American Idol (Season 5) - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The fifth season of American Idol

American Idol

American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...

began on January 17, 2006 and concluded on May 24, 2006. Randy Jackson

Randy Jackson

Randall Darius "Randy" Jackson is an American bassist, singer, record producer, music manager, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is best known as a judge on American Idol and executive producer for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew...

, Paula Abdul

Paula Abdul

Paula Julie Abdul is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality.In the 1980s, Abdul rose from cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers to highly sought-after choreographer at the height of the music video era before scoring a string of pop music-R&B hits...

and Simon Cowell

Simon Cowell

Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...

returned to judge, and Ryan Seacrest

Ryan Seacrest

Ryan John Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, network producer and voice actor. He is the host of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show that airs on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Canada on Premiere Radio Networks,...

returned to host. It is the most successful season to date ratings-wise and also with 18 contestants (including all of the top 10 and a few semifinalists) getting record deals - nine of them with major labels. It is the first season with a male winner (Taylor Hicks

Taylor Hicks

Taylor Reuben Hicks is an American singer who achieved fame in 2006, when he won the fifth season of American Idol. Hicks got his start as a professional musician in his late teens and performed around the Southeastern United States for well over the span of a decade, during which he also released...

) and a female runner-up (Katharine McPhee

Katharine McPhee

Katharine Hope McPhee is an American pop singer, songwriter, actress, model, and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol in 2006, eventually finishing as the runner-up.Her self-titled debut album was released on RCA Records...

), the second being season 9, and the third being season 10. It was also the first season of the series to be aired in high definition.

Auditions

Auditions were held in seven cities in the summer and fall of 2005. An audition was originally planned for Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....

but that was cancelled due to the Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...

relief effort that was taking place in the city, and replaced by Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...

, Nevada

Nevada

Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...

and Greensboro, North Carolina

Greensboro, North Carolina

Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...

Episode Air Date	Audition City	Date	First Audition Venue	Callback Date	Callback Venue	Golden Tickets
January 17, 2006	Chicago Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... , Illinois Illinois Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...	September 16, 2005	Soldier Field Soldier Field Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...	September 20, 2005	W Hotel	34
January 18, 2006	Denver, Colorado Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...	September 11, 2005	Invesco Field at Mile High INVESCO Field at Mile High Sports Authority Field at Mile High, previously known as Invesco Field at Mile High, and commonly known as Mile High, is a multi-purpose stadium, in Denver, Colorado. It replaced the identically sized, but commercially obsolete Mile High Stadium in 2001...		Colorado Convention Center Colorado Convention Center The Colorado Convention Center is a multi-purpose convention center located in Downtown Denver. The center opened in June 1990; the first event being the NBA Draft for the Denver Nuggets. The convention center was expanded in 2004 to include several meeting rooms, two ballrooms and an indoor...	37
January 24, 2006	Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...	October 3, 2005	Greensboro Coliseum Greensboro Coliseum The Greensboro Coliseum Complex is an entertainment complex located in College Hill neighborhood of Greensboro, North Carolina. Opening in 1959, the arena was one of the largest venues in the South, with a seating capacity of over 7,000...	October 6, 2005	Marriott Downtown	33
January 25, 2006	San Francisco, California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...	August 18, 2005	Cow Palace Cow Palace Cow Palace is an indoor arena, in Daly City, California, situated on the city's border with neighboring San Francisco, notable as a sporting arena.-History:...		Parc 55 Hotel	18
January 31, 2006	Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...	October 10–11, 2005	Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas Convention Center The Las Vegas Convention Center is owned and operated by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority in Las Vegas, Nevada....	October 12–13, 2005	Renaissance Las Vegas	11
February 1, 2006	Austin, Texas Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...	August 25–26, 2005	Frank Erwin Center Frank Erwin Center Frank C. Erwin, Jr. Special Events Center, commonly known as Frank Erwin Center or UT Erwin Center, is a multi-purpose arena on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin...	September 28, 2005	Parc 55 Hotel, San Francisco	12
February 7, 2006	Boston, Massachusetts	August 31, 2005	Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution...	October 27, 2005	Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center Seaport Hotel and Seaport World Trade Center The Seaport Boston Hotel and the neighboring Seaport World Trade Center is located on the Boston waterfront, also known as Commonwealth Pier, in South Boston, Massachusetts.The Seaport Boston Hotel opened in 1998....	28
Total Tickets to Hollywood						175

Later stages of the Austin auditions were held in San Francisco due to Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina

which caused large number of evacuees to be relocated in Texas. The show however made no mention of the venue switch and presented the Austin audition as having taken place entirely in Austin.

Unlike Season Four, no guest judges were involved during the auditions. The season used the same rules as season 4.

One notable auditioner this season was Paula Goodspeed

Paula Goodspeed

Paula Goodspeed was a reality TV show contestant and singer born best known for her appearances on American Idol. She was known for being a huge fan of singer and American Idol judge Paula Abdul, so much so she changed her first name to Paula and modeled her singing career and wardrobe after...

, a fervent fan of Paula Abdul, who auditioned in Austin. In 2008, Goodspeed hit the headlines when she committed suicide outside Abdul's home. Abdul later claimed that she had objected beforehand to Goodspeed being at the audition because she knew Goodspeed and had been frightened by her past behavior, but the producers overrode her objection. The producers Ken Warwick and Nigel Lythgoe however denied being aware of her fears or that they would put her in danger.

In Las Vegas, an auditioner Tora Woloshin gained a golden ticket to Hollywood but was disqualified just before she was due to go to Hollywood for unspecified reason. She later appeared in the first season of X-Factor

The X Factor (U.S.)

The X Factor is an American television music competition to find new singing talent. The show is produced by creator Simon Cowell's company SYCOtv. It premiered on September 21, 2011 on Fox....

Hollywood week

The Hollywood rounds were held at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

. The first round consisted of solo performances with each contestant choosing a song out of the twelve available. 99 contestants made it to the next round for the group performances. Those who did not impress the judges were cut, and the remaining then performed a solo a cappella. After this round, the contestants were separated into 4 groups, and 3 groups went though with 44 contestants chosen. In the Pasadena Civic Center, each were individually taken via elevator to the judges where the verdict if they would be chosen or not was announced. 20 were cut and the final 24, 12 men and 12 woman, selected.

Semi-finals

The semi-finals began on February 21, with the names announced on February 15. There were three shows each week for the three weeks of the semi-finals. There were no format changes from season 4; it featured 12 male singers and 12 female singers (24 total), with two of each being eliminated each week.

The semi-finalists were announced February 15, 2006. The following are semi-finalists who did not reach the finals.

Female semi-finalists

	Ayla Marie Brown Ayla Brown Ayla Marie Brown is an American NCAA basketball player and recording artist from Wrentham, Massachusetts. She is also known for her American Idol showing placing in the Top 16 on season 5 in 2005/06. She is the elder daughter of United States Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts and WCVB-TV... (born July 28, 1988) is from Wrentham, Massachusetts Wrentham, Massachusetts Wrentham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,955 at the 2010 census.- History :Wrentham was first settled by the English in 1660 and officially incorporated in 1673. It was burned down during King Philip's War 1675-1676. For a short time, it was the... and is six feet tall. She attended high school at Noble and Greenough School and was a star basketball player. In 11th grade, she was the 4th woman to have ever scored 1000 points at Noble and Greenough School. During her junior year, she became only the 20th female to have ever scored 2000 points in a career at the high school stage. Her father, Scott Brown Scott Brown Scott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State... , was then-State Senator from Massachusetts, and her mother, Gail Huff Gail Huff Gail Huff is a former American broadcast journalist and television reporter for WCVB-TV, Channel 5, the ABC network affiliate in Bostonand the wife of Scott Brown, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. She has been employed as a reporter at WCVB since 1993, working the 3-10 a.m. shift while her... , is a local television personality at WCVB-TV WCVB-TV WCVB-TV, channel 5, is a television station located in Boston, Massachusetts, owned by Hearst Television and affiliated with the ABC Television Network. WCVB-TV's studios and transmitter are co-located in Needham, Massachusetts. WCVB is also one of six Boston television stations seen in Canada by... . She also has a sister, Arianna Brown. She had a college basketball Basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules... scholarship at Boston College Boston College Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early... . She originally auditioned in Boston, singing "Ain't No Mountain High Enough Ain't No Mountain High Enough "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is an R&B/soul song written by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson in 1966 for the Tamla Motown label. The composition was first successful as a 1967 hit single recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, becoming a hit again in 1970 when recorded by former Supremes... ." After being voted off American Idol on March 9, 2006, she has continued to tour throughout the New England area, and released with singles "Know You Better" and "I Quit" in September followed the album "Forward" in October. She performed the National Anthem at the 2006 Boston Pops July 4 concert.
	Shontai Kinnik Sky Marshall (born May 13, 1977) is from Duluth, Georgia Duluth, Georgia Duluth is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia and an increasingly more affluent and developed suburb of Atlanta. Unincorporated portions of Forsyth County also have Duluth as a mailing address, though this area is outside city limits... . She auditioned in Greensboro Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S... . She was grouped with Nicole Turk, Celeste Scalone and Tyra Schwartz during the group rounds.
	Heather Richelle Cox (born November 16, 1983) is from Jonesville, North Carolina Jonesville, North Carolina Jonesville is the oldest town in Yadkin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,464 at the 2000 census. However, it grew by nearly 800 residents in 2001 when it merged with neighboring Arlington. The county seat is Yadkinville. The closest large city is Winston-Salem away.... . She auditioned in Denver. Grouped with Halicia Thompson and Kellie Pickler Kellie Pickler Kellie Dawn Pickler is an American country music artist and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol, eventually finishing in sixth place. In 2006, she signed to 19 Recordings and BNA Records as a recording artist, releasing... during Hollywood group performances.
	Brenna Mema Gethers (born October 7, 1980) is from Mount Vernon, New York Mount Vernon, New York Mount Vernon is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. It lies on the border of the New York City borough of The Bronx.-Overview:... . She auditioned in Boston, and was known for her "catty" attitude. She's now the lead singer for Bomb Squad, a funk-rock band that won an American Music Award for Best New Music in 2003.
	Stephanie "Stevie" Marie Scott (born May 22, 1986 in Fair Oaks, California Fair Oaks, California Fair Oaks is a census-designated place in Sacramento County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 30,912 at the 2010 census, up from 28,008 at the 2000 census. Fair Oaks's zip code is 95628... ). She auditioned in Denver. She sang "Emotions" with Hannah Freeman and Paris Bennett Paris Bennett Paris Ana'is Bennett is an American singer. She came to national recognition as a contestant on the fifth season of the reality television talent show, American Idol, finishing in fifth place... during their group performance in Hollywood. She was eliminated on February 23, 2006 along with Becky O'Donohue Becky and Jessie O'Donohue Rebecca Marie "Becky" O'Donohue and Jessica Elleanore "Jessie" O'Donohue are American reality TV show contestants. Becky was a semi-finalist in the fifth season of American Idol. They are identical twins.... , Bobby Bennett, and Patrick Hall. She made a cameo appearance on the Top 6 performance show of American Idol on April 25, 2006.
	Rebecca "Becky" Clarise O'Donohue Becky and Jessie O'Donohue Rebecca Marie "Becky" O'Donohue and Jessica Elleanore "Jessie" O'Donohue are American reality TV show contestants. Becky was a semi-finalist in the fifth season of American Idol. They are identical twins.... (born July 13, 1980) is from Dobbs Ferry, New York Dobbs Ferry, New York Dobbs Ferry is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 10,875 at the 2010 census.The Village of Dobbs Ferry is located in, and is a part of, the town of Greenburgh... . Her original audition was in Boston with her twin sister (who did not sing due to recent throat surgery). Simon Cowell praised her looks, but said no to her voice. She was let through to Hollywood by Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul.

Male semi-finalists

	Gedeon Luke McKinney (born October 1, 1988) was from Memphis, Tennessee Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers.... . He intended to audition in Memphis, but the auditions there were canceled due to the city's role in relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall... . He raised funds to travel to the Chicago auditions by putting on a benefit concert. His elimination was a surprise to many, including Simon Cowell, who had criticized him previously. McKinney's father, Tony McKinney, also a performing artist, died in December 2005 before the show aired.
	William John "Will" Makar (born March 2, 1989 in The Woodlands, Texas The Woodlands, Texas The Woodlands is a master-planned community and a Census-designated place in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The population of the CDP was 55,649 at the 2000 census—a 90 percent increase over its 1990 population. According to the 2010 census, The Woodlands' population rose... ) is of Ukrainian Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... /English descent. Will attended high school at The Woodlands College Park High School The Woodlands College Park High School The Woodlands College Park High School is a high school in The Woodlands, SPD area of Montgomery County, Texas in the United States that is operated by the Conroe Independent School District... . In high school, Will starred in several musical productions, including The Woodlands College Park High School Musical in January 2006, the performance of which began the day after the airing of the his American Idol audition and was covered by local media. He has also performed for Presidents Clinton Bill Clinton William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation... and Bush George W. Bush George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000.... and with singer Celine Dion Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record... as part of the Houston Children's Chorus. He has performed the National Anthem at many sporting events and was also a member of the band Last Born. During the Hollywood rounds, he performed Fly Me to the Moon Fly Me to the Moon "Fly Me to the Moon" is a popular standard song written by Bart Howard in 1954. It was originally titled "In Other Words", and was introduced by Felicia Sanders in cabarets... with David Radford and Kevin Covais Kevin Covais Kevin Patrick Covais is a fifth-season American Idol finalist from Levittown, New York. He was the second finalist eliminated from the competition on March 22, 2006, making him the eleventh-place finalist. He is also an actor in the movie College.... . Will was signed to Double Deal Brand Records, which also signed fellow top 16 semi-finalist Ayla Brown, and released his debut single titled "I Won't Make It Out" on iTunes ITunes iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.... on Friday, April 27, 2007. Will began attending Berklee College of Music in 2009. His band is Will Makar and The Red Line. In February 2010, he joined the a cappella group at the college called Pitch Slapped and won an award for his performance of "Got to Get You into My Life Got to Get You into My Life "Got to Get You into My Life" is a song by The Beatles, first released in 1966 on the album Revolver. Written by Paul McCartney , it made prominent use of a brass section... " International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, originally the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella , is an international competition that attracts hundreds of college a cappella groups each year... .
	José "Sway" Penala (born January 23, 1978) is from South San Francisco South San Francisco, California South San Francisco is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, located on the San Francisco Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area... , where he also had his audition for the show. He was the only Asian-American who made it to the semi-finals that season. He's performed with such groups as DnH and 6th Day. When he competed, on stage, Penala often wore a Fedora Fedora (hat) A fedora is a men's felt hat. In reality, "fedora" describes most any men's hat that does not already have another name; quite a few fedoras have famous names of their own including the famous Trilby.... hat and coat and military dog tags Dog tag (identifier) A dog tag is the informal name for the identification tags worn by military personnel, named such as it bears resemblance to actual dog tags. The tag is primarily used for the identification of dead and wounded and essential basic medical information for the treatment of the latter, such as blood... . He developed friendships with Elliott Yamin Elliott Yamin Elliott Yamin , born Efraym Elliott Yamin, is an American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and placing third on the fifth season of American Idol.... , Taylor Hicks Taylor Hicks Taylor Reuben Hicks is an American singer who achieved fame in 2006, when he won the fifth season of American Idol. Hicks got his start as a professional musician in his late teens and performed around the Southeastern United States for well over the span of a decade, during which he also released... and Chris Daughtry Chris Daughtry Christopher Adam "Chris" Daughtry is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Daughtry and as the fourth-place finalist on the fifth season of American Idol, from which he was eliminated on May 10, 2006... during the season. Elliott was also his Hollywood Week group mate and later his roommate. Penala now sings back-up vocals in Yamin's band, and has toured with them on several occasions.
	David William Radford (born March 22, 1988 in Crystal Lake, Illinois Crystal Lake, Illinois Crystal Lake is a city located in southeastern McHenry County in northeastern Illinois, in the Chicago suburbs. It is named after Crystal Lake, a lake located west-southwest of downtown. Crystal Lake is also a suburb of the city of Chicago. The population was 38,000 at the 2000 census, but as of... ) is a high school senior Twelfth grade Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all... at Crystal Lake Central High School Crystal Lake Central High School Crystal Lake Central High School, often referred to as "Central" or "CLC," is the oldest of the three high schools in Crystal Lake, Illinois, United States.-History:... . In addition to singing, David plays the trumpet Trumpet The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air... . He originally auditioned in Chicago.
	Patrick Aaron Hall (born September 24, 1977 is from Gravette, Arkansas Gravette, Arkansas Gravette is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 2,325 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:... and was seen for the first time in Hollywood. During the Hollywood rounds, Simon Cowell called him 'very likeable', and compared him to Clay Aiken Clay Aiken Clayton Holmes "Clay" Aiken is an American singer, songwriter, actor, producer and author who began his rise to fame on the second season of the television program American Idol in 2003. RCA Records offered him a recording contract, and his multi-platinum debut album Measure of a Man was released... . He received many positive comments during these rounds. To separate himself from the Clay Aiken comparison, however, he chose to perform Come to My Window Come to My Window "Come to My Window" is a Grammy Award-winning song by Melissa Etheridge released in 1994 on her 1993 album Yes I Am. This was the first song to be released after Etheridge publicly announced her sexual orientation of being a lesbian. With the driving force of gay rights, the song gained a lot of... on the first week of the Top 24. He was eliminated that week.
	Bobby Bennett, Jr. born (June 4, 1986) is from Denver Denver, Colorado The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains... and also auditioned there. He is most known for his rousing rendition of the Manilow classic "Copacabana" and was named the "showman" of the semifinalists. He also made an appearance in the March 21 episode on which Barry Manilow performed. He has gone on to perform in night clubs and most notably at "lannies Clock Tower Cabaret" in Denver and has sold out four consecutive times. He also does charity work for the organization "Denver Kids Inc" and mentors young children and adults. He was the headlining performer at the Denver Rotary Club Branch Rickey Awards in 2007. He now resides in Hollywood California and plans to perform his successful night club act in the area.

