My American Idol Season 11 Top 2 Buzz Rankings~

All the roof-raising, hootin’ and a-hollerin’, and heavenly wailing couldn’t save Joshua Ledet in a somewhat surprising elimination on last week’s American Idol. This talented singer who could burp and get a standing ovation from the judges, gave strong and often fantastic performances throughout season 11 and seemed like a shoo-in for the finale according to most prognosticators. Alas, it was not meant to be and Mantasia just missed the cut. But don’t fret Joshua fans, I’m sure Jimmy Iovine will give him a contract and he will carve out a nice little R&B and gospel career in time. I could see him have the latter-day success of both Idol winners Fantasia and Ruben Studdard who have maintained decent sales throughout their careers in the R&B field netting Grammy nominations (and 1 win for Fantasia) along the way. However, there was no way he was going to crossover and become a big pop star. Instead one of the two finalists might actually do that. One, Jessica Sanchez, clearly has giant pop star written all over her, while the other, Phillip Phillips, could whittle out a nice John Mayer-esque niche in the music world. So, just which one of these talented finalist has the big buzz going into this week’s finale? Well, just take a look at my final all new American Idol Buzz Rankings for Season 11 below.

American Idol Season 11 Top Two Buzz Rankings~

1. Phillip: while his growly singing style and his penchant for turning every song into a Dave Matthews tribute is not my cup of tea, he clearly has a giant fan base. He has never been in the bottom 2 vote-getters and he has tons of charisma. He also is a white guy with a guitar and those people (David Cook, Kris Allen, Lee Dewyze, Scotty McCreery) tend to win this program. He also had a standout performance last week with “We’ve Got Tonight” that pushed him outside of his boundaries and was lovely to behold. So, he may have picked up a few more fans because of that… Oh and he’s ridiculously hot. So, he has the edge going into the finale. However, will his performance be more of the same and thus cause voter inertia? … What am I thinking those tween girls and their moms will be mass texting like crazy. (last week~ 2)
2. Jessica: I was so thrilled and excited when she made the finals I let out a big yelp that scared my dog. I just couldn’t contain myself that the season’s best singer was actually going all the way to the finale. I was also thrilled that the girl many thought had the best chance for a female to win since season 6′s Jordin Sparks might break the boy curse. I still think she can do it. She has the vocal prowess and showmanship. She’s cute, likable and relatable. So, she just needs the right songs. Something current (Rihanna’s “Only Girl in the World” perhaps) to go with her favorite of the season (please do “I Will Always Love You”) and the winner’s single. I have such high hopes for her and know she will knock it out of the park. Plus, she makes history as the only person to have been “Saved” by the judges to make it this far. One other thing in her favor is that she will likely grab Joshua’s votes because I can’t see any of his fans preferring Phillip over her. (last week~ 1)

So, it’s all come down to the two singers I predicted would be in the finale back at the start of the Top 13. Jessica v. Phillip. I am pulling for Jessica as you know, but she does feel like the underdog. So, I will keep my expectations low and enjoy the show on Tuesday night… Who are you pulling for?

Before I leave, I thought I would leave Joshua a consolation prize… I have officially declared him the most talented third place finisher in the history of American Idol. Congrats Mantasia! … Herewith is my list of the third place Idol finishers according to their talent, vocal abilities, and performances.

Ranking the American Idol 3rd Place Finishers:

1. Joshua Ledet (season 11)
2. Melinda Doolittle (season 6)
3. Elliott Yamin (season 5)
4. Kimberley Locke (season 3)
5. Haley Reinhart (season 10)
~ all of the above five were fantastic… the next six… well… not so much
6. Syesha Mercado (season 7)
7. Casey James (season 9)
8. Vonzell Soloman (season 4)
9. Danny Gokey (season 8)
10. Jasmine Trias (season 3)
11. Nikki McKibbon (season 1)

And here’s Joshua’s standout vocal of the season, “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World”

My Top 8 American Idol Buzz Rankings!

Clearly American Idol viewers opened their ears for once and heard Heejun sing because he was finally booted off the program last week. Sure, he was a funny guy, with a good heart and a nice tone to his voice. However, he had no star quality, took the show for granted, mocked the program and caused the early ousting of my dear Erika! …. Alas, I need to get over that… At least he’s gone and we have a really good top 8. But just how good are they? Well, I’d say this seasons talent is up there with the best season’s like 5 (Daughtry, Katharine, Elliott), 7 (David Cook, Carly, David Archuleta) and 10 (Scotty, Pia, Haley, Lauren). But who has the current buzz to head to the front of the pack? Well, it’s time to take a look at my all new completely unscientific American Idol Buzz Rankings below….

