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.

Hot New American Idol Music from Kelly, Adam, Lauren, James and more!

The biggest show in television is back tonight folks. No, not The Voice or NCIS (however, that is the highest rated scripted show on tv, um, wha???), it’ s American Idol. The show which begins season 11 is making no big changes keeping their invigorated judging panel of Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson and focusing on finding some good talent. (Hello, X Factor and The Voice, take notes)… So, to honor the return of the show, take a look at some of the latest hot music from their alumni.

James Durbin: he finished fourth last season, but the rocker still got a record deal and has quietly sold almost 100,000 copies of his independent debut. Not bad for a metal lovin’ polarizing contestant. He has a song climbing the rock charts, “Stand Up”, but now his label is going after pop fans with “Love Me Bad”.
James Durbin “Love Me Bad”

Lauren Alaina: the cute country gal got second place last year and has since sold over 230,000 copies of her debut album. Her first single “Like My Mother Does” hit top 30 at country radio and her new one “Georgia Peaches” just went top 40 there as well. And how good does she look in this video? Go Lauren.
Lauren Alaina “Georgia Peaches”

Jennifer Hudson: the Oscar and Grammy winner has a current single on the R&B charts with the third release from her album I Remember Me. That song, “I Got This” is likely to be joined by her new track from the upcoming Gabrielle Union comedy Think Like a Man (hey, I auditioned for that last year!). The new song is called “Think Like a Man” brings J Hud into a little harder R&B sounds and features NeYo and Rick Ross.
Jennifer Hudson w/NeYo & Rick Ross “Think Like a Man”

Kellie Pickler: the season 6 alum is readying her third album after going platinum with her first and gold with her second. She’s carved out a nice little career in the country community and that should continue with this great new song “100 Proof” the title track from the new album due this month.
Kellie Pickler “100 Proof”

Adam Lambert: his second album, Trespassing, is due in March and it will supposedly feature some darker material that is more true to Adam as a songwriter and singer. His Grammy nominated first album sold 800,000 copies and features several hits, so this one is highly anticipated. The new song “Better Than I know Myself” is about to hit top 40 at pop radio and is now available at iTunes. Check this fantastic song out below which he also performed it on The Tonight Show last night.
Adam Lambert “Better Than I Know Myself”

Ruben Studdard: the season 2 winner is set to release his 5th album this spring and the Grammy nominee has more soulful R&B for ya. His latest is sure to fly up the Adult R&B charts which have become his bread and butter at radio.
Ruben Studdard “June 28th (I’m Single)” ~ some behind the scenes footage of the video for the song

Kelly Clarkson: the Grammy winner is having a big 2012 already. Her album, Stronger, just went gold and is on the verge of re-entering the top ten. She’s performing on the Grammys (where she’s nominated for her duet with Jason Aldean) and at the Super Bowl and will be a guest mentor for her buddy Blake Shelton on The Voice (ooooh, the Idol rival!). Her tour just started and her song “Mr. Know It All” went top ten on Pop Radio and the Hot 100, top 5 at AC and is still # 1 on Hot AC (for the 6th week in a row). Now, she’s flying up the charts with the follow-up, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” which is already top 30 at Pop, top 20 at Hot AC, Top 40 at Dance and AC and # 3 on iTunes. Check out this massive smash below.
Kelly Clarkson “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”

So, there’s just a few songs from your fave Idols hitting radio and the web. Watch for new tracks from Stefano Langone, Pia Toscano, Haley Reinhart, Kris Allen and Clay Aiken (who’s on the new Celebrity Apprentice too) this spring as well. And catch American Idol tonight on Fox.