Top 24


Order	Contestant	Song (original artist)	Result
1	Mandisa	"Never Never (Heart song) "Never" is the name of a song recorded by rock band Heart. It was released as the second single from the band's self-titled 1985 album Heart. The song is an aggressive rock number with an uplifting lyric to a person who has been discouraged by love... "(Heart Heart (band) Heart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music... )	Safe
2	Kellie Pickler	"How Far"(Martina McBride Martina McBride Martina McBride is an American country music singer and songwriter. McBride has been called the "Céline Dion of Country Music" for her big-voiced ballads and soprano range.... )	Safe
3	Becky O'Donohue	"Because the Night Because the Night "Because the Night" is a song by the Patti Smith Group, written by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith which was released as a single in 1978, taken from Smith's album Easter. The song was a hit, rising to #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and helping propel sales of Easter to mainstream success –... "(Patti Smith Patti Smith Patricia Lee "Patti" Smith is an American singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist, who became a highly influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album Horses.... )	Eliminated
4	Ayla Brown	"Reflection Reflection (song) "Reflection" is a song featured on the soundtrack of the 1998 animated film Mulan, recorded by American recording artist Christina Aguilera. In the months before the recording of the track, Aguilera approached RCA, which gave her the chance to record the theme song to the film Mulan... "(Christina Aguilera Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994... )	Safe
5	Paris Bennet	"Midnight Train to Georgia Midnight Train to Georgia "Midnight Train to Georgia" is a 1973 number-one hit single by Gladys Knight & the Pips, their second release after departing Motown Records for Buddah Records... "(Cissy Houston Cissy Houston Emily "Cissy" Houston is a Grammy Award–winning American soul and gospel singer. She led a very successful career as a backup singer for such artists as Elvis Presley, Mahalia Jackson, Wishbone Ash and Aretha Franklin, and is now primarily a solo artist... )	Safe
6	Stevie Scott	"To Where You Are To Where You Are "To Where You Are" is a song by American singer Josh Groban that appears on his 2001 debut album. It was written by Alan Menken, Richard Marx and Linda Thompson and produced by Richard Marx.-Commercial performance:... "(Josh Groban Josh Groban Joshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country... )	Eliminated
7	Brenna Gethers	"You Are the Sunshine of My Life You Are the Sunshine of My Life "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" is a 1973 pop single released by Stevie Wonder. The song became Wonder's third number-one pop single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and his first number one on the easy listening chart. It won Wonder a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. This song was... "(Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist... )	Safe
8	Heather Cox	"When You Tell Me That You Love Me When You Tell Me That You Love Me "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" is a 1991 song released as a single by American soul singer Diana Ross. The song was subsequently covered by various artists.... "(Diana Ross Diana Ross Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway... )	Safe
9	Melissa MeGhee	"When the Lights Go Down When The Lights Go Down When The Lights Go Down , Complete Reviews 1975-1980, is the sixth collection of movie reviews by the critic Pauline Kael.-Background:All material in the book originally appeared in The New Yorker. The collection begins with an appreciation of Cary Grant... "(Faith Hill Faith Hill Faith Hill is an American country singer. She is known both for her commercial success and her marriage to fellow country star Tim McGraw. Hill has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and accumulated eight number-one singles and three number-one albums on the U.S... )	Safe
10	Lisa Tucker	"I Am Changing"(Jennifer Holiday)	Safe
11	Kinnik Sky	"Get Here Get Here "Get Here" is a pop ballad written by American singer/songwriter Brenda Russell which became an international hit via a 1990 recording by Oleta Adams, reaching #4 in the UK and #5 in the US.... " (Oleta Adams Oleta Adams Oleta Adams is an American soul, jazz, and gospel singer and pianist.-Biography:Adams was born the daughter of a preacher and was raised with gospel music. In her youth her family moved to Yakima, Washington, which is sometimes shown as her place of birth.Before gaining her opportunity to perform,... )	Safe
12	Katharine McPhee	"Since I Fell for You Since I Fell for You "Since I Fell for You" is a jazz and pop standard. The blues ballad was composed by Buddy Johnson in 1945 and was first popularized by his sister, Ella Johnson, with Buddy Johnson and His Orchestra. The biggest hit version was recorded by Lenny Welch in 1963, reaching number four on the U.S... " (Ella Johnson Ella Johnson Ella Johnson was an American jazz and rhythm and blues vocalist.Born Ella Mae Jackson in Darlington, South Carolina, United States, she joined her brother Buddy Johnson in New York as a teenager, where he was leading a popular band at the Savoy Ballroom... )	Safe


Order	Contestant	Song (original artist)	Result
1	Patrick Hall	"Come to My Window Come to My Window "Come to My Window" is a Grammy Award-winning song by Melissa Etheridge released in 1994 on her 1993 album Yes I Am. This was the first song to be released after Etheridge publicly announced her sexual orientation of being a lesbian. With the driving force of gay rights, the song gained a lot of... "(Melissa Etheridge Melissa Etheridge Melissa Lou Etheridge is an American rock singer-songwriter and musician.Etheridge is known for her mixture of confessional lyrics, pop-based folk-rock, and raspy, smoky vocals... )	Eliminated
2	David Radford	"Crazy Little Thing Called Love Crazy Little Thing Called Love "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" is a song by the rock band Queen. Written by Freddie Mercury in 1979, the track featured on their 1980 album The Game, and also appears on the band's compilation album, Greatest Hits... "(Queen Queen (band) Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor... )	Safe
3	Bucky Covington	"Simple Man Simple Man Simple Man may refer to:Simple Man , 1982Simple Man , 1989*"Simple Man" "Simple Man" , a 1973 song on ... "(Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird... )	Safe
4	Will Makar	"I Want You Back I Want You Back "I Want You Back" was released in 1969 and in early 1970s became a number-one hit single recorded by The Jackson 5 for the Motown label. The song, along with a b-side cover of Smokey Robinson & the Miracles' "Who's Lovin' You", was the only single from the first Jackson 5 album, Diana Ross Presents... "(The Jackson 5 The Jackson 5 The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana... )	Safe
5	Sway Penala	"Reasons"(Earth Wind & Fire)	Safe
6	Chris Daughtry	"Wanted Dead or Alive Wanted Dead or Alive (Bon Jovi song) -Music Video:The video for the song is black and white and features footage from the band's massive 1986-1987 world tour, including shots from Chicago's UIC Pavilion, Rochester, Minnesota's Mayo Civic Center, Denver, Colorado's McNichols Arena, Pittsburgh, PA F. Pitt Tunnel and Pittsburgh Skyline... "(Bon Jovi Bon Jovi Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald... )	Safe
7	Kevin Covais	"One Last Cry"(Brian McKnight Brian McKnight Brian McKnight is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, producer, and R&B/Pop musician. He is a multi-instrumentalist who plays nine instruments: piano, guitar, bass guitar, drums, percussions, trombone, tuba, flugelhorn and trumpet.... )	Safe
8	Gedeon McKinney	"Shout"(The Isley Brothers The Isley Brothers The Isley Brothers are a highly influential, successful and long-running American music group consisting of different line-ups of six brothers, and a brother-in-law, Chris Jasper... )	Safe
9	Elliott Yamin	"If You Really Love Me If You Really Love Me "If You Really Love Me" is the title of a song written by Stevie Wonder and Syreeta Wright. Wonder recorded the song and released his version as a single from his 1971 album Where I'm Coming From. The single proved very successful, peaking in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 , Billboard's R&B... "(Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist... )	Safe
10	Bobby Bennet	"Copacabana Copacabana (song) "Copacabana", also known as "Copacabana ", is a 1978 song which was sung by Barry Manilow and written by Jack Feldman, Barry Manilow, and Bruce Sussman.-Song information:... "(Barry Manilow Barry Manilow Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."... )	Eliminated
11	Ace Young	"Father Figure Father Figure "Father Figure" is the U.S. number-one song written and performed by George Michael and released on Columbia Records in 1988 as the third single from the album Faith.-History:... " (George Michael George Michael George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley... )	Safe
12	Taylor Hicks	"Levon Levon "Levon" is a song written and recorded by Sir Elton John with lyrics written by Bernie Taupin. It is from John's fourth album Madman Across the Water and was recorded on February 27, 1971... " (Elton John Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor... )	Safe

Top 20


Order	Contestant	Song (original artist)	Result
1	Kinnik Sky	"Here for the Party Here for the Party -Album:-Singles:-Certifications:-References:... "(Gretchen Wilson Gretchen Wilson Gretchen Frances Wilson is an American country music artist. She made her debut in 2004 with the Grammy Award-winning single "Redneck Woman," a number-one hit on the Billboard country charts. The song served as the lead-off single of her debut album, Here for the Party... )	Bottom 3
2	Katharine McPhee	"All in Love Is Fair"(Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist... )	Safe
3	Lisa Tucker	"Who's Lovin' You Who's Lovin' You "Who's Lovin' You" is a Motown soul song, written in 1960 by William "Smokey" Robinson. The song has been recorded by many different artists including The Miracles, who recorded the 1960 original version, The Temptations, The Supremes, Terence Trent-D'arby, Brenda and The Tabulations, John Farnham,... "(The Miracles The Miracles The Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature... )	Safe
4	Melissa Mcghee	"Why Haven't I Heard from You Why Haven't I Heard from You "Why Haven't I Heard from You" is a single by American country music artist Reba McEntire. Released in April 1994, it was the first single from her album, Read My Mind. The song reached #5 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in July 1994.It debuted at #60 on the Hot Country Singles... "(Reba McEntire Reba McEntire Reba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma... )	Safe
5	Heather Cox	"Hero Hero A hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion... "(Mariah Carey Mariah Carey Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993... )	Eliminated
6	Brenna Gethers	"Last Dance Last Dance (song) "Last Dance" is a hit 1978 song by singer Donna Summer. The song appeared on the Thank God It's Friday movie soundtrack. It was written by Paul Jabara and was co-produced by Summer's regular collaborator Giorgio Moroder, along with Bob Esty... "(Donna Summer Donna Summer LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach... )	Eliminated
7	Paris Bennett	"Wind Beneath My Wings Wind Beneath My Wings "Wind Beneath My Wings" is the title of a song written in 1982 by Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley. They recorded a demo of the song, which they gave to musician Bob Montgomery. Montgomery then recorded his own demo version of the song, changing it from the mid-tempo version he was given to a ballad... "(Roger Whittaker Roger Whittaker Roger Whittaker is an Anglo-Kenyan singer-songwriter and musician with worldwide record sales of over 55 million. His music can be described as easy listening. He is best known for his baritone singing voice and trademark whistling ability... )	Safe
8	Ayla Brown	"I Want You to Need Me I Want You to Need Me "I Want You to Need Me" is the last single from Céline Dion's greatest hits album All the Way... A Decade of Song, released on July 15, 2000.It was written by Diane Warren, who also wrote for Céline Dion her hit "Because You Loved Me" among others... "(Celine Dion Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record... )	Safe
9	Kellie Pickler	"Something to Talk About"(Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially... )	Safe
10	Mandisa	"Cry Cry (Faith Hill song) “Cry” was the first single from American Country singer Faith Hill's 2002 Cry album. Before her rendition, the song was recorded by its writer, Angie Aparo for his 1999 album, The American.... "(Angie Aparo Angie Aparo Angie Aparo is an American musician and songwriter from Atlanta, Georgia. He is currently recording an album and touring with his long-time drummer, Derek Murphy.... )	Safe


Order	Contestant	Song (original artist)	Result
1	Taylor Hicks	"Easy"(The Commodores)	Safe
2	Elliot Yamin	"Moody's Mood for Love Moody's Mood for Love "Moody's Mood for Love" is jazz saxophonist James Moody's 1949 instrumental solo based on Jimmy McHugh's 1935 song "I'm in the Mood for Love" with lyrics later added by Eddie Jefferson.-History:... "(James Moody James Moody (saxophonist) James Moody was an American jazz saxophone and flute player. He was best known for his hit "Moody's Mood for Love," an improvisation based on "I'm in the Mood for Love"; in performance, he often improvised vocals for the tune.-Biography:James Moody was born in Savannah, Georgia... )	Safe
3	Ace Young	"If You're Not the One If You're Not the One "If You're Not the One" is a pop song written by Daniel Bedingfield and produced by Mark Taylor for Bedingfield's debut album Gotta Get thru This... "(Daniel Bedingfield Daniel Bedingfield Daniel John Bedingfield is a British singer-songwriter. He is the brother of pop singers Natasha Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle.-Music career:... )	Safe
4	Sway Penala	"Overjoyed Overjoyed "Overjoyed" is a song by American Christian rock group Jars of Clay. It was the fourth single from the band's second album, Much Afraid, and the fourth consecutive No. 1 radio single from the album. An acoustic rendition of the song appears on the band's 2003 double album, Furthermore: From the... "(Earth Wind & Fire)	Eliminated
5	Bucky Covington	"The Thunder Rolls"(Garth Brooks Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart... )	Safe
6	Kevin Covais	"I Heard It Through the Grapevine I Heard It through the Grapevine "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a landmark song in the history of Motown. Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong in 1966, the single was first recorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles... "(The Miracles The Miracles The Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature... )	Bottom 3
7	Will Makar	"Lady Lady The word lady is a polite term for a woman, specifically the female equivalent to, or spouse of, a lord or gentleman, and in many contexts a term for any adult woman... "(Kenny Rogers Kenny Rogers Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur... )	Safe
8	Gedeon McKinney	"A Change Is Gonna Come A Change Is Gonna Come (song) "A Change Is Gonna Come" is a 1964 single by R&B singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, written and first recorded in 1963 and released under the RCA Victor label shortly after his death in late 1964. Though only a modest hit for Cooke in comparison with his previous singles, the song came to exemplify the... "(Sam Cooke Sam Cooke Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and... )	Safe
9	David Radford	"The Way You Look Tonight The Way You Look Tonight "The Way You Look Tonight" is a song featured in the film Swing Time, originally performed by Fred Astaire. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1936. The song was sung to Ginger Rogers as Penelope "Penny" Carroll by Astaire's character of John "Lucky" Garnett while Penny was busy... "(Fred Astaire Fred Astaire Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute... )	Eliminated
10	Chris Daughtry	"Hemorrhage (In My Hands) Hemorrhage (In My Hands) "Hemorrhage " is a song by the rock band Fuel, released as the first single from their second album Something Like Human. The single spent twelve weeks at number one on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart and is the band's most successful song to date... "(Fuel Fuel (band) Fuel is an American rock band formed by guitarist/songwriter Carl Bell and bassist Jeff Abercrombie in 1989. Originally known as Small the Joy, they changed the group's name to Fuel sometime in 1994... )	Safe

