Audition Round 4 (Nashville)

Welcome back to Audition Round 4. After last night's emotional story of Chris Medina and his fiancee that got seriously hurt in an accident, tonight starts with a whole new set of contestants, this time from Nashville. You'd have to expect a good mix of country singers coming in, but let's get to it to see what comes about:

How Were The Contestants?:

*"I have the gift", this is what Christine McCaffery says before walking into the room singing, before she even says "hello" to the judges. A pretty interesting and actually kind of entertaining choice to start the show. Randy Jackson asks if "she is serious", I don't think she actually was. You always get a few of those.

*Ex boyfriend and girlfriend Rob Bolin and Chelsee Oaks have one of the weirdest stories ever. They break up, she starts dating another dude, brings the new boyfriend to the audition, Rob still pines for Chelseem but they come in and do a duet together. The most amazing part is that they both have really nice voices together and separately. Both get put through to Hollywood. The new boyfriend doesn't look pleased, J.Lo thinks that Rob and Chelsee will get back together and I think they might too eventually and because I think both Rob and Chelsee have really great voices that could keep them in the competition for awhile.

*Allen Lewis might be one of the more scarier lookin dudes on the show this season. A lot of times the voice doesn't match the look, but in this case his voice really matched him. Despite a valiant effort and a heart of gold, he leaves with 3 "no's".

*Former Miss Teen USA Stormi Halley looks like she can sing and quickly Steven Tyler is enamored. Tyler enjoys her voice enough and puts her through. Jennifer Lopez says "nope", but Randy puts her onto Hollywood. Lopez feels that the boys let her beauty move on and not the voice. Stormi probably won't go very far. Even the bikini girl from a couple years ago got to go to Hollywood despite a nice face and semi okay voice but she was quickly gone once you put her into a room with singers who have the whole package.

*I love the story of Adrienne Beasley. She is African-American and her adoptive parents are white. They adopted her and didn't care about the color of her skin or theirs for that matter. That's a beautiful sentiment. While in the audition room Adrienne seems to have a very nice controlled voice and looks the right part. All 3 judges put her deservedly so right to Hollywood.

*Kameela Merricks looks the part and the producers even show a little taped package on her, but she really can't sing. Randy Jackson tells her not to even practice singing, because it's not going to work out.

*A missing member of the Blue Man Group comes in, a few other not so good performers also try it out, and then they get pretty emotional with Ryan and with other family members. What is sad is that someone is telling these people for years that they are good, so when they hear they aren't it's such a shock to the system. Think if their family members or friends just told them the truth they wouldn't be as shocked and saddened as they are.

*Jackie Wilson is the first very pure country singer of the day. She has a beautiful voice. All 3 judges clap for her, which is very rare. I enjoy Jackie a lot. I'm not the biggest country fan, but Carrie Underwood made me appreciate country and maybe Jackie will as well. All 3 judges agree and send her through to the next round. Outside waiting for her is her mother and mother's boyfriend, but actually, like Ryan learned very quickly, it was really Jackie's. Whoops!

*LaToya "Younique" Moore has a CD of her singing. Given what she sang to the judges I am afraid of what is on that CD. No judge enjoyed and neither did an audience member.

*In a quick montage of 3 deserving guys. Paul McDonald sounds very much like Rod Stewart and has a nice voice, Jimmie Allen has a bit too many hand movements but a great voice. Danny Pate gets joined in singing by the 3 judges, which is always a good sign. All 3 are going to Hollywood.

*Country boy Matt Dillard is a member of family that cares for hundreds of foster children a year. He looks just like he woke up on the farm and forgot to change before going to work. He has a decent voice, Randy hesitantly puts him through, J.Lo says no, but Tyler puts him through.

*Last contestant of the day is 15 year old Lauren Alaina. Really beautiful voice and probably the best voice of the night. The judges feel that she has natural talent, J.Lo cries, Lauren cries and it's a really beautiful moment. Before the end of the show she and Steven Tyler have a beautiful quick duet singing "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing". Steven Tyler feels she is the "one" and she might be, you never know.

How Were The Judges:?

Steven Tyler: He likes the ladies. That's for sure. When Miss Teen USA walks in he goes googly eyes. When you actually remember that Tyler is more than 5 times older than the majority of these girls, it seems creepy, but he makes it like a fun creepy.

Jennifer Lopez: She tells Randy to "just say no and don't be mean". I know she is new but we(the audience) like the mean. Sometimes just saying "no" isn't enough. If these people don't realize that they are just really bad then might think they have a glimmer of a chance. Simon Cowell didn't make millions of dollars and huge popularity by just saying "no", it's because he was brutally honest and right on the money for the most part. Sometimes a little kick in the butt is what these people need, hopefully she learns this along the way.