Michael Buble throws down Some Christmas Cheer on Chart newcomers Rihanna, Nickelback and Daughtry

Americans are clearly in the mood for a Canadian Christmas as Michael Buble’s holiday album eecked out a victory to be the biggest album in the country for the post Thanksgiving week. His album narrowly beat fellow Canadians Nickelback with their latest crapfest, Here and Now, by just 2%. Rihanna had to settle for a 3rd place debut for her 6th top ten album, Talk that Talk. At least she still has the # 1 song in the country with “We Found Love”… Other debuts came from Mary J. Blige who grabbed her 9th top ten record with My Life II: the Journey Continues Act 1 and Daughtry whose Break the Spell became their third consecutive top ten. (Unfortunately, it’s also their first to not hit the top)… Speaking of reality tv vet Chris Daughtry, he’s joined in the top ten by American Idol’s current champ Scotty McCreery who returns to the upper echelons with his former chart topper, Clear as Day, at # 9. One of his competitors from this season, James Durbin has a much less exciting debut way down at #36 with Memories of a Beautiful Disaster selling only 28,000 copies. It’s unlikely he’ll come anywhere close to McCreery’s current total of 587,000 or even runner-up Lauren Alaina’s total of 162,000 for her former top ten record. Faring even worse than Durbin was the winner of The Voice, Javier Colon, whose debut tanked with just 9,900 copies sold for #139.
Debuting outside of the top ten was Taylor Swifts live record Speak Now Live World Tour at # 11, Big Time Rush’s new one Elevate at # 12 and the Ultimate Hits from Bob Segar & the Silver Bullet Band at # 19…. For more on all these numbers, head to Billboard here and check out the new top ten below.

Top Ten Albums on the Billboard 200:
1. Christmas- Michael Buble (last week~ 2)
2. Here and Now- Nickelback (debut)
3. Talk that Talk- Rihanna (debut)
4. Take Care- Drake (lw~ 1)
5. My Life II: The Journey Continues Act 1- Mary J. Blige (debut)
6. Under the Mistletoe- Justin Bieber (lw~ 5)
7. 21- Adele (lw~ 3)
8. Break the Spell- Daughtry (debut)
9. Clear as Day- Scotty McCreery (lw~ 13)
10. Mylo Xyloto- Coldplay (lw~ 9)

And here’s the new top ten on the Hot 100 Singles chart…

Hot 100 Top Ten Singles:
1. “We Found Love”- Rihanna w/Calvin Harris (lw~ 1)
2. “Sexy and I Know It”- LMFAO (lw~ 1)
3. “It Will Rain”- Bruno Mars (lw~ 5)
4. “Moves Like Jagger”- Maroon 5 w/Christina Aguilera (lw~ 6)
5. “Someone Like You”- Adele (lw~ 3)
6. “Without You”- David Guetta w/Usher (lw~ 4)
7. “Stereo Hearts”- Gym Class Heroes w/Adam Levine (lw~8)
8. “Good Feeling”- Flo Rida (lw~ 7)
9. “The One That Got Away”- Katy Perry (lw~ 10)
10. “Party Rock Anthem”- LMFAO (lw ~ 16)

Before I go, here’s a fun treat, the current # 2 in the country, LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It”. Watch for this one to finally hit the top next week.
LMFAO “Sexy and I Know It”

Hot New Idol Music from Daughtry, J Hud, Scotty, Lauren, James and More

While Fox is busy trying to make The X Factor happen and failing miserably at it (the show is a disastrous mess), the talent competition that started it all, American Idol,  is gearing up for season 11. Following season 10′s rebound with great singers, strong ratings and a fun new judging panel, the top two finalists, Scotty & Lauren, both released hit albums and are now unleashing follow-up singles. But, they’re not the only Idols with new songs out. Take a look at the latest from some of your favorite Idol alumni and head to iTunes here to grab all their music.

Scotty McCreery: Since winning the competition this year, Scotty’s debut album, Clear as Day, hit # 1 on the Pop and Country charts and is about to hit Gold status. He hit the top twenty with his coronation single “I Love You This Big” which is almost platinum, and now his first official single “The Trouble With Girls” is nearing the top 30 on the country charts.
Scotty McCreery “The Trouble With Girls”

Lauren Alaina: this year’s runner-up hit the Country top forty with her coronation single “Like My Mother Does” and it’s nearing Gold status while her debut album hit # 2 on the country album chart and # 5 on the pop chart. Now, she’s releasing her first proper single “Georgia Peaches” and it’s starting to impact country radio. It’s a really fun song and check out Lauren looking amazing, singing the crap out of it on the Ellen show below.
Lauren Alaina “Georgia Peaches” (live on Ellen)