Top 16


Order	Contestant	Song (original artist)	Result
1	Paris Bennett	"Conga Conga The conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero... "(Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine)	Safe
2	Melissa McGhee	"What About Love What About Love "What About Love" is a song recorded by the rock band Heart, and released in June 1985. The band's "comeback" single, it was the first Heart track to reach the top 40 in three years, and their first top 10 hit in five... "(Heart Heart (band) Heart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music... )	Safe
3	Kinnik Sky	"If I Ain't Got You If I Ain't Got You "If I Ain't Got You" is a song recorded, written, and produced by American recording artist Alicia Keys for her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys. Released in February 2004 as the album's second single, the song peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Keys' second... "(Alicia Keys Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano... )	Eliminated
4	Lisa Tucker	"Here's Where I Stand"(Tiffany Taylor)	Safe
5	Katharine McPhee	"Think"(Aretha Franklin Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All... )	Safe
6	Ayla Brown	"Unwritten Unwritten Unwritten can refer to:-* Unwritten, an album by Natasha Bedingfield* Unwritten , a song on that album* The Unwritten, an American comic book series* Unwritten, an episode of the TV show House.... "(Natasha Bedingfield Natasha Bedingfield Natasha Anne Bedingfield is a British pop singer and songwriter. Bedingfield debuted in the 1990s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle... )	Eliminated
7	Mandisa	"I'm Every Woman I'm Every Woman "I'm Every Woman" is a hit song recorded by Chaka Khan in 1978. It was Chaka Khan's first hit outside of her recordings with funk band Rufus; the song was included on her platinum debut solo album Chaka. Produced by Arif Mardin and written by successful songwriting team Nickolas Ashford and Valerie... "(Chaka Khan Chaka Khan Chaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career... )	Safe
8	Kellie Pickler	"I'm the Only One I'm the Only One "I'm the Only One" is a Melissa Etheridge song that appears on her 1993 album Yes I Am. The single itself was released in 1993, and hit number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Adult Contemporary charts in January 1995... "(Melissa Etheridge Melissa Etheridge Melissa Lou Etheridge is an American rock singer-songwriter and musician.Etheridge is known for her mixture of confessional lyrics, pop-based folk-rock, and raspy, smoky vocals... )	Safe


Order	Contestant	Song (original artist)	Result
1	Bucky Covington	"Wave on Wave Wave on Wave Wave on Wave is the seventh studio album released by American country music artist Pat Green. Released in 2003 on Universal/Republic Records in association with Mercury Records, it produced two singles for Green on the Billboard country charts. The title track, the first of these two singles,... "(Pat Green Pat Green Patrick Craven "Pat" Green is an American Texas Country artist. Active since 1995, he has recorded a total of ten studio albums, including several independent works, three for Republic Records and two for BNA... )	Safe
2	Chris Daughtry	"Broken Broken (Seether song) "Broken" is a song by post-grunge/alternative metal South-African band Seether featuring American singer Amy Lee. The original acoustic version is the twelfth track on Seether's debut album Disclaimer. It was re-recorded with Amy Lee, the future girlfriend of Seether vocalist Shaun Morgan, for The... "(Seether Seether Seether is a post-grunge/alternative metal band from Pretoria, South Africa, formed in 1999. The band is currently signed to Wind-up Records... )	Safe
3	Will Makar	"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) "How Sweet It Is " is a 1964 hit song written and produced by the Motown songwriting team of Holland–Dozier–Holland. It was originally recorded by American soul singer Marvin Gaye and became one of his most popular songs... "(Marvin Gaye Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range.... )	Eliminated
4	Kevin Covais	"Vincent Vincent Vincent is the French version of a masculine name. As Spanish Vicente, it is derived from the Latin name Vincentius meaning "conquering"... "(Don McLean Don McLean Donald "Don" McLean is an American singer-songwriter. He is most famous for the 1971 album American Pie, containing the renowned songs "American Pie" and "Vincent".-Musical roots:... )	Safe
5	Gedeon McKinney	"When a Man Loves a Woman When a Man Loves a Woman (song) "When a Man Loves a Woman" is a song recorded by Percy Sledge in 1966 at Norala Sound Studio in Sheffield, Alabama. It made number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B singles charts. It was listed 54th in the List of Rolling Stone magazine's 500 greatest songs of all time... "(Percy Sledge Percy Sledge Percy Sledge is an American R&B and soul performer who recorded the hit "When a Man Loves a Woman" in 1966.-Early career:... )	Eliminated
6	Taylor Hicks	"Takin' It to the Streets"(The Doobie Brothers The Doobie Brothers The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band. The group has sold over 40 million units worldwide throughout their career. The Doobie Brothers were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004.-Original incarnation:... )	Safe
7	Elliott Yamin	"Heaven Heaven Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit... "(Bryan Adams Bryan Adams Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written... )	Safe
8	Ace Young	"Butterflies"(Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records... )	Safe

Top 12 finalists

Taylor Reuben Hicks

Taylor Hicks

is from Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...

. He is gray-haired and performed "A Change Is Gonna Come

A Change Is Gonna Come (song)

"A Change Is Gonna Come" is a 1964 single by R&B singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, written and first recorded in 1963 and released under the RCA Victor label shortly after his death in late 1964. Though only a modest hit for Cooke in comparison with his previous singles, the song came to exemplify the...

" by Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke

Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...

at his original audition in Las Vegas. At the first audition, the judges were surprised by his appearance. He performed Bill Withers

Bill Withers

William Harrison "Bill" Withers, Jr. is an American singer-songwriter and musician who performed and recorded from 1970 until 1985. Some of his best-known songs are "Lean on Me", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Use Me", "Just the Two of Us", "Lovely Day", and "Grandma's Hands"...

' Ain't No Sunshine

Ain't No Sunshine

"Ain't No Sunshine" is a song by Bill Withers from his 1971 album Just as I Am, produced by Booker T. Jones. The record featured musicians Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass guitar and Al Jackson, Jr. on drums, as well as Withers on lead vocals and guitar. The song was released as a single in September...

in the Hollywood round. He is one of the six winners in American Idol history to never be in the bottom three. He won the competition on May 24.

Katharine Hope McPhee

Katharine McPhee

's mother is a vocal coach. She auditioned in San Francisco

San Francisco, California

San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...

with Billie Holiday

Billie Holiday

Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...

's God Bless the Child

God Bless the Child (Billie Holiday song)

"God Bless the Child" is a song written by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog, Jr. in 1939, first recorded on May 9, 1941 under the Okeh label.Holiday's version of the song was honored with the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in...

, and Randy Jackson said her audition was the best he'd heard yet that season. In the Hollywood round she performed Dionne Warwick

Dionne Warwick

Dionne Warwick is an American singer, actress and TV show host, who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health....

's I'll Never Love This Way Again

I'll Never Love This Way Again

"I'll Never Love This Way Again" is a 1979 hit recorded by American soul singer Dionne Warwick. The song was composed by Richard Kerr and Will Jennings and produced by Arista labelmate Barry Manilow....

, and I Can't Help Myself

I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)

"I Can't Help Myself " is a 1965 hit song recorded by the Four Tops for the Motown label.Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song is one of the most well-known Motown tunes of the 1960s...

for the group round, My Funny Valentine

My Funny Valentine

"My Funny Valentine" is a show tune from the 1937 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart musical Babes in Arms in which it was introduced by former child star Mitzi Green...

for the last solo. At the end of the first semi-final round, Simon Cowell said that he had heard four very good singers that evening and that McPhee was the best among them. She is from Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California

Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California

Sherman Oaks is an affluent district in the San Fernando Valley area of the city of Los Angeles, California. In contrast to much of the Valley, the area is relatively urbanized, with commercial skyscrapers along Ventura Boulevard as well as scattered throughout...

. McPhee was the runner-up on American Idol as announced on the May 24 finale.

Efraym Elliott Yamin

Elliott Yamin

Elliott Yamin , born Efraym Elliott Yamin, is an American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and placing third on the fifth season of American Idol....

was born in Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

and grew up in Richmond, Virginia

Richmond, Virginia

Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...

. He started singing at the age of five and did not have any formal training. He auditioned for American Idol in Boston

Boston

Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...

. In the Hollywood week, he performed Rascal Flatts

Rascal Flatts

Rascal Flatts is an American country music band that originated in Columbus, Ohio, United States of America. Since its inception, Rascal Flatts has been composed of three members: Gary LeVox , Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney...

' Bless the Broken Road

Bless the Broken Road

"Bless the Broken Road" is a song that has been recorded by several American country music artists. It was co-written by Marcus Hummon and members of the country music group Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1994, and recorded by Hummon a year later...

for the first solo, The Shoop Shoop Song

The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)

"The Shoop Shoop Song " is a song written by Rudy Clark. The song was made a hit when recorded by Betty Everett, who hit #1 on the Cashbox magazine R&B charts with it in 1964...

for the group round. After his first semi-final performance, Simon Cowell said that he was potentially the best male vocalist in American Idol history, reprising his praise on Top 6 week after Yamin's "A Song for You", calling it a vocal masterclass; also, in the second round of the semi-finals, Randy Jackson gave Yamin a standing ovation after his rendition of "Moody's Mood for Love". Yamin finished in third place in one of the closest outcomes in Idol history where less than 1% separated the votes of all top three contestants.

Christopher Adam "Chris" Daughtry

Chris Daughtry

Christopher Adam "Chris" Daughtry is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Daughtry and as the fourth-place finalist on the fifth season of American Idol, from which he was eliminated on May 10, 2006...

is a former car service worker from McLeansville, North Carolina

McLeansville, North Carolina

McLeansville is a census-designated place in Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,080 at the 2000 census. The community is most famous for being the hometown of American Idol contestant Chris Daughtry while he was on the show; he now lives in Oak Ridge, North...

. During the audition round, he was profiled as a "Rocker Dad." He originally auditioned in Denver with Joe Cocker

Joe Cocker

John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...

's The Letter (originally by The Box Tops

The Box Tops

The Box Tops were a Memphis rock group of the second half of the 1960s. They are best known for the hits "The Letter," "Neon Rainbow," "Soul Deep," "I Met Her in Church," and "Cry Like A Baby," and are considered a major blue-eyed soul group of the period...

). In the Hollywood week he performed Samantha Sang

Samantha Sang

Samantha Sang is a stage name of Australian singer, Cheryl Lau Sang, from Melbourne, who had an earlier career as Cheryl Gray. She had a number eight hit in Australia with "You Made Me What I Am" in 1967. By 1969, she had relocated to United Kingdom and worked with Bee Gees but then returned...

's Emotion in the group round. He was eliminated at Top 4 in a surprise result, but had considerable success as a recording artist after the show.

Paris Ana'is Bennett

Paris Bennett

Paris Ana'is Bennett is an American singer. She came to national recognition as a contestant on the fifth season of the reality television talent show, American Idol, finishing in fifth place...

, from Fayetteville, Georgia

Fayetteville, Georgia

Fayetteville is a town in Fayette County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 15,945. The city is the county seat of Fayette County. Fayetteville is located approximately 22 miles from the city of Atlanta....

, is the granddaughter of Grammy Award winner Ann Nesby

Ann Nesby

Ann Nesby is an American R&B, gospel, and dance music singer and actress. She is the former lead singer of Sounds of Blackness; a songwriter with credits including hits sung by Patti Labelle and Gladys Knight; plus she co-starred in the 2003 romance musical The Fighting Temptations with Cuba...

. Her mother and grandmother are apart of the Grammy

Grammy Award

A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...

-winning group, Sounds of Blackness

Sounds of Blackness

Sounds of Blackness is a Grammy Award-winning vocal and instrumental ensemble from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota who perform music from several genres music including gospel, R&B, soul, and jazz. The group scored several hits on the Billboard R&B chart and Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play...

. She sang "Cowboy Take Me Away

Cowboy Take Me Away

"Cowboy Take Me Away" is the title of a song recorded by American country group the Dixie Chicks. It was released in November 1999 as a single from their album, Fly. The song's title is derived from a famous slogan used in commercials for Calgon bath and beauty products. It reached Number One on...

" by The Dixie Chicks at her original audition in Greensboro

Greensboro, North Carolina

. In the Hollywood rounds, she performed LeAnn Rimes

LeAnn Rimes

LeAnn Rimes is an American country/pop singer. She is known for her rich vocals and her rise to fame as an eight-year-old champion on the original Ed McMahon version of Star Search, followed by the release of the Patsy Cline-intended single "Blue" when Rimes was only age 13, resulting in her...

's Can't Fight the Moonlight

Can't Fight the Moonlight

"Can't Fight the Moonlight" is a song written by Diane Warren, recorded by LeAnn Rimes and featured on the soundtrack of the film Coyote Ugly, and in the film itself...

for her solo, and Samantha Sang's Emotion for the group round.

Kellie Dawn Pickler

Kellie Pickler

Kellie Dawn Pickler is an American country music artist and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol, eventually finishing in sixth place. In 2006, she signed to 19 Recordings and BNA Records as a recording artist, releasing...

is from Albemarle, North Carolina

Albemarle, North Carolina

Albemarle is the county seat of Stanly County, North Carolina. The population was 15,680 at the 2000 census. It is governed by Mayor Elbert L. "Whit" Whitley, Jr...

. She was profiled as a roller-skating waitress. Her mother left when she was two and her father has had numerous legal problems; he is now free. Pickler lived with her grandfather and originally auditioned in Greensboro. She was never in the bottom three until she was eliminated.

Brett Asa "Ace" Young

Ace Young

Brett Asa "Ace" Young is an American singer, songwriter and actor. He came to national recognition upon appearing on the fifth season of the reality television talent show, American Idol, although he was eliminated from the competition on April 19, 2006, finishing in seventh place.-Early...

(who goes by his middle name) is from Denver

Denver, Colorado

The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...

where he auditioned. At that time, Randy Jackson called him one of the best he'd seen so far this season. In the Hollywood week, he performed Shai

Shai (band)

Shai is an early 1990s vocal R&B/soul quartet. Their biggest hit was "If I Ever Fall in Love," which reached #2 in the U.S. Top 40.-History:...

's If I Ever Fall in Love

If I Ever Fall in Love

"If I Ever Fall in Love" is an a cappella song by Shai, which reached #2 in the US charts in 1992, and spent one week at number-one on the US R&B chart. Its eight weeks at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US meant that it held the record for the second-most weeks at number two in the chart's...

for the solo, and with Daughtry in the group round Samantha Sang

Samantha Sang

's Emotion. In the semifinals, after he sang "Father Figure", Simon Cowell said that Young had the 'X-Factor' (a reference to another RTL talent show, in the UK). Young had been singing since age nine and had voice lessons.

William Joel "Bucky" Covington

Bucky Covington

William Joel "Bucky" Covington III is an American country music singer. He placed eighth on the 5th season of the Fox Network's talent competition series American Idol. In December 2006, he signed a recording contract with Lyric Street Records...

is from Rockingham, North Carolina

Rockingham, North Carolina

Rockingham is a city in Richmond County, North Carolina, United States named after the Marquis of Rockingham. The population was 9,672 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Richmond County...

. He auditioned in Greensboro

Greensboro, North Carolina

. He has an identical twin brother named Rocky.

Mandisa

Mandisa Hundley is an American gospel singer, who was the ninth-place finalist in the fifth season of American Idol.-Early life:...

(born Mandisa Lynn Hundley) is from Antioch, Tennessee

Antioch, Tennessee

Antioch is a community in southeastern Davidson County, Tennessee, that is governed by the Nashville metropolitan government. The area is assigned to postal zip code 37013.- History :...

. She had a successful original audition in Chicago where she performed Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys

Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...

's Fallin'

Fallin'

"Fallin" is a song recorded, written, and produced by American recording artist Alicia Keys for her debut album, Songs in A Minor. Released to radio and music video outlets in 2001, it is generally considered her signature song. "Fallin'" became Keys' first number-one single in the United States...

. Afterwards Simon Cowell made jokes about her size, but he later apologized after being confronted by Miss Hundley. In the Hollywood week, She performed Freda Payne

Freda Payne

Freda Charcilia Payne Some sources give a birth year of 1945, but this appears to be an error as all sources agree that she is older than her sister Scherrie, born 1944. is an American singer and actress best known for her million selling, 1970 hit single, "Band of Gold". She was also an actress in...

's Band of Gold

Band Of Gold (Freda Payne song)

"Band of Gold" is a popular song written by Holland–Dozier–Holland under the pseudonym Edythe Wayne, and Ron Dunbar, and first recorded by Freda Payne...

in the group round. Like Pickler, she was never in the bottom 3 until her elimination.

