American Idol Quick Wrap 5-9-11~ Jessica Throws Down the Gauntlet!

The voice of this season’s American Idol will not be denied, and tonight that voice declared “And I Am Telling You, I’m Not Going”. It was a fitting sentiment for Jessica Sanchez who was shockingly almost eliminated a few weeks ago as she utterly destroyed the competition on tonight’s show with that iconic Dreamgirls number and a wonderful Etta James cover. I was thrilled that she threw down the gauntlet and proclaimed her rightful place at the top of this race with those numbers. It’s even more incredible considering Joshua Ledet gave arguably his best performance to date as well…. So, what does it all mean for tomorrow’s elimination? Well, you can probably guess who’s safe… But for more clarification, let’s take a look at my rankings and predictions from tonight’s Idol where they tackled “Songs they wish they had written” and “Songs by Californian artists.” (Yes, I thought those were pretty odd themes too in case you’re wondering.)

American Idol Performance Rankings 5-9-11

~the great
1. Jessica “And I Am Telling You, I’m Not Going”: singing the ultimate diva anthem, Jessica literally blew the roof off the joint. She made wonderful versions of this song previously sung on the show by the likes of Tamyra Gray and Lakisha Jones seem pedestrian in comparison and I’d say she made both Jennifer Holliday and Jennifer Hudson proud. This vocal was simply brilliant. Everything about this performance was perfection. Simply astounding. And she finally got her much deserved standing ovation from the judges. I believe it was her first since her brilliant “I Will Always Love You” rendition months ago!
2. Joshua- “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World”: holy crap was that one fantastic performance?!! It was easily Joshua’s best, most nuanced, emotional and vibrant performance. He really interpreted the song perfectly and his vocals were naturally amazing resulting in yet another standing “O”. And this standing ovation I totally approve of for once!
3. Jessica- “Steal Away”: singing Etta James classic blues number “Steal Away”, Jessica showed a sexy and powerful side that easily was the best of the “California” numbers. She was mature beyond her years in this number, and it still felt so natural for her. Fantastic!
~ the good
4. Phillip- “Volcano”: I was truly surprised at how much I liked this one. Our heart-throb really gave a layered and moving performance of this great song by Damian Rice. The background singer helped a bit too, but it was still one of his best numbers of the season…. And I say all that despite him still sounding very much like Dave Matthews on it.
5. Hollie- “Faithfully”: our cutie patootie really sang this Journey power ballad beautifully, especially the second half. While I wish she had picked something younger and fresher (perhaps No Doubt’s “Just a Girl” or “Hella Good”) for her “Cali” song, I still really liked this. And she looked so pretty doing it! (love the wind fans!)
~ the ok
6. Joshua- “You Raise Me Up”: singing Josh Groban’s iconic uplifting ballad, Joshua was predictably good. However, it was all so predictable. And I felt his gospel’d up arrangement stripped the song of some of its simple true emotion. It was a nice vocal, but the whole thing felt a bit forced.
7. Hollie- “I Can’t Make You Love Me”: Hollie sang this beautiful song very well. Unfortunately, she paled in comparison to the heart-breaking original by Bonnie Raitt, not to mention the amazingly haunting versions by George Michael, Adele and original recipe Idol Kelly Clarkson. It was lovely, but rather forgettable in the end.
8. Phillip- “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?”: Phillip did a fine job on this Credence Clearwater Revival hit and he clearly seemed to be enjoying himself throughout. I liked that it didn’t evolve into a Dave Matthews song, but overall, it was rather unremarkable. Thus, it ends up at the bottom of the list.

Duets & Group Performances:
1. Joshua/Phillip- “This Love”: this version of Maroon 5′s # 1 hit really got moving as it went along and by the end it was pretty darn entertaining. I think this one was a million times better than their duet from last week too.
2. Hollie/Jessica- “Eternal Flame”: I liked this one a LOT more than the judges. It was quite pretty, thank you very much. And how can you not love this # 1 smash from 1989 by the Bangles?
3. Hollie/Jessica/Joshua/Phililp- “Waiting for a Girl/Boy Like You”: um, that was plain weird. Sorry

Predicitons~
Bottom 2: Hollie and Phillip (yes, I think he may finally land here!!!)
Buh Bye: Hollie

Well, it looks like Hollie’s long and rather roller coaster run on Idol may finally come to an end tomorrow night. This dark horse has survived long after many thought she would fall and I have to give her big props for that… Now, if she can make it one more week and knock off Phillip, I would be over the moon! …. We will see. Now, let me see what you thought of tonight’s show. Sound off below.