James Durbin: the fourth place finisher from this year has his first album, Memories of a Beautiful Disaster, set for release on November 21st and his first single is out today. The rocking track “Love Me Bad” is surprisingly good mixing his pop and metal influences perfectly. We’ll see if he has similar success to his Idol classmates in the weeks ahead.
James Durbin “Love Me Bad”

Casey James: remember him? Casey was the blond hottie who finished third in the dubious season 9 behind Lee (who won, then tanked with his first album, and has since been dropped from his label) and Crystal (the runner-up who sold ok with her first album~ about 100k more than Lee , but has since parted ways with her label as well). Now, he’s released his first single “Let’s Don’t Call It a Night” which just hit the country top 40. Watch for his debut album later this year or in early 2012.
Casey James “Let’s Don’t Call It a Night”

David Cook: Season 7′s big winner had great success with his debut album. However, his follow-up This Loud Morning, has been a huge disappointment and disappeared off the charts despite a top ten debut. We’ll see if his second single “Fade Into Me” (previously heard this summer on So You Think You Can Dance) will propel sales and bring him back to Adult Top 40 and Adult Contemporary radio where he had hits in the past.
David Cook “Fade Into Me”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EJp8NZFwCEU’

Jennifer Hudson: the Grammy and Oscar-winning superstar released her second # 2 album, I Remember Me, earlier this year and just released her third single “I Got This”. I expect it to hit her sweet spot with Urban AC and Urban radio like the previous singles “Where You At?” and “No One Gonna Love You”. Check it out below and watch for Hudson in the film biopic Winnie as Winnie Mandela later this year.
Jennifer Hudson “I Got This” (live at AOL sessions~ how amazing does she look?! …. And yes, that’s George Huff on background vocals who finished 5th on Hudson’s season~ two spots ahead of her, ahem….)

Chris Daughtry: after two # 1 hit albums and  8 hit songs with his band Daughtry, Chris and company are back with their third disc Break the Spell on Nov. 21st (yes, the same day as James Durbin’s album is released). The first single from the set “Crawling Back to You” is already top 20 at Hot AC and has hit the top 40 on the Hot 100.
Daughtry “Crawling Back To You”

Kelly Clarkson: The Grammy winning superstar’s fifth album, Stronger, was released last week and is expected to debut at # 2 tomorrow giving her a 5th consecutive top three album. She’s up for two CMA Awards next week for her massive smash duet with Jason Aldean “Don’t You Wanna Stay” next week, will have a VH1 Unplugged special later this month, is performing at the American Music Awards on Nov. 20 and will headline the next VH1 Divas special (alongside Hudson) in December. The first single off of Stronger, “Mr. Know It All” is sitting pretty in the top 5 of the Hot AC charts and gone top 15 at Pop, Adult Contemporary and the Hot 100. Watch for it to fly into the top ten of those charts this week. And now, she has a new dance remix of the single hitting the clubs. Take a listen below.
Kelly Clarkson “Mr. Know It All” (dance mix)

And there you have it~ a quick update on new music from some of your favorite Idols. Keep an eye open in the months ahead for new Idol music from Carrie Underwood (her fourth album is rumored to drop in March), Adam Lambert (his sophomore release is due in March with a single in January), Kellie Pickler (her third album, 100 Proof, drops on January 24, 2012), and this year’s third place finisher Haley Reinhart whose debut is due early next year.