Lisa Gabrielle Tucker

Lisa Tucker (singer)

Lisa Gabrielle Tucker is an American singer, musical theater and television actress who was the tenth-place finalist on the fifth season of American Idol.-Early life and career beginnings:...

was 16 years old at the time of the show, and is the youngest finalist of this season. She is from Anaheim, California

Anaheim, California

Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...

, and she auditioned in Denver

Denver, Colorado

with Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston

Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...

's One Moment in Time

One Moment in Time

"One Moment in Time" is an Emmy Award winning song written by Albert Hammond and John Bettis, and recorded by American singer Whitney Houston for the 1988 Summer Olympics and the 1988 Summer Paralympics held in Seoul, South Korea.-History:...

. Simon Cowell called her the "best 16-year-old" ever to audition on the show at the time of her original Denver audition. She was also a runner-up on Star Search

Star Search

Star Search is a television show that was produced from 1983-95, hosted by Ed McMahon, and created by Alfred Masini. A relaunch was produced in 2003-04. The show was originally filmed at the old Earl Carroll Theatre at 6230 Sunset Blvd...

but lost to Tiffany Evans

Tiffany Evans

Tiffany Evans is an American singer and occasional actress.-2003–2006: The Beginning:Evans was born in Bronx, New York and is the seventh of 10 children born to Carol and Lonnie Evans. Before she achieved success, she and her family were living in their van for years. She got her first break on...

. A week after her elimination she appeared in an episode of The O.C.

The O.C.

The O.C. is an American teen drama television series that originally aired on the Fox television network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 21, 2007, running a total of four seasons...

Kevin Patrick Covais

Kevin Covais

Kevin Patrick Covais is a fifth-season American Idol finalist from Levittown, New York. He was the second finalist eliminated from the competition on March 22, 2006, making him the eleventh-place finalist. He is also an actor in the movie College....

was 16 years old at the time of the show, and is from Levittown, New York

Levittown, New York

Levittown is a hamlet in the Town of Hempstead located on Long Island in Nassau County, New York. Levittown is midway between the villages of Hempstead and Farmingdale. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 51,881....

. For his audition in Boston, he sang "You Raise Me Up

You Raise Me Up

"You Raise Me Up" was the debut single from Westlife's fifth studio album, Face To Face.This version is considered by many to be the most popular , of all the various versions of the same song. The single peaked at #1 on the UK Singles Chart, making it the band's 13th Number One. It was the first...

". In the Hollywood round he performed Shai's If I Ever Fall in Love in the solo. Viewers gave him the nickname "Chicken Little."

Melissa Christine McGhee is from Tampa, Florida

Tampa, Florida

Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....

. She auditioned in Denver

Denver, Colorado

. She sang "Can't Fight the Moonlight

Can't Fight the Moonlight

"Can't Fight the Moonlight" is a song written by Diane Warren, recorded by LeAnn Rimes and featured on the soundtrack of the film Coyote Ugly, and in the film itself...

" by LeAnn Rimes

LeAnn Rimes

for her audition. She had not sung on camera until her first week in the top 24.

Top 12 - Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...


Order	Contestant	Song (original artist)	Result
1	Ace Young	"Do I Do Do I Do "Do I Do" is a song written and performed by Stevie Wonder, first released in 1982 on the album Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I. It reached #10 in the UK and peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US.... "	Bottom 3
2	Kellie Pickler	"Blame It on the Sun Blame It on the Sun "Blame It on the Sun" is a song by the musician Stevie Wonder. "Blame It on the Sun" appeared for the first time on Stevie Wonder's 1972 album Talking Book. It also appeared as the B-Side to his Innervisions single "Don't You Worry 'bout A Thing". The two songwriters were Stevie Wonder and Syreeta... "	Safe
3	Elliott Yamin	"Knocks Me Off My Feet"	Safe
4	Mandisa	"Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" was a hit single from Stevie Wonder's 1973 album Innervisions, which reached #16 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and #2 on the R&B chart... "	Safe
5	Bucky Covington	"Superstition Superstition Superstition is a belief in supernatural causality: that one event leads to the cause of another without any process in the physical world linking the two events.... "	Safe
6	Melissa McGhee	"Lately Lately (Stevie Wonder song) "Lately" is a song by American singer Stevie Wonder recorded for his album Hotter than July . The song was notably covered by R&B group Jodeci and released as a promotional single for the live album Uptown MTV Unplugged in June 1993.... "	Eliminated
7	Lisa Tucker	"Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" is a soul single by American musician Stevie Wonder, recorded for Motown's Tamla label. Released in June 1970, the song spent six weeks at number one on the U.S. R&B chart and peaked at number three on the U.S. Pop chart... "	Bottom 2
8	Kevin Covais	"Part-Time Lover Part-Time Lover "Part-Time Lover" is a 1985 single by Stevie Wonder, from his album In Square Circle. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, R&B, dance and adult contemporary charts. The song's simultaneous chart success made him the first artist to score a number-one hit on four different Billboard... "	Safe
9	Katharine McPhee	"Until You Come Back to Me"	Safe
10	Taylor Hicks	"Living for the City Living for the City "Living for the City" is a 1973 hit single by Stevie Wonder for the Tamla label, from his Innervisions album. Reaching #8 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and #1 on the R&B chart, the record is driven by a slow bass synth groove that manages to exude a certain amount of tension, an appropriate... "	Safe
11	Paris Bennett	"All I Do"	Safe
12	Chris Daughtry	"Higher Ground"	Safe

Top 11 - 1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...


Order	Contestant	Song (original artist)	Result
1	Mandisa	"I Don't Hurt Anymore I Don't Hurt Anymore "I Don't Hurt Anymore" is a 1954 song by Hank Snow. It was written by Don Robertson and Jack Rollins. The song was Hank Snow's fourth number one on the country chart where it spent twenty weeks at the top spot and a total of forty-one weeks on the chart.... "(Hank Snow Hank Snow Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow was a Canadian-American country music artist. He charted more than 70 singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980... )	Safe
2	Bucky Covington	"Oh, Boy! Oh, Boy! (song) "Oh, Boy!" is a song originally performed by Buddy Holly's band The Crickets. It was written by Sonny West and Bill Tilghman; the band's manager Norman Petty added his name as co-composer. The song was recorded between June 29 and July 1, 1957, at Petty Studios in Clovis, New Mexico, with Holly... "(Buddy Holly Buddy Holly Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll... )	Bottom 2
3	Paris Bennett	"Fever"(Little Willie John Little Willie John William Edward John was better known by his stage name Little Willie John. Many sources erroneously give his second name as Edgar... )	Safe
4	Chris Daughtry	"I Walk the Line I Walk the Line "I Walk the Line" is a song written by Johnny Cash and recorded in 1956. It was performed with the help of Marshall Grant and Luther Perkins, two mechanics that his brother introduced him to following his discharge from the Air Force. Cash and his wife, Vivian, were living in Memphis, Tennessee,... "(Johnny Cash Johnny Cash John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century... )	Safe
5	Katharine McPhee	"Come Rain or Come Shine"(Sy Oliver Sy Oliver Melvin "Sy" Oliver was a jazz arranger, trumpeter, composer, singer and bandleader... )	Safe
6	Taylor Hicks	"Not Fade Away Not Fade Away (song) "Not Fade Away" is a song credited to Buddy Holly and Norman Petty and first recorded by Holly's band The Crickets in Clovis, New Mexico, on May 27, 1957... "(The Crickets The Crickets The Crickets are a rock & roll band from Lubbock, Texas, formed by singer/songwriter Buddy Holly in the 1950s. Their first hit record was "That'll Be the Day", released in 1957.... featuring Buddy Holly Buddy Holly Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll... )	Safe
7	Lisa Tucker	"Why Do Fools Fall in Love? Why Do Fools Fall in Love (song) "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" is a song that was originally a hit for early New York City-based rock and roll group Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers in 1956. It reached No. 1 on the R&B chart, No. 6 on Billboards Pop Singles chart, and number one on the UK Singles Chart... "Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers)	Bottom 3
8	Kevin Covais	"When I Fall in Love When I Fall in Love "When I Fall in Love" is a 1952 popular song recorded by many artists.When I Fall in Love may also refer to:* When I Fall in Love , an album by Chris Botti, with a version of the 1952 song... "(Doris Day Doris Day Doris Day is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording,... )	Eliminated
9	Elliott Yamin	"Teach Me Tonight Teach Me Tonight "Teach Me Tonight" is a popular song. The music was written by Gene De Paul, the lyrics by Sammy Cahn. The song was published in 1953.Cahn wrote a new verse for Frank Sinatra's 1984 recording on L.A... "(The DeCastro Sisters The DeCastro Sisters The DeCastro Sisters were a female trio singing group: originally they consisted of Peggy DeCastro , Cherie DeCastro and Babette DeCastro . When Babette retired in 1958, a cousin, Olgita DeCastro Marino replaced her and when Peggy later left the group to go solo, Babette re-joined Cherie and Olgita... )	Safe
10	Kellie Pickler	"Walkin' After Midnight Walkin' After Midnight "Walkin' After Midnight" is a song by written by Alan Block and Donn Hecht and originally recorded by American country music artist Patsy Cline. The song was originally given to pop singer Kay Starr; however, it was rejected by her record label. The song was left unused until Hecht rediscovered the... "(Patsy Cline Patsy Cline Patsy Cline , born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Gore, Virginia, was an American country music singer who enjoyed pop music crossover success during the era of the Nashville sound in the early 1960s... )	Safe
11	Ace Young	"In the Still of the Night" (The Five Satins The Five Satins The Five Satins are an American doo-wop group, best known for their 1956 million-selling song, "In the Still of the Night."-Career:The group, formed in New Haven, Connecticut, consisted of leader Fred Parris, Lou Peebles, Stanley Dortch, Ed Martin and Jim Freeman in 1954. With little success, the... )	Safe

Top 10 - 2000s


Order	Contestant	Song (original artist)	Result
1	Lisa Tucker	"Because of You Because of You (Kelly Clarkson song) "Because of You" is a ballad written by pop rock singer Kelly Clarkson with David Hodges and Ben Moody, and produced by Hodges and Moody, both formerly of Evanescence. It is the fourth single from Clarkson's second album, Breakaway... "(Kelly Clarkson Kelly Clarkson Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,... )	Eliminated
2	Kellie Pickler	"Suds in the Bucket Suds in the Bucket "Suds in the Bucket" is the title of a song recorded by country singer Sara Evans. It was released in May 2004 as the third single for her album Restless. It became her third number-one single on the US Country charts, and her first since "Born to Fly" in early 2001... "(Sara Evans Sara Evans Sara Lynn Evans is an American country singer and songwriter.Evans was one of the few traditional-styled singers to emerge from Nashville in the late 1990s, according to Allmusic. Since emerging in the late 1990s, Evans has made five No. 1 Country hits and Gold and Platinum-certified albums by... )	Safe
3	Ace Young	"Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) "Drops of Jupiter " is the title of a song written and recorded by American rock band Train. It was released in February 2001 as the lead single from their second album Drops of Jupiter . The song hit the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart and also charting in the Top 40 for 29 weeks... "(Train Train (band) Train is an American pop rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1994. The band currently comprises a core trio of Patrick Monahan , Jimmy Stafford and Scott Underwood .... )	Bottom 3
4	Taylor Hicks	"Trouble Trouble (Ray LaMontagne song) "Trouble" is the first track on the debut album of the same name by Maine folk singer Ray LaMontagne. The album was released by RCA on September 14, 2004... "(Ray LaMontagne Ray LaMontagne Raymond "Ray" Charles Jack LaMontagne is a Grammy-award winning American singer-songwriter. LaMontagne has released four studio albums, Trouble, Till the Sun Turns Black, Gossip in the Grain and God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise. He was born in New Hampshire and was inspired to create music after... )	Safe
5	Mandisa	"Shackles (Praise You) Shackles (Praise You) "Shackles " is the debut single by singer-songwriter duo Mary Mary. It was first released in 2000 and has since been dubbed the signature Mary Mary song as it ultimately raised the profile of the duo in the gospel music industry... "(Mary Mary Mary Mary Mary Mary is an American gospel music duo, consisting of sisters Erica Atkins-Campbell and Tina Atkins-Campbell . The duo are often credited along with Kirk Franklin for broadening the fan base of urban contemporary gospel in the 2000s by introducing elements of soul music, hip hop, funk and jazz... )	Safe
6	Chris Daughtry	"What If What If (Creed song) "What If" is a song by Creed, released as the second single from their 1999 album Human Clay.In the song, Scott Stapp sings about hatred and those who oppress others. According to guitarist Mark Tremonti, the intro was inspired by the song "Paint It, Black" by The Rolling Stones.The song was used... "(Creed Creed (band) Creed is an American rock band formed in 1995 in Tallahassee, Florida. Becoming popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the band has released three consecutive multi-platinum albums, one of which has been certified diamond, and has sold over 28 million records in the United States, with an... )	Safe
7	Katharine McPhee	"The Voice Within The Voice Within "The Voice Within" is a song written by Christina Aguilera and Glen Ballard, with production by Ballard. It was released as the fifth and final single from Aguilera's second album, Stripped on December 23, 2003. The single peaked at #33 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Aguilera's seventh Top 40... "(Christina Aguilera Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994... )	Bottom 2
8	Bucky Covington	"Real Good Man Real Good Man "Real Good Man" is a single by American country music singer Tim McGraw that reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It was the third single from McGraw's 2002 album Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors.-Content:... "(Tim McGraw Tim McGraw Samuel Timothy "Tim" McGraw is an American country singer and actor. Many of McGraw's albums and singles have topped the country music charts with total album sales in excess of 40 million units in the US, making him the eighth best-selling artist, and the third best-selling country singer, in the... )	Safe
9	Paris Bennett	"Work It Out"(Beyoncé)	Safe
10	Elliott Yamin	"I Don't Want to Be I Don't Want to Be "I Don't Want to Be" is a song by Gavin DeGraw appearing on his 2003 debut album Chariot. It was released as a single in Australia in 2004, and in the UK in 2005.... "(Gavin DeGraw Gavin DeGraw Gavin Shane DeGraw is an American musician and singer-songwriter. He is known for his songs "Chariot", "Follow Through", "I Don't Want to Be" , "In Love with a Girl", and "Not Over You".-Early life:DeGraw grew up in the Catskills in South Fallsburg,... )	Safe

Top 9 - Country


Order	Contestant	Song (original artist)	Result
1	Taylor Hicks	"Take Me Home, Country Roads Take Me Home, Country Roads "Take Me Home, Country Roads" is a song written by John Denver, Taffy Nivert, and Bill Danoff and initially recorded by John Denver. It was included on his 1971 breakout album Poems, Prayers and Promises; the single went to #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100... "(John Denver John Denver Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success... )	Safe
2	Mandisa	"Any Man of Mine Any Man of Mine "Any Man of Mine" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by Canadian country music artist Shania Twain. It was released in April 1995 as the second single from her 1995 album The Woman in Me. The song was written by Robert John "Mutt" Lange and Twain... "(Shania Twain Shania Twain Shania Twain, OC is a Canadian country pop singer-songwriter. Her album The Woman in Me , brought her fame and her 1997 album Come On Over, became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician in any genre, and the best-selling country album of all time. It has sold over 40 million... )	Eliminated
3	Elliott Yamin	"If Tomorrow Never Comes If Tomorrow Never Comes "If Tomorrow Never Comes" served as the first single from Irish singer/songwriter Ronan Keating's second studio album, Destination. The song was produced by Steve Mac. The song peaked at #1 on the UK Singles Chart, as well as making the Top 10 in Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Germany,... "(Garth Brooks Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart... )	Bottom 2
4	Paris Bennett	"How Do I Live How Do I Live "How Do I Live" is the title of a song written by Diane Warren. It was originally recorded by LeAnn Rimes in 1997 and shortly afterward by Trisha Yearwood... "(LeAnn Rimes LeAnn Rimes LeAnn Rimes is an American country/pop singer. She is known for her rich vocals and her rise to fame as an eight-year-old champion on the original Ed McMahon version of Star Search, followed by the release of the Patsy Cline-intended single "Blue" when Rimes was only age 13, resulting in her... )	Bottom 3
5	Ace Young	"Tonight I Wanna Cry Tonight I Wanna Cry "Tonight I Wanna Cry" is a song co-written and recorded by Australian country music artist Keith Urban. It was released in November 2005 as the last official single off Urban's Be Here album. It peaked at number 2 on the U.S... "(Keith Urban Keith Urban Keith Lionel Urban is a New Zealand-born Australian, country music singer, songwriter and guitarist whose commercial success has been mainly in the United States and Australia. Urban was born in New Zealand and began his career in Australia at an early age... )	Safe
6	Kellie Pickler	"Fancy"(Bobbie Gentry Bobbie Gentry Roberta Lee Streeter , professionally known as Bobbie Gentry, is a former American singer-songwriter notable as one of the first female country artists to compose and produce her own material... )	Safe
7	Chris Daughtry	"Making Memories of Us Making Memories of Us "Making Memories of Us" is the title of a song written by American country music artist Rodney Crowell that has been recorded by several artists. The first version was recorded by American country music artist Tracy Byrd on his 2003 album The Truth About Men... "(Keith Urban Keith Urban Keith Lionel Urban is a New Zealand-born Australian, country music singer, songwriter and guitarist whose commercial success has been mainly in the United States and Australia. Urban was born in New Zealand and began his career in Australia at an early age... )	Safe
8	Katharine McPhee	"Bringing Out the Elvis in Me Breathe (Faith Hill album) -Personnel:Faith Hill: VocalDennis Wilson, Gene Miller, Stephanie Bentley, Lisa Bevill, Bekka Bramlett, Chris Rodriguez, Kim Parent, Lisa Cochran: Vocal Backing*Jerry McPherson, B... "(Faith Hill Faith Hill Faith Hill is an American country singer. She is known both for her commercial success and her marriage to fellow country star Tim McGraw. Hill has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and accumulated eight number-one singles and three number-one albums on the U.S... )	Safe
9	Bucky Covington	"Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning) Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning) "Best I Ever Had " is a song recorded by the American alternative rock band Vertical Horizon on their fourth album Everything You Want, which was released in 1999. It was released as a single in 2001... "(Vertical Horizon Vertical Horizon Vertical Horizon is an American alternative rock band formed at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. in 1991. The band is best known for a string of hits in 1999 and early 2000s, including "You're a God", "Everything You Want", and "Best I Ever Had ". Their most recent album, Burning the... )	Safe

Top 8 - Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...