My American Idol Season 11 Top 4 Buzz Rankings

Last week on American Idol, we saw the sad and premature exit of country firecracker Skylar Laine. It was unfortunate on so many levels, especially considering when all is said and done, she is likely the most commercially viable contender among the top ten. I’m sure she will get a record deal in no time and go on to great success. If Kellie Pickler can land in 6th place, sell around 1.5 million records and have 9 top 40 Country Hits to date, I have no date Skylar can outdo that tenfold. She was a fantastic performer with a great voice who was like the baby of Melissa Etheridge, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert and Gretchen Wilson. So, while I am really sad to see her go, I have high hopes for Ms. Laine…. Now, on to today’s business at hand. It’s time to rank the top 4 contenders as we head into the strangely themed “California Artists/Songs I Wish I Had Written” week. So, just who has the heat? Check out my all new completely unscientific buzz rankings below.

American Idol Season 11 Top 4 Buzz Rankings

1. Jessica: ok, ya’ll may think I’m crazy for ranking her this high. However, I have a feeling the superior vocalist in the competition is ready to roll over her competitors. Her vocals are astounding week in and week out and we saw more personality from her last Wednesday too. The scary almost elimination is still on people’s minds, and I’m hoping America pulls their heads out and makes her our next Idol. I mean, hello, she could be the next Rihanna with a Jennifer Hudson voice but without the douchebag abusive boyfriend. (last week~ 2)
2. Phillip: seriously, this guy needs to go home! Oops, wait, I’m not critiquing his latest performance, I’m talking about his chances of winning the race. And those chances are real, real good. He’s never been in danger of elimination despite all of his songs sounding exactly the same. And he’s also had several bad performances lately but glides by unscathed. His winning personality and looks are clearly keeping him a front-runner. (lw~ 3)
3. Joshua: now, you may be wondering why I have dropped Mantasia to third despite one very solid and one incredible performance last week. Well, here’s the reason~ he’s getting boring. We all know he will sing incredibly week in and out taking us to church. However, I still don’t see how he will appeal to anyone outside the R&B or Gospel fan base when the show is over. And his awkward interviews and interchange with Phillip last week could turn people off. Honey, we all know who you are. It’s ok to hug Phillip. No one is gonna think anything they don’t already think. Be proud of who you are and then sang! (lw~ 1)
4. Hollie: I have become a big fan of Hollie’s over the past few weeks and I’d actually love to see her take on Jessica in the finale. Unfortunately, despite two weeks in a row with her best performances and tremendous vocals, she still was in the bottom two. She has far to go in the competition, but she could do it. I’m rooting for our super cute Irish/Texan dark horse. (lw~ 5)

And there you have it. That’s who I think is buzziest this week. Do you agree? Am I letting my personal preference for Jessica cloud my rational thoughts? Should boring blah Phillip be on top? Can Hollie take them all down? Sound off below and watch American Idol tonight on Fox.

My ALL NEW American Idol Season 11 Top Seven Buzz Rankings

If any of you were wondering why I didn’t post about the ridiculousness of last week’s American Idol results show, I just couldn’t bring myself to…. After hearing the season’s best singer, Jessica Sanchez, got the lowest amount of votes and was almost eliminated, I was just plain angry. How could American Idol voters be so stupid or lazy or just ignorant? Why oh why was this happening again? I was overwhelmed with memories of the loss of Pia Toscano too early last year (and the unsettlingly early departures of Tamyra Gray in season 1, Jennifer Hudson in season 3, Chris Daughtry in season 4 and Carly Smithson in season 7) and I just didn’t even want to talk about it…. Now, it’s almost a week later and I have calmed down. I’m grateful that the “Save” actually existed for once, and I am grateful the judges saved Jessica (but duh, we knew they’d do that) I’m also excited she has another chance this week. I, mean seriously, she is this season’s best singer and has the best chance to become an Idol pop powerhouse ala Kelly and Carrie, since Jordin in season 6. (That would also make her the first female winner in 5 years.)… So, let’s hope Idol voters will get their acts together and vote up a storm for Jessica this week!… That said, my girl takes a tumble in the buzz rankings… And that means it’s time for my all new totally unscientific American Idol Season 11 Buzz Rankings for the top seven singers…