My Season 11 Top 8 American Idol Buzz Rankings~

1. Jessica: hanging on to the top slot by the thinnest of strings, my favorite singer in the race had another great week slowing down a Beyonce jam into her own slinky groove. Jessica has the talent, ambition and is very creative with each of her song choices and performances. I’m surprised the judges aren’t pimping her more especially if we finally want a girl to win this thing! (last week~ 1)
2. Phillip: Mr. Phillips almost overtook my Jessica again this week with a really strong and totally not annoying performance of a song by Johnny Lang no one’s heard of. That takes some gumption and some great follow through. At this point, it feels like a Jessica/Phillip finale fight. We shall see… (lw~ 3)
3. Elise: holy crap, Elise is in my top three and I couldn’t be happier. She has killed it the past two weeks and finally had an Idol moment with her Led Zeppelin cover last week. Could our bluesy dark horse be a threat for the title? I hope so. (lw~ 6)
4. Colton: he went first and sang his favorite “praise” song and was super pitchy last week, yet he still was not in the bottom three. That means this pretty Idol has some serious support. I do think he needs to change things up a bit before all his songs start sounding like Daughtry clones. And PS- shut it with the god talk. You’re turning off more voters than you know with that. Trust me, Jesus doesn’t care if you win American Idol. I think he’s got more important things on his plate. (lw~ 2)
5. Skylar: yes, she was in the bottom 3 last week, but I think the fact that she went so early in the show was the real problem. She performed well and is so darn likable. I think she will bounce back this week no problem. (lw~ 4)
6. Joshua: I have no idea why America loved his wonky and pitchy performance last week. I do know that I think he’s got a great voice and is very likable, so that clearly helped. I just wonder how viable a pop artist he would be. (Hello, not much~ but he could be a great R&B and Gospel singer). This week should be interesting for him with the 80′s theme. (lw~ 7)
7. Deandre: ok, he’s a cool cat with a great falsetto and fabulous hair, but I just don’t get it. I feel like he has so much growing to do as an artist and needs to pick better songs that more people know. That said, his obscure Eric Benet pick, kept him out of danger and the judges loved it. I still feel like he’s one misstep away from getting the boot. (lw~8)
8. Hollie: oh my sweet dear little Hollie with the big voice. What are ya doin? Yes, you sing great most of the time, but you’re in a free fall. I just hope this talented girl picks a great fun upbeat song and really connects with the material so she can make a big comeback and land a place in the final five like she deserves to. (lw~ 5)

So, it seems Hollie is on a dangerous downward path, while Elise is flying high and Deandre continues to scoot by unscathed. But what will happen this week with that aforementioned 80′s theme? We’ll see. Tune in to American Idol Wednesday night on Fox and then head back here for my take.

My Top 13 American Idol Buzz Rankings!

Well, here we go American Idol fans… The show is about to get real good as we move into the serious competition shows. The Top 13 singers have been chosen (10 by America, 3 wild cards by the judges) and I actually really like 11 of them. I actually only despise one of them (Shannon), so that bodes for a strong and interesting competition. This group seems very strong. In fact, it seems like it could end up as one of the strongest years since season 5 (Daughtry, Katharine, Elliott, etc). It will have to fight to keep up with last year’s rebirth as well which saw a country top two that have turned into solid sellers. (Scotty has just passed a million copies sold of his debut album in fact). Last season’s top ten also saw record deals for seven of the finalists (Scotty, Lauren, Pia, Haley, James, Stefano and Casey), so they have their work cut out for them. With that said, just who do I think is in the lead as we head into the first week of competition when the men will sing songs from Stevie Wonder while the ladies will take on the music of the late great Whitney Houston? Just take a look at my first list of completely unscientific but surely accurate American Idol Buzz rankings for season 11.

