votes)*
21st (tie) - Janell Wheeler (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Todrick Hall (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Paige Miles (2 votes)*
19th (tie) - Joe Munoz (3 votes)*
19th (tie) - Jermaine Sellers (3 vote)*
17th (tie) - Tyler Grady (4 votes)*
17th (tie) - Michelle Delamor (4 votes)*
15th (tie) - John Park (6 votes)*
15th (tie) - Ashley Rodriguez (6 votes)*
14th - Lacey Brown (9 votes)*
13th - Katelyn Epperly (10 votes)*
12th - Lilly Scott (14 votes)*
11th - Alex Lambert (22 votes)*
10th - Michael Lynche (27 votes)*
09th - Didi Benami (56 votes)*
08th - Andrew Garcia (58 votes)*
07th - Tim Urban (60 votes)*
06th - Katie Stevens (93 votes)*
05th - Aaron Kelly (111 votes)*
04th - Casey James (208 votes)*
03rd - Siobhan Magnus (218 votes)*
02nd - Crystal Bowersox (308 votes)*
01st - Lee DeWyze (345 votes)

*indicates contestant has been eliminated

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IDOL LIVE Blog - Season 9 Finale (5/26/10)

We've finally arrived. Yes, we've all survived Idol's ninth season and tonight we will celebrate the last woman (or man, just to have my bases covered) standing. But more importantly, we will celebrate the fact that everything is over! Yes it's been great chatting with everyone during these long five-and-a-half months, but I think it's safe to say we all deserve a break.

Tonight's two hour extravaganza will feature plenty of guest performers like Carrie Underwood, Kris Allen, Christina Aguilera and Enrique Iglesias in addition to an all-star send-off for Simon Cowell featuring Paula Abdul. I wouldn't be surprised if they reprise their stupid "Golden Idols" or whatever they're called, which would all but guarantee a performance of "Pants On the Ground" by General Larry Platt. Awesome.

And of course, the rest of the Top 12 will return to perform a few medleys in an effort to eat up time before news of the winner is revealed in the last five minutes of the show.

To see who I predict will win tonight, click here. And as usual, please feel free to add your two cents throughout the two-hour blogcast. Coverage starts just prior to 8 p.m. ET.



Once again, tonight's blogcast will feature music from Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze.

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IDOL LIVE predix: Season 9 winner

Before I justify my prediction for who will win the title of American Idol's ninth champion tonight, let me just say that even though last night was one of the most lopsided (if not the most lopsided) finales in the series' history, it was still pretty amazing just to think about how this was the last time Simon would be giving his signature critiques on this show. Granted, the finale was the most boring one in the show's entire history, and the season as a whole was without a doubt its worst, but right now it is not important to nitpick the season's problems. Instead, it's time to show some respect to its finalists (or at least one of them).

With that said, Crystal Bowersox should in no way, shape or form lose this competition after her showing last night. Although she wasn't pitch perfect during her three performance, Crystal easily won each round and absolutely nailed it on "Up to the Mountain," which ended up being the best performance of the season. True, that wasn't a very high bar for her to pass to earn that distinction but on a season filled with disappointing vocalists and total bores, Crystal is the one contestant who deserved better. Even though I was not a fan of her's over the course of the season, there was no denying she was the best of the worst and she showcased herself as a classy, veteran performer.

Lee DeWyze, on the other hand, was flat, pitchy, whiny and dull. So in other words, he would be the perfect match for this season as a whole. But even though it would make sense for him to win based on the fact that he has a Y chromosome (you basically need one nowadays to win this thing), Lee's mediocre vocal showings were not even on par with Blake Lewis's lazy performances. He probably gulped the majority of Casey's fans, though, which as we saw last season with Danny Gokey, really helped out Kris Allen.

By the way, I'm fully aware DialIdol has Lee winning (with a clearcut "green" bar to Crystal's "red" bar) and it has never been wrong on a predicting a winner, but at the same time neither have I. Although I was the most nervous during Season 4's finale, I always knew Carrie Underwood would win, and when everyone thought David Archuleta had it in the bag I stuck with David Cook.

So I don't really care if Lee does win because nothing could save this season from its own self-destruction. In fact, this show truly does deserve Lee as its winner because it would be the most ironic thing to send Simon off at the conclusion of the biggest joke of a season. If there's any ounce of dignity left in this show, however, Crystal will win (I know that's asking too much, though).

In my original predictions I had Siobhan winning, and considering the Top 2 we actually ended up with I don't think that would have been a bad thing to have her win it all.

Since the Top 24 I have correctly predicted 7-22 eliminations and since the Top 12 I have correctly predicted 3-10 eliminations.

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Top 10 most memorable Simon Cowell moments - Pt. 2

After yesterday's bottom half of the Top 10 most memorable Simon moments, it only makes sense to finish off the list with the top half o the list.

No. 5: Kira Scott calls Simon "gay"

By Idol's third season, America was finally starting to warm up to mean old Simon. Then some loudmouth Hollywood contestant Kira Scott had to turn into a sourpuss because the judges weren't digging her style:




I remember this one exchange being used during this episode on every commercial break to keep people tuned in (not like the show had to work to do that back then). The way Simon handled this girl was first class and showed that he's not the high maintenance stuck up British guy.

No. 4: Chris Sligh plays the Teletubbies card on Simon

Simon isn't one to shy away from his past work, but there are some projects he'd rather not discuss if he can help it. On Season 6, Simon became visibly uncomfortable when Chris Sligh went for a low blow after Simon admitted he wasn't totally feeling his performance of dc Talk's "Wanna Be Loved" during Top 16 week. What added to the awkwardness was Ryan's reaction to Simon calling him "sweetheart":




Yikes, it's just as uncomfortable watching it back now all these years later as it was when it originally aired. C'mon Simon, you should be proud of you S Club 7, Il Divo, Susan Boyle, Teletubbies and any other concoctions you came up with.

