Scotty McCreery's "I Love You This Big" is Pretty Solid, For An American Idol Winner's Single At Least

Congratulations to Scotty McCreery for winning the tenth season of American Idol.

But now, with all of the glitter mopped up at the Staples Center, it is time to hear whether this guy can actually make it as the superstar the singing competition desperately needs. McCreery's (and runner-up Lauren Alaina's) first single weas released this morning, and per usual, it quickly shot up to the upper reaches of the iTunes chart.

Scotty's single is called "I Love You This Big". It's a straight-through country ballad, dedicated to a girl who he loves a lot (if you consider "this big" a lot). There's nothing incredible about the song itself; its sounds like something Garth Brooks would've recorded if he was sixteen. What is pretty incredible is Scotty's voice. For a kid who still hasn't graduated high school yet, it sounds like he's been a staple at the Grand Ole Opry for years. He has a very rich deep voice, with that country twang that makes even the corniest lyric sound really, really sweet, like the top of the chorus.

Scotty will definitely need to upgrade from cookie-cutter material when he releases his debut album, but for right now, he has a voice that will carry him far in the country genre. Hell, he might even have a pop crossover or two.

Rating: 7/10

American Idol Season 10 Poster Revealed!

Honestly, I believe this will be the last season of American Idol, but at least it's going out with a bang!

FOX has revealed the first promotional poster for the iconic talent show's tenth season, featuring new judges Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez. It is another product of an increasingly agressive campaign to save the show from flogging ratings.

Check it out below: is this enough to get you interested this year?

American Idol's Mess: Ellen and Kara Out, J.Lo In!

Jennifer Lopez is reportedly
joining American Idol this winter

After a terrible ratings season and Simon Cowell officially gone from American Idol, the show's producers have been scrambling to retool the show and save it from its inevitable cancellation.

The first step, completely shake up the judging panel.

Yesterday, Ellen Degeneres shockingly announced that she was leaving the show after one season. She claimed that she never really felt comfortable on the show and that she made the decision months ago, only announcing it once the producers found a suitable replacement.

But Ellen isn't the only one on her way out.

While it should have happened last year, singer-songwriter Kara DioGuardi has been reportedly fired from the show as well, hours after Ellen's announcement. TMZ reportedly wants to go back to a three-person panel, after facing criticism for the change back in season 8.

So, with the two ladies gone, who will be on the panel?

Well, Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Jennifer Lopez has joined the show. She served as a mentor for season six's Latin Night (a.k.a., the night Sanjaya sang "Besame Mucho"). The news has yet to be confirmed by FOX, but rumors also suggest that the panel will be announced on Monday.

Another name floating around alongside Lopez's is Aerosmith's frontman Steven Tyler. There is no information about Randy Jackson's status on the show.

I'm sorry, but I still belong to the school of thought that this show should have been cancelled the minute Simon quit. Ratings are down, contestant sales and chart positions have been dropping, and frankly, the show is a joke now. Instead of ending it with dignity (and on top), it is clear the network is going to let this dying horse continue to ride until it's flat out dead.

Oh well, time for X Factor!

Adam Lambert Mentors American Idol's Top 8 Next Week: Why?

Um, why?

That is my response to the news that last year's hyper-controversial runner-up Adam Lambert will serve as a mentor to the contestants next week. He is also expected to perform his latest single "Whataya Want From Me" on the results show, alongside Rihanna.

I'm sorry, but why? Seriously.

I think it's pretty neat having a past contestant mentor the current ones, since they've been through it all. But, was the show's winner, Kris Allen, busy or something? What about the first winner, Kelly Clarkson, who actually has some substantial (actually massive) hits under her belt? There's AI friendly winner Carrie Underwood, who will be performing again at Idol Gives back, their annual charity show. Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson? Daughtry? I mean Adam has been through the Idol grind, and he's probably the most scrutinized ex-contestant in the show's history, but his career is just taking off (barely), so what he is really going to offer? plus, when it comes down to it, he didn't win (and before people attack for listing Hudson and Daughtry, they have massive success to counteract their early eliminations).

We'll see how he does, he may even do well, but right now it seems like another stupid decision this season.

Is American Idol Dead?

Has the "Death Star" finally faded?