American Idol Top 13 Buzz Rankings~

1. Jessica Sanchez: this powerhouse vocalist can sing circles around most of her competitors and could be the first woman to win since Jordin Sparks. She is attractive, has incredible range, a great personality and is the whole package. Let’s hope she goes the distance (and yes, she is my favorite too).
2. Phillip Phillips: he’s cute. He has wonderful Southern charm and is a great musician. He also is just the type of winner this show goes for (David Cook, Lee Dewyze, Kris Allen anyone?) as he channels John Mayer and Dave Matthews with his performances. However, I can’t stand his odd growling and phrasing. But, let’s be honest, he is very talented and will have the girl vote all season.
3. Skylar Laine: this fiery redheaded country girl threw down the axe on the competition last week with arguably the most fun and memorable performance of the week. She is fun, smart and could go really far. Besides, the show hasn’t had a female country victor since Carrie and Skylar is a different kind with her Miranda Lambert meets Reba with a touch of Gretchen Wilson vocals. I’m excited to watch her.
4. Colton Dixon: this rocker is this season’s David Cook, just a lot hotter. He will split the girl/mom vote with Phillip but he is far more commercial and accessible if you ask me. He’s current, has a ton of talent and showmanship. He seems a lock to make the top 5 as well.
5. Heejun Hahn: he’s hilarious yes, but he also has a lovely buttery voice. The question is can he move beyond pretty ballads and become a real performer. It’s doubtful. I see a mid pack or possibly shockingly early exit for him unless he can really step up his game. However, he’s incredibly likable and has a lot of goodwill on his side now, so he could surprise.
6. Elise Testone: this Lady Gaga meets Adele and Winehouse belter is a bit of an enigma. She’s one of the older contestants, but she is so unique and has such passion. She slayed her Adele performance which was no small feat. I just wonder how she will hold up in the weeks ahead. She’s also a great musician and could give us some great interpretations in each genre. I’m hopeful for her.
7. Hollie Cavanaugh: this Irish Texan girl has a big ole voice and is sweet as pie. But is she memorable enough to go all the way? If she grows week to week, I say yes. She just needs to have some standout moments to pull ahead of the pack because she has an incredible voice.
8. Joshua Ledet: “Mantasia” as he’s being called can sing the crap out of a song. He’s immensely likable and a wonderfully dynamic performer…. However, is his gospel tinged performance style one note? And he doesn’t seem like he is much of a commercial singer. I wonder how long people will respond to him. But hey, if Jacob (who only possessed half of Joshua’s talent and likability) can make it to 5th, Joshua could go far.
9. Erika Van Pelt: I love this girl. She killed it on her Heart cover and no one has really done that on this show since Carrie Underwood. Why America didn’t vote her in is beyond me. (Maybe because she performed so early that night?). Luckily the judges knew this girl was a keeper. She has great pipes. She knows how to play the game and I have no doubt will be making some great song choices. I really want her to go far. I just hope people pull their heads out and realize how awesome she is.
10. Deandre Brackensick: Mr. Milli Vanilli hair can wail with the best of them. He has a tremendous range and the camera loves him. He just needs to make better song choices and this wild card pick could leap over his competitors. Oh and the girls and gays will probably love him too.
11. Shannon Magrane: I can’t stand this Miss America god-spouting poseur. Sure, she’s pretty and has a decent voice. But nothing about this awkward girl is authentic and she brings no true emotion or artistry to her music. Plus, I don’t need church thrown at me each week and it’s not a pageant. Her annoyingly false perky personality also bugs. I’d put her last but clearly she has some fans since America voted her through.
12. Jeremy Rosado: yes, he kinda made me cry on his wildcard performance of “I Know You Wont” and he has a wonderful voice and tone. But, he’s just not that memorable. He’s clearly a great guy with some talent, but a viable pop star? I don’t see it. I hope he proves me wrong.
13. Jermaine Jones: the gentle giant with the booming baritone/bass voice probably got in on sympathy votes last week. He sings well, but it seems rather one note and may be blah in the end. We will see cuz I do like his voice and he also seems like a wonderful person. I just don’t know if he’s a pop star either…

So, there are my buzz rankings on how I think the contestants stand in the competition right now…. What are my personal rankings you ask. Here ya go…

My Personal Rankings of the Top 13.
1. Jessica
2. Erika
3. Skylar
4. Elise
5. Colton
6. Hollie
7. Deandre
8. Joshua
9. Jeremy
10. Phillip
11. Heejun
12. Jermaine
13. Shannon

Now, how will they all fare this week and do I have a clue of what I’m talking about? … Tune into Idol on Wed night and see.