No. 3: Simon correctly predicts Carrie's future

Carrie Underwood's Top 11 performance of Heart's "Alone" stands out as one of the single best performances ever delivered on the Idol stage across all nine seasons, but there was something that put the performance in a league of its own that night. Simon's gutsy call that not only would Carrie win the season, she'd sell more records than any other winner was really a stretch, but the fact that it proved to be true was even more impressive:




Although it can be argued Kelly Clarkson has sold more albums worldwide than Carrie has, Carrie holds the domestic record and will most likely pass Kelly in worldwide totals in the near future. This call will always remain as Simon's most impressive prediction as judge.

No. 2: Saula's affair (a.k.a. "the kiss")

It might not seem like that big of a deal looking back on it now, but the "Saula affair" spoof on the Season 2 finale was huge at the time because it was so unexpected.




Forget about the whipped cream, the strawberries and the lip-licking, that kiss was what sealed the deal. After all the drama Simon and Paula went through during their first two seasons on the show, it was one of those unforgettable moments that will live in television infamy.

No. 1: The eyeroll

You knew it was coming. The most memorable moment of all Simon's duration on the show came in Season 7 when Fantasia took to the stage and put America under a spell with her performance of "Bore Me" during the Top 3 results show, including Simon. It's funny to think a split second of confused expression could say so much about a situation:




There, doesn't that just cheer you up?

And that concludes the Top 10 most memorable Simon moments throughout his history on the show. There's always a chance that something he does tonight could earn a spot on this list, but one would be hard pressed to find a more memorable moment than the #1 entry above.

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Tuesday, May 25, 2010

IDOL LIVE Blog - Top 2 Perform (5/25/10)

Can't you just feel the excitement? Tonight marks the final performance episode of the ninth season of Idol, quite a feat for the music competition reality series. Although this season has been the biggest letdown to date in terms of contestant quality, Crystal and Lee are the best of the worst and will duke it out to earn the crown by performing two personal choices and one selected by the almighty Simon Fuller (the coronation single will be held until the winner is announced)

Will Crystal and Lee opt for repeat performances or new choices? Don't be surprised if Crystal sings some original tunes based on her reaction to last week's hometown concert.

As usual, please feel free to add your two cents throughout the one-hour blogcast. Coverage starts just prior to 8 p.m. ET.



Tonight's blogcast features the music of who else but Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze

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HITS estimates: 'Play On' #33 w/ 11.7k

Play OnWe're back to one Idol-related album on the most recent edition of HITS Daily Double's Top 50 building album sales chart.

Despite a nice debut by We Are the Fallen's Tear Down the World at #31 last week, it wasn't able to hang on for a second week.

That left Carrie Underwood's Play On as the sole Idol-related album on the chart, as it rose two spots to #33 but was down 13% in sales. It pulled in 11.7k copies for the week.


Since this is finale week, don't expect full sales and chart positions courtesy of Billboard.

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Top 10 most memorable Simon Cowell moments - Pt. 1

As Simon's run on Idol comes to an end tomorrow, let us look back on some of his most memorable moments over the past nine seasons. If you don't agree with some of them , feel free to offer your own lists.

No. 10: Simon calls a re-vote for no reason

Although the following clip is nothing special, it is emblematic of all the many mean spirited moves Simon pulled over the course of his auditions-judging sessions. In the clip below, Simon rejects the two Molfetta twins - twice, all "for sport" according to Paula:



Although sometimes Simon's comments went over the line, they were usually all in good fun. Hey, a judge has to have fun on this show or else it would be unbearable.

No. 9: Simon gets his way and still gets a hug from Paula

Simon and Paula had a long history over the course of the first eight seasons on Idol, with many of their encounters ending in sarcastic comments and witty comebacks. Back on Season 2, the two judges got into one of their most heated debates, eventually requiring the assistance of producer Nigel Lythgoe:



What made Simon the king of these arguments was his ability to come out victorious without looking completely undignified. As much as they both enjoyed each other's company, they especially enjoyed these opportunities to release a bit of steam.

No. 8: Simon doesn't roll his eyes at "Virginia Tech" mention

This one might be harder to remember, but back during Season 6 the tragic school shooting at Virginia Tech touched all Americans for a time. But when the story came up during Chris Richardson's post-performance bit, Simon's facial expression was taken the wrong way due to an unfortunate camera switch:



Immediately following the "eyeroll," fans were accusing Simon of rolling his eyes at Chris bringing up the tragedy because he thought Chris was clamoring for votes. That was, however, obviously not true, instead Simon was still reacting to Chris's "nasally singing" justification. A simple misunderstanding, no doubt.

No. 7: Simon apologizes for being hard on Katharine McPhee

There have been very few times over the course of Simon's tenure on the show when he's had to retract his critique after watching it back on TV. During Season 5's Top 7 results show, Simon apologized to Katharine McPhee for being a little harsh in his comments the previous night:



There have been other instances when he's backed off from his tongue lashings, just as he's come back with harsher critiques on some occasions after watching the performances back. But this one in particular was memorable.

No. 6: "Do we have a bigger stage this year?"

Simon is obviously known for his off the cuff quips at others' expense, and these usually come out during the audition rounds. But perhaps the most memorable instance of this happening was back in Season 5 when he joked about Mandisa's weight, asking after she received her golden ticket "Do we have a bigger stage this year?" Watch the moment below:



Later in the season when Mandisa came before the panel to hear her fate as to whether she made the Top 24, she confronted Simon on his comment, resulting in an honest apology from the Brit.

Stay tuned for the Top 5 most memorable Simon moments, as they will be posted tomorrow.