Randy Jackson: As stated, Randy at least tells the contestants when they are terrible and are delusional. He has been doing this for 10 years, so he can pretty much tell who is playing around and who is there for real. I'll definitely give him some credit for that.

How Was The Show?:

I said it before and I'll say it again, 1 hour shows are perfect for audition rounds. It gives a much better mix and balance of great, well deserved singers to ridiculous, delusional ones. The hour flies right by.

This is now the fourth episode of the season and I have yet to see a time when one judge says "Yes", one says "No" and then the other says "No". Every single time that at least one member of the judge's panel puts someone through to Hollywood they convince the undecided member to agree to put them through. I would like a little more disagreement and debate between the judges. They are putting through some contestants that have no right being in Hollywood but get sucked in by one of the judges, and then the other judge gets convinced to change their mind. It'd be more entertaining if they disagreed.

Join us next week for Audition Round 5 in Texas. Only one hour shows next week. This kind of format is much better and I'dol Be The Judge will be back with its recaps and more commentary. We'll see you next Wednesday February 2nd. See you then.

Audtion Rounds Part 3 (Milwaukee)

Here we go another 2 hour American Idol, Audition Round Part 3 is underway and we are in the glamorous Milwaukee, Wisconsin. No American Idol winner has ever come from Milwaukee and other than the Brewers and that Laverne and Shirley took place there, I don't know much about Milwaukee. Tonight we will see what it has to offer. So let's get to it.

How Were The Contestants?:

*Scotty McCreery is the first contestant up and is 16 years old. He is all about country music. He has a very deep voice for a 16 year old. The judges want to tell if he has a range so they ask him to sing a peppier song. Steven Tyler goes nuts and says something about a duck, meaning he thought he sounded beautiful, I guess. And through he goes.

*Joe "K-100" Repka wants to be a radio personality, he confuses the judges a little with this kind of persona. When Joe's mother is asked if she sings she says she is tone deaf, then they cut to Joe's audition. After trying a couple(unadvised) times it is a definite no.

*Before Emma Henry walks into the audition room we see her driving her family around in a car. She is 15 and has her permit. I didn't know you could cross state lines with a permit, but different states have different rules. In the audition room she sings, and sings with not a lot of power, but there may be something there. J.Lo feels she can build on her voice, even if it's not there yet. J. Lo doesn't put her through, but Steven agrees and Randy gets a bit guilt tripped after Emma starts to cry and puts her through. Despite putting her through Randy said she will get swallowed up in this competition, and I think she will also.

*We then get a batch of delusional contestants. We need a good mix of ridiculous to balance out the very good.

*Naima Adedapo, we see a story of her being part of the cleanup crew at a Milwaukee summer concert venue, and not ever part of the actual concert. She has a strong voice, very controlled. She looks unique and as Steven Tyler says "She's all That". All 3 judges put her through.

*Then we get another batch of crazy contestants. One that sang a bad version of "Jenny From The Block", and the other in which Randy mentioned should sing in the car only with the windows up.

*Jerome Bell, a wedding singer has a tremendous voice. He can sing at high levels and then can go deeper when needed. He has some decent energy and the judges eat it up. They put him right through, very quickly.

*They then show a montage of a batch 15 year olds. The reason behind dropping the age limit was due to Justin Bieber, another reason why I dislike Justin Bieber. Just kidding...maybe.

*15 year old Thia Megia starts singing and has a strong voice for a person that young. She has a nice personality as well. J. Lo feels that she is the total package, Steven Tyler likes her a lot and they all put her right to Hollywood.

*They then show a montage of all the 15 year olds that walked in, and as Ryan Seacrest said "they all walked out with gold". Every 15 year old that auditioned made it to Hollywood.

*Molly DeWolf Swensen just graduated from Harvard, works at the White House and accidentally got punched in the face by Randy as he was slapping five with some of the contestants in the waiting room and missed Molly's hand altogether. Although she got hit in the face it was pretty entertaining. She has a very rich deep voice, but is really sweet and she makes it to Hollywood. I think I'll remember her as the girl who got hit in the face by Randy but if she makes it through different rounds maybe we'll forget that. Actually, that's something that kind of stays with you.

*Haley Reinhart is a cute girl and has an interesting voice. It's a little pitchy, but she supposedly improved from last year when she auditioned, so on she goes to Hollywood.

*Tiwan Strong has a generic kind of voice. I feel I have heard it before, nothing too too special, but he also goes to Hollywood. Outside, on of his family members has a charley horse from jumping up and down and Ryan has to help massage it out. It's not as dirty as it sounds.

*Steven Beghun is a huge guy and is an accountant/auditor. He actually has a sweet voice and his voice goes high which is surprising. All 3 judges put him right through.