Order	Contestant	Song (original artist)	Result
1	Bucky Covington	"Fat Bottomed Girls Fat Bottomed Girls "Fat Bottomed Girls" is a song by the English rock band Queen. Written by guitarist Brian May, the track featured on their 1978 album Jazz, and also appears on the band's compilation album, Greatest Hits... "	Eliminated
2	Ace Young	"We Will Rock You We Will Rock You "We Will Rock You" is a song written by Brian May and recorded and performed by Queen for their 1977 album News of the World. Rolling Stone ranked it #330 of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004, and the RIAA placed it at #146 on its list of Songs of the Century... "	Bottom 3
3	Kellie Pickler	"Bohemian Rhapsody Bohemian Rhapsody "Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was written by Freddie Mercury for the band's 1975 album A Night at the Opera... "	Safe
4	Chris Daughtry	"Innuendo Innuendo An innuendo is a baseless invention of thoughts or ideas. It can also be a remark or question, typically disparaging , that works obliquely by allusion... "	Safe
5	Katharine McPhee	"Who Wants To Live Forever Who Wants to Live Forever "Who Wants to Live Forever" is a song by the English rock band Queen. The song is the sixth track on the album A Kind of Magic, released in June 1986, and was written by guitarist Brian May for the soundtrack to the film Highlander, directed by Russell Mulcahy... "	Safe
6	Elliott Yamin	"Somebody To Love Somebody to Love (Queen song) "Somebody to Love" is a song by British rock band Queen. Written by lead vocalist and pianist Freddie Mercury, the track featured on their 1976 album A Day at the Races, and also appears on the band's compilation album, Greatest Hits... "	Bottom 3
7	Taylor Hicks	"Crazy Little Thing Called Love Crazy Little Thing Called Love "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" is a song by the rock band Queen. Written by Freddie Mercury in 1979, the track featured on their 1980 album The Game, and also appears on the band's compilation album, Greatest Hits... "	Safe
8	Paris Bennett	"The Show Must Go On The Show Must Go On (Queen song) "The Show Must Go On" is a song by English rock band Queen, featured as the twelfth and final track on their 1991 album Innuendo. It is credited to Queen, but written primarily by Brian May. The song chronicles the effort of Freddie Mercury continuing to perform despite approaching the end of his... "	Safe

Top 7 - Great American Songbook
Great American Songbook
The Great American Songbook is a hypothetical construct that seeks to represent the best American songs of the 20th century principally from Broadway theatre, musical theatre, and Hollywood musicals, from the 1920s to 1960, including dozens of songs of enduring popularity...


Order	Contestant	Song (original artist)	Result
1	Chris Daughtry	"What a Wonderful World What a Wonderful World "What a Wonderful World" is a song written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss. It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong and released as a single in 1968. Thiele and Weiss were both prominent in the music world . Armstrong's recording was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999... "(Louis Armstrong Louis Armstrong Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana.... )	Bottom 2
2	Paris Bennett	"These Foolish Things These Foolish Things These Foolish Things is a 1973 album by Bryan Ferry, containing cover versions of standard songs. It was his first solo effort, still being Roxy Music's lead singer... "(Billie Holiday Billie Holiday Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing... )	Bottom 3
3	Taylor Hicks	"You Send Me You Send Me -Background:Cooke made a demo recording of "You Send Me" featuring only his own guitar accompaniment in the winter of 1955. The first recording of the track was made in New Orleans in December 1956 in the same sessions which produced "Lovable", the first release outside the gospel field for Cooke... "(Sam Cooke Sam Cooke Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and... )	Safe
4	Elliott Yamin	"It Had To Be You It Had to Be You (song) "It Had to Be You" is a popular song written by Isham Jones, with lyrics by Gus Kahn, and was first published in 1924.The song was performed by Priscilla Lane in the 1939 film The Roaring Twenties and by Danny Thomas in the 1951 film I'll See You in My Dreams. The latter film was based loosely upon... "(Sam Lanin Sam Lanin Sam Lanin was an American jazz bandleader.Lanin's brothers, Howard and Lester, were also bandleaders, and all of them had sustained, successful careers in music. Lanin was one of ten children born to Russian-Jewish immigrants who emigrated to Philadelphia in the decade of the 1900s... and his Orchestra)	Safe
5	Kellie Pickler	"Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered"(Vivienne Segal Vivienne Segal Vivienne Sonia Segal was an American actress and singer.Segal was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is best remembered for creating the role of Vera Simpson in Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's Pal Joey and introduced the song "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered"... )	Safe
6	Ace Young	"That's All That's All "That's All" is a 1952 song written by Alan Brandt and Bob Haymes. It has been covered by many jazz and blues artists. The song is part of the Great American Songbook... "(Nat King Cole Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres... )	Eliminated
7	Katharine McPhee	"Someone to Watch Over Me Someone to Watch over Me (song) "Someone to Watch Over Me" is a song composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin from the musical Oh, Kay! , where it was introduced by Gertrude Lawrence... "(Gertrude Lawrence Gertrude Lawrence Gertrude Lawrence was an English actress, singer and musical comedy performer known for her stage appearances in the West End theatre district of London and on Broadway.-Early life:... )	Safe

Top 6 - Love Song
Love song
A love song is about falling in love and the feelings it brings. Anthologies of love songs often contain a mixture of both of these types of song. A bawdy song is both humorous and saucy, emphasizing the physical pleasure of love rather than the emotional joy...

s


Order	Contestant	Song (original artist)	Result
1	Katharine McPhee	"I Have Nothing I Have Nothing "I Have Nothing" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston and released as the third single from The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album on February 20, 1993 by Arista Records. The song was written by David Foster and Linda Thompson, and produced by Foster... "(Whitney Houston Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among... )	Top 2
2	Elliott Yamin	"A Song for You A Song for You "A Song for You" is a soulful love song written and originally recorded by rock singer-songwriter and pianist Leon Russell for his first solo album 'Leon Russell', which was released in 1970 on Shelter Records. A slow, pained plea for forgiveness and understanding from an estranged lover, the tune... "(Leon Russell Leon Russell Claude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music.... )	Safe
3	Kellie Pickler	"Unchained Melody Unchained Melody "Unchained Melody" is a 1955 song with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret. It has become one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century, by some counts having spawned over 500 versions in hundreds of different languages.... "(Todd Duncan Todd Duncan Robert Todd Duncan was an American baritone opera singer and actor.-Biography:Todd Duncan was born in Danville, Kentucky in 1903. He obtained his musical training at Butler University in Indianapolis with a B.A. in music followed by an M.A... )	Eliminated
4	Paris Bennett	"The Way We Were The Way We Were The Way We Were is a 1973 American romantic dramatic film co-starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford, directed by Sydney Pollack. The screenplay by Arthur Laurents was based on his college days at Cornell University and his experiences with the House Un-American Activities Committee.A box... "(Barbra Streisand Barbra Streisand Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,... )	Bottom 2
5	Taylor Hicks	"Just Once The Dude (Quincy Jones album) The Dude is a 1981 album by American music impresario, conductor, record producer, musical arranger, film composer and trumpeter Quincy Jones. The album featured the debut of vocalist James Ingram on the singles "Just Once" and "One Hundred Ways," which reached no. 17 and 14, respectively, on the... "(James Ingram James Ingram James Ingram is an American soul musician. He is best known as a vocalist. He is also a self-taught musician who plays piano, guitar, bass, drums and keyboards... )	Safe
6	Chris Daughtry	"Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman? Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman? "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" is a 1995 song written by Bryan Adams, Michael Kamen and Robert John "Mutt" Lange for the film of the same year Don Juan DeMarco... "(Bryan Adams Bryan Adams Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written... )	Top 2

Top 5 - Year Of Birth/Current Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

Top 10


Order	Contestant	Song (original artist)	Result
1	Elliott Yamin	"On Broadway"(The Crystals The Crystals The Crystals are an American vocal group based in New York, considered one of the defining acts of the girl group era of the first half of the 1960s. Their 1961–1964 chart hits, including "Uptown", "He's a Rebel", "Da Doo Ron Ron " and "Then He Kissed Me", featured three successive female lead... )	Bottom 2
2	Paris Bennett	"Kiss Kiss (song) In 1988 Art of Noise released a cover of the song, featuring Tom Jones on vocals. The song became the band's biggest hit to that point, reaching number eighteen on the U.S. dance charts and number five on the UK Singles Chart, higher than the original in that country... "(Prince Prince (musician) Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of... and The Revolution The Revolution (band) The Revolution was an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1979 by Prince. Although widely associated with rock music, the band's sound incorporated heavy metal, pop, funk, R&B and hard rock elements. Before their official break-up, The Revolution had released one studio album,... )	Eliminated
3	Chris Daughtry	"Renegade"(Styx Styx (band) Styx is an American rock band that became famous for its albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Chicago band is known for melding the style of prog-rock with the power of hard rock guitar, strong ballads, and elements of American musical theater.... )	Safe
4	Katharine McPhee	"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) "Against All Odds " is a song by British singer Phil Collins recorded for soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name. It is a power ballad in which its protagonist implores an ex-lover to "take a look at me now", knowing that reconciliation is "against all odds" while considering it worth trying... "(Phil Collins Phil Collins Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist.... )	Safe
5	Taylor Hicks	"Play That Funky Music Play That Funky Music "Play That Funky Music" is a funk song written by Robert Parissi and recorded by the band Wild Cherry. The performers on the classic recording included the members of the band at the time: lead singer Parissi, guitarist Bryan Bassett, bassist Allen Wentz, and drummer Ron Beitle, with session horn... "(Wild Cherry)	Safe
6	Elliott Yamin	"Home Home A home is a place of residence or refuge. When it refers to a building, it is usually a place in which an individual or a family can rest and store personal property. Most modern-day households contain sanitary facilities and a means of preparing food. Animals have their own homes as well, either... "(Michael Bublé Michael Bublé Michael Steven Bublé is a Canadian singer. He has won several awards, including three Grammy Awards and multiple Juno Awards. His first album reached the top ten in Canada and the UK. He found worldwide commercial success with his 2005 album It's Time, and his 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible was... )	Bottom 2
7	Paris Bennett	"Be Without You Be Without You "Be Without You" is an R&B song written by American singer-songwriter Mary J. Blige, Johnta Austin, Bryan Michael Cox, and Jason Perry for Blige's seventh studio album The Breakthrough. It was released as the album's lead single in late 2005. It was produced by Cox and released as the album's first... "(Mary J. Blige Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has... )	Eliminated
8	Chris Daughtry	"I Dare You I Dare You "I Dare You" is the second single from Shinedown's second album, Us and Them. It reached number two on the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart and has been sung on American Idol by Chris Daughtry and was a minor hit on pop charts... "(Shinedown Shinedown Shinedown is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida, formed in 2001 and founded by members Brent Smith , Brad Stewart , Jasin Todd , and Barry Kerch . A few line-up changes followed, and the band's current line-up consists of Smith and Kerch, the band's only two remaining original... )	Safe
9	Katharine McPhee	"Black Horse and the Cherry Tree Black Horse and the Cherry Tree "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" is a song by Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall and is featured on her debut album, Eye to the Telescope. It was released on 21 February 2005 as the lead single from the album, charting at #28 in the UK Singles Chart... "(KT Tunstall KT Tunstall Kate Victoria "KT" Tunstall is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist from St Andrews, Scotland. She broke into the public eye with a 2004 live solo performance of her song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" on Later... with Jools Holland... )	Safe
10	Taylor Hicks	"Something Something "Something" is a song by The Beatles, written by lead guitarist George Harrison in 1969. It was featured on the album Abbey Road, and was also the first song written by Harrison to appear on the A-side of a Beatles' single... "(The Beatles The Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr... )	Safe

Top 4 - Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....


Order	Contestant	Song	Result
1	Taylor Hicks	"Jailhouse Rock Jailhouse Rock (song) "Jailhouse Rock" is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller that first became a hit for Elvis Presley. The song was released as a 45rpm single on September 24, 1957, to coincide with the release of Presley's motion picture, Jailhouse Rock... "	Safe
2	Chris Daughtry	"Suspicious Minds Suspicious Minds "Suspicious Minds" is a song written by American songwriter Mark James that, after the failure of his own recording, was handed to Elvis Presley by producer Chips Moman becoming one of his most notable hits and a number one in 1969, "Suspicious Minds" was widely regarded as the single that returned... "	Eliminated
3	Elliott Yamin	"If I Can Dream If I Can Dream "If I Can Dream" is a song made famous by Elvis Presley, written by Walter Earl Brown and notable for its direct quotations of Martin Luther King, Jr. It was recorded by Presley in June 1968, two months after King's assassination... "	Safe
4	Katharine McPhee	"Hound Dog Hound Dog (song) "Hound Dog" is a twelve-bar blues written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and originally recorded by Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton in 1952. Other early versions illustrate the differences among blues, country, and rock and roll in the mid-1950s. The 1956 remake by Elvis Presley is the best-known... " / "All Shook Up All Shook Up "All Shook Up" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music and composed by Otis Blackwell. Elvis Presley's single topped the U.S. Pop chart on April 13, 1957, staying there for eight weeks. It also topped the R&B chart for four weeks, becoming Presley's second single to... "	Bottom 2
5	Taylor Hicks	"In the Ghetto In the Ghetto "In the Ghetto" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music in 1969. It was written by Mac Davis and made famous by Elvis Presley who had a major comeback hit with the song in 1969. It was released in 1969 as a 45 rpm single with "Any Day Now" as the flip side... "	Safe
6	Chris Daughtry	"A Little Less Conversation A Little Less Conversation "A Little Less Conversation" is a song written by Mac Davis and Billy Strange that was originally performed and written for American rock and roll icon Elvis Presley for the 1968 film Live a Little, Love a Little. When the song was released as a single with "Almost in Love" as the b-side, it became... "	Eliminated
7	Elliot Yamin	"Trouble Trouble (Elvis Presley song) Amanda Lear's debut single was a recording of "Trouble", released in the UK by Creole Records. A French language translation by Vline Buggy, titled "La Bagarre", was released in France by Polydor. Lear performed the song on an episode of Musikladen aired 29 May 1976 in West Germany. Clad in black... "	Safe
8	Katharine McPhee	"Can't Help Falling in Love Can't Help Falling in Love "Can't Help Falling in Love" is a pop song originally recorded by American singer Elvis Presley and published by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley's publishing company. It was written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss. The melody was based on "Plaisir d'Amour" but with a different... "	Bottom 2

Top 3 - Clive Davis
Clive Davis
Clive Davis is an American record producer and music industry executive. He has won five Grammy Awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. From 1967 to 1973 he was the President of Columbia Records. He was the founder and president of Arista Records from 1975...