Billboard Counts Down the Top 24 American Idols of All Time

Tonight, American Idol really gets down to business as the Top 12 boys (well, 13 because apparently there’s going to be a surprise wild card pick) perform live for the first time. Tomorrow, the top 12 girls sing and Thursday we will have our first results show. This is when the show really gets good if you ask me, and the talent looks very strong this year. My early favorites are Jessica Sanchez and Creighton Fraker. For more on all of this year’s contenders, head to mjsbigblog here.… Now, looking back at the best American Idol contestants of all time, my favorites are in order:
1. Kelly Clarkson
2. Carrie Underwood
3. Adam Lambert
4. Jennifer Hudson
5. Carly Smithson

Each of them has had great success, (Ok, Carly is just the lead singer of the Evanescence left over band We Are the Fallen, but hey she’s had a top 40 album with them!) and won or been nominated for big awards. With that said, Billboard is counting down the most successful Idol alumni according to sales, radio airplay, download track sales, and streaming plays etc which make up their charts. (Remember this is only for domestic tracking, so the worldwide success of Lambert, Clarkson, and David Arhculeta doesn’t count here). And I’ve got the list for you below. For all the stats, head to Billboard here. Take a look and let me know who your faves are as well.

Billboard’s Top 24 American Idols of All Time:

24. Crystal Bowersox (2nd place, season 9)
23. Kimberley Locke (3rd place, season 2)
22. Lauren Alaina (2nd place, season 10)
21. Blake Lewis (2nd place, season 6)
20. Bucky Covington (8th place, season 5)
19. Katharine McPhee (2nd place, season 5…. but hey she’s a TV and movie star now. Hello, I love Smash!)
18. Bo Bice (2nd place, season 4)
17. Taylor Hicks (winner, season 5)
16. Josh Gracin (4th place, season 2)
15. Scotty McCreery (winner, season 10)
14. Kellie Pickler (6th place, season 5)
13. Elliott Yamin (3rd place, season 5)
12. Kris Allen (winner, season 8)
11. David Archuleta (2nd place, season 7)
10. Jennifer Hudson (7th place, season 3…. but um, she has an Oscar, a Grammy, a Golden Globe, a SAG Award, BET, Image Awards, the list goes on and on…. So there!)
9. Adam lambert (2nd place, season 8)
8. Ruben Studdard (winner, season 2)
7. David Cook (winner, season 7)
6. Fantasia (winner, season 3)
5. Clay Aiken (2nd place, season 2)
4. Jordin Sparks (winner, season 6… and soon to be seen in Sparkle, her film debut starring the late great Whitney Houston)
3. Chris Daughtry (4th place, season 5)
2. Carrie Underwood (winner, season 4)
1. Kelly Clarkson (winner, season 1)

And just because she’s amazing, please enjoy Kelly’s current # 1 smash “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”

Hot New Music~ Elliott Yamin “3 Words”

Season 5 of American Idol has to be considered its zenith. The show had its highest ratings, Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood were on their way to superstar status, and the top ten finalists were arguably the best top ten they’ve had to date. While the season is also dubious for having arguably the worst winner in the history of the show in Taylor Hicks (however, season 9′s Lee Dewyze is fighting him for that title), eight of the top ten finalists grabbed record deals. And one of them, the one I thought should’ve won the whole season, Elliott Yamin, is about to release his third album. His beautiful new single, “3 Words” has hit written all over it and it just surfaced on the web. Take a listen below and for more on Elliott and his new album, head here.

Elliott Yamin “3 Words”

(And yes, that was season 5 So You Think You Can Dance finalist Kayla in the video in case you were wondering).

As for those singers who grabbed deals from season 5… here’s a quick rundown on their careers to date…