*Vernika Peterson, she starts to sing and messes up and says it's because "the lady was looking at her", meaning J.Lo. What a way to start. Once Vernika restarts we realize she does not have a voice. Lopez straight out says that she isn't right for the show. She questions that she wasn't chosen due to her weight, and then Randy ill advised starts to name some of the Idol winners who weren't extremely thin when they won. Never a good idea Randy, never a good idea.

*Albert Rogers III, not to be confused with Albert Rogers II, the first note was okay, but then from there it went all downhill, and quickly. He gets 3 no's.

*Scott Dangerfield, he has a pure voice and a real "Wow" factor. He gets put through to Hollywood very quickly. As they said "don't judge a book by it's cover', because this guy doesn't look like he has all the qualities of a mega superstar, but J.Lo calls him one of her favorites.

*Green Bay Packer fan Megan Frazier really loves the Packers, like really loves the Packers, but really has zero voice. Just incredibly weird.

*Alyson Jados and Steven Tyler are kindred spirits. She loves him, and he kind of loves her. She has a great personality and a very nice voice. Steven Tyler joins in on her singing Dream On, which is really cool. I think she has a decent voice, Lopez likes the quality of her voice, Lopez puts her through, Randy Jackson says no, Steven Tyler has the deciding vote and although he thinks she is a little pitchy he puts her through to Hollywood.

*Last contestant of the day is Chris Medina. He has a touching story of his fiancee who got into an accident. She suffered a traumatic brain injury and is very incapacitated and it's one of the most emotional stories I have ever seen. He starts to sing and it's very compelling. It's not the best audition I have ever seen, but with the emotional story and a decent voice I'd put him through. The judges agree and they bring his fiancee in to say yes. Very emotional stuff.

How Were The Judges?:

Steven Tyler has elevated my like into almost love because he is all kinds of good crazy. Steven Tyler is getting a bit better with the honesty and not sugar coating it when the contestants are terrible. It's definitely not Simon Cowell mean, but it's at least honest.

Jennifer Lopez is starting to identify the crazies from the good. She can tell right away if they are just kidding around or are legitimately there because they deserve to be. Although the guys crack up, she stays stoic and tries to give respect to the contestants. I definitely like this about her. She doesn't play around with them, if she doesn't like it she lets them go pretty quickly.

Randy Jackson always goes with the sob story. If one judge says "yes" and the other says "no", he tends to go with "yes". This kind of thing goes back to past years and other judges as well. I remember last year Kara and Shania Twain begged and pleaded for Randy to put someone through, and even though he was hesitant he eventually succumbed to it. Randy is the senior member of the judges table, at this point he needs to learn to put his foot down.

How Was The Show?:

53 Milwaukee contestants make it through to Hollywood.

Unfortunately, we have learned that if you have borderline talent, and cry and beg and plead you will get through almost all the time. I don't like this at all. I know they don't really care how many people go to Hollywood because they will get rid of them later, but if they don't care then why should we? The show loses some respectability and credibility when they let someone they know won't win go to Hollywood.

Although I believe that the 15 year old contestants are decent, I do think that the judges might have been advised to put more in than they might want to just so the producers can say that their decision to lower the age was a good one. They don't want to make it look like they made a mistake, so they let them in even if they are borderline. That's just a theory, it may be wrong, but if it's right then that's kind of messed up.

2 Hours is still a bit too much for an audition round, but for some reason this episode went quicker than the first 2 hour show. It might have to do with the fact the judges are getting more comfortable and maybe we the audience are getting more comfortable with them.

Please join us back here tomorrow January 27th for more audition rounds, this time from Nashville. If you like the blog please come back and if you don't, please don't tell anyone that you don't. Either way hope to see you back here at I'dol Be The Judge tomorrow.

Audition Round 2 (New Orleans)

Welcome back to Day 2 of Audition rounds-New Orleans. Tonight's episode was only 1 hour long so a bit more tolerable. If we are honest, then we have to admit that it is a bit repetitive after awhile and 1 hour is probably plenty for audition rounds. But this looks to be the format going forward. 2 hours on Wednesdays and 1 hour on Thursdays.

The last time the show was in New Orleans was back in Season 4. Since we know that Carrie Underwood won that season the eventual winner obviously didn't come from New Orleans, but I'm sure the contestants during this round want that to change.

And on we go:

How Did The Contestants Do?:

*Right off the bat we get a story of a young musician/piano teacher named Jordan Dorsey. Before he opens his mouth you know he is going through because they show his home life and one of his students. Once he begins to sing the trend continues and he sings a great version of "Over The Rainbow". The judges are impressed and so am I actually. He unanimously gets through. No suspense due to the home life taped package but this time I don't mind given the guy was actually good.

*After a few definite "no's", Sarah Sellers walks in, she has the lips of Steven Tyler and Randy questions his possible family link to her. She starts to sing and although it's a little timid, the judges agree that she belongs in Hollywood.