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”

Beyonce “4″-Peats on the Charts

Making it four in a row, Beyonce latest album, 4, becomes her fourth consecutive # 1 album on the Billboard Top 200 Album charts. That comprises all of her solo releases and makes her only the second female to do that with her first four records following Britney Spears. It’s quite a feat despite the lackluster reviews (I gave the album a “C-” grade) and her lowest debut week total of 310,00 copies (which is still a fine number, mind you). We’ll see if her new single “Best Thing I Never Had”, which is the best track off the album in my eyes, can keep momentum up for 4 after the first single, the terrible “(Girls) Run the World” tanked upon its release… While Queen B leads the chart, she’s not the only one making news on the Top 200 as we also have top ten debuts from rapper Big Sean, teen queen Selena Gomez, and American Idol winners David Cook (season 7) and Scotty McCreery (season 10). For Cook, it’s good news/bad news as his album gives him a second top ten, but the first week numbers (46,000) are a huge drop from his initial release (260,000). He needs a hit single asap… McCreery’s release is an EP of some of his best Idol moments from this season and gives him his first top ten and leads his contenders from the final four who also debut this week with their EPs. Runner Up Lauren Alaina comes in at # 24, while fourth place finisher James Durbin is at # 31 and third place finisher, the delightful Haley Reinhart lands at # 37. For more on all the Album charts, head to Billboard here and check out the new top ten below.

Top Ten Albums on the Billboard 200:
1. 4- Beyonce (debut)
2. 21- Adele (last week~ 3)
3. Finally Famous- Big Sean (debut)
4. When the Sun Goes Down- Selena Gomez & the Scene (debut)
5. The Light of the Sun- Jill Scott (lw~ 1)
6. My Kinda Party- Jason Aldean (lw~ 10)
7. This Loud Morning- David Cook (debut)
8. Dream with Me- Jackie Evancho (lw~ 4)
9. Hell: the Sequel- Bad Meets Evil (lw~ 6)
10. American Idol Season 10 EP- Scotty McCreery (debut)

Switching over to the singles chart, LMFAO lands their first # 1 with “Party Rock Anthem” as it climbs to the top displacing Pitbull’s “Give Me Everything”. Check out the new top ten below.

Top Ten Singles on the Hot 100:
1. “Party Rock Anthem”- LMFAO (last week~ 3)
2. “Give Me Everything Tonight”- Pitbull w/NeYo, Nayer & Afrojack (lw~ 1)
3. “Rolling in the Deep”- Adele (lw~ 2)
4. “Last Friday Night”- Katy Perry (lw~ 4)
5. “Super Bass”- Nicki Minaj (lw~ 5)
6. “The Edge of Glory”- Lady Gaga (lw~ 6)
7. “E.T.”- Katy Perry w/Kanye West (lw~ 7)
8. “How to Love”- Lil Wayne (lw~ 10)
9. “Good Life”- OneRepublic (lw~ 18)
10. “Tonight Tonight”- Hot Chelle Rae (lw~ 13)

And while there are no American Idol’s in the top ten, several are on the charts including Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson and McCreery. However, that other TV singing show, The Voice, makes waves with a bunch of debuts after its finale lead by winner Javier Colon’s first single “Stitch by Stitch” at # 17. Here are all the Voice debuts this week~

17. “Stitch by Stitch”- Javier Colon (The Voice)
20. “Inventing Shadows”- Dia Frampton (The Voice)
45. “Man in the Mirror”- Adam Levine & Javier Colon (The Voice)
57. “I Wont Back Down”- Blake Shelton & Dia Frampton (The Voice)
74. “Beautiful”- Christina Aguilera & Beverly McClellan (The Voice)
78. “Afraid to Sleep”- Vicci Martinez (The Voice)

And before I go, please enjoy Beyonce’s latest ”Best Thing I Never Had” live from the Macy’s 4t of July celebration.