's choice/Judges' choice/Contestants' choice


Order	Contestant	Song (original artist)	Result
1	Elliot Yamin	"Open Arms Open Arms (Journey song) "Open Arms" is a popular song originally recorded by American rock band Journey, and released as a single from their 1981 album, Escape. Co-written by band members Steve Perry and Jonathan Cain, the song is a power ballad whose lyrics are an empowering plea to a lover to forgive past wrongdoings... "(Journey Journey (band) Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded... )	Eliminated
2	Katharine McPhee	"I Believe I Can Fly I Believe I Can Fly "I Believe I Can Fly" is a 1996 song by R&B singer R. Kelly. The song was written, produced and performed by Kelly and was featured on the soundtrack to the 1996 film Space Jam. The song later appeared on Kelly's 1998 album R..... "(R. Kelly R. Kelly Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play... )	Safe
3	Taylor Hicks	"Dancing in the Dark Dancing in the Dark (Bruce Springsteen song) "Dancing in the Dark" is a 1984 song, written and performed by American rock singer Bruce Springsteen. Adding up-tempo synthesizer riffs and some syncopation to his sound for the first time, it became his biggest hit and, as the first single released from Born in the U.S.A., started it off to... "(Bruce Springsteen Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band... )	Safe
4	Elliot Yamin	"What You Won't Do For Love What You Won't Do For Love What You Won't Do For Love is a 2005 novel, the second book by author Wendy Coakley-Thompson. The title for the book was inspired by the Bobby Caldwell hit of the same name... "(Bobby Caldwell Bobby Caldwell Bobby Caldwell is an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who, despite a prolific musical output over his 30-year career, is still best known for his 1978 hit single "What You Won't Do for Love". While he has always maintained a devoted fan base in the United States, a legendary... ) Paula Abdul's song choice	Eliminated
5	Katharine McPhee	"Over the Rainbow Over the Rainbow "Over the Rainbow" is a classic Academy Award-winning ballad song with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg. It was written for the movie The Wizard of Oz, and was sung by Judy Garland in the movie... "(Judy Garland Judy Garland Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage... ) Simon Cowell's song choice	Safe
6	Taylor Hicks	"You Are So Beautiful You Are So Beautiful "You Are So Beautiful" is a song written by Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher and Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys. It was first recorded by Preston and made popular in a version by Joe Cocker.... "(Billy Preston Billy Preston William Everett "Billy" Preston was a musician who gained notoriety and fame, first as a session musician for the likes of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and The Beatles, and later finding fame as a solo artist with hits such as "Space Race", "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing from... ) Randy Jackson's song choice	Safe
7	Elliot Yamin	"I Believe to My Soul"(Ray Charles Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records... )	Eliminated
8	Katharine McPhee	"I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues "I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues" is a 1937 song composed by Duke Ellington, with lyrics written by Don George.-Notable recordings:*Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra Voc.: Al Hibbler - Recorded in New York City on December 1, 1944... "(Duke Ellington Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions... )	Safe
9	Taylor Hicks	"Try a Little Tenderness Try a Little Tenderness "Try a Little Tenderness" is a love song written by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly and Harry M. Woods, and recorded initially on December 8, 1932 by the Ray Noble Orchestra followed by both Ruth Etting and Bing Crosby in 1933... "(Val Rosing Val Rosing Val Rosing was the British "Dance Hall" singer best known as the vocalist with the BBC Henry Hall Orchestra. Born as Valerian Rosing, he was the son of Russian tenor and opera director, Vladimir Rosing and English singer Marie Falle... and The Ray Noble Orchestra Ray Noble (musician) Ray Noble was an English bandleader, composer, arranger and actor. Noble studied music at the Royal Academy of Music and became leader of the HMV Records studio band in 1929. The band, known as the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra, featured members of many of the top hotel orchestras of the day... )	Safe

Top 2 - Previous Song/Another Previous Song/Winning Song


Order	Contestant	Song (original artist)	Result
1	Katharine McPhee	"Black Horse and the Cherry Tree Black Horse and the Cherry Tree "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" is a song by Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall and is featured on her debut album, Eye to the Telescope. It was released on 21 February 2005 as the lead single from the album, charting at #28 in the UK Singles Chart... "(KT Tunstall KT Tunstall Kate Victoria "KT" Tunstall is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist from St Andrews, Scotland. She broke into the public eye with a 2004 live solo performance of her song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" on Later... with Jools Holland... )	Runner-Up
2	Taylor Hicks	"Living for the City Living for the City "Living for the City" is a 1973 hit single by Stevie Wonder for the Tamla label, from his Innervisions album. Reaching #8 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and #1 on the R&B chart, the record is driven by a slow bass synth groove that manages to exude a certain amount of tension, an appropriate... "(Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist... )	Winner
3	Katharine McPhee	"Over The Rainbow Over the Rainbow "Over the Rainbow" is a classic Academy Award-winning ballad song with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg. It was written for the movie The Wizard of Oz, and was sung by Judy Garland in the movie... "(Judy Garland Judy Garland Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage... )	Runner-Up
4	Taylor Hicks	"Levon Levon "Levon" is a song written and recorded by Sir Elton John with lyrics written by Bernie Taupin. It is from John's fourth album Madman Across the Water and was recorded on February 27, 1971... " (Elton John Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor... )	Winner
5	Katharine McPhee	"My Destiny"(Katharine McPhee Katharine McPhee Katharine Hope McPhee is an American pop singer, songwriter, actress, model, and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol in 2006, eventually finishing as the runner-up.Her self-titled debut album was released on RCA Records... )	Runner-Up
6	Taylor Hicks	"Do I Make You Proud Do I Make You Proud "Do I Make You Proud" is a soul-pop song written for American Idol season five winner Taylor Hicks by Tracy Ackerman, Andy Watkins, and Paul Wilson of the Absolute production team, and co-produced by Dave Way... "(Taylor Hicks Taylor Hicks Taylor Reuben Hicks is an American singer who achieved fame in 2006, when he won the fifth season of American Idol. Hicks got his start as a professional musician in his late teens and performed around the Southeastern United States for well over the span of a decade, during which he also released... )	Winner

Song themes

Top 12 ~ Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
Top 11 ~ 1950s
Top 10 ~ 2000s
2000s in music
For music from a year in the 2000s, go to 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09This article includes an overview of the major events and trends in popular music in the 2000s....
Top 9 ~ Country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
Top 8 ~ Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
Top 7 ~ Great American Songbook
Great American Songbook
The Great American Songbook is a hypothetical construct that seeks to represent the best American songs of the 20th century principally from Broadway theatre, musical theatre, and Hollywood musicals, from the 1920s to 1960, including dozens of songs of enduring popularity...
Top 6 ~ Love song
Love song
A love song is about falling in love and the feelings it brings. Anthologies of love songs often contain a mixture of both of these types of song. A bawdy song is both humorous and saucy, emphasizing the physical pleasure of love rather than the emotional joy...

s
Top 5 ~ Songs from Birth Year/Current Billboard Top 10
Top 4 ~ Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....

(2 songs each)
Top 3 ~ Clive Davis
Clive Davis
Clive Davis is an American record producer and music industry executive. He has won five Grammy Awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. From 1967 to 1973 he was the President of Columbia Records. He was the founder and president of Arista Records from 1975...

's choice/Judges' choice/Contestants' choice
Top 2~ Song previously performed by contestant/Another song previously sung by contestant/Original Song for American Idol 5: "My Destiny" (McPhee) or "Do I Make You Proud" (Hicks)

Performers on results shows

March 15 ~ Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
March 22 ~ Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...
March 29 ~ Shakira
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...

and Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
April 5 ~ Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
April 12 ~ Final 8 sing a medley of Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
April 19 ~ Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
April 26 ~ Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli, is an Italian tenor, multi-instrumentalist and classical crossover artist. Born with poor eyesight, he became blind at the age of twelve following a soccer accident....

and David Foster
David Foster
David Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
May 3 ~ Top 5 perform "Together We Are One
Together We Are One
"Together We Are One" is a pop song written by Guy Chambers, Delta Goodrem and Brian McFadden, produced by Guy Chambers and Richard Flack for the album Commonwealth Games: Melbourne 2006 Opening Ceremony...

" (originally written and sung by Australian singer Delta Goodrem
Delta Goodrem
Delta Lea Goodrem is an Australian singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress. Signed to Sony at the age of 15, Goodrem rose to prominence in 2002, starring in the Australian soap opera Neighbours as Nina Tucker. Goodrem has achieved eight number-one singles and three number-one albums in her home...

for the 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...

)
May 10 ~ Top 4 perform a medley of Elvis
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....

songs
May 17 ~ Each contestant of the Top 3 performs the song they will be singing on the American Idol Season 5: Encores
American Idol Season 5: Encores
American Idol Season 5: Encores is compilation album released on May 23, 2006 and contains one cover song from each of the top 12 finalists during season 5 of the television show American Idol...

CD.

Elimination song

A new feature this year, the show now uses a special song to make a tribute to an eliminated contestant's journey on the show, as opposed to before when various different melodic music compositions were played. This year, the song used for an eliminated contestant's flashback tribute was "Bad Day

Bad Day (Daniel Powter song)

"Bad Day" is a song written and performed by Canadian singer-songwriter Daniel Powter. It was released as the first single from his second album Daniel Powter and achieved the #1 spot in the U.S. and Ireland. In the U.S...

" by Daniel Powter

Daniel Powter

Daniel Richard Powter is a Canadian recording artist. He is known for his hit "Bad Day", which spent five weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. Powter became the only act to register the #1 hit of the year but chart no other Hot 100 hit.- Life and career :Powter grew up in Vernon, in the...

The finale

On the finale, Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood

Carrie Marie Underwood is an American country singer-songwriter and actress who rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, in 2005...

sang "Don't Forget to Remember Me

Don't Forget to Remember Me

"Don't Forget to Remember Me" is the fourth single from Carrie Underwood's debut album Some Hearts. Written by Morgane Hayes, Kelley Lovelace and Ashley Gorley, it is also her second release to country radio. The song peaked at #2 on the Billboard country charts in early 2006, and #49 on the...

" solo along with the song "Through the Rain" with the 12 finalists. Also, the finalists performed two medleys: one medley was for the female finalists and the other for the male finalists. Several special guests performed with one of the top five Idols: Al Jarreau

Al Jarreau

Alwin "Al" Lopez Jarreau is a seven-time Grammy Award winning jazz singer.- Background :Jarreau was born in Milwaukee, the fifth of six children. His web site refers to Reservoir, Inc., the name of the street where he lived. His father was a Seventh-Day Adventist Church minister and singer, and...

(Paris Bennett

Paris Bennett

Paris Ana'is Bennett is an American singer. She came to national recognition as a contestant on the fifth season of the reality television talent show, American Idol, finishing in fifth place...

), Live

Live (band)

Live is an American rock band from York, Pennsylvania, composed of Chad Taylor , Patrick Dahlheimer , and Chad Gracey . Lead singer and principal songwriter Ed Kowalczyk left the band in November 2009....

(Chris Daughtry

Chris Daughtry

), Meat Loaf

Meat Loaf

Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...

(Katharine McPhee

Katharine McPhee

), Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige

Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...

(Elliott Yamin

Elliott Yamin

Elliott Yamin , born Efraym Elliott Yamin, is an American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and placing third on the fifth season of American Idol....

) and Toni Braxton

Toni Braxton

Toni Michelle Braxton is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Braxton has won six Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, and five Billboard Music Awards and has sold over 60 million records worldwide...

(Taylor Hicks

Taylor Hicks

). Clay Aiken

Clay Aiken

Clayton Holmes "Clay" Aiken is an American singer, songwriter, actor, producer and author who began his rise to fame on the second season of the television program American Idol in 2003. RCA Records offered him a recording contract, and his multi-platinum debut album Measure of a Man was released...

performed with lookalike auditioner Michael Sandecki, who resembled Aiken circa

Circa

Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...

his 2005 audition. Also, Prince performed without an Idol. Towards the end of the program, the finalists performed "That's What Friends Are For" with Dionne Warwick

Dionne Warwick

Dionne Warwick is an American singer, actress and TV show host, who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health....

as well as other songs in the Burt Bacharach

Burt Bacharach

Burt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...

canon, with Burt Bacharach playing the piano. Several auditioners from the first round returned to accept "Golden Idol" awards, and to sing. A parody of Brokeback Mountain

Brokeback Mountain

Brokeback Mountain is a 2005 romantic drama film directed by Ang Lee. It is a film adaptation of the 1997 short story of the same name by Annie Proulx with the screenplay written by Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry...

(though there was no mention of homosexuality

Homosexuality

Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...

) called "Brokenote Mountain," featuring a group of three failed auditioners (Layne Johnson, Michael Evans, and Matthew Buckstein) was replayed from the Hollywood round. The trio "The Brokenote Cowboys" then performed the Waylon Jennings

Waylon Jennings

Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...

& Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson

Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...

song "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys

Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to Be Cowboys

"Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" is a country music song first recorded by Ed Bruce, written by him and wife Patsy Bruce. His version of the song appears on his 1976 self-titled album for United Artists Records. In late 1975–early 1976, Bruce's rendition of the song went to #15...

". In a pre-taped segment, finalist Kellie Pickler

Kellie Pickler

ate lunch with Wolfgang Puck

Wolfgang Puck

Wolfgang Johannes Puck is an Austrian-American celebrity chef, restaurateur, businessman and occasional actor. Wolfgang Puck restaurants, catering services, cookbooks and licensed products are run by Wolfgang Puck Companies, with three divisions...

at his brasserie

Brasserie

In France and the Francophone world, a brasserie is a type of French restaurant with a relaxed, upscale setting, which serves single dishes and other meals. The word 'brasserie' is also French for "brewery" and, by extension, "the brewing business"...

as a way of making fun of Kellie's admitted lack of culinary savvy. Finally, just before the results were announced, Hicks and McPhee performed "(I've Had) The Time of My Life

(I've Had) The Time of My Life

" The Time of My Life" is a song composed by Franke Previte, John DeNicola, and Donald Markowitz. It was recorded by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, after having been selected to be the finale song for the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, by choreographer Kenny Ortega and his assistant Miranda Garrison...

".
The chairman of TeleScope Inc., the company which manages the American Idol results, came at the end of the show with the result card. 63.5 million votes were cast in the finale, and Taylor Hicks was named the winner, the second American Idol winner from the city of Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham, Alabama

(the first being Ruben Studdard

Ruben Studdard

Christopher Theodore Ruben Studdard , best known as Ruben Studdard, is an American R&B, pop, and gospel singer. He rose to fame as winner of the second season of American Idol...

), and the fourth finalist with close ties to the city.

Elimination chart

Place	Contestant	Result
Stage:		Semi-Finals			Finals
Week:		2/23	3/2	3/9	3/15	3/22	3/29	4/5	4/12	4/19	4/26	5/3	5/10	5/17	5/24
1	Taylor Hicks														Winner
2	Katharine McPhee														Runner-Up
3	Elliott Yamin													Elim
4	Chris Daughtry										Top 2		Elim
5	Paris Bennett							Btm 3		Btm 3	Btm 2	Elim
6	Kellie Pickler										Elim
7	Ace Young						Btm 3		Btm 3	Elim
8	Bucky Covington								Elim
9	Mandisa							Elim
10	Lisa Tucker				Btm 2	Btm 3	Elim
11	Kevin Covais					Elim
12	Melissa McGhee				Elim
13-16	Gedeon McKinney
	Ayla Brown
	Will Makar
	Kinnik Sky		Btm 3
17-20	José "Sway" Penala		Elim
	David Radford
	Heather Cox
	Brenna Gethers
21-24	Patrick Hall
	Stevie Scott
	Bobby Bennett
	Becky O'Donohue

DialIdol

DialIdol is both the name of a computer program

Computer program

A computer program is a sequence of instructions written to perform a specified task with a computer. A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute...

for Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...

and its associated website that began tracking contestants during Season 4 and sprang to prominence at the start of Season 5. The program allows users to automatically vote for the American Idol contestants of their choice using their PC's phone modem

Modem

A modem is a device that modulates an analog carrier signal to encode digital information, and also demodulates such a carrier signal to decode the transmitted information. The goal is to produce a signal that can be transmitted easily and decoded to reproduce the original digital data...