Mandisa: the Christian diva landed in 9th place and has released 3 hit gospel/Christian albums to date. She’s also received 2 Grammy nominations.
Bucky Covington: the country singer finished in 8th has had several top 40 country hits and is readying his third album for release later this year.
Ace Young: that season’s stud landed in 7th and grabbed a Grammy nominations for co-writing Daughtry‘s “It’s Not Over”. He has since released a solo album and he’s also become fixture on the Broadway stage appearing in hits like Hair.
Kellie Pickler: the country cutie wound up in 6th but has had massive success in her field with a platinum debut album and a gold follow-up. Her third record featuring the hot new country hit, “100 Proof” hit stores just two days ago.
Chris Daughtry: in what was arguably the biggest shocker elimination in the show’s history (except for maybe Pia last year), Chris was sent packing in fourth. He did get the last laugh though with his debut album, Daughtry, amassing 5 big hit singles, over 4 million in sales and 4 Grammy nominations. The followup, Leave this Town, went platinum and landed 3 more hits. His latest album, released in November, is almost gold and their current single “Crawling Back to You” is top ten on the Hot AC charts.
Elliott Yamin: you heard his new single above, but this third place finisher has also had a mega smash from his first album “Wait for You”. His debut album went gold and the follow-up featured the hit “Fight for Love”. His new record is due in the spring.
Katharine McPhee: while she’s released 3 albums, including her debut which sold 375,000 copies featuring the hit “Over It”, this second place finisher is more known for her acting these days. She appeared in the films The House Bunny and Shark Night 3D and is now the star of the midseason NBC musical drama Smash. (I’ve seen it and it’s brilliant and Katharine’s career is about to explode.)
Taylor Hicks: I couldn’t stand him but middle America loved him and he won that season. His debut also sold over 800,000 copies despite no hit songs. Since then he has been dropped form his label and records independently now release several more albums.

Evanescence, Adele and Idol’s Lauren Alaina lay claim to the Charts

Grammy winning rock group Evanescence last hit the charts five years ago with their first chart topping album, The Open Door, and now it’s deja vu as their third album, Evanescence, debuts on top this week. Selling 127,000 copies, the group headed by Amy Lee easily fends off Adele, the new disc from rockers Five Finger Death Punch and a strong second week for American Idol winner Scotty McCreery. He lands at # 4 just ahead of this year’s runner-up, Lauren Alaina, who makes a nice impression with her debut, Wildflower, selling 69,000 copies (the tallest amount for an Idol runner-up since Adam Lambert sold close to 300,000 copies). With Alaina and McCreery’s dual top fives, this marks the first time since season 7′s David Cook and David Archuleta that the top two finalists both landed top ten albums. The other seasons to accomplish this feat were season two (Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken), season four (Carrie Underwood & Bo Bice) and season five (Taylor Hicks & Katharine McPhee.) In fact season five’s third and fourth place finishers, Elliott Yamin and Chris Daughtry (of Daughtry) also landed top five debuts. For more on the new Billboard 200 Albums chart, head here and check out the new top ten below.

Billboard 200 Top Ten Albums:
1. Evanescence- Evanescence (debut)
2. 21- Adele (last week~ 2)
3. American Capitalist- Five Finger Death Punch (debut)
4. On A Clear Day- Scotty McCreery (lw~ 1)
5. Wildflower- Lauren Alaina (debut)
6. Duets II- Tony Bennett (lw~ 3)
7. Ashes & Fire- Ryan Adams (debut)
8. Own the Night- Lady Antebellum (lw~ 4)
9. Tha Carter IV- Lil Wayne (lw~ 6)
10. Eleven- Martina McBride (debut)

Here’s the new single from Evanescenc~ “What You Want”

Over on the singles chart, there’s no stopping Adele as “Someone Like You” lands a fourth week on top. Check out the new top ten on the Hot 100 Singles Chart below.

Hot 100 Singles Top Ten:
1. “Someone Like You”- Adele (last week~ 1)
2. “Moves Like Jagger”- Maroon 5 w/ Christina Aguilera (lw~ 2)
3. “Pumped Up Kicks”- Foster the People (lw~ 3)
4. “Sexy and I Know It”- LMFAO (lw~ 4)
5. “Stereo Hearts”- Gym Class Heroes w/Adam Levine (lw~5)
6. “We Found Love”- Rihanna w/Calvin Harris (lw~ 7)
7. “Without You”- David Guetta w/Usher (lw~8)
8. “You Make Me Feel…”- Cobra Starship w/Sabi (lw~ 9)
9. “Party Rock Anthem”- LMFAO (lw~ 6)
10. “Young Wild & Free”- Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa featuring Bruno Mars (debut)

The First Videos from this year’s American Idols!

This year American Idol not only survived the departure of Simon Cowell and followed its worse season to date (um, Lee who?), but the show actually flourished. The new judging panel was warmly received with J Lo being the standout in my opinion, the show grabbed 10 Emmy nominations and most importantly, the contestants were diverse, talented and worth rooting for. In fact, this was probably the strongest year since season 5 which landed record deals for 9 of the top ten finalists (Mandisa, Kellie Pickler, Bucky Covington, Paris Bennett, Constantine Maroulis, Elliott Yamin, Taylor Hicks, Chris Daughtry, and Katharine McPhee). Four of this year’s singers all have deals: Pia Toscano, Haley Reinhart, runner-up Lauren Alaina and winner Scotty McCreery and now we have the first three videos from these finalists. Alas, we’ll have to wait for Haley’s whose album will probably hit very late this year or early 2012. And don’t forget that rumours are running rampant that fourth place finisher James Durbin is about to announce a record deal any moment… But let’s get back to the three singers who are making news this week as we take a look at Pia, Lauren and Scotty’s debut videos below.