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Monday, May 24, 2010

Lee DeWyze doesn't know the U.S. borders Niagra Falls

In their last TV appearance before this week's two-night finale, Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze appeared on Idol judge Ellen's talk show this morning to play a round of "Know or Go," which involves two audience members standing on platforms with trap doors that open if two guests incorrectly answer trivia questions.

This segment was almost as boring as the season itself until Lee was asked which country Niagra Falls borders besides Canada. What happened after that is below:



Alright, so there's pretty much no excuse for that. True, the question could have been phrased better, but whether or not Lee was nervous is beside the point, since he's had all season to ditch his nerves. The fact that he doesn't have a quality mental image of the North American continent is a little sad. For that reason alone, Lee shouldn't win on Wednesday. Harsh, but warranted.

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Flashback: Kelly Clarkson's "A Moment Like This"

As we look ahead to Wednesday's grand finale for Idol's ninth season, it only makes sense to revisit the finale that gave this show a reason to continue. Kelly Clarkson was never the front runner to take the title on the first season of the show until her main rival, Tamyra Gray, was sent home in the first shocker of the series during Top 4 results night.

Kelly proved she had exactly what it took to become the American Idol, and her crowning moment and performance of "A Moment Like This" were extremely memorable. Relive the moment below:



This moment still gives me chills. Kelly's quips of excitement throughout the performance showed just why she won, because she won over America with not only her outstanding vocals but her personality and stage presence as well. No matter who wins on Wednesday, this will always be the most moving winning moment in Idol history.

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Sunday, May 23, 2010

'Idol' Hot 100: Adam Lambert's "Whataya Want From Me" #28 (5/29/10)

Whataya Want From MeThere were more downs than ups for Idol-related tracks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the chart week of May 29.

Adam Lambert's "Whataya Want From Me" was off four spots to #28, marking a slow but sure decline. Kris Allen's "Live Like We're Dying" retained its position in the Top 50, as it decreased #48-50.

Carrie Underwood was the sole alum who saw her single made headway on the chart, as "Undo It" propelled 22 spots ahead to #73, emblematic of what should hopefully be a prosperous chart life for what could be a summer crossover hit. And Kelly Clarkson's "All I Ever Wanted" looks to end its brief run on the Hot 100 thanks to another two-spot drop to #100 this week.

Full chart positions courtesy of Billboard are posted below:

Hot 100
028 024 Adam Lambert, "Whataya Want From Me"
050 048 Kris Allen, "Live Like We're Dying"
073 095 Carrie Underwood, "Undo It"
100 098 Kelly Clarkson, "All I Ever Wanted"

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Friday, May 21, 2010

'Idol' odds 'n ends: Simon Cowell opens up to Oprah before leaving 'Idol'

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>Simon Cowell's big sit-down on Oprah's couch (out of studio, far away from a studio audience) aired on her eponymous show yesterday, and he didn't hold back on any topic, addressing things ranging from his brushes with depression to "horrific mistakes" that led to him living out of his car when he was younger. Watch a clip below courtesy of The Insider:



Simon said he thinks this season has been too much about the judges, but what does he expect when a) the contestants are horrible and b) it's his last season. The judges are the most interesting part of this season.

>Casey James talked with the press today following his ouster Wednesday night. Casey was asked about "losing his shirt" during his audition in Denver and whether or not he would have done it again if he had the chance to go back to that point. Casey said:

"There's a possibility (that) had I not done that I might not have made it past that first round. It definitely wasn't something that I thought of, or even realized was going to happen. (But) it obviously worked out," he added.


Casey also appeared on Ellen this morning to talk about his time on the show. Watch a clip of his segment below:



Ellen was sure to say she thought he was a "great singer" and Casey mentioned how he hadn't seen Idol before he was on it because he didn't own a TV (something we all already knew), but he added that he finally bought one as well as a PS3. Good choice, Casey.

>Forbes.com released a list of the Top 10 earning Idol alums for the May 2009-April 2010 year, and it is less than spectacular. Even though the top earners are still raking in millions, the totals are far less than they were just years ago. Below is an abbreviated list of the Top 10 earners:

01) Kelly Clarkson ($8 million)
02) Carrie Underwood ($7 million)
03) Chris Daughtry ($5.4 million)
04) Kellie Pickler ($4.3 million)
05) David Cook ($2.3 million)
06) Jennifer Hudson ($2 million)
07) Jordin Sparks ($1.8 million)
08) David Archuleta ($1.4 million)
09) Clay Aiken ($800,000)
10) Kris Allen ($672,000)

When last season's winner is making less money in a year than a runner-up from seven seasons ago, that tells you something about the trajectory of this show and its contestants.

>Tomorrow's big KISS Concert sponsored by the Boston Top 40 radio station KISS 108 FM will feature three Idol alums, as it was announced yesterday that Ayla Brown will join a roster of 17 other acts including Kris Allen and Adam Lambert. Per a press release:

Brown, who will graduate from Boston College on Monday and is now a special contributor for CBS’ The Early Show, joins an impressive lineup of 17 fellow artists and bands including Ke$ha, Jason Derulo and Kevin Rudolf. Fellow American Idol alums Kris Allen and Adam Lambert are also scheduled to perform.

Upon receiving word that she was invited to take part in KISS Concert, Brown said she was ecstatic.

"I’m so excited that KISS asked me to perform at KISS Concert because they always put on a first-rate show," Brown said. "Just to share the stage with some of the biggest names in music is a great honor.”

Ayla will perform at the Comcast Center in Mansfield, Mass., at 2:15 p.m, while Kris will take the stage at 8 p.m. and Kris will close out the show at 9 p.m. A live webcast of the concert will be available at KISS108.com beginning at 2 p.m. ET.