*Before next contestant Jovany Barreto walks in he warns us he will take his shirt off in front of Jennifer Lopez, because he is a fan of hers, sure that makes sense. And after getting through to Hollywood, Jovany makes good on his promise and takes his shirt off and of course Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson volunteer to take theirs off as well. Strange, but there you go. Ryan Seacrest has a great line that "out of all the people in there you got Randy and Steven to take their shirt off?" Good line.

*Next up we get a little retrospective of Randy Jackson being a New Orleans boy, he grew up close by in Baton Rouge. The next contestant Jacqueline Dupree brings in Randy Jackson's former high school coach and a few pictures of Randy way back when. She starts to sing and has a nice controlled voice. She is on her way to Hollywood.

*Brett Loewenstern looks like he is a definite no, but as they say 'don't judge a book by it's cover'. He starts to sing "Bohemian Rhapsody" which should only be done if done right and he did it right. He said he got bullied in school because of his "eccentricities" but they might have actually helped him move right on to Hollywood. He is definitely somebody that we are going to remember, his hair helps will help us remember him for the next round but his voice might help us remember for many rounds to come.

*We then get a montage of just terrible, delusional singers. They have to sprinkle in a few, just so it doesn't seem like it was all good in New Orleans.

*15 year old Jacee Badeaux comes in, he looks about 11 but has a very cute youthful voice. Jennifer Lopez feels his voice is beautiful and he is just 'pinch your cheeks' cute. The judges loved him and feels he should go right to Hollywood. I honestly feel that although he has a cute voice it might be a little untrained and a bit too young sounding to go very far. But I've been wrong before so who knows?

*To finish the night is another very heartfelt story of a young mother named Paris Tassin who was told to give up her pregnancy due to the possibility that her child might have special needs. Her child has hearing problems, but Paris is so thankful she went against doctor's orders. To be honest Paris has a bit of a voice but nothin extraordinary. Jennifer Lopez begins to cry as Paris sings because she can feel the power and meaning behind the song. All 3 judges put Paris right through to Hollywood.

A very touching story to end a pretty decent round.

How Were The Judges?

*Steven Tyler continues to flirt with the girls, but also continues to be sarcastic and light-hearted. He just says whatever he wants to. From crazy to cute to heartfelt. He is a pretty cool character.

*Jennifer Lopez fell into her role as sweet with difficulties saying no, even to the definite no's. She did a little better than the night before but needs to work it out a bit more. She enrolled in the Paula Abdul school of crying and getting emotionally attached to the contestants. But she's pretty adorable, I gotta say.

*Randy Jackson continues to be his same kind of self. He is honest and tends to deliver a more definitive no then the other 2 judges at times. He just straight out says "it was terrible", which at least is as brutally honest as we have seen.

How Was The Show?:

The one hour format makes the show go a lot quicker. I wish that all audition rounds were 1 hour long but it is what it is. The show definitely was more entertaining than the last episode. A good mix of sob stories, to crazy contestants.

I wish they would give us a couple of sob stories and then the contestants don't make it, just to psych us out and make us be in at least some suspense. But at this point this kind of critique is probably falling on deaf ears.

Overall a much better episode. A lot quicker and the tone was much more entertaining. I still miss the cynical, brutal honesty that Simon Cowell provided but if this is what the judges do then it's still entertaining, even if it's a little less than it was.

Please come back here for Audition Round 3 in Milwaukee on Wednesday January 26th. If you like the blog let others know and come on back. We'll see you back here on I'dol Be The Judge.

It's Baaaack! Audition Round 1 (New Jersey)

All the waiting, all the behind the scenes drama, all the reshuffling of judges and now it's back. American Idol Season 10 has begun. Audition rounds are always tricky, they want to be funny but they also want us to get to know the contestants. Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler & Jennifer Lopez are in place, Ryan Seacrest has his hair gel on and here we go.

Since the audition rounds packs an exorbitant amount of contestants we will break it down by how the contestants did, picking out a select few, as well as how the judges fared, and how the show was overall. Although it took nearly 15 minutes to get to the first contestant we won't let you wait so long, so let's get to it:

How Were The Contestants?:
*They start the show with a girl that asks us to remember her from Season 6, we didn't, even though Jennifer Lopez said she remembered, so Lopez begins her reign with a lie, what a start. She did make it to Hollywood round that season and she makes it again with one of the most antiquated, overdone songs ever done on American Idol "Hallelujah".

*We see our first 15 year old contestant and she actually has a great voice. So the lowering of the ages makes a dent quickly and she gets passed to Hollywood right away. It's weird that she wasn't even born when "Friends" first premiered.