Last week, I sat and watched R&B week on American Idol, with superstar Usher as the mentor. His advice was actually quite constructive (maybe his work with Justin Bieber helped) and, with another group of contestants, it would have resulted in some extraordinary performances.

But this isn't another group, now is it?

Yet, it wouldn't be fair to blame the reality show juggernaut's flailing season on the overall weak contestants. No, American Idol, once considered the most powerful show on television, has eroded into a decaying farce guaranteed to collapse the minute Cowell bids it adieu for the US version of The X Factor. 

While this season was certainly the straw that broke the camel's back, it was last season and the months following that revealed the holes in the battleship.

In a move that still boggles the mind, the producers added a fourth judge in the form of Kara DioGuardi, a noted songwriter responsible for hits from many major pop/rock stars, including inaugural AI winner Kelly Clarkson. While Paula Abdul insisted there was no conflict between the two women, everyone knew why Kara was brought on. It was a message from the producers to Paula that if need be, she was replaceable. 

It turns out that wasn't the case.

Kara's first run on the show was lukewarmly received at best. Her addition was seen as an unnecessary disruption to the chemistry of the three original judges. She was also responsible for the worst coronation single in the show's history, "No Boundaries". Both versions by winner Kris Allen and runner-up Adam Lambert were flops, and even former producer Nigel Lythgoe declared it the "only downside" of the show's finale. Speaking of the finale, Kara participated in an embarrassing display of upstaging with the infamous "Bikini Girl", showing off her own bikini body.

Despite a largely underwhelming freshman run, Kara was brought back for a second year, while the beloved Paula was ousted over a contract dispute. In her place was Hollywood's resident funny lady Ellen Degeneres, who had hosted several American Idol contestants after their elimination. Other than that and her obvious love of music, there was really no other reason for her hiring over more qualified people (Shania Twain comes to mind). Before she was chosen, there were a flurry of guest judges over the audition process. Some were good (the aforementioned Shania, Mary J. Blige, Katy Perry, and surprisingly Neil Patrick Harris) and some just didn't make sense (Joe Jonas, Posh Spice, and honestly, Neil Patrick Harris).

If the judging process wasn't enough to show the chinks in Idol's previously impervious armor, then Simon Cowell's bombshell announcement that he was quitting did the job. He announced before the start of the season that he signed a deal with FOX to help the American version of the popular UK program The X Factor, the show responsible for Leona Lewis. With Simon being one foot out the door already, it made people question how American Idol would fair this season.

We now know the answer: not well, at all.

For the first time, the show has no real breakout contestant. In a post-Sanjaya world, you would think that there would at least be a shockingly terrible contestant who slipped through the cracks to entertain us. Somehow, every contestant, some competent, some not, is pretty boring. One of the best male vocalists, Lee, has the personality of a wet mop. Tim Urban, who committed song murder with Anita Baker's "Sweet Love", is nothing more than eye candy for the ladies. Siobhan screams a lot, although well. Bowersox, who might as well just take the crown now, will doubtfully see mainstream success. Aaron is a poor man's David Archuleta. Mike is Ruben reincarnated. Katie is the show's Miley Cyrus, just with a lot less charisma (note: this may be the first time I've every complimented Miley on this blog). And the others aren't good enough to actually remember. Never before in as AI season have I been so disinterested by the fate of the contestants we're supposed to be thoroughly invested in.

But as I said before, it's not all their fault.

The judge's performances, which are just as important as the contestant's, has been appalling compared to previous seasons. Never before has the advice given been so inconsistent, and in some cases just plain wrong. Even though Ellen is trying her best, Paula's quirky brand of enthusiastic support and genuine perspective is sorely missed. Following the tepid success of some previous winners, the judges are pushing the "artist" notion harder and harder, resulting in some advice that is clearly screwing up the contestants. Take Katie, who Simon and Kara have been fighting over for weeks, trying to figure out whether she's pop or country. What the judges don't realize is that this artistry thing is kind of pointless, since every week is a new theme that is likely unrelated to their own personal style. While some have navigated pretty well (by some, I mean Crystal), others are so inept in song choice that flounder around helplessly on stage (or just slide around on the floor, right Tim?).