The American Idol Finale~ America Gets it Wrong… Again…

Ok, America, what is your problem? Year after year, you pick the wrong winner for American Idol! I mean Lee over Crystal? Kris over Adam? Taylor over Katharine? Ugh… And now Scotty McCreery wins over Lauren Alaina. Now, at least it’s not as atrocious a result as those other seasons, but it’s still disappointing. Lauren is clearly the better and more talented singer while Scotty is a serviceable singer and decent entertainer. Of course, Scotty is apparently a teen idol that the girls love. Not to mention, the churchgoers, the Southerners and the conservative power voters of America…. To think, they probably all liked Lauren too, but still another boring boy wins in the end is frustrating indeed. At least, both Scotty and Lauren look as though they will have successful careers and both of their coronation singles are at the top of the iTunes charts… Of course, will they reach superstar Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood levels? That remains to be seen, but it’s doubtful. I’m certainly more interested in seeing the career trajectory of the massively talented ninth place finisher Pia Toscano (yes that was the biggest “shocker boot” of the season Idol fans) and the darkhorse of all darkhorses who won me over and proved the most interesting and daring of all the contenders, Haley Reinhart. I do expect both of them to release singles asap (and they will according to the interwebs buzz)…. Until those two and our country kids release their albums, we can take comfort in the fact that at least Idol got its groove back this season with great singers and two good and entertaining new judges. (Simon who?) … So, for the last time this season, it’s time to do some rankings. This time, I’m gonna count down the best and worst of last night’s performances on the season 10 finale of American Idol.

Ranking the American Idol Season finale performances…
1. Beyonce- “One Plus One”: holy crap, THAT is singing people. The diva needs her stage baby and Ms. B owned the Nokia last night. Fantastic. Grade: A+
2. Lady Gaga- “The Edge of Glory”: with her triumphant current 80′s dance smash “Glory”, Gaga gave you performance art, sexy dancing (with the amazing Mark from season 4 of So You Think You Can Dance), wonderful vocals and a daring leap off a “cliff” at the end. Simply great. Grade: A
3. Steven Tyler- “Dream On”: um, how old is he and how on Earth does he still hit those notes? Now, that’s how you rock future Idol contenders! I just wish the song had been longer. Grade: A
4. Lauren & Carrie Underwood- “Before He Cheats”: the dueling ladies powered through Underwood’s smash with fun and finesse and wow was Carrie gorgeous. She did kinda wipe the floor with Lauren a bit though… Carrie: A+, Lauren: B, Overall: A-
5. James Durbin & Judas Priest- “Living After Midnight/Breaking the Law“: despite wearing the gayest outfit ever, James rocked the crap out of the Priest hits alongside the iconic metal band. I didn’t think I’d like it, but damn, it was good. Grade: A-
6. The Idol Girls & Beyonce- ”Beyonce Hit Medley”: if it was just Beyonce, this would’ve ranked higher. However, it was still a strong medley featuring standout performances from Pia, Haley and surprisingly Karen. And I have to say practically all these ladies were good dancers too. And then, Beyonce just murdered “Crazy in Love” at the end of course. Grade: B+
7. Haley & Tony Bennett- ”Steppin Out”: This would’ve ranked higher too if not for a few flubs on Bennett’s part because Haley was astounding on the number. However, you have to give Bennett credit. He’s literally like 85 years old! Well done and they had surprising chemistry. Grade: B
8. Scotty & Tim McGraw- “Live Like You Were Dying”: in a well matched duet, both men sounded good and gave each other mad respect. Strong song choice too. Grade: B
9. Marc Anthony w/Jennifer Lopez- ”Aguanile”: sure I didn’t understand a word Anthony was singing and his creepy facial expressions were unappealing, but damn if he isn’t a fantastic singer. Plus, J Lo werrrrrrrrrrrrrrked it with the booty shaking. Grade: B
10. The Idol Top 13 finalists- “Born This Way”: I was prepared to cringe with this one, but the finalists shocked me into happy Glee-type submission with their performance of Lady Gaga’s empowering # 1 smash. Standouts were Stefano and Haley and hello,, this was the best dancing by any top 13 in the history of the show. Grade: B
11. Reeve Carney, Bono & The Edge- “Rise Above”: sure the vocals and the passion were there. Plus there were cool Spidermen flying around during this song from the troubled U2 Broadway musical Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark. Unfortunately, the song and the performance were rather snoozey. Grade: B-
12. Scotty- “I Love You This Big”: reprising his coronations song with confetti flying and tears flowing, Scotty gave an emotional and appropriate performance. However, the song is really trite and boring. But I loved all the family hugs and then Scotty dissing Jack Black (unintentionally that is) was hilarious. Grade: B-
13. Jacob Lusk, Kirk Franklin & Gladys Knight- “I Smile”: taking us to church for one last time, Jacob got his gospel on with some music legends. It was a high energy entertaining performance, but Jacob was pitchy and inconsistent. Plus you could barely hear Gladys and Franklin was just running around yelling at everyone. Grade: C+
14. TLC, Lil Jon & the female finalists- “No Scrubs/Waterfalls“: it was great to see TLC back on stage again, but the Idols and Lil Jon added nothing to the songs and it was a little low energy. Grade: C
15. Casey Abrams & Jack Black- “Fat Bottomed Girls”: um, it was fun? … But it was a bit of a mess and Jack Black sounded better than Casey. Oops. Grade: C-
16. The Idol Male Finalists & Tom Jones- “Tom Jones Medley”: an utter and complete disaster for the most part. Grade:D+