*What we see quickly is the panel saying "Yes" to a plethora of contestants. But about 25 minutes into the show we finally see our first delusional contestant. Lopez has a tough time saying no but eventually Randy and Steven decide for her and Lopez succumbs and agrees with them.

*We get a Jennifer Lopez meets Snooki type contestant that cries when she sees Jennifer Lopez(in a good way). The girl sings an original, which is never ever a good idea, opens her shirt and before they say no they let her sing again. She shows that she has an okay voice, and proved that she can actually sing and they let her through. They tell her not to be silly and show off her voice rather than opening her shirt up and being a stereotype.

*Then we get a home taped clip package of a 16 year old boy that was in a wheelchair at a young age to overcome the obstacles and walk again. So after seeing this taped package he enters the audition round and he obviously has a great voice. American Idol almost always puts through the contestants after when we see those kinds of taped packages. After singing really well he does in fact get through. Good voice but completly obvious after the tape package.

*We then see burping guy. Yep, burping guy. A guy who burps when he is nervous. He for some reason is allowed to sing 2 songs. The first one went terrible, the second one was worse. Steven Tyler asks if he ate paint chips as a child. He doesn't deny it. They kind of told him to stop singing then and forever. I agree.

*Pop meets Liza Minella. That's what we get. A girl comes in, sings with some craziness, begs and pleads to go to Hollywood, Randy says no and then Jennifer and Steven let her through. I don't get it. She has a fun, bubbly personality, but in no way deserved a golden ticket. Simon Cowell would have thrown her out of the room as soon as she got down on her knees and begged. But this is a new panel of judges and what happened before doesn't seem to matter now.

*Then we get our super crazy contestant of the night Yoji Pop. He is from Japan and says he has been imitating Michael Jackson since he was 3, no 2, actually since before he was born. Then he proceeds to sing a Miley Cyrus song, not Michael Jackson. This leads to a montage of contestants singing Miley Cyrus' "Party in the U.S.A". I think Yoji Pop gave the answer that most of us would, when asked by Ryan Seacrest if he is a Miley Cyrus fan he said "No". That about sums it up.

*The last audition of the day comes with another taped package of 16 year old boy from the Bronx. He speaks of his life in the Bronx and the difficulties he and his family have struggled with since he was young. Steven Tyler asked him to sing a couple times to determine if he had what it takes. The judges were a little conflicted about if he has it all, but ultimately they pass him through.

*The number of 15 and 16 year olds that made it to Hollywood was extraordinary. They seemed to be the average age of the night that passed through.


How Were The Judges?:
*Steven Tyler is a crazy dude but I love it, so far. He joins in singing or pretend playing the drums with the contestants, he has some crazy sayings, but he has a different kind of vibe which I enjoy. He does say some "interesting" things to the ladies of the show, but it's not pervy, just a little off.

*Jennifer Lopez wants to find the correct words instead of just saying what she feels. She doesn't want to just say no, but I feel that as it becomes more apparent she will find it easier to say it.

*Randy Jackson was just as giggly and non threatening as usual. We were told that Randy was the tough one, if they mean tough one as the same as he has been in 9 seasons, then sure he was tough.

*Randy is Randy so there's so much more he can do at this point to be different. Lopez and Tyler need to step up their game a bit. They let some contestants get through that in years past wouldn't have, but there is a bit of a learning curve I suppose. If they don't like a contestant they need to tell them right on the spot and quickly. Don't play with them and let them think that they are good when they aren't.

How Was The Show?:
*The first show was in New Jersey, so of course we get a whole montage of Jersey Shore type people. Does American Idol really have to be lame like this? Oh yea they do.

*American Idol has done it again, they show us emotional taped packages on some contestants and they end up making it through. They always do this. They have to show us some home-life taped packages on contestants that don't make it just so it isn't so obvious.

*These audition round episodes get a little tedious after awhile, but I'll give the show a little leeway the first episode. It took a while to get into their groove, but I can kind of see where they are going. If this was the first show that American Idol ever had, and there was never a Simon Cowell and all we had was this there's a good chance that this kind of episode wouldn't have attracted the viewers that it will because it's been on the air for 9 years. It was a decent episode, but a bit generic and in a some ways a bit lame.

Please join us back here tomorrow for more audition round from New Orleans. Hopefully the judges will pick it up, the contestants get a little more memorable and Ryan continues to stay more in the background.

Season 10-Less Than 24 Hours Away

We are less than 24 before the season premiere of American Idol Season 10. We've done the best Idols and the worst Idol moments, it's now time for The Top 5 American Idol Contestants To Never Win American Idol. These are the contestants that maybe had 1 bad week, or didn't have a strong enough fan base or were sabotaged by the judges, but deserved to win. So let's get to it.