Then there is Ryan Seacrest. I'll be frank; I have never liked the guy that much. He is probably the hardest-working man in showbusiness, which I'll give him credit for, but his continual ubiquitousness with everything pop culture has been really grating. This season, he has been bringing that to the show, talking longer with the contestants, almost trying to delve into their psyche. He took it to a whole different level of awkward with Didi last week as he relentlessly pressed the emotional contestant as to why she chose "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted". Condemnations on Twitter immediately followed. The most irritating part of his new hosting style is how he openly challenges the judges' critiques, going as far as to get into Simon's face over one contestant. Whether he's aiming for Simon's seat is unknown, but Ryan, being the host, should keep his distance. It's a blatant overstep of his duties, and it's really, really annoying.

American Idol has had astronomical success since the summor of 2002, when Kelly took the crown and went on to become a pop princess. The show has given us plenty of gifted, successful talent such as Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, and Chris Daughtry. it has also given us a lot of watercooler talk, like the red state/blue state controversy last year with Adam and Kris and Hurricane Sanjaya. Unfortunately, it appears the show has finally reached the end of its relevancy. With decreasing sales and chart positions of its singers and its disarming ratings defeat by Dancing with the Stars, alongside the most boring season ever, it may be time to pack things up and make way for another show to find America's untapped talent, like the Simon-helmed X Factor. Of course, the show coulf continue without him for as long as possible, but it won't be the real Idol.

The real Idol, the Idol with Randy, Paula, and Simon finding the best of the best, is dead and buried.

Single Battle: Kris Allen's "Live Like We're Dying" v.s. Adam Lambert's "For Your Entertainment"

VS

November has officially arrived, which means two things to me: it's my birthday month and the American Idol albums are coming out.

Now, as its been since the days of Kelly and Justin Guarini (remember him?), is the time when we see whether America made the right choice for its Idol and if either of the contestants actually have a viable career in pop music. Nine rounds in, we've had monumental successes (Kelly, Carrie, Daughtry, Jennifer), disastrous flops (Ruben, Taylor, in some ways Fantasia) and unexplainable anomalies (William Hung). The question this time is, where will winner Kris and runner-up Adam will lie?

This year is all the more interesting considering a pretty huge amount of people believe Lambert was robbed this past May. Are their claims validated when you compare their lead singles.

Guess its time for a single battle (it's been a long time, huh)!

"Live Like We're Dying" by Kris Allen - A cover from Irish band The Script, this pop/rock song is nothing less than you would expect from the acoustic guitar-wielding Allen. It's not the most daring arrangement (see his Heartless performance), but it features a more-than-pleasant vocal performance from Kris Allen. Lyrically, its inspirational and realistic without being drippy or corny, even though its a bit safe. If I am being honest, this sounds like a song he would've performed during an off week on Idol. That being said, Kris' off weeks were still pretty spectacular. It is a solid first single, but the push to buy the album still comes from his brilliant American Idol performance.

"For Your Entertainment" by Adam Lambert - Where Kris is safe, Adam is downright dangerous. This glossy glam-pop song is all about mixing pain and pleasure, fun and fire, and any other opposing noun with obvious sexual undertones. Coming from someone who wasn't crazy about some of Adam's over-the-top performances (Ring of Fire was nightmarish), I was pleased to hear some restraint in the vocal department. His singing in the verses are delightfully menacing, and the trademarking high-note shrieking was saved from the middle eight, which was a very smart move. The song itself sounds perfect for radio without sounding too similar to everything else. This a great first single.

As I much I like Kris Allen and am glad he won, the first single battle has to go to Lambert. His is a bit more interesting and cool than Allen's, and it's got me really intrigued about the album.

If its any consolation, Kris' album cover shits on Adam's.

THINK I'M WRONG! VOTE ON THE BEST SINGLE BELOW:

Adam Lambert Swagga Jacks Kylie and Blake Lewis For New Album Cover

American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert is dropping his new album For Your Entertainment later this year, and he revealed the album artwork today:



It's bad enough the cover is an utter hot mess, but the concept has already been done, a hundred times better, by Kylie Minogue for her 2007 album X (even down to the font):



Lambert also apparently drew inspiration from fellow runner-up Blake Lewis, who used the space theme for his disastrous flop album Audio Day Dream:



Adam Lambert borrowing from two albums that flopped in the United States (love you Kylie) is not a good look. Borrowing from two flop albums to make a hideous album is an even worse look. It's one of the worst album covers of the year, by far.