So, there you have it. One last Idol ranking session… And there are no predictions to make… Ok, here’s one: Scotty and Lauren will have success, but nowhere near the success of Beyonce. And why do I bring her up again? … Well, let’s be honest, she stole the show last night.. So, before I go and you give me your thoughts on last night’s finale, take one final look at B’s performance of her new single “One plus One” below.

Beyonce “One Plus One”

My American Idol 2011 Top 3 Power Rankings

Last week we said goodbye to our resident rocker James Durbin on American Idol who wound up in fourth place, just like season 5 megastar Chris Daughtry. While I highly doubt he’ll have anywhere near the career of Chris and his multi-platinum Grammy nominated band, I think James will be able to make music and provide for his family. And despite how he rubbed me the wrong way over the last few weeks with several indulgent and off pitch performances, I do wish him well… And with James gone we are just that much closer to what I’ve wanted all season: a two woman finale. Of course, I was originally hoping for a Pia v. Lauren battle, but I’m happy to settle for a Lauren v. Haley skirmish in the meantime. (And no worries, Pia will be having a big ole career as soon as the season is over.) However, these lovely lasses have to beat down one big obstacle~ the country heart throb with the charm and that deep voice, Scotty McCreery…. So, can they do it? I think it’s possible, but it’s an uphill climb right now. For proof, just take a look at who’s leading my all new and totally unscientific American Idol Power Rankings for the final three singers.

My American Idol 2011 Top 3 Power Rankings:
1. Scotty: the teen titan shows no signs of slowing down on his march to the NoPia theatre (ahem, Nokia theatre) next week as the fans and the judges clearly love him. He had one good and one bad performance this week, but that didn’t matter to his massive Southern and tween girl fan base. I do think it may have helped show the cracks in his armor. He’s a one note country singer. That said, he does it very well and he’s incredibly likable, relatable and genuine. As long as his fan base doesn’t falter, he should make the finals. (last week~ 1)
2. Lauren: she’s had a rocky road on the Idol journey, but has remained incredibly sweet and charismatic throughout. She has the best voice of the final three by far and she could be a huge commercial country and pop star (unlike Scotty who has pretty much no chance of crossing over into pop success). She had two great performances this week and she’s gaining in confidence. However, she’s still a bit rudderless at times and her immaturity is always on the edge. But if she can nail it this week, she could become Idol‘s first female winner since Jordin Sparks in season six. (lw~ 4)
3. Haley: if ever there was an underdog, it’s Haley Reinhart. She’s the only singer left in the competition who has really gotten any criticism from the judges, not to mention some quite negative criticism. She’s also teetered with elimination a few times and many see her as lacking a true identity as an artist. Now, setting those things aside, there’s no denying the girl sings damn good. And she’s been on fire lately. She’s the only one improving in the competition and she’s constantly winning over new fans while her competitors probably aren’t. Plus, she’s totally relevant to today’s music. Her take on Gaga was great and her performances this week simply destroyed her competition. And once again, she kicked me in the head a few times in the past weeks and made me a big fan, so anything can happen. And I hope it does. If she won, it would be the most exciting finale in ages. (lw~ 2)

And there you have it. The final three power list. Scotty is still leading the ladies, but it’s certainly becoming anybody’s game. With each singer tackling three songs this week (one choice by the producers, one of their own, and one from Jimmy Iovine), they all have the potential to wow… or disappoint. It’s gonna be good. So tune in on Wed night and let me know just who you want marching into the finale.