>Bo Bice was out promoting his brand new album 3 this week, which included a stop at FOX & Friends on FOX News Channel. Watch him perform "You Take Yourself With You" below:





Bo explained the significance of the album's title, including the fact that he and his wife have three kids and this is his third studio album since finishing as runner-up on Season 4. The album is available in stores nationwide and at digital retailers including iTunes and Amazon.com

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Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Poll of the week: Lee DeWyze favorite Top 3 contestant

It's not very surprising that Lee DeWyze was selected as the favorite Top 3 Idol contestant among IDOL LIVE readers as shown in the latest edition of the poll of the week.

Lee nabbed 33 votes, good for 39% of the 83 votes cast, which was just two votes ahead of Casey James's 31 votes. Casey's total came to 37%. And Crystal Bowersox brought up the rear with 19 votes (22%).

These numbers did not reflect the actual coting results as presented on tonight's results show, obviously, as Casey was sent packing.

In the latest edition of the poll of the week series, readers are asked who their favorite Top 2 contestant is. Voting will be open for exactly one week. Oh boy, this result is going to be very exciting, isn't it?

Casey James 31 (37%)
Crystal Bowersox 19 (22%)
Lee DeWyze 33 (39%)

Total votes: 83

Running total for Season 9:
24th - Haeley Vaughn (0 votes)*
21st (tie) - Janell Wheeler (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Todrick Hall (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Paige Miles (2 votes)*
19th (tie) - Joe Munoz (3 votes)*
19th (tie) - Jermaine Sellers (3 vote)*
17th (tie) - Tyler Grady (4 votes)*
17th (tie) - Michelle Delamor (4 votes)*
15th (tie) - John Park (6 votes)*
15th (tie) - Ashley Rodriguez (6 votes)*
14th - Lacey Brown (9 votes)*
13th - Katelyn Epperly (10 votes)*
12th - Lilly Scott (14 votes)*
11th - Alex Lambert (22 votes)*
10th - Michael Lynche (27 votes)*
09th - Didi Benami (56 votes)*
08th - Andrew Garcia (58 votes)*
07th - Tim Urban (60 votes)*
06th - Katie Stevens (93 votes)*
05th - Aaron Kelly (111 votes)*
04th - Casey James (208 votes)*
03rd - Siobhan Magnus (218 votes)*
02nd - Crystal Bowersox (275 votes)
01st - Lee DeWyze (289 votes)

*indicates contestant has been eliminated

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IDOL LIVE Blog - Top 3 Results (5/19/10)

Tonight's results show proves to be one of the most anticlimactic in recent memory (like on the same level of Season 7). Thus, it's only fitting that we all join tonight's blogcast to point and yawn at its events together. If all else fails, at least we have Justin Bieber to perform not one, but TWO songs! Everywhere cheer with me now...

To see who I everyone predicts will be leaving tonight, see here. And as usual, please feel free to add your two cents throughout the one-hour blogcast. Coverage starts just prior to 9 p.m. ET.



Tonight's blogcast features the music of Amy Krebs, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry, Elliott Yamin and Haley Scarnato.

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IDOL LIVE predix: Top 3 Results

Last night is what we call an "open ballot." Through their song selections and critiques, the judges in effect cast their votes for Lee DeWyze to be crowned the winner of Idol's ninth season. At this point, it will take a bombing of epic proportions for Lee or a masterpiece of historic magnitude for Crystal for this season's trajectory to be derailed.

As pimped as Lee was with all the bells and whistles (spotlights and backup singers) during his take on Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," his vocals were primarily on the mark, and so the judges can't be completely called out for their over the top praise. To add to this, his only other performance was helped by a great song choice (Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man"), and if this was even up to debate, Simon's surefire declaration that Lee "crushed" his peers in the first round should be evidence that the judges felt he decisively outshone everyone else.

Crystal Bowersox did the best she could given the circumstances, and her two showings were a mixed bag. While she fumbled on a generic rendition of Melissa Etheridge's "Come to My Window," she thrilled audiences with a gender-incorrect (or gender-correct, depending on how you look at it) version of Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed" (much to the pleasure of Ellen, who gave her a standing ovation as Crystal finished the song), and as Simon said, this was probably enough to drag her across the Top 2 marker in the race for the title.

And so it comes as no surprise that I'm pegging Casey James to leave in third place tonight. Nothing out of the ordinary, and I think virtually everyone else is calling for the same result. Casey had a good thing going for a while but he tripped up last night with an obsure song choice, stiff stage presence and shaky vocals, and the fact that he was thrown under the bus by every judge and their mother just cemented his fate.

Oh well, maybe Justin Bieber's performance tonight will lighten the mood and provide some excitement. On second thought...

In my original predictions I had Crystal finishing 3rd, so although it's possible this scenario could come to fruition, I just don't see it happening. At all.

Since the Top 24 I have correctly predicted 6-21 eliminations and since the Top 12 I have correctly predicted 2-9 eliminations. Go me!

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Tuesday, May 18, 2010

HITS estimates: 'Tear the World Down' #31 w/ 13.7k

Tear The World DownThere was an unexpectedly high debut for an album by a group fronted by a former Idol alum on the latest edition of HITS Daily Double's Top 50 building album sales chart.

We Are the Fallen, a group composed of Season 7 sixth-place finalist Carly Smithson and former Evanescence band members, saw its debut album Tear the World Down debut at #31 with 13.7k copies, which is relatively healthy for an album having to do with an non-winner alum from a few seasons ago nowadays.

Down only two spots from the previous week to #33 was Carrie Underwood's Play On, which fell a mild 32% sales-wise this week for a 13.4k weekly take.

Try this: I dare you to look for full sales figures from Billboard later on in the week.