For Your Entertainment is due for release November 23rd.

American Idol Shocker! Paula Abdul WILL NOT Return Next Season!

It has been announced that Paula Abdul, one of the three original judges on reality juggernaut American Idol will not be returning next year.

Paula, on her Twitter, revealed the surprising news. While she didn't explain what caused the show to drop her, she did write that she would miss mentoring the contestants.

Paula's absence was first alluded to by her manager, who revealed in an interview that they were not presented with a new contract, two weeks before the auditions started. At the same time, it was announced that Ryan Seacrest would be $15 million a year in a three-year contract. According to reports, Paula was trying to increase her paycheck is well, but clearly the producers were not having it.

Paula's departure from the show leaves two original judges Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson, as well as new judge Kara DioGuardi, who was met with mixed response when she joined last season.

As a fan of the three original judges (I'm sorry, but Kara was one of the worse things about last season), I think this is a big mistake for the show. Paula, despite the tabloid craziness, is very popular and considering the show's popularity is beginning to wane, making such a drastic change like this is very dangerous for the show.

For me, it looks my Tuesday and Wednesday nights have freed up.

Good News, Kara! A Pop Song Exists That’s Worse Than “No Boundaries”, and It’s Called “It’s My Time” by Jade Ewen

           

Jade Ewen (right) has released “It’s My Time”, the UK’s entry for Eurovision 2009 and the British version of “No Boundaries”, the American Idol season eight song co-written by Kara DioGuardi (left)

American Idol winners’ singles have never been known for their Grammy worthiness, but it reached a whole new low with “No Boundaries”,co-written by fourth judge Kara DioGuardi. The song will go down in AI history for having the most clichéd lyrics and for being so lacking a melody that it made both Adam Lambert and Kris Allen sound bad live.

Just as I thought that I found one of the worst TV-related singles ever (as much as it sucks, it can’t be the worst song ever), I was corrected when I stumbled upon “It’s My Time” by Jade Ewen.

The song was the United Kingdom’s entry in the annual Eurovision Song Contest, written by Broadway legend Andrew Lloyd Webber and songwriting queen Diane Warren. The song came in fifth place, but it was the country’s best showing since 2002, so it was still a success.

Well, not really.

“It’s My Time” is a terrible song. I mean terrible, and this is coming from someone who loves an overblown pop ballad. Lyrically, it could pass an American Idol coronation song, with its lyrics about climbing past adversity to reach the spotlight. While the concept has been wrung to death, never before has it sounded so boring. First off, the title is repeated about a hundred times, as if we’re going to forget that it is “her time”, even though we want to. Although to its credit, without the repetition, we wouldn’t know where the chorus was, since the song’s structure is so scattered and unfocused. Another problem is it’s production. While Andrew Lloyd Webber has produced some of the most beloved music in theater, pop is a genre he should definitely steer clear from. It’s over-the-top, melismatic arrangement may sound rich, but its ultimately exhausting and annoying.

Jade Ewen is a good singer, but it’s not really hard to imagine someone else singing this song even better. Still, she happens to be the best part of this dramatic snoozefest. She’s very convincing as she sings this drivel, as if she really believes that this is her moment in the sun.

If only that were true. “It’s My Time”, after its physical release, peaking at flop-worthy #27, well below Eurovision’s winner, Norway’s Alexander Rybak at #10.

It seems like the British people came to their senses about this track, but how on Earth did this place fifth in Eurovision? Similarly, how did the Idol allow “No Boundaries” to be recorded?

Finally, when it comes to contests such as those, why on Earth is the worst of pop music presented?

New Music Alert: Releases From Daughtry, Jordin Sparks, Jonas Brothers, Kanye, and Beyonce

It’s looking to be an interesting month for pop music.

Kelly Clarkson won’t be the only Idol alum to fill the radio waves this summer. Two of the most popular contestants are releasing new singles ahead of their summer album releases: Daughtry and Jordin Sparks.

Daughtry, the band fronted by season 4 frontrunner Chris Daughtry, will premiere their single “No Surprise” on this week’s American Idol results show. Their follow-up to their quadruple-platinum debut album is due in June. The week after, season 6 winner Jordin Sparks will debut her new, Ryan Tedder-penned single “Battlefield”, with a radio adds date of May 25th.