American Idol Recap 5/11/11~ The Girls Rock and The Guys Bore

First of all, Randy Jackson needs a good smack upside the head. As any of you who watched American Idol last night would likely agree, he was full of crap when he was critiquing Haley last night on her fantastic performance of “Earth Song”. He kept yammering on about it being a bad choice and it having nothing to do with who she is as an artist. Um, Randy, shut up. First of all, judge her singing~ which was incredible. Second of all, the assignment was to pick an inspirational song and “Earth Song” is nothing if not incredibly inspirational, moving and important. I mean what the hell? And while I’m ranting, J Lo should take some heat for her B.S. critique on that one too. And then, the two of them with their constant overpraising of the boys just made me sick. Seriously, it was perhaps the most infuriating judging of the season. I almost prefer Steven Tyler’s constant and useless “That’s a beautiful thing” sentiments…. Grrrr. Yes, last night’s American Idol drove me nuts on so many levels that I power voted like a crazy person for our dear underdog Haley, not to mention Lauren who had her best night in weeks. If the show wants to stay relevant, these two ladies should make the top three and break up the boring Idol boys club…. Wow, I am ranting, but I think many of you would agree… Anyway, for further proof of what I’m talking about, let’s rank last night’s performances where the top 4 singers took on two themes: “Songs of Inspiration” and the “Songs of Lieber and Stoller” (big hit songwriters in the 50′s and 60′s~ how’s that for irrelevant… those dingbat Idol producers!).

American Idol Performance Rankings 5/11/11:
1. Haley- ”I (Who Have Nothing)”- um, wow wow wow. Simply brilliant. Haley was fiery, focused and fabulous on this dark and brooding ballad, a Shirley Bassey classic from 1963. It was easily the best of the night and showed what an interesting singer Haley is. She has become the most fascinating performer in the competition fusing heart, humor and hubris into her performances and boy did she let the judges have it and eat their words with this sensational performance.
2. Lauren- “Anyway”: with her best vocal in months, Lauren was simply flawless on this beautiful 2006 Martina McBride # 5 hit country ballad. It was the perfect choice for her and would be a smash country and AC hit today if it was released. Lauren has the best pipes left in the competition and she made that clear with this amazing vocal.
3. Haley- “Earth Song”: I said it before, I’ll say it again: Randy and J Lo are full of it. How on Earth they didn’t get inspirational and incredible from Haley’s performance of Michael Jackson’s iconic plea from 1995 “Earth Song” is beyond me. And the second half was perfection. It was authentic, emotional and resonant and Haley nailed it, not to mention she outsang that chorus too! Who knew crazypants Steven Tyler would be the voice of reason on this one?
4. Lauren- “Trouble”: with a sassy and sexy take on Elvis Presley’s 1958 hit, Lauren was indeed “in it to win it”. She owned the stage and the song and even had fun singing it. Well done.
5. Scotty- “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)?”: with a lovely vocal and an understated performance, Scotty did justice to Alan Jackson’s 2001 # 1 country hit about the aftermath of 9/11. It was simple and tasteful, just not memorable.
6. James- “Love Potion # 9″: if James hadn’t been running around the stage as if he were playing Madison Square Garden, this one could’ve been a giant clunker. The song, a hit for The Searchers in 1963, was a blah choice, but at least his rockin’ arrangement made it serviceable. However, James has become so arrogant in his performances that it just felt like a big indulgent jam session for a self-serving wanna be star.
7. James- “Don’t Stop Believin’”: well, that was just boring, uninspired and bad. I’m sorry it was a second-rate cruise ship rendition of the signature 1981 Journey hit (and recently a Glee smash). Heck, he was flat on practically the whole song and brought nothing new to it… Really disappointing.
8. Scotty- “Young Blood”: that was simply atrocious. Sure, Scotty hit his notes just fine on this 1957 song by the Coasters. However, it was a herky jerky theme park performance that was gimmicky, irritating and a waste of his talent. Plus, that was the worst song choice of the night by a mile.