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IDOL LIVE Blog - Top 3 Perform (5/18/10)

Tonight marks the most important point of Idol's ninth season so far, as the Top 3 finalists aim to earn a spot in the coveted Top 2. Although everyone and their mother seems to be pegging Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze as the pair to beat, don't count Casey James out! If you really care about the show, vote goat!

We already know the judges' picks for each contestant, as one third of their performance sets were revealed to them when they returned to their hometowns over the weekend. Will Lee be able to top Tim Urban's version of "Hallelujah"? Will Casey be karaoke on "Daughters"? Will Crystal resonate with anyone for her rendition of "Maybe I'm Amazed"? Well, you can only find out by tuning in (or following along here!)

As usual, please feel free to add your two cents throughout the one-hour blogcast. Coverage starts just prior to 8 p.m. ET.



Tonight's blogcast features the music of Chikezie, David Archuleta, Jason Castro, Jordin Sparks and We Are the Fallen.

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Monday, May 17, 2010

'Idol' to experience scheduling changes for Season 10

Since the likelihood that planes for a tenth season of Idol will be scrapped are lower than low, we all might as well suck it up and plan to return to FOX on Tuesdays and Wednesdays beginning January 2011. The actual amount of time we spend planted in our seats on these two days of the week will apparently vary, though, as FOX announced its 2010-11 TV schedule with a few noticeable differences in the network's stalwart enterprise.

Let's begin with the good news: results shows will be slashed in half to a half-hour each Wednesday, airing from 8:30-9 p.m. This marks the first time the show will revert to this (much better) time slot since, well, Season 3 or 4 (either way it was too long ago). More good news comes in the debunking of the rumors that Idol would be shifting to a Wednesday/Thursday schedule.

The bad news, however (besides Simon leaving), is that all performance episodes that are not long enough to be two hours will instead be 90 minutes. So, yes, even the Top 3 performance episode will last 90 minutes rather than one hour. Something tells me this plan might fall through when the producers realize how taxing it will be on the contestants.

Either way, at least it seems something is being done to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic fix the show.

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Chris and Deanna Daughtry expecting twins

The world will soon welcome two more Daughtrys, as news that Chris and his wife Deanna are expecting twins spread like wildfire earlier today. Per a statement at DaughtryOfficial.com:
"Deanna and I are overjoyed about this double blessing," says Chris. "Thank you for your expressions of love and support and for respecting for our privacy during this special time."
Chris also excitedly tweeted about the news, saying "Dee and I have BIG NEWS!!!!" followed by "Thank you all for your well wishes:)" The Daughtrys already have two children, a 13-year old daughter named Hannah from Deanna's previous marriage and an 11-year-old adopted son named Griffin. No word yet on when the twins are due.

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Flashback: Elliott Yamin's "I Believe to My Soul"

Season 5 of Idol still stands as the crown jewel among all of the series' seasons, and Elliott Yamin is still one of the strongest Top 3 finishers. The "funky white boy" R&B machine pleased the audience with his soulful take on both contemporary and classic hits while on the show, and his performance of "I Believe to My Soul" during Top 3 night



Although the judges weren't the biggest fans of Elliott's take on the song, he demonstrated his ability to churn out a convincing R&B showing. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to propel him into the Top 2.

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Sunday, May 16, 2010

'Idol' Hot 100: Adam Lambert's "Whataya Want From Me" #24 (5/22/10)

Whataya Want From MeThe most recent edition of the Billboard Hot 100 chart was all drops and a debut for the chart week of May 22.

Adam Lambert kicked things off with "Whataya Want From Me," as it was off six spots to #24. Kris Allen outdid him, however, as his own "Live Like We're Dying" fell #41-48.

Carrie Underwood was up next with a pair of her singles, as the fading "Temporary Home" held on for one more week with a #84-93 decline, while she followed with her up and coming single "Undo It" burst onto the chart at #95.

And Kelly Clarkson finished things off with "All I Ever Wanted," which was down another spot to #98. Look for a quick exit in a week or two.

Full chart positions courtesy of Billboard are posted below:

Hot 100
24 18 Adam Lambert, "Whataya Want From Me"
48 41 Kris Allen, "Live Like We're Dying"
93 84 Carrie Underwood, "Temporary Home"
95 -- Carrie Underwood, "Undo It"
98 97 Kelly Clarkson, "All I Ever Wanted"

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Saturday, May 15, 2010

'Idol' odds 'n ends: Carrie Underwood & Kellie Pickler receive CMT Award noms

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>The nominations for the 2010 CMT Music Awards were revealed in a ceremony on Tuesday, and as expected, only two Idol alums represented. Carrie Underwood led the way with three nominations (Video of the Year and Female Video of the Year for "Cowboy Casanova" as well as CMT Performance of the Year for her invitation only performance of "Temporary Home") while Kellie Pickler's teamwork with friend Taylor Swift paid off as the duo earned a nom for "Best Days of Your Life" in the Collaborative Video of the Year category.

Kellie and Carrie also saw their music video directors receive noms for Director of the Year (Deaton Flanigen, "Temporary Home" and Roman White, "Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You" / "Best Days of Your Life"). The CMT Music Awards will be hosted by Kid Rock and will air live on the network on Wed., June 9 at 8 p.m. ET.

>Carly Smithson did a lot of press ahead of her band We Are the Fallen's Tear the World Down album launch, which hit stores this past Tuesday, including a Q&A with The Los Angeles Times' Idol blogger Shirley Halperin that was published on Monday. Read an excerpt from the interview below:

Are you referring to after “Idol”? What kind of things were you turning down?
After “Idol,” a lot of people misunderstood where I was trying to go as an artist. I remember having a conversation with my husband where I said, “No compromise.” I had to start writing the music myself, because nobody is there to understand exactly what your goal is, but I knew and when I met these guys, I saw it was their goal too. So we all came together and just blended perfectly. We complement each other. For me, I was either gonna have this or nothing at all. I had to have the realization that I could be completely screwing myself forever, by being so adamant that this was going to be the only type of music I was going to make, but it all worked out and I’m stoked.