Miley Cyrus may seem to be the leader of the teen pop world with her #4 smash “The Climb”, but she may want to hold off on the crowning. Also coming to radio on May 25th is “Paranoid”, the latest single from Jonas Brothers. “Paranoid” is the lead single from their newest album Lines, Vines, and Trying Times, which will be released in June.

Another “Paranoid” single comes from Kanye West, who is reportedly releasing the remix he made with pop princess Rihanna. A video has also been filmed with a release in the future.

Beyonce is preparing another double single release. Like “Single Ladies”/”If I Were a Boy” and “Diva”/”Halo” before, the diva has paired the ballad “Broken-Hearted Girl” and the feisty “Ego” together for a May release. “BHG” will be released to pop radio, while “Ego” goes to Urban stations.

Stay with BWU for the latest in pop music coming your way…

American Idol 8: Movie Night Flops Big Time!

Let me get this straight:

There are literally MILLIONS of songs from motion pictures to choose from, and yet somehow, TWO people perform Bryan Adams? Who the hell is helping them choose these songs?

Proving that this season will go down as one of the worst, the movie theme failed to bring out anything new in our Top 7. The most compelling moment of the night was Lil Rounds fighting back against Simon's downright cruel criticism.

Points have to be given to Kris Allen. Unlike his fellow contestants, Kris decided to be a bit more original, choosing the "obscure" (as Kara put it) Academy Award-winning song "Falling Slowly". It was a simple and understated performance, while delivering his best vocal yet. I didn't even know he could hit some of those notes. Listening back, it was definitely the best performance of the night. Falling somewhat in Kris' footsteps is Adam Lambert, who pretty much has this season in the bag. He chose "Born To Be Wild", which was a bit disappointing (I finally understand what Simon means when he says "indulgent"). He needs to go back to performances like "Mad World" and "Tracks of My Tears". That's where the gold is.

Alison Iraheta and Anoop Desai may have chosen predictable songs, but the performances were pretty solid. Alison's choice of "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" by Aerosmith had me raising an eyebrow at first, but she did her thing. Anoop's choice of "Everything I Do" by Bryan Adams (the first of two by him) really had me worried, but he proving himself to be quite the vocalist. It was a very strong performance from him, but I unfortunately doubt its ability to keep him from the Bottom Three.

In the second most shocking song choice of the night, Danny Gokey chose "Endless Love", the duet by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie. I honestly have no clue why he would choose that, of all the movie love songs in history. His vocals are, without a question, srong, but once again, the performance was boring.

The worst performance of the night goes to Matt Giraud, who hasn't truly wowed me since the first week of the finals. He chose the second Bryan Adams song of the night, "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" from Don Juan Demarco. The song was a mess, and his voice didn't even make up for half of it.

What everyone will be talking about tomorrow is Lil Rounds, who may have just sung her last song on the Tuesday stage. Once deemed a front-runner, she has endured weekly complaints from the judges about her lack of "artistry". Apparently, she thought choosing "The Rose" by Bette Midler would prove once and for all she had that.

Seriously, though. "The Rose"? What the hell?

Anyway, I thought she did a good job of the song, showing off her considerable, although under-utilized, vocal chops. She even injected some gospel into the song. That wasn't enough for Simon, who skewered the shrinking diva with this cutting remark: "you are not the artist I believe we met seven or eight weeks ago". That finally caused Lil to snap, arguing that she did what the judges asked of her. Simon's reply? "But it was Bette Midler". Frankly, I think the judges and their "artistry" complaints this season are full of BS, but that's for another post. Either way, Lil's performance just wasn't up to snuff for the judges.

With such a broad theme, this week, like last week, was ridiculously uninspiring. If this show did anything, it really highlighted how the former mighty have fallen and how the current mighty can be stagnant.

Who's in the Bottom Three: Matt Giraud, Lil Rounds, Anoop Desai

Who's Going Home: Lil Rounds

Kris Allen Leaps To Forefront on American Idol

Kris Allen, when it was revealed that he was a member of American Idol's Top 13 this season, was supposed to be a middle-of-the-pack contestant, warming us up until the Danny-Adam finale.