. The program then reports back to the main website, which keeps track of the results based on the percentage of calls for each contestant that result in a busy signal

Busy signal

A busy signal in telephony is an audible or visual signal to the calling party that indicates failure to complete the requested connection of that particular telephone call....

. Based on the data received, the website then predicts which contestants may be eliminated or may be in danger of being eliminated. As of May 25, 2006, its predictions for Season 5 were 87% accurate.

This was the first season in which the free U.S. public service website, Zabasearch.com

Zabasearch.com

Zabasearch.com is a website that searches for and collates disparate information regarding United States residents, including names, current and past addresses, phone numbers, and birth years, and then permits the user to query other search engines with this information to retrieve other data such...

, started to openly present voting results (starting with the top 12 and onward) that it claims are from Cingular and American Idol. It has experienced controversy over the fact that its results change throughout the day until (and often through) the results show.

Controversy

In January 2006, twins Derrell and Terrell Brittenum were charged with forgery and theft after allegedly using a false identity to purchase a car. This occurred after the "Hollywood" portion of the show was filmed, and the twins were subsequently disqualified.
Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...

said that he did not like "last year's winner" as much as Kellie Pickler. He has since said that it was a heat of the moment thing, as Carrie Underwood had performed on the show the week before and was not very fond of the performance.
In January 2006, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation is a non-governmental media monitoring organization which promotes the image of LGBT people in the media...

(GLAAD) expressed concern about the show's portrayal of some contestants: "The real offense here was in the producer's decision to add insult to injury by turning a contestant's gender expression into the butt of a joke." Damon Romine, Entertainment Media Director, on January 20.
In January 2006 The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, NAAFA accused the show of being discriminatory towards its plus sized contestants.
In February 2006, it was discovered that José "Sway" Penala was reportedly signed to E-Real Records with his band 6th Day, at the time of his audition.
Two rumors about finalist Katharine McPhee
Katharine McPhee
Katharine Hope McPhee is an American pop singer, songwriter, actress, model, and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol in 2006, eventually finishing as the runner-up.Her self-titled debut album was released on RCA Records...

circulated during early March and throughout the season. The first was that she was quitting the show and would not show up for the March 7th airing. The second was sparked by the loose fitting blouses she had been wearing, leading viewers to suspect she was pregnant. Katharine denied both rumors when interviewed by host Ryan Seacrest on the March 7th show.
During the March 28 show while Mandisa Hundley was singing, her name and phone number came up, but changed for a few seconds and showed Taylor Hicks' name and phone number. At the end of the show the numbers were right.
Mandisa Hundley was voted out after country week, whereby her rendition of "Any Man of Mine" was not well received as a good song choice. The reason behind her elimination was speculated to be what she said before she began to sing her rendition of "Shackles (Praise You)" by Mary Mary
Mary Mary
Mary Mary is an American gospel music duo, consisting of sisters Erica Atkins-Campbell and Tina Atkins-Campbell . The duo are often credited along with Kirk Franklin for broadening the fan base of urban contemporary gospel in the 2000s by introducing elements of soul music, hip hop, funk and jazz...

: "This song goes out to everybody that wants to be free. Your addiction, lifestyle and situation may be big, but God is bigger." Many viewers believed that the "lifestyle" stated was regarding the homosexual lifestyle, which she denied, clarifying that the lifestyle she was referring to was her lifestyle of addiction to food. Mandisa is a former employee of the Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...

, having joined the Convention in 2000 as a telephone sales representative for their LifeWay book division, and later in their women's enrichment events area, and later Beth Moore's Living Proof Live events. (Moore's books are published by LifeWay.)
On the April 25 show, the theme of which was Greatest Love Songs and featured guest coaches Andrea Bocelli and David Foster, executive producer Nigel Lythgoe forced contestant Taylor Hicks to change his song a day before air time (and the same day as the dress rehearsal). Hicks' chosen song was "Try a Little Tenderness," but Lythgoe, in a radio interview, claimed the song was more appropriate for a Blues Brothers week and was not a song that Andrea Bocelli would sing. Hicks changed his song at the last minute to "Just Once" (James Ingram) and appeared very uncomfortable on stage. Hicks fans were distressed, feeling that a) Hicks' original choice of song was very appropriate to the theme; b) The producers changed the song at the last minute even though they must have known Hicks' choice the previous week as they must obtain clearance for all songs; c) Lythgoe's statement that it was not a song Andrea Bocelli would sing was dubious, as other song choices that were approved were songs sung by Bryan Adams ("Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman," sung by Chris Daughtry) and Donny Hathaway ("A Song for You," sung by Elliott Yamin).
During the East Coast transmission of the May 2 show, Paris Bennett was bleeped while singing Mary J. Blige's "Be Without You" at the exact point where an obscenity appears in the lyrics. However, Fox confirmed that the song was not bleeped when it was broadcast on the West Coast. Forum posters on the West Coast said Bennett sang the radio edit of the song which excludes the obscenity, leaving viewers nationwide wondering why Bennett was precensored during the earlier live transmission. Paris was eliminated in the results show the day after.
Following Chris Daughtry
Chris Daughtry
Christopher Adam "Chris" Daughtry is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Daughtry and as the fourth-place finalist on the fifth season of American Idol, from which he was eliminated on May 10, 2006...

's elimination, many Idol fans claimed calls they dialed to Daughtry's line during the first few minutes of voting were misdirected. According to them, the first of his two numbers was answered by a recording of Katharine McPhee
Katharine McPhee
Katharine Hope McPhee is an American pop singer, songwriter, actress, model, and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol in 2006, eventually finishing as the runner-up.Her self-titled debut album was released on RCA Records...

(who was also in the bottom two that night) giving thanks for their vote rather than Daughtry. Others reported similar behavior dialing other lines, such as dialing Elliott Yamin
Elliott Yamin
Elliott Yamin , born Efraym Elliott Yamin, is an American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and placing third on the fifth season of American Idol....

's line and hearing a recording of Daughtry giving thanks for their vote.
On Top 5 night (May 3), Elliott Yamin
Elliott Yamin
Elliott Yamin , born Efraym Elliott Yamin, is an American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and placing third on the fifth season of American Idol....

performed first, with Taylor Hicks
Taylor Hicks
Taylor Reuben Hicks is an American singer who achieved fame in 2006, when he won the fifth season of American Idol. Hicks got his start as a professional musician in his late teens and performed around the Southeastern United States for well over the span of a decade, during which he also released...

going out last. Next week (May 10) Katharine McPhee
Katharine McPhee
Katharine Hope McPhee is an American pop singer, songwriter, actress, model, and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol in 2006, eventually finishing as the runner-up.Her self-titled debut album was released on RCA Records...

went out last. It was expected that Yamin would go out last on Top 3 night (May 17), but he was again the first one to sing, losing what is called the "pimp spot", while Hicks was the last one to perform that night. Yamin's fans were distressed stating it was Yamin's right to go out last, while Hicks should have been first, and that the show producers arranged it to have Yamin eliminated next night (May 18), which actually happened.

US Nielsen ratings

American Idol was the top-rated show for the 2005-2006 TV season and occupied the top two positions. The number of viewers for its Tuesday episodes averaged 31.17 million and for the Wednesday episodes 30.16 million. It is still the most-watched of all seasons with an overall average number of viewers of 30.6 million per episode. Click on "show" below to see the rating details.

Episode list

EWLINE

Show	Episode	Air date	Week rank	Rating/Share	18-49 rating/Share	Viewers (millions)
1	"Chicago Auditions"	January 17, 2006	3	19.3 / 28	15.3 / 34	35.53
2	"Denver Auditions"	January 18, 2006	4	17.8 / 27	13.0 / 33	31.65
3	"Greensboro Auditions"	January 24, 2006	1	19.6 / 29	15.1 / 35	34.96
4	"San Francisco Auditions"	January 25, 2006	2	18.2 / 28	13.0 / 33	32.44
5	"Las Vegas Auditions"	January 31, 2006	5	17.4 / 27	12.4 / 31	30.18
6	"Austin Auditions"	February 1, 2006	6	16.9 / 25	12.5 / 32	30.40
7	"Boston Auditions"	February 7, 2006	1	17.6 / 26	12.9 / 32	31.15
8	"Hollywood Round 1"	February 8, 2006	2	16.3 / 24	11.4 / 29	28.74
9	"Hollywood Round 2"	February 14, 2006	2	16.5 / 25	11.4 / 29	26.96
10	"Hollywood: Top 24 Revealed"	February 15, 2006	1	15.5 / 24	11.9 / 30	28.78
11	"Top 12 Women Perform"	February 21, 2006	2	16.9 / 24	13.0 / 30	30.16
12	"Top 12 Men Perform"	February 22, 2006	1	18.2 / 27	13.5 / 33	31.69
13	"Top 24 Results"	February 23, 2006	7	13.3 / 20	9.9 / 24	23.38
14	"Top 10 Women Perform"	February 28, 2006	2	17.0 / 25	12.4 / 31	30.09
15	"Top 10 Men Perform	March 1, 2006	4	16.6 / 26	12.2 / 31	29.64
16	"Top 20 Results	March 2, 2006	5	15.2 / 23	10.9 / 27	26.32
17	"Top 8 Women Men Perform"	March 7, 2006	2	16.7 / 25	11.8 / 31	28.56
18	"Top 8 Men Perform"	March 8, 2006	1	17.2 / 27	12.4 / 32	30.38
19	"Top 12 Revealed"	March 9, 2006	4	15.4 / 24	10.8 / 28	26.63
20	"Top 12 Perform"	March 14, 2006	1	18.5 / 27	13.7 / 33	32.77
21	"Top 12 Results"	March 15, 2006	1	16.3 / 25	11.5 / 27	28.09
22	"Top 11 Perform"	March 21, 2006	1	19.2 / 28	13.6 / 33	33.36
23	"Top 11 Results"	March 22, 2006	2	15.9 / 24	11.4 / 27	27.68
24	"Top 10 Perform"	March 28, 2006	1	18.0 / 27	13.0 / 33	31.71
25	"Top 10 Results"	March 29, 2006	2	15.9 / 24	11.3 / 27	27.66
26	"Top 9 Perform"	April 4, 2006	1	16.6 / 23	11.6 / 32	28.83
27	"Top 9 Results"	April 5, 2006	2	15.7 / 23	10.8 / 26	26.23
28	"Top 8 Perform"	April 11, 2006	1	14.2 / 22	12.0 / 33	29.65
29	"Top 8 Results"	April 12, 2006	3	12.0 / 19	9.2 / 24	22.64
30	"Top 7 Perform"	April 18, 2006	1	16.6 / 26	11.4 / 32	28.44
31	"Top 7 Results"	April 19, 2006	2	16.5 / 25	11.3 / 30	27.63
32	Top 6 Perform"	April 25, 2006	1	16.7 / 26	11.5 / 30	28.67
33	"Top 6 Results"	April 26, 2006	2	16.6 / 25	11.6 / 28	28.27
34	"Top 5 Perform"	May 2, 2006	2	16.6 / 26	11.4 / 31	28.58
35	"Top 5 Results"	May 3, 2006	1	16.9 / 25	11.7 / 28	29.26
36	"Top 4 Perform"	May 9, 2006	1	16.8 / 26	11.6 / 31	28.85
37	"Top 4 Results"	May 10, 2006	2	16.1 / 24	11.2 / 27	27.88
38	"Top 3 Perform"	May 16, 2006	1	16.6 / 26	11.0 / 30	28.33
39	"Top 3 Results"	May 17, 2006	2	16.6 / 26	10.7 / 25	27.67
40	"Top 2 Perform"	May 23, 2006	2	18.2/ 29	12.3 / 34	31.78
41	Season 5 Finale"	May 24, 2006	1	20.5 / 32	14.2 / 35	36.38

Post Idol

This is the first season that a majority of finalists have major label recording contracts after Idol. Of them - Taylor Hicks

Taylor Hicks

, Katharine McPhee

Katharine McPhee

, Elliott Yamin

Elliott Yamin

Elliott Yamin , born Efraym Elliott Yamin, is an American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and placing third on the fifth season of American Idol....

, Chris Daughtry

Chris Daughtry

, and Kellie Pickler

Kellie Pickler

are distributed by Sony BMG Music Entertainment

Sony BMG Music Entertainment

Sony BMG Music Entertainment was a recorded music company, which was a 50–50 joint venture between the Sony Corporation of America and Bertelsmann AG...

; Bucky Covington

Bucky Covington

by Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...

; Ace Young

Ace Young

and Mandisa

Mandisa

Mandisa Hundley is an American gospel singer, who was the ninth-place finalist in the fifth season of American Idol.-Early life:...

by EMI

EMI

The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...

. One other contestant that did not even make the top 24 (Brooke Barrettsmith

Brooke Barrettsmith

Brooke Elizabeth Barrettsmith is an Christian pop/rock songwriter and musician from Spring Grove, Illinois. She was a former contestant of the reality television show American Idol during its fifth season in 2006.-Biography:...

) was also picked up by Sony BMG, and Universal also picked up Brianna Taylor

Brianna Taylor

Brianna Taylor is a reality show personality, singer and songwriter, having appeared on both the fifth season of American Idol and The Real World: Hollywood, the twentieth season of MTV's long-running reality television series, The Real World...

who also did not make the top 24. Two finalists have a deal with an independent labels - Paris Bennett

Paris Bennett

Paris Ana'is Bennett is an American singer. She came to national recognition as a contestant on the fifth season of the reality television talent show, American Idol, finishing in fifth place...

and Lisa Tucker

Lisa Tucker (singer)

Lisa Gabrielle Tucker is an American singer, musical theater and television actress who was the tenth-place finalist on the fifth season of American Idol.-Early life and career beginnings:...

. The remaining two finalists are unsigned - Kevin Covais

Kevin Covais

, and Melissa McGhee. (Covais, however, has begun an acting career and McGhee has taken part in charity events for Idol Gives Back

Idol Gives Back

Idol Gives Back is the name of a charitable campaign that spanned two episodes of American Idol during its sixth season. A second Idol Gives Back concert and fundraiser occurred on April 9, 2008, during the seventh season of the show. Idol Gives Back was not held in 2009 due to the ongoing...

) Also, five semi-finalists have deals and albums with independent labels - Ayla Brown, Heather Cox, Patrick Hall, Will Makar, Stevie Scott and David Radford. In addition, at least one contestant who was cut before the semi-finals - Bobby Bullard - has also been signed and recorded with a small label.

Taylor Hicks first post-Idol single, "Do I Make You Proud", would debut at #1 and be certified gold. Hicks' album, Taylor Hicks, has sold 703,000 copies. He later parted with Arista Records

Arista Records

Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...

. His follow-up album, "The Distance," was released March 10, 2009 on his own record label Modern Whomp Records.

The fifth-season contestant with the most commercial success is fourth-place finisher Chris Daughtry, now lead singer of the band Daughtry. Their eponymous debut album has sold over 5 million copies to date—surpassing former winners Studdard and Fantasia's respective two-album totals—and produced two top-ten singles. The album, which spent two weeks at #1 in the US, is also the fastest-selling debut rock album in Soundscan history.

As of November 2008: Runner-up Katharine McPhee

Katharine McPhee

's debut album has sold 374,000 copies; she has two Top 40 Billboard hits. Also notable: sixth-place finisher Kellie Pickler

Kellie Pickler

, whose Small Town Girl reached #1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and was certified gold. To date it has sold over 815,000 copies. Third-place finisher Elliott Yamin

Elliott Yamin

Elliott Yamin , born Efraym Elliott Yamin, is an American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and placing third on the fifth season of American Idol....

's eponymous debut album was certified gold and produced a platinum-selling single. Eighth-place finisher Bucky Covington

Bucky Covington

's self-titled debut album has sold over 400,000 copies and generated a top 20 and two top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. Ninth-place finisher Mandisa

Mandisa

Mandisa Hundley is an American gospel singer, who was the ninth-place finalist in the fifth season of American Idol.-Early life:...

's True Beauty album earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album in 2007.

Season five is the season from the first ten seasons of American Idol with the with the most number of finalists who have made it onto the Billboard charts.