Pia Toscano~ “This Time“: why on Earth she went out 9th is beyond me because she’s not only the best singer from the season, but she’s gorgeous and in her first video has a ridiculous amount of star quality. Perhaps this vid will finally launch her into the stratosphere. The single recently hit the top 30 on iTunes and is continuing to climb the pop airplay charts. Hooray for Pia!

Lauren Alaina “Like My Mother Does”: what this video does (along with Pia’s) best is make you like the song even better. That’s a good thing because the song is struggling to hit top 40 on the country charts. I think this lovely clip featuring Lauren’s home movies and a special appearance by her mother will help push the track into the top 30 soon. (And like just like Pia, the camera clearly loves Lauren)

Scotty McCreery~ “I Love You This Big”: ok, I was never the biggest Scotty fan and this video is all kinds of generic and boring. However, I’m sure his fans who have helped propel this saccharine track into the country top 20 will approve, especially the tween girls.

Watch for the debut albums from these three this fall with Scotty’s currently slated to drop Oct. 4th, Lauren’s on Oct. 11th, and Pia’s rumored to hit in November.

Now, the question is will any of them have the massive success of the likes of Idol alumni Kelly Clarkson, Daughtry or Carrie Underwood. Well, if they want to, they should take a look at the stunning Underwood in her new video with Brad Paisley for their current country top 5 smash “Remind Me” because she truly embodies a star here. It’s like Brad’s not even in the video. Check it out below. And you can grab all of these singles at iTunes and all digital retailers right now.

Carrie Underwood & Brad Paisley “Remind Me”

First Listen~ Crystal Bowersox’s “Farmer’s Daughter” and it’s Great!

She may have come in second on last season’s American Idol, but I think most everyone could agree Crystal Bowersox was the true artist to watch over winner Lee Dewyze. While he may have got the popular vote, Crystal grabbed the critical vote and is now winning over critics and fans with her debut album Farmer’s Daughter. It’s a very strong and solid record that speaks to all of Crystal’s strengths authentic vocals, moving story telling songs, great instrumentation and an honest sensibility. Here’ you can find her influences like Janis Joplin, Alanis Morissette, Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge mixing well with her bluesy-rock and country coffee-house roots. I sure hope she gets some good promotion and becomes the second Idol runner-up in a row (after Adam Lambert) to outshine the winner in sales. It already looks like she will outsell Dewyze’s album by at least 10,000 copies according to current projections for Daughter which came out on Tuesday, 12/14. I’ve had it on repeat all day and here’s my quick take on each of the album’s songs.

Crystal Bowersox ~ Farmer’s Daughter:

1. “Riding With the Radio”- it’s an earnest country rock track reminiscent of Miranda Lambert and Gretchen Wilson about the sad state of popular music. It’s also a good time.
2. “For What it’s Worth”: sampling Bob Dylan on this one, Bowersox brings out her inner Alanis over a shuffling country rock beat.
3. “Farmer’s Daughter”: this is the standout track and the fantastic first single. It’s a powerful song about the abuse she suffered at the hands of her alcoholic mother and the road to recovery and reconciliation. It’s very confessional and even Grammy worthy.
4. “Holy Toledo”: this is the song we heard on Idol last season when she visited her hometown and it honors the spirit of the people there~ a lovely original ballad.
5. “Lonely Won’t Come Around”: Crystal goes more commercial on this one with an upbeat Jason Mraz meets Sara Bareilles sound that features a whistling chorus and could be a radio hit. It seems like a song the producers wanted her to do to give the album a more commercial feel.
6. “Hold On”: another commercial song, this one co-written by ousted Idol judge Kara Dioguardi, “Hold On” is a standard story about young love gone wrong that is very radio ready. It benefits from Bowersox’s authentic performance that overcomes the generic lyrics.
7. “On the Run”: fun bluesy rock, another song written by Bowersox pre-Idol.
8. “Kiss Ya”: this is Crystal channelling Melissa Etheridge at her best.
9. “Speak Now”: here she brings in the bluesy gospel soul that she showed early in the competition and in her final performance of “Up to the Mountain”.
10. “Mine all Mine”: it’s a gorgeous country-tinged love song.
11. “Mason”: this duet with her new husband is a great rock ballad about the power of enduring love.
12. “Arlene”: the final track on the album is a simple song that brings you full circle to Bowersox’s coffeehouse roots.