In the last three weeks, however, Allen's Idol stock has been steadily rising, thanks to some very smart song choices that showed off his considerable talent. First, there was his wonderful, vulnerable take on the Bob Dylan classic "Make You Feel My Love" during the ill-advised Country week. Then there was his charming and wistful rendition of "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" for last week's Motown show.

It was this week's performance, though, that launched Kris Allen into true contender status.

For the (honestly ridiculous) iTunes week, Kris chose Idol favorite "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers. Usually attached to his guitar, Kris switched it up, pulling out a keyboard. The change was inspired, helping him fulfill his desire of delivering a "moment" in his performance. Make that multiple "moments", since everything about the performance was effortless and perfect: the on-point vocals, the creative arrangement, and even the high note at the end. It all came together in a performance that brings to mind other Idol coming-outs, like Carrie Underwood in Season 4.

If Kris Allen can continue riding this wave of momentum, than he could surprise everybody and break into the finale.

"Idol" Worship: The Best of American Idol (3/17)

Here are who I thought were the best on last night's country episode of American Idol:

Kris Allen (Make You Feel My Love)
Like many contestants last night, Kris Allen decided to forgo his gimmick (the guitar, that I personally thought tarnished the classic "Remember The Time" last week) and sing straight though. There couldn't have been a better song choice that the pop classic covered by everyone from Billy Joel to Adele. Allowing himself to be vulnerable during that performance revealed a completely different side to Kris, a side that actually has an awesome voice. With that performance, he completely skyrocketed from bottom of the pack to serious contender.

Anoop Desai (Always On My Mind)
Speaking of comebacks, Anoop Dogg is BACK! After an honestly dismal showing during Michael Jackson week, the fan favorite proved Simon wrong by delivering a stunning vocal that no one expected. It was surprisingly powerful and unveiled a set of pipes that I never knew existed, especially considering previous weeks. Congrats to him for delivering a serious game-changer.

Danny Gokey (Jesus Take The Wheel)
The choice was annoyingly obvious (Danny is a choir director, after all). The verses were a bit low in pitch and not quite strong (the Leona Lewis syndrome). However, once he hit the chorus, he quickly became Danny again, powering through notes like it was absolutely nothing. Clearly still a front-runner, he just needs to choose songs that compliments his considerable vocal strength.

Jackomania Sweeps World Again: SIXTEEN More Dates Added, New Single and Album, and American Idol Tribute

Anyone who doubted the commercial power of Michael Jackson may want to think again.

Since last week's announcement of the King of Pop's London comeback concerts, over 1 million people have registered for the pre-sale alone. On the day of the pre-sale, over 1.5 million fans across the globe crashed the websites of the O2 Arena and Ticketmaster UK in a desperate attempt to snap up tickets, according to Britain's Daily Mail.

The demand for tickets led AEG, the organizers for the concerts, to extend the concert series to a total of 26 dates, with more being added by the hour. The concerts currently run through July and August, ending in early September.

Sales of Jackson's records have also seen major spikes since last week's sensational announcement. UK music website Play.com saw sale increases of over 150% for Thriller, Dangerous, Bad, and Off The Wall, which saw the largest increase of 200%.

Across the pond here in the States, Jackomania is slowly, but assuredly taking over pop culture, The biggest sign of that was last night's American Idol episode, which was dedicated to him. The Top 13 contestants performed songs from his catalog, ranging from his first ever single "Rockin' Robin" to his Grammy-winning smash "Beat It". The Idol impact has driven 10 of Michael's songs into iTunes Top 100 Pop Songs already. The Essential Michael Jackson, a compilation released in 2005, sits at #22 on iTunes Top 100 Albums.

Speaking of MJ music, AEG head Randy Phillips announced that Michael will release a new single before the July 8th concert date. "Michael has got some new music and he is looking for a new way of disseminating his material to his fans," he told The Sun.

Michael officially parted with original record label Sony BMG in 2001, after he accused the company of lackluster promotion of his album Invincible and former label head Tommy Mottola of racism.

A week into the long-rumored and oft-doubted comeback, it appears that the Gloved One truly is the King of Pop.

American Idol Shocker! Top 12 Becomes Top 13!

OK, to be honest, I was kind of expecting it, but it was still a shocker nonetheless!

On tonight's Wild Card show, eight rejected contestants were given a second chance at the "illustrious" Top 12. They were expecting only three spots to be open, so there was a lot of tension going in.