The Top 5 Should've Been The American Idol, Idol Contestants:

5. Tamyra Gray(Season 1). Listen, I feel Kelly Clarkson is the best Idol and who knows if there would have been an American Idol like it has been without her, but Tamyra Gray week in and week out was amazing and probably could have won if not for 1 bad week. She sang a song called "I'm So Excited" and maybe got a bit too big for herself that one week and blew her shot. She didn't deserve to be outlasted by Nikki McKibbin that's for sure. Who know's if she would have won but either way if she made it to the Top 2 with Kelly Clarkson it would have been one heck of a finale.

4. Melinda Doolittle (Season 6). Every week Simon Cowell kept saying that Melinda Doolitle looked like she didn't even have to try, that she was giving a clinic to all those other contestants, but unfortunetly she may have peaked way too early. She made it to the Top 3, but the cuteness of Blake Lewis and his beatbox, and some mega pipes by Jordin Sparks led to the downfall of Melinda Doolittle. It's unfortunate because although she may have been a little predictable she still was probably the most pure voice of that season. Simon Cowell said in an interview later on that Doolittle should have won the season, and I have to agree.

3. Crystal Bowersox (Season 9). Aw, poor Crystal Bowersox, done in by millions of teen girls. It's no doubt that Crystal Bowersox was the shining star of the dismal Season 9, but her fan base was a little older and the teeny bopper girls fell for the good looks of Lee DeWyze and called and texted with their teeny bopper fingers for him. I truly believe that DeWyze made a great number 2 but Bowersox won the finale night and won the season week after week. Crystal's album sales have outsold DeWyze's and most people only remember her as the Season 9 star, but what the voting audience want they get. Plus it didn't hurt that the judges fell for DeWyze's story of being a former paint salesman with a shy personalilty. I guess pure talent gets outdone by a story these days.

2. Chris Daughtry (Season 5). There probably hasn't been as big of a shocker as when Chris Daughtry was voted off of the show at position 4. He was hands down the best talent on the show and his immense popularity and multiple Grammy wins have proven what kind of talent he was and is. The judges loved Taylor Hicks for some reason and what they want they get. They backed the wrong wagon. Chris Daughtry may not have been as popular as he is today if he had won American Idol so maybe it was a blessing in disguise, but at the time it was definetly a huge dissapointment to all American Idol fans.

1. Adam Lambert (Season 8). Undoubtledly, one of the most unique and dynamic personalities to ever come to the American Idol stage. There wasn't anyone like him before, and most likely won't be anyone like him again. Unfortunetly his personality and most probably his sexuality came into the focus rather than his huge talent. There is no doubt that he deserved to win over Kris Allen. Although Allen had a couple weeks of decent performances towards the end of the show which helped him gain momentum, as well as gaining other teeny bopper favorite Danny Gokey's fans after he was voted out at the Top 3, it was Adam Lambert that everyone was talking about. Thus making him the best American Idol contestant to never win American Idol.

So there you have it. Those are your best American Idol contestants to never have won. There have been many others and if you feel like it please comment on your favorities that you think should have won but didn't.

We will be back tomorrow January 19th after the premiere of American Idol Season 10. Come here to get the honest truth about the judges, the contestants and if Simon Cowell will be missed in the first 5 minutes or the first 3 minutes. I'dol Be The Judge is the place to be, see you tomorrow.

American Idol Through The Years(Part 2)

The Worst of Idol.

We are now only a few short days away from the beginning of Season 10. We hope that Season 10 is the best, but we know that in the course of 9 seasons there have been some shockers & some misteps. Every show has bad moments if it is on long enough. In the 9 seasons of American Idol there have been bad moments and decisions that have made the show just as imperfect than any other.

Let’s take a look at the Top 5 Worst of Idol:

5. 1 Hour Result Shows. It takes roughly 10 seconds or less to announce who will be leaving the show, but American Idol decided to take a few seconds and turn them into an hour. The Results Show is just one big waste of time. They not only have the contestants perform to lip-synched tapes of themselves while dancing awkwardly, but they include musical acts that have nothing to do with the week’s theme. If you want to have Shania Twain sing during country week then go ahead but the crop of singers they include in these shows is inane. It turns more into a concert no one asked for, rather than a results show. I understand FOX doesn’t have a lot of programming and wants to choke every last second out of a show that gives them ratings, but could they at least focus on the contestants. I hope these changes in Season 10, but I’ve been hoping this since they doubled the results show’s running time many years ago.