Compilations

The compilation album for this season was performed by the top twelve finalists.

Information	Digital Downloads
American Idol Season 5: Encores American Idol Season 5: Encores American Idol Season 5: Encores is compilation album released on May 23, 2006 and contains one cover song from each of the top 12 finalists during season 5 of the television show American Idol... Released: May 23, 2006 Label: RCA Records RCA Records RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label... Chart Positions: - #3 (US) RIAA Certification: - Gold U.S. sales: - 381,075	Alphabetical order by song title "Father Figure" (#108 US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... ) "Midnight Train to Georgia Midnight Train to Georgia "Midnight Train to Georgia" is a 1973 number-one hit single by Gladys Knight & the Pips, their second release after departing Motown Records for Buddah Records... " (#52 US Pop) "Moody's Mood for Love Moody's Mood for Love "Moody's Mood for Love" is jazz saxophonist James Moody's 1949 instrumental solo based on Jimmy McHugh's 1935 song "I'm in the Mood for Love" with lyrics later added by Eddie Jefferson.-History:... " (#73 US Pop, #76 US Digital Hot Digital Songs The Hot Digital Songs chart ranks the best-selling digital singles in the United States, according to Billboard.Beginning in February 2005, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboards music single charts. It was decided to do so mainly because of the dramatic rise in popularity of... ) "Takin' It to the Streets Takin' It to the Streets (song) "Takin' It to the Streets" is a song by the American rock band The Doobie Brothers from the album of the same name. It was their first single with Michael McDonald on vocals and was written by McDonald.-Chart performance:... " (#69 US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... , #42 US Digital Hot Digital Songs The Hot Digital Songs chart ranks the best-selling digital singles in the United States, according to Billboard.Beginning in February 2005, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboards music single charts. It was decided to do so mainly because of the dramatic rise in popularity of... ) "Think" (#121 US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... , #90 US Pop) "Wanted Dead or Alive Wanted Dead or Alive (Bon Jovi song) -Music Video:The video for the song is black and white and features footage from the band's massive 1986-1987 world tour, including shots from Chicago's UIC Pavilion, Rochester, Minnesota's Mayo Civic Center, Denver, Colorado's McNichols Arena, Pittsburgh, PA F. Pitt Tunnel and Pittsburgh Skyline... " (#43 US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... , #11 US Digital Hot Digital Songs The Hot Digital Songs chart ranks the best-selling digital singles in the United States, according to Billboard.Beginning in February 2005, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboards music single charts. It was decided to do so mainly because of the dramatic rise in popularity of... , #37 US Pop)

Albums

Artist	Information
Chris Daughtry Chris Daughtry Christopher Adam "Chris" Daughtry is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Daughtry and as the fourth-place finalist on the fifth season of American Idol, from which he was eliminated on May 10, 2006...	Daughtry Daughtry (album) Daughtry is the debut album of the American rock band Daughtry, the band formed and fronted by American Idol Season 5 finalist Chris Daughtry... Released: November 21, 2006 Label: RCA Records RCA Records RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label... Chart Positions: #1 (US), #1 (Rock), #1 (Digital), #1 (Comprehensive), #1 (Internet) RIAA Certification: 4x Platinum U.S. sales: 4,788,000
Kellie Pickler Kellie Pickler Kellie Dawn Pickler is an American country music artist and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol, eventually finishing in sixth place. In 2006, she signed to 19 Recordings and BNA Records as a recording artist, releasing...	Small Town Girl Released: October 31, 2006 Label: BNA Records BNA Records BNA Records, formerly known as BNA Entertainment, is a label group that shares ties with Arista Nashville and RCA Nashville from parent company Sony Music Nashville, which itself is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, BNA features country music acts on its roster... Chart Positions: #1 (US Top Country), #9 (Billboard 200), #12 (Canada Top Country Albums) RIAA Certification: Gold U.S. sales: 854,000
Taylor Hicks Taylor Hicks Taylor Reuben Hicks is an American singer who achieved fame in 2006, when he won the fifth season of American Idol. Hicks got his start as a professional musician in his late teens and performed around the Southeastern United States for well over the span of a decade, during which he also released...	Taylor Hicks Taylor Hicks (album) Taylor Hicks is the eponymous major label debut album by the American Idol fifth-season winner of the same name. The album was released on December 12, 2006 in the United States by Arista Records in association with 19 Recordings Limited, nearly seven months after Hicks won the reality-talent... Released: December 12, 2006 Label: Arista Records Arista Records Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records... Chart Positions: #2 (US Billboard 200), #43 (Canada) RIAA Certification: Platinum U.S. sales: 704,000
Elliott Yamin Elliott Yamin Elliott Yamin , born Efraym Elliott Yamin, is an American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and placing third on the fifth season of American Idol....	Elliott Yamin Elliott Yamin (album) Elliott Yamin is the self-titled debut album by American pop singer Elliott Yamin, released on March 20, 2007 by the independent label Hickory Records and distributed through Sony BMG-owned RED Distribution... Released: March 20, 2007 Label: Hickory Records Hickory Records Hickory Records is a United States record label founded by Acuff-Rose Music in 1954 which operated the label up to 1979. Present owner Sony/ATV Music Publishing revived the label in 2007. Originally based in Nashville, functioning as an independent label throughout its history, it has had several... Sony RED Distribution RED Distribution RED - An Artist Development Company is a Sony Music Entertainment-owned sales and marketing division that handles releases for over sixty independent record labels.... Chart Positions: #3 (Billboard 200), #1 (Top Independent Albums), #11 (Top R&B albums) RIAA Certification: Gold U.S. sales: 527,000
Bucky Covington Bucky Covington William Joel "Bucky" Covington III is an American country music singer. He placed eighth on the 5th season of the Fox Network's talent competition series American Idol. In December 2006, he signed a recording contract with Lyric Street Records...	Bucky Covington Bucky Covington (album) Bucky Covington is the self-titled debut album of American country music artist Bucky Covington. It was released by Lyric Street Records, the country division of Hollywood Records, on April 17, 2007. The lead-off single, "A Different World", reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs... Released: April 17, 2007 Label: Lyric Street Records Lyric Street Records Lyric Street Records was an American record label specializing in country music. The label was part of the Disney Music Group, owned by the The Walt Disney Company. President Randy Goodman, formerly a general manager for RCA Records, founded the label in 1997... Hollywood Records Hollywood Records Hollywood Records is an American record label owned by Disney Music Group, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company.-History:Hollywood Records was founded in 1989 by then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner with the idea of expanding the music operations of the company and to develop and promote... Chart Positions: #4 (Billboard 200), #1 (US Top Country) RIAA Certification: Uncertified U.S. sales: 405,000
Katharine McPhee Katharine McPhee Katharine Hope McPhee is an American pop singer, songwriter, actress, model, and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol in 2006, eventually finishing as the runner-up.Her self-titled debut album was released on RCA Records...	Katharine McPhee Katharine McPhee (album) Katharine McPhee is the eponymous debut studio album by American Idol season five runner-up, Katharine McPhee. The album was released on January 30, 2007 by RCA Records in North America. It debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200, selling 116,000 copies in its first week, only behind Norah Jones' Not... Released: January 30, 2007 Label: RCA Records RCA Records RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label... Chart Positions: #2 (US Billboard 200), #23 (Canada) RIAA Certification: Uncertified U.S. sales: 381,000
Mandisa Mandisa Mandisa Hundley is an American gospel singer, who was the ninth-place finalist in the fifth season of American Idol.-Early life:...	True Beauty Released: July 31, 2007 Label: Sparrow Records Sparrow Records -Background:Sparrow Records was founded in 1976 by Billy Ray Hearn, then A&R director at Myrrh Records. Purchased by EMI in 1992, it is now part of the EMI Christian Music Group, and has been named by Billboard Magazine as "America's Best Christian Music Record Label"... Chart Positions: #43 (Billboard 200), #1 (Hot Christian Albums) RIAA Certification: Uncertified U.S. sales: 219,000
Mandisa Mandisa Mandisa Hundley is an American gospel singer, who was the ninth-place finalist in the fifth season of American Idol.-Early life:...	It's Christmas Released: October 14, 2008 Label: Sparrow Records Chart Positions: #64 (Billboard Hot 200) #1 (Billboard Top Christmas Albums) #5 (Billboard Top Christian Albums) RIAA Certification: not certified U.S. sales:26,000
Mandisa Mandisa Mandisa Hundley is an American gospel singer, who was the ninth-place finalist in the fifth season of American Idol.-Early life:...	Freedom Freedom (Mandisa album) Freedom is the second studio album by American Idol contestant Mandisa. The album was released on March 24, 2009.The first single, "My Deliverer", was released on January 27, 2009... Released: March 24, 2009 Label: Sparrow Records Sparrow Records -Background:Sparrow Records was founded in 1976 by Billy Ray Hearn, then A&R director at Myrrh Records. Purchased by EMI in 1992, it is now part of the EMI Christian Music Group, and has been named by Billboard Magazine as "America's Best Christian Music Record Label"... Chart Positions: #83 (US Billboard 200), #4 (US Billboard Top Christian Albums) RIAA Certification: Uncertified U.S. sales: 132,000
Elliott Yamin Elliott Yamin Elliott Yamin , born Efraym Elliott Yamin, is an American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and placing third on the fifth season of American Idol....	Fight for Love Fight for Love (Elliott Yamin album) -Note:* "Shelter" was only available to stream on Yamin's official MySpace music player until May 15, 2009. After that, the song was added to the already existing AmazonMP3 album download. Originally, there were two album entries, one with the previous "Believe" track, but once "Shelter" was added,... Released: May 5, 2009 Label: Hickory Records Hickory Records Hickory Records is a United States record label founded by Acuff-Rose Music in 1954 which operated the label up to 1979. Present owner Sony/ATV Music Publishing revived the label in 2007. Originally based in Nashville, functioning as an independent label throughout its history, it has had several... Chart Positions: #26 (US Billboard 200), #4 (US Billboard Independent Albums) RIAA Certification: Uncertified U.S. sales: 49,000
Chris Daughtry Chris Daughtry Christopher Adam "Chris" Daughtry is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Daughtry and as the fourth-place finalist on the fifth season of American Idol, from which he was eliminated on May 10, 2006...	Leave This Town Leave This Town Leave This Town is the second album of the American rock band Daughtry and was released on July 14, 2009. It is the first album that they recorded as a band, as their self-titled debut album was recorded before the band was formed and only featured lead singer Chris Daughtry as an official... Released: July 14, 2009 Label: RCA Records RCA Records RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label... Chart Positions: #1 (US Billboard 200), #1 (Rock) RIAA Certification: Platinum U.S. sales: 1,225,000

Minor & independent releases

Artist	Information
Bobby "Bluu Suede" Bullard	The Bluu Suede Project Released: 2007 Label: Stres Entertainment Inc.
Ayla Brown Ayla Brown Ayla Marie Brown is an American NCAA basketball player and recording artist from Wrentham, Massachusetts. She is also known for her American Idol showing placing in the Top 16 on season 5 in 2005/06. She is the elder daughter of United States Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts and WCVB-TV...	Forward (LP) Forward (Ayla Brown album) Forward is the debut album of singer Ayla Brown, which was released on October 17, 2006.The album was recorded in New York City, at Tonic Studios, Raw Sugar Studios and Double Deal Studios, and mixed at A-Pawling Studios by Peter Moshay, of Hall & Oates, and Mariah Carey fame... Released: October 17, 2006 Label: Double Deal Brand Records U.S. sales: 3,200
Paris Bennett Paris Bennett Paris Ana'is Bennett is an American singer. She came to national recognition as a contestant on the fifth season of the reality television talent show, American Idol, finishing in fifth place...	Princess P (LP) Princess P "Ordinary Love" is the debut single from Paris Bennett, the American Idol fifth place finalist with production Jon Jon Traxx and J... Released: May 8, 2007 Label: 306 Entertainment U.S. sales: 22,000
Ace Young Ace Young Brett Asa "Ace" Young is an American singer, songwriter and actor. He came to national recognition upon appearing on the fifth season of the reality television talent show, American Idol, although he was eliminated from the competition on April 19, 2006, finishing in seventh place.-Early...	"Scattered (Digital Download)" Released: October 20, 2006 Label: Freeman Records U.S. sales: -
Elliott Yamin Elliott Yamin Elliott Yamin , born Efraym Elliott Yamin, is an American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and placing third on the fifth season of American Idol....	"This Christmas (Digital Download)" Released: December 6, 2006 Label: Pulse Recording and Three Ring Projects Chart Positions: #167 (Hot Digital Songs Hot Digital Songs The Hot Digital Songs chart ranks the best-selling digital singles in the United States, according to Billboard.Beginning in February 2005, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboards music single charts. It was decided to do so mainly because of the dramatic rise in popularity of... ) U.S. sales: - 87,000
Katharine McPhee Katharine McPhee Katharine Hope McPhee is an American pop singer, songwriter, actress, model, and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol in 2006, eventually finishing as the runner-up.Her self-titled debut album was released on RCA Records...	"I Lost You"/"Dangerous" (Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000... ) Released: December 19, 2006 Label: RCA Records RCA Records RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label... U.S. sales: -
Patrick Hall	One for the Ages (LP) Released: February 2007 Label: Ni-Fi Records U.S. sales: -
Josh Royse	Memories Released: 2009 Label: Independent
David Radford	Swing on By (LP) Released: 2007 Label: independent
Stevie Scott	Stevie Scott (EP) Released: July 29, 2008 Label: Heat Rocc Entertainment U.S. sales: -
Brianna Taylor Brianna Taylor Brianna Taylor is a reality show personality, singer and songwriter, having appeared on both the fifth season of American Idol and The Real World: Hollywood, the twentieth season of MTV's long-running reality television series, The Real World...	Brianna Taylor (EP) Released: June 3, 2008 Label: Chamberlain Records U.S. sales: 60,000
Stephanie White	Knee Deep InSanity (CD Baby CD Baby CD Baby is an online music store specializing in the sale of CDs and digital music downloads from independent musicians to consumers. The company is also a digital aggregator of independent music recordings, distributing content to several online digital music retailers.CD Baby has achieved recent... ) Released: October 12, 2007 Label: independent U.S. sales: - 1,000+ as of April 2008 Notes: lead singer of her band, Stephanie White and the New Jersey Philth Harmonic
Ace Young Ace Young Brett Asa "Ace" Young is an American singer, songwriter and actor. He came to national recognition upon appearing on the fifth season of the reality television talent show, American Idol, although he was eliminated from the competition on April 19, 2006, finishing in seventh place.-Early...	Ace Young Released: July 15, 2008 Label: Pazzo Music U.S. sales: 10,000

Nominations

In 2006, American Idol also became the most nominated unscripted show ever, and has several nominations in the 2006 Emmy Awards for Season 5:

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety, Music Program or Special - Episode #519
Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program - Bruce Gowers
Outstanding Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming (Large team entries - Primarily Multi-Camera Productions) - "Audition City: Greensboro"
Outstanding Lighting Direction - "American Classics Songbook with Rod Stewart"
Outstanding Lighting Direction - "Finale"
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or Special or Animation - "American Classics Songbook with Rod Stewart"
Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video for a Series - Episode #530

External links

Official American Idol Contestants Website

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Auditions

Hollywood week

Semi-finals

Female semi-finalists

Male semi-finalists

Top 24

Top 20

Top 16

Top 12 finalists

Top 12 - Stevie WonderStevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...

Top 11 - 1950s1950sThe 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...

Top 10 - 2000s

Top 9 - Country

Top 8 - QueenQueen (band)Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...

Top 6 - Love SongLove songA love song is about falling in love and the feelings it brings. Anthologies of love songs often contain a mixture of both of these types of song. A bawdy song is both humorous and saucy, emphasizing the physical pleasure of love rather than the emotional joy...s

Top 4 - Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....

Top 2 - Previous Song/Another Previous Song/Winning Song

Song themes

Performers on results shows

Elimination song

The finale

Elimination chart

DialIdol

Controversy

US Nielsen ratings

Post Idol

Compilations

Albums

Minor & independent releases

Nominations

External links

Top 12 - Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...

Top 11 - 1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...

Top 8 - Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...

Top 6 - Love Song
Love song
A love song is about falling in love and the feelings it brings. Anthologies of love songs often contain a mixture of both of these types of song. A bawdy song is both humorous and saucy, emphasizing the physical pleasure of love rather than the emotional joy...

s

Top 4 - Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....