After everyone sang, the judges made their deliberations and chose Jazmine Murray and Megan Joy Corkey. Well into Hell's Kitchen, Matt Giraud and Anoop Desai were the two left standing. The judges said Matt's name, leaving everyone shocked since Anoop was clearly the crowd favorite. Just as the shock was about to set in, Simon amended the decision, declaring the change to a Top 13. That meant that Anoop was in!

So, talk about a shakeup (I blame EW.com for ruining the surprise for me)!

Here is the official Top 13:

Kris Allen
Megan Corkrey
Anoop Desai
Matt Giraud
Danny Gokey
Alexis Grace
Allison Iraheta
Adam Lambert
Scott MacIntyre
Jasmine Murray
Jorge Nuñez
Lil Rounds
Michael Sarver

Starting next week, I will be officially covering American Idol Season 8, offering my opinion on the song choices, performances, guests, and of course the results.

American Idol Season 8: The Final Group of 12 (Who Rocked, Who Didn't, And Who Did I Have To Wikipedia To Write This Post)

As you may have noticed, I haven't written an American Idol Season Eight post at all, which is odd since I covered the series extensively last year.

The truth is, the last two weeks of semi-finalists were so uninspiring (generally speaking; there were a few exceptions, with "few" being the operative word), I didn't care to try. This week, however, revived my interest in the aging reality show.

There were many more moments of interest and excitement than there has been at all this year. I can safely say that almost everyone chose a song that worked for them, making for a very good show. It's a shame that many of these kids will fall to the axe on tonight's show. Here's my rundown of the best, the worst, and the forgettable:

Lil Rounds (Be Without You) - It was clear from her audition that the mother of three would be a favorite on the program. So, it was no surprise that the budding diva rocked the end of the show with a sassy rendition of May J. Blige's smash hit "Be Without You". Easily the best female vocalist of the seson, she performed with an energy that we haven't seen on this show since....well, definitely not this season

Ju'Not Joyner (Hey There Delilah) - I honestly thought this would be a disaster for Ju'Not, who fought against a painful elimination last year to stand on this stage. Yet, he turned the angsty, pop/rock hit into a mellow soul ballad, which is clearly his niche. His phrasing was excellent, and you could tell he was into the song. Although I'm fearful that he might be pushed aside come tonight, I doubt this is the last we will see of the smooth crooner.

Jose Nunez (Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me) - Another choice that I thought was pretty bad, at first. I forgot that Nunez, who was rudely told by the judges to erase his accent, had a powerhouse voice, and that he could carry the Elton John classic. Of course it wasn't perfect, but it definitely set him amongst the leading male singers of this year.

Scott MacIntyre (Mandalin Rain) - I'm not going to sugarcoat it, there were times when he let his voice go completely out of control. Still, he showed more passion that the entire first week combined (sorry Danny Gokey). It was great to watch, and I hope makes it to the next round.

Kristin MacNamara (Give Me One Reason) - I remembered her as the crying, dramatic girl from the Hollywood round, who was diagnosed with an identity crisis by Dr. Kara DioGuardi before being admitted to the top 36. Now, I will remember her as the girl with the shockingly great voice. Once again, DioGuardi's comments confused me: why should this brilliant singer limit herself to Kelly Clarkson material (a.k.a, the stuff she writes)? If she can sing Tracy Chapman with that amount of fire, let her.

Von Smith (You're All I Need To Get By) - This guy helped set the tone for tonight, in my opinion. Although he admittedly has style issues (not as bad early Clay Aiken, like Simon alluded to last night), he sounded great, and I thought he brought a fresh spin to the Motown classic. The vocals kind of reminded me of last week's Adam Lambert, except less shrieky and severe

Alex Wagner-Truman (I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues) -  If I had my eyes shut listening to this guy sing, I would've thought he was a lion devouring a gazelle. Opening the eyes, you see it's only the lanky, nerdy guy who showed off a great voice previously, trying to be something he's clearly not. When he was growling like a mad man, there were some good moments. Still, it was definitely entertaining to watch.