4.Tamyra Grey Implosion. Arguably, she was on the way to winning the first season of American Idol. She was probably Kelly Clarkson's main competition. But many will remember when Tamyra sang “I’m So Excited”. It was a disaster, and it ultimately ousted her at position 4. Even Nikki McKibbin outlasted her. That’s got to be a little embarrassing. We will never know if Tamyra Grey would have had the success that Kelly Clarkson did as a result of the win, but that was a terrible Idol moment. To see Tamyra get eliminated click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYekJDp6tV8

3. Sanjaya. Only one word really explains the man who nearly destroyed American Idol. Week after week he sang terrible, and week after week he continued to go through. At points of his dubious run he even knew that he shouldn’t be there. I’m not saying that those who left before him would have went much further, but he was just terrible. And the more that Simon Cowell said that he was terrible, the more the fans rallied behind him, and kept him in. In fact, in a weird twist, the one week that he actually sounded relatively decent and Simon Cowell told him so was the week that he was thankfully kicked off. Sanjaya left lasting impressions that have still lessened some of the respectability that the show once had.

2. Chris Daughtry Gets Voted Out. The first time that a major flaw in the juggernaut known as American Idol came to fruition. Although it was the American public voting, the bandwagon behind Taylor Hicks swelled and the judges only added fuel to the fire. While they lauded Taylor Hicks for being different and unique they let one of the more talented contestants to get kicked off at 4th place. Daughtry had raw talent and deserved more respect than what he was given. They showed they were being a bit biased, and it most definitely bit them. The judges were questioned and proved that they are extremely fallible. To see the shocking clip please, click: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a49P7fSL32U

1. Simon Cowell Leaving. I just don’t see how this will ever be good. He was the bread and butter of the show. We will see how Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler do, but no matter what, Simon Cowell leaving is going to make a bigger impact than when Brian Dunkleman left the show. I mean that was heartbreaking, but this one might prove to be more costly.

Notable Mentions: Having a Top 13. Addition of Ellen DeGeneres. Guest Judges During Live Performances. Addition of Instruments. Allowing Ryan Seacrest’s Ego to Explode.

Please check in with I'dol Be The Judge every day for more news and information. This is the place to be to get the most honest Ameican Idol opinion out there.

American Idol Through The Years(Part 1)

Season 10 is beginning in just a few days, can you feel the excitement? Can ya? No? Well to get you in that American Idol spirit I’dol be The Judge will be bringing out our Favorite Idol Winners & Losers, Favorite Idol Moments, Worst Idol Moments as well as Much Much More.

Today we will rank the 9 American Idol Winners. Let’s see where your favorite lands:

9: Lee Dewyze(Season 9)=I’m sorry but Crystal Bowersox consistently beat him week to week. It’s true she might have peaked a little early, but week to week she outshined everyone and in a season of very weak performers she was a bright star. DeWyze had a decent back story, a relatively decent voice and a cute face, DeWyze is easily the 9th best Idol Winner out of 9 seasons.


8. Kris Allen(Season 8)= Although Kris Allen definitely stepped up his game in the last couple weeks, he was still outshined by the season’s runner up Adam Lambert. Kris Allen fit more with the cookie cutter American Idol winner than Adam Lambert. Allen was a cute guy with a decent voice and was the opposite of Adam Lambert. The audience chose but in this instance they chose wrong.


7. Taylor Hicks(Season 5)= In no way do I think that runner-up Katherine McPhee should have won or third runner-up Eliott Yamin, we all know that the biggest shocker of Season 5 and probably American Idol history was the elimination of Chris Daughtry. It’s possible that Daughtry’s fame might have been more catapulted due to his elimination, but it’s still one of the biggest shockers in AI history. Taylor Hicks had a following that helped gain him the win. He had an interesting voice and once Daughtry was eliminated was the best singer still available.



6. Ruben Studdard(Season 2)= The battle between him and Clay Aiken was one of the tightest races in American Idol history. Out of 24 million votes Ruben won by a slim margin of a little over 100,000. He and Clay Aiken both helped American Idol gain traction. He had a smooth voice and was a loveable guy. But his album sales and popularity pales in comparison to runner up Clay Aiken.



5. Jordin Sparks(Season 6)= In the season of Sanjaya, Jordin Sparks was a star. This season also saw our first(and hopefully only) beat boxer in Blake Lewis. Simon loved Melinda Doolittle but she also peaked a little early, enough to let young Jordin Sparks gain confidence and traction and create some of the more memorable performances in the season. Jordin is also the last female to win American Idol. We’ll see if Season 10 can change this fortune.


4. David Cook(Season 7)= Season 7 probably will go down as the season of the instruments. It was the first time in American Idol history that contestants can play their instruments. This might have helped David Cook overtake teen “heart-throb” David Archuletta. Good or bad, Cook changed the way the subsequent seasons would look. It’s possible that Season 8 and 9 the contestants hid behind their instruments, but David Cook did it to perfection. He changed classic songs to make it sound like he just created them. Cook is still one of the more original contestants to ever grace the American Idol stage.