We Are the Fallen has had its lead single "Bury Me Alive" featured on various TV shows, from MTV's The Hills to The CW's Vampire Diaries. Tear the World Down is now available to purchase at Amazon.com.

>It was announced on Monday that Kris Allen will be supporting Maroon 5 alongside V.V. Brown on the band's current North American tour on four select dates beginning Aug. 19 at the Bayfront Park Amphitheater in Miami, Fla. Ticket sale information is available at Kris's official website.

This news comes after it was revealed two weeks ago that Kris will be keeping busy during the majority of the summer by co-headlining a tour with The Barenaked Ladies beginning July 8 at Harrah's in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

>Following his elimination last week, Aaron Kelly followed in the footsteps of his fellow Idol castoffs when he appeared on CBS's The Late Show with David Letterman Monday night for a little back and forth with Letterman and a mini performance. Watch what transpired below:




Aaron got chastised for mumbling his hometown and going to school via a computer. Aaron's performance of "My Girl" was nice but nothing to write home about. Still, the country vibe it had was custom tailored for Aaron's style.

>And only one Idol-related personality made Maxim's annual Hot 100 list, and it wasn't a contestant. That's right, Kara DioGuardi was selected as the 93rd hottest woman of the year by the men's magazine, coming in right ahead of Kelly Ripa and right behind Helena Mattsson. A portion of Kara's interview can be read below:


Does Simon ever lay into you the way he did Paula?

Definitely. It's hard for me to say something negative to a contestant without giving something constructive back, and that annoys Simon. But they're kids, and you feel for them - especially when they have a story, like they've overcome cancer or something.
It's a bit of a surprise that neither Carrie Underwood nor Katharine McPhee made the list this year. Maybe that's a sign Kat shouldn't have gone blonde? Either way she's back to brunette, so maybe Kat already had an inkling she wouldn't make the cut this year?

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Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Poll of the week: Casey James favorite Top 4 contestant

The results of the Top 4 edition of IDOL LIVE"s poll of the week was somewhat of a surprise considering the direction things are going in but on the other hand they are not too shocking considering who's in the Top 3.

This week it was Casey James who led the way, as he took in 58 of all 134 votes cast, or 43% in all, which was a fair amount ahead of second-place Lee DeWyze and his 44 votes (32%). Crystal Bowersox, who once handedly defeated all her peers in the poll early on in the season, fell to third place with just 31 votes (23%). Recent eliminee Mike Lynche was at least able to net in one vote, but that's not saying too much sadly.

Oddly enough, Lee and Crystal are now tied for first in the overall results for the season with 256 votes a piece, so these last two weeks should be exciting to see who pulls ahead.

In the latest edition of the poll of the week series, readers are asked who their favorite Top 3 contestant is. Voting will be open for exactly one week.

Casey James 58 (43%)
Crystal Bowersox 31 (23%)
Lee DeWyze 44 (32%)
Michael Lynche 1 (0%)

Total votes: 134

Running total for Season 9:
24th - Haeley Vaughn (0 votes)*
21st (tie) - Janell Wheeler (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Todrick Hall (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Paige Miles (2 votes)*
19th (tie) - Joe Munoz (3 votes)*
19th (tie) - Jermaine Sellers (3 vote)*
17th (tie) - Tyler Grady (4 votes)*
17th (tie) - Michelle Delamor (4 votes)*
15th (tie) - John Park (6 votes)*
15th (tie) - Ashley Rodriguez (6 votes)*
14th - Lacey Brown (9 votes)*
13th - Katelyn Epperly (10 votes)*
12th - Lilly Scott (14 votes)*
11th - Alex Lambert (22 votes)*
10th - Michael Lynche (27 votes)*
09th - Didi Benami (56 votes)*
08th - Andrew Garcia (58 votes)*
07th - Tim Urban (60 votes)*
06th - Katie Stevens (93 votes)*
05th - Aaron Kelly (111 votes)*
04th - Casey James (177 votes)
03rd - Siobhan Magnus (218 votes)*
01st (tie) - Lee DeWyze (256 votes)
01st (tie) - Crystal Bowersox (256 votes)

*indicates contestant has been eliminated

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IDOL LIVE Blog - Top 4 Results (5/12/10)

Last night showed us that in an overwhelmingly bad season, there are still instances when good vocals shine through. Tonight, however, one finalist must say goodbye. But hey, at least we get to be treated to performances from Daughtry, Bon Jovi and Fantasia (obviously I'm joking about the last one).

To see who I predict will be leaving tonight, see here. And as usual, please feel free to add your two cents throughout the one-hour blogcast. Coverage starts just prior to 9 p.m. ET.



Tonight's blogcast features the music of Allison Iraheta, Ayla Brown, David Cook, Kris Allen and Kristy Lee Cook.

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IDOL LIVE predix: Top 4 Results

Last night's Top 4 performance episode was a bore with the exception of the two duets. Although one was far superior to the other (Crystal and Lee's "Falling Slowly" trumped Casey and Mike's "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman"), just the fact that they were listenable made the night more excited than it otherwise would have been. Can you imagine what we'd all be thinking if those four solo performances were the only thing we saw last night? I don't have to stress how disappointing that would have been.

With that said, read my predictions for how tonight will go below:

Eliminated
Casey

Anyway, tonight's results are going to be shocking. In fact, it's basically a toss-up between Mike and Casey getting the boot, forget about even calling a Bottom 2 because that's who it will be. Now traditionally, we've seen some pretty big threats to the title go home this week in seasons past (read: Tamyra Gray in Season 1, LaToya London in Season 3, Chris Daughtry in Season 5, LaKisha Jones in Season 6), but lately things haven't been nearly that exciting, especially since in the previously mentioned seasons there were at least viable candidates to win left despite the boots.