Kendall Beard (This One's For The Girls) - Good news for her; she's no Kristy Lee Cook. Bad news for her; her rendition of Martina McBride's song came off as sickeningly sweet with no kind of edge or interest. She looked the best of the night, though, and considering country music's growing presence (thanks Taylor Swift), it shouldn't be hard for the teen to get some attention. Hell, if Jessica Simpson could do it, so can she.

Felicia Barton (No One) - Felicia Barton is one lucky lady. Thanks to Joanna Pacitti's swift boot, she was given a second chance at glory. Too bad she didn't utilize it too much. Her performance was so forgettable, I accidentally mistook her for Taylor Vaifanua...

Taylor Vaifanua (If I Ain't Got You) - That's what you get for singing a song by the same artist as another forgettable contestant. Her performance was a complete snoozefest, so much so that there isn't much to write.

Arianna Asfar (The Winner Takes It All) - Poor Arianna. Actually, scratch that. The teen had to have known what was coming by choosing the 30-year old ABBA track (by the way, she pronounced the group's name wrong). There wasn't a vocal run in the world to save that rendition, or her Idol career.

Brandon's Picks for the Top 12: Scott MacIntyre, Lil Rounds, Ju'Not Joyner

New Music Spotlight: "Fight For Love" by Elliott Yamin

A little over a year ago, second runner-up of American Idol's fifth season Elliott Yamin, smashed expectations with his indie debut album. There wasn't a pop radio station in the country in 2007 that didn't play Top 20 smash "Wait For You". The song's success propelled Yamin's album to sales that independent labels dream of, and gained far more popularity than winner Taylor Hicks.

Now, the curly-haired crooner is releasing his sophomore album, titled Fight For Love. He dropped the lead single, also titled "Fight For Love" this week, with an official release coming inearly March.

Refreshingly, Elliott decides to switch things up this time around. While he started his last album era with a beautiful pop ballad, he's pushing forward with an uptempo R&B/pop sound. "Fight For Love" is a love anthem, with silky smooth verses and a bouncing chrous that'll make you want to wave a hand in the air when you hear it in concert. The increase in tempo doesn't take away from Elliott's voice. His voice smoothly carries the verses before bursting into powerful declarations in the chorus. Essentially, its ready for pop radio.

Elliott is still technically an indie artist swimming in a market filled with big label heavy-hitters, but this new song proves that he doesn't need power suit-wearing execs to make a great song. Expect to hear this song blowing up radio stations across the country, as he continues his "fight" to be heard.

Rating: 7.5/10

Cover This: David Archuleta and David Cook's Albums

  

Both albums are self-titled. Both albums will be released in November. Both albums have an artist named David.

Both album covers suck.

Archuleta, whose look on AI could be mistaken for an injured puppy, looses all of his teen charm in this cover. He looks about 10 years older and looks like a kid who just broke out of juvie. 

Cook looks like he borrowed money from governor Palin's $15K makeup budget. Either that, or someone attacked him with a mascara brush.

The other common thread of these crappy album covers is the hideous fonts. I get it; they're supposed to edgy and cool, but they just aren't attractive.

Whether or not you love them, but wouldn't you be the least bit embarrassed walking out of Wal-Mart with these two albums in your bag? Just a little bit?

American Idol Adds Fourth Judge

The producers of American Idol have made a curious decision; they have hired a fourth permanent judge.

Instead of hiring guest judges like they did in the past (Quentin Tarantino, Gloria Estefan, and Gladys Knight, to name a few), the show has tapped Kara DioGuardi to be the second female judge, next to Paula Abdul.

Never heard of her? Don't worry, you're not alone there.

Kara DioGuardi is a very famous songwriter and producer, one of the most sought-after in the industry. She has written and produced for Celine Dion, Leona Lewis, Jonas Brothers, Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Carrie Underwood, Miley Cyrus, David Archuleta, and many more.

Obviously she is very qualified, but I'm not sure about this choice. I like the chemistry that Paula, Simon, and Randy has, and I feel that she could possibly upset that balance.

Maybe she can help write an Idol winning single that doesn't suck.

Anyway, congrats on getting the job Kara!

Single Battle: David Cook v. David Archuleta

Now, I'm sure some will argue this single battle isn't fair because David Cook's first single was the coronation single, but it seems like the top 3 hit "Time of My Life" is getting a second wind.

In that case, what single is truly better?

Here's David C's:



And here's David A's:



After hearing both, which one do you like the most?