Predictions~
Ack, honestly, I have no idea… In my opinion, the bottom two should be James and Scotty with James going home… However, I doubt that will happen. I’m worried at least one of the ladies will be in danger and it may be Haley because of all the controversy with the judges comments. On the other hand, it could be Lauren because people may vote to save Haley and forget to support the lil country girl. I just don’t know… So, I’m just gonna say a crazy prediction that in a shocker James is eliminated, hehe…

But I want to know what you think. Are you as infuriated by the judges as me? Did you love Haley and Lauren too? Are you over James? Does Scotty still have this in the bag? And how awesome of a mentor was Lady Gaga? Sound off below.

And here’s a couple treats for you from the girls who rocked it tonight…

Haley- “I (Who Have Nothing)”

Lauren- “Anyway”

My American Idol 2011 Top 4 Power Rankings

Last night  on American Idol, we said goodbye to the powerhouse diva-esque church belting boy from Compton, Jacob Lusk as he was sent packing. That left a frightened and tearful Lauren Alaina safe despite her first appearance in the bottom two. I think most of us were relieve that Lusk warbled his last tune because after a great start, this talented guy wore out his welcome with some very inconsistent and sometimes overwrought performances. That said, I think he can have a great career ahead in the Contemporary Christian or Adult R&B fields… But enough about Jacob, what about our Fab Four? Just which one has the power to make it all the way to the finals? And who may fall apart next week when they attempt the songs of legendary tunesmiths Leiber & Stoeller (known for their massive catalog of songs from the 50′s & 60′s and many of Elvis’s big hits)? … Well, we will see, but here’s my completely unscientific and possibly totally wonky latest Idol power rankings.

My 2011 Top 4 American Idol Power Rankings~
1. Scotty: with one incredibly triumphant performance (“Gone”) and another quite credible one (“Always on My Mind”), the teen titan charges back up to the top of my list. It was also revealed that he has never been in the bottom two despite last week’s shenanigans from Ryan. As long as he keeps consistent, he seems the most obvious lock for the finals… Or does he have an Achilles heel in that maybe it’s just the South and the tween girls voting for him? Regardless, I think that’s certainly enough. (last week~ 4)
2. Haley: holy heck, Haley is in second place! I would never have thunk it just a few months ago. I mean I was the guy who almost despised her and now I’m rooting for her like a proud uncle, er, um older brother… Anywho, I love her attitude that she doesn’t take the insults and criticism negatively. She’s having fun, and oh yeah, she has been killing it in the last few weeks. On top of that, she owned everyone on Wed night. I have to say she’s actually the one I’m most excited to see each week now showing incredible growth, great pipes and interesting bold song choices. (lw~ 3)
3. James: the rocker had a reaaaaaaaaaaaally bad week on Wed night and he still didn’t come in danger of elimination. He obviously has a strong and committed fan base (who one could say are easily manipulated by tears, but my frozen heart digresses…) If he can get back on track, showcase his distinct voice and compose himself, he could make it another two guy finale. (lw~ 1)
4. Lauren: well, it makes me sad to place my favorite singer left in the competition (oh how I still miss Pia) in last place. Unfortunately, despite two strong vocals and renewed confidence (at least for her “Flat on the Floor” number), Lauren landed in jeopardy this week. And she took it hard. It seems like the stress and her emotions are really getting to her. She needs to focus, get it together and realize she has arguably the best voice in the competition and people love her. At least her fan base will be motivated after having witnessed her almost elimination. (lw~ 2)

So, that’s the latest. Scotty is back on top and Lauren is lagging behind. Can she leap back into the race? Will there be another boys club finale? Could my hopeful dream of a Haley v. Lauren finale happen? I just don’t know… So, let’s all watch next week and see what happens…. Now before I go, please enjoy Idol judge Jennifer Lopez with her pretty damn great live performance from the results show of her current top ten smash “On the Floor”… And yes, she actually sang live!

Jennifer Lopez w/Pibull “On the Floor” (live at American Idol)