Therefore, I'm going to go against my gut and say Casey will finish in fourth place tonight, thus ensuring Mike a third-place finish and Crystal and Lee will be able to duke it out for the anticlimactic victory in two week's time.

In my original predictions I had Andrew finishing 4th (ha!), so that can't happen.

Since the Top 24 I have correctly predicted 6-20 eliminations and since the Top 12 I have correctly predicted 2-8 eliminations. Woo yeah...

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Tuesday, May 11, 2010

HITS estimates: 'Play On' #25 w/ 19.7k

Play OnIt was another lonely week for albums by Idol alums on HITS Daily Double's Top 50 building album sales chart, as only one entry was to be found.

Carrie Underwood once again held the sole entry by an alum, as her Play On was actually up 37% sales-wise to 19.7k copies on the heels of the release of her music video for latest single "Undo It." This equated to a six-spot increase on the chart to #25.

Full chart sales and figures courtesy of Billboard will not be posted later this week, but it still doesn't hurt to check in just in case!

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IDOL LIVE Blog - Top 4 Perform (5/11/10)

It seems that Season 9 has dragged on for ages by now, but at long last were are down to the Top 4 finalists. They may not necessarily be the best vocalists, but they have earned their spots due to appealing to the widest audience possible. Tonight we see how actor and sometimes singer Jamie Foxx helped the remaining contestant tackle their choices for songs of the cinema.

Plus, we get the bonus of seeing the contenders duet for the first time this season, and predictably, Crystal and Lee will pair up while Mike and Casey will be forced to perform with one another. Grab the popcorn because it's gonna be a fun ride!

As always, please feel free to add your two cents throughout the one-hour blogcast, with coverage starting just prior to 8 p.m. ET.



Tonight's blogcast features the music of Bo Bice, Daughtry, Diana DeGarmo, Kellie Pickler and Michael Johns.

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Monday, May 10, 2010

Flashback: LaKisha Jones' "Run to Me"

The Top 4 in Season 6 of Idol was basically the opposite of the Top 4 in Season 9, as LaKisha Jones led a strong contingent of three female vocalists to one unique guy. Over the course of her run on the show, LaKisha delivered many memorable performances, but by the time she reached Top 4 she seemed to lose steam. Watch one of her two performances from Bee Gees night, "Run to Me," below:



This was obviously not one of LaKisha's performing highlights, but she still showed why she was such a contender at the outset of the season. Her elimination, although not as shocking as the elimination of Melinda Doolittle the following week, was still disappointing.

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Sunday, May 9, 2010

Music videos: Carrie Underwood's "Undo It"; Katharine McPhee's "Terrified"

Two high profile Idol-related music videos premiered on Friday, as Carrie Underwood and Katharine McPhee each had vids of their latest single released exclusive to different outlets.

Carrie's latest single "Undo It" saw its music video premiere on CMT.com. The video features Carrie set against a black background in grainy black and white in addition to tons of concert footage. Watch the video below:



Not to be outdone, Kat's video of her reworked song "Terrified" featuring the star of NBC's Chuck, Zachary Levi, premiered on her VEVO channel. Watch the vid below:



Although the video features an overdone girlfriend/boyfriend storyline, the fact that Kat's would-be lovechild with Kara DioGuardi plays the female lead is a plus. The video was directed by Judson Pearce Morgan.

Although neither video is available on iTunes yet, both tracks can be purchased at Amazon MP3. Download "Terrified"
and "Undo It".

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'Idol' Hot 100: Adam Lambert's "Whataya Want From Me #18 (5/15/10)

Whataya Want From MeIf last week's edition of the Billboard Hot 100 chart was lackluster, then the issue for the chart week of May 15 was even more uninteresting.

Adam Lambert once again held on to the top spot among Idol alums, as his single "Whataya Want From Me" was off five spots to #15. Kris Allen's "Live Like We're Dying" fell out of the top 40, as it was off eight spots to #41.

Next up was Carrie Underwood, whose "Temporary Home" continued its downward slide with a #61-84 drop. And Kelly Clarkson's "All I Ever Wanted" was actually down one spot to #97 after holding steady at #96 for two weeks. If this pattern continues, this will be one of Kelly's weakest performing singles to date.

Full chart positions courtesy of Billboard are posted below:

Hot 100
18 13 Adam Lambert, "Whataya Want From Me"
41 33 Kris Allen, "Live Like We're Dying"
84 61 Carrie Underwood, "Temporary Home"
97 96 Kelly Clarkson, "All I Ever Wanted"

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Friday, May 7, 2010

'Idol' odds 'n ends: Anoop Desai's album is out? Already?

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>When did this happen? Apparently Anoop Desai's debut album, All Is Fair, is already released. Anoop was on his local NBC alliliate chatting about the disc, which features the single "My Name," and can be watched below:



All Is Fair is courtesy of The Industry Connect and is available to purchase on iTunes for $6.99.

>It was announced on Monday that Jordin Sparks will be the latest Idol alum to star in a Broadway musical, as she will make her debut on the Great White Way in The Heights on Thurs., Aug. 19. According to an article on BroadwayWorld.com, Jordin said:
"It's always been one of my dreams to perform on Broadway," says Jordin Sparks. "This is a brand new experience for me. I look so forward to spending time in New York City and joining this talented cast and my favorite new musical."

Jordin will play the role of Nina Rosario, who happens to be the female lead. Her run will end on Sun., Nov. 14.