All in all it’s a really good album. Grade: A-

Here’s Crystal’s new single “Farmer’s Daughter” from her performance on The Tonight Show

And ranking Crystal’s debut alongside other first album by Idol finalists, she makes my top 5!

Best American Idol Debut Albums….
1. Some Hearts- Carrie Underwood
2. Daughtry- Daughtry
3. Thankful- Kelly Clarkson (and mind you she’s still my fave!)
4. For Your Entertainment- Adam Lambert
5. Farmer’s Daughter- Crystal Bowersox
6. Measure of a Man- Clay Aiken
7. Jordin Sparks- Jordin Sparks
8. Jennifer Hudson- Jennifer Hudson
9. David Archuleta- David Archulta
10. Elliott Yamin- Elliott Yamin

American Idol’s Best Selling Digital Singles (the top one might surprise you)

We all know American Idol is a breeding ground for stars and hit makers. They’ve produced three Grammy winners (Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson), a bunch more Grammy nominees (Daughtry, Mandisa, Fantasia, Jordin Sparks, Ace Young, Ruben Studdard), an Oscar winner (Hudson) and ACM, CMA, AMA winners galore. Idol has also produced big record sales with Carrie selling the most albums in America (11 million plus to Kelly’s 10.5 million) and Kelly winning internationally (about 20 mill worldwide). When it comes to digital single sales, that’s where Idol has really proved a big stomping ground. Paul Grien’s Chart Watch just did a details story on all the Idol’s digital success brought about by Adam Lambert joining that million selling club with his latest “Whataya Want from Me” the 26th million seller from Idol alumni. Overall, Kelly has the most platinum sellers with 8, followed Carrie  and Jordin Sparks with 4 each, then Daughtry with 3 and David Cook with 2. With 1 platinum seller each you can add Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, David Archuleta, Kellie Pickler, and Elliott Yamin to the list. Now, don’t worry Fantasia, Ruben, Kimberley Locke and Clay Aiken all also have million sellers but theirs  with actual physical cd singles that came before the digital explosion. For more on the story, click here.

And here’s the list of the top digital American Idol selling singles… who’s on top???

1. ”No Air”- Jordin Sparks (w/Chris Brown) 3.1 mill

2. ”Before He Cheats”- Carrie Underwood 2.986 mill

3. ”My Life Would Suck Without You”- Kelly Clarkson 2.311 mill

4. ”Since U Been Gone”- Kelly Clarkson 2.235 mill

5. “It’s Not Over”- Daughtry 2.1 mill

6. “Tattoo”- Jordin Sparks, 2.07 mill

7. “Home”- Daughtry 1.966 mill

8. “Crush”- David Archuleta 1.918 mill

9. “Jesus Take the Wheel”- Carrie Underwood 1.672 mill

10. “Because of You”- Kelly Clarkson 1.465 mill

11. “Battlefield”- Jordin Sparks 1.444 mill

12. “Breakaway”- Kelly Clarkson 1.413 mill

13. “One Step at a Time”- Jordin Sparks 1.377 mill

14. “Live Like We’re Dying”- Kris Allen 1.350 mill

15. “Already Gone”- Kelly Clarkson 1.344 mill

16. “The Time of My Life”- David Cook, 1.328 mill

17. “Cowboy Casanova”- Carrie Underwood, 1.311 mill

18. “Behind these Hazel Eyes”- Kelly Clarkson, 1.310 mill

19. “Over You”- Daughtry 1.273 mill

20. “All American Girl”- Carrie Underwood 1.191 mill

21. “Wait for You”- Elliott Yamin 1.116 mill

22. “Never Again”- Kelly Clarkson 1.106 mill

23. “Walk Away”- Kelly Clarkson 1.094 mill

24. “Light On”- David Cook 1.074 mill

25. “Whataya Want from Me”- Adam Lambert 1.061 mill (and considering this one is still in the iTunes top 10, he should move up the list quickly)

26. “Best Days of Your Life”- Kellie Pickler 1.011 mill