3. Fantasia Barrino(Season 3)= In the season of “the diva” Fantasia overtook them all. Her story of being a single mom, being illiterate, having a very rough childhood, along with having one of the most interesting voices and great performing skills allowed Fantasia Barrino to overtake contestants like future Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson and future lounge singer Diana DeGarmo. Honestly there hasn’t been a slam dunk, no doubt about it finale in American Idol history than Fantasia versus Diana. Fantasia probably is still one of the best performers in American Idol history.



2. Carrie Underwood(Season 4)= If only Carrie Underwood wasn’t on Season 4, Bo Bice probably would have won the season. Unfortunately Bo, along with all the other contestants had to run into a force named Carrie Underwood. I don’t think that I have rooted for any other contestant more than I did for Carrie. She was just something special, and her popularity, fame and fortune have shown that she really has everything and more than we thought in Season 4. Simon Cowell predicted before the season began to air that she would be the winner. From the moment she stepped onto the stage to when the confetti rained down Carrie Underwood proved why she deserves to be one of the best American Idols ever.




1. Kelly Clarkson(Season 1)= Although one might say there wouldn’t be a Kelly Clarkson without American Idol, in all honesty, there would be no American Idol without Kelly Clarkson. She was able to turn American Idol into the juggernaut it was, and to a certain extent still is. She was able to break through all of the music industry’s walls and make her presence known. She was an unbelievable contestant and was able to parlay this into a fantastic career. Although Carrie Underwood has outsold Clarkson in album sales, there would be no Carrie Underwood without the success of Kelly Clarkson. Clarkson gave the show notoriety and respectability. Although Justin Guarini was a formidable runner up, and Season 1 had other talent in Tamara Gray, Clarkson was a star. Despite some recent album issues, she still is by far the best American Idol winner.


So there you have it, 9 American Idol winners, some good, some bad and some fantastic. American Idol has had some interesting contestants over the years, so I give all the winners some credit for being one of only nine. It is a title that will follow them wherever they go. The best compliment an artist can get is for everyone to forget that they were a part of American Idol, only Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson can justifiably do this.

I hope Season 10 brings back the credibility and fame that some of the past winners have received, we shall soon see.

Check back in with I’dol Be The Judge, where we will be tackling some of the best and worst moments of American Idol history.

More Changes Comin...

We are less than 3 weeks away from the beginning of Season 10 of American Idol. Who's getting excited? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Honestly, it's going to be an interesting season, a lot of big changes that can either resurrect the show, or totally demolish anything left of the once powerful juggernaut. Announced earlier today was more changes for the new season. Let's see what they are discuss them because some are good some...well, let's get to it.

Top 10 or Top 12. This one is still up in the air. They have done Top 12 for several years now. Although the Top 10 would get us to the better contestants early, sometimes having a Top 12 will save a couple contestants that are at that point only 11th or 12th best, but could possibly move up. The decision of Top 10 or Top 12 won't be announced until the producers determine if there is enough talent to make out a Top 12. I think this is a wise move, if there aren't 12 great and unbelievable contestants than 10 is enough. Wasn't that a TV Show? Maybe that was 8. Moving on.

No Gender Parity. This means that the Top 10 or Top 12(which ever they decide) will consist of the best Top 10 or Top 12, not best 5 males and 5 females or 6 males or 6 females. If we all remember last season there was an outcry that about 2-4 women would have made the Top 12 if not for Gender Parity allowing at least 2-3 sub par men to enter the Top 12. I applaud American Idol for changing this up. If there are 8 women and only 4 men then so be it, at least it will be the best of the best, not just gender based. I know that there is a chance that because of the teen girls voting that this could turn into a male dominated season, but if there are some women who are unbelievable I don't see anyone not voting for them just because of their gender.

Top 20 Sudden Death. For the past several years they have done a Top 24 with 3 weeks of voting to narrow it down to Top 12. This season they will instead of have 2 rounds of 10 and choose either 5 or 6 from each round. So each contestant will only get one opportunity to impress the judges and voters. If you are talented and mess up one time you might be gone right away. In past years contestants were able to squeak by round after round due to gender parity and only 2 contestants leaving each week. This time the best 5 or 6 will remain. This could be great or terrible. Sometimes it takes a couple weeks for viewers to get impressed. If we remember back to Season 2, Clay Aiken was only chosen in the Wild Card round. He was not initially selected for the Top 10. So good luck to the Top 20 because there will be nothing there to save you if you mess up once. Although viewers will see them in prepackaged tapes from previous rounds, being live and being in a taped package are 2 totally different things. So we'll see.

Overall, these changes seem that they will enhance the show. You never will know until it all plays out. But stay tuned to I'dol Be The Judge for all the latest breaking news. Just a reminder that Season 10 of American Idol begins Wednesday January 19th and we will bring you all the commentary and Idol information that you could possibly want right here at I'dol Be The Judge. Tell your friends. :)