>Another Season 8 finalist, Scott MacIntyre, has been keeping busy on the promo trail in support of his post-Idol album Heartstrings. In an interview that took place at Pittsburgh's 100.7 FM, Scott chatted about his experience on the show and the Idol tour. Watch the interview below:




Scott talked about how he's dealt with kidney failure and kept the story from being revealed until after he left the show. Scott also talked about his favorite moment of the season, "Pants On the Ground" man, and proceeded to sing the two most famous lines of the song. He followed that with a backhanded compliment of the remaining Season 9 finalists.

3>Bo Bice treated fans to a free download of his latest song, "Coming Back Home," off his forthcoming release 3. Per an e-mail that was sent out to fans:

Bo's got a surprise gift just for you! Check out this track from 3 and let us know what you think on Bo's Facebook page!

The song can be downloaded via Bo's page on the music social media site BandBox.com. 3 is set for a Tues., May 18 release and can now be pre-ordered at Amazon.com. The album's single, "Good Hearted Woman," is now available to purchase at iTunes.

>Siobhan Magnus was the latest Season 9 alum to make the talk show rounds following her exit last week, and as usual, the most awkward appearance was on Monday night's episode of CBS's The Late Show with David Letterman. Watch Letterman interrogate Siobhan about her fondness for glass blowing below:




As likable as Siobhan is, she has a habit of talking a minute a mile, especially when she's trying to explain something. But no matter, once Siobhan opened her mouth to reprise "Paint It Black" (aside from "the scream") nothing she talked about before was important anymore.

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Thursday, May 6, 2010

Kelly Clarkson can't catch a break - 3 more tracks leak

What is going on in Kelly Clarkson Land lately? After last week's leak of a demo titled "Cleopatra" that set off an angry tweetrade by Kelly in which she claimed it was not a song that would be appearing on her upcoming album, but was a demo she recorded for another artist.

Once again, more leaked Kelly tracks are coming in fast and furious, as three of them found their way onto YouTube on Tuesday. Listen to "Lover Stay" and "Wash Rinse Repeat" below ("Naked Eye" is no longer on YouTube but is available to stream over at IdolLator):

"Lover Stay"



"Wash Rinse Repeat"



So how is this happening? Kelly obviously isn't amused, but she has yet to comment on the most recent batch of leaks. To add to her troubles, she is now being accused of ripping off the chord progressions of an Arcade Fire song titled "Rebellion (Lies)," and everyone is pegging "Wash Rinse Repeat" as a dig at Ryan Tedder, who got Kelly into hot water last year with the whole "Halo" / "Already Gone" controversy. Others are claiming she might be targeting Clive Davis, and still others are suggesting she's taking aim not at one particular person but at the music industry in general.

In short, Kelly has seen better days, but at least it's good to know her 5-album deal with RCA is about to run dry. What do you think of these leaks?

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Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Poll of the week: Lee DeWyze favorite Top 5 contestant

There were no big discrepancies in the results for the Top 5 edition of IDOL LIVE"s poll of the week.

Lee DeWyze led the way with 34 votes (32%), which was nothing out of the ordinary and considering the good praise he's been generating of late, this should be expected. It was perhaps a little bit more surprising that both Crystal Bowersox and Casey James finished in second with 25% of the total votes cast (27 votes a piece).

Tonight's eliminee, Aaron Kelly, managed 14 votes (13%), and Big Mike was able to net four votes (3%), which isn't bad considering where he usually places.

In the latest edition of the poll of the week series, readers are asked who their favorite Top 4 contestant is. Voting will be open for exactly one week.

Aaron Kelly 14 (13%)
Casey James 27 (25%)
Crystal Bowersox 27 (25%)
Lee DeWyze 34 (32%)
Michael Lynche 4 (3%)

Total votes: 106

Running total for Season 9:
24th - Haeley Vaughn (0 votes)*
21st (tie) - Janell Wheeler (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Todrick Hall (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Paige Miles (2 votes)*
19th (tie) - Joe Munoz (3 votes)*
19th (tie) - Jermaine Sellers (3 vote)*
17th (tie) - Tyler Grady (4 votes)*
17th (tie) - Michelle Delamor (4 votes)*
15th (tie) - John Park (6 votes)*
15th (tie) - Ashley Rodriguez (6 votes)*
14th - Lacey Brown (9 votes)*
13th - Katelyn Epperly (10 votes)*
12th - Lilly Scott (14 votes)*
11th - Alex Lambert (22 votes)*
10th - Michael Lynche (26 votes)
09th - Didi Benami (56 votes)*
08th - Andrew Garcia (58 votes)*
07th - Tim Urban (60 votes)*
06th - Katie Stevens (93 votes)*
05th - Aaron Kelly (111 votes)*
04th - Casey James (119 votes)
03rd - Lee DeWyze (212 votes)
02nd - Siobhan Magnus (218 votes)*
01st - Crystal Bowersox (225 votes)

*indicates contestant has been eliminated

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IDOL LIVE Blog - Top 5 Results (5/5/10)

Before the night is through, we will have our final four contestants of Idol's ninth season. Can't you feel the excitement? Regardless of what you thought of last night's performances, it shouldn't be taken for granted that they were at least given a knowledgeable mentor to help guide them through Frank Sinatra's catalog of songs in the form of Harry Connick Jr. (I'm talking to you, Miley Cyrus).

In terms of guest performers, other than HCJ we get to look forward to a high profile, over the top showing by none other than Lady Gaga. She will perform her new single "Alejandro."

To see who I predict will be leaving tonight, see here. And as usual, please feel free to add your two cents throughout the one-hour blogcast. Coverage starts just prior to 9 p.m. ET.



Tonight's blogcast features the music of Kady Malloy, Kelly Clarkson, Melinda Doolittle, Michael Johns and Ruben Studdard.

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