American Idol Season 11 Top 7 Buzz Rankings (redux)

1. Colton: looks like the boy with the skinniest legs on Earth and a major Jesus crush is headed straight to the finals. He has never been in the bottom three, always gives consistent and strong performances, and the girls love him. Even though I found him a little forgettable this week, he is on a roll and rises to the top of my rankings for the first time. It’s also time I stopped underestimating the power of the cute white boy in this year’s competition. (last week~ 3)
2. Skylar: she gave another strong performance this week and improved upon a former Idol‘s song. (That was Kellie Pickler I’m speaking of people). She also went first in last week’s lineup and still remained safe. I think this year’s country contender could end up being the last girl standing after all. (lw~ 4)
3. Phillip: it pains me to put him back in the top three, but even after another bad week of weak performances, he still avoided the bottom three. He is the heir to the “white guy with guitar” Idol mantle title of the past few years. So, he could hang on way longer than this one trick pony should…Oh and he’s cute, so there’s another cajillion votes for him each week too. Ugh (lw~ 5)
4. Jessica: ok, you may think I’m crazy to have her this high after she almost went packing… However, I am hopeful last week was just an anomaly. She is clearly the best singer on the show (yes, I’m repeating myself cuz it’s true) and deserves to make the top five at least. (And hello win the whole shebang, but I may be dreaming)… Anywho, I think her fan base will get off their lazy bums and activate this week to keep her in the game. Plus, you know she’s gonna throw down this week to prove herself. (lw~ 1)
5. Joshua: what on Earth was he doing in the bottom 3 last week too? He gave the other best performance of the night and has been consistently good throughout the competition… Did people just feel like he was “safe” too and they didn’t need to vote? Do tween girls not vote for good singers? (Um, we know they don’t) What more can he do to stay in the game? (lw~ 2)
6. Hollie: she gave one of the weaker performances of the week, but this big voiced cutie avoided the bottom three somehow. I think she has a bigger fan base than anyone might expect. Well, she is from Texas and that is a real big state… Plus she has all those Irish votes, and who doesn’t love her super strange accent? (lw~ 7)
7. Elise: I’m rather worried about Elise. She gave two really good performances and still landed on the silver stools of doom. And that’s a position she has found herself in many times this season despite her considerable talent. I feel like she’s gonna need a miracle or a big misstep from one of her peers to last another week in the race. (lw~ 6)

So, that’s the buzz. The two best singers are in trouble and the two heart throbs can do no wrong. Plus, the two blonde ladies are still hovering at the bottom of the pack. Will either of them survive? Can Jessica and Joshua make big comebacks tomorrow when they sing one song from the past decade and one “soul” classic? Will people ever realize that Phillip is NOT all that and a bag of chips? And will it end up being a Skylar v. Colton finale?  Stay tuned…

And before I go, please take another look at the brilliant Jessica Sanchez and her incredible performance of “Stuttering” from last week… Pick up the phone for this girl people!

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)”

The only 2 Performances to remember from Tonight’s Grammys~ Adele and Jennifer Hudson

I often like to highlight a lot of performances from the Grammy Awards every year. Sometimes it’s even hard to narrow it down to a top 5 or 10 acts. However, this year, there were only two to remember. As a whole the show was a technical disaster and just horribly forgettable… Thank goodness for the amazing return of Adele whose voice was in fine form after surgery a few months ago, and for Jennifer Hudson’s glorious tribute to Whitney Houston. So, I’ve got both of those numbers for you below.

Jennifer Hudson “I Will Always Love You” (tribute to Whitney Houston at the Grammys)

Adele “Rolling in the Deep” (live at the Grammys)

Kris Allen will make you Dance!

Is Kris Allen the next big dance club star???? I know it sounds like a silly question, but it could happen. With the just released remix of his new single, “Vision of Love”, we could see him flying up the dance charts alongside Madonna and Rihanna. He wouldn’t be the first American Idol to scale this chart as Jennifer Hudson, Kimberly Caldwell, Fantasia and Adam Lambert have all had big club hits while season 2′s Kimberley Locke has become an official club diva with # 1 dance hits like “Change” and “Fall”. Our first Idol, Kelly Clarkson, has also had tons of dance hits with remixes of her pop smashes and is currently in the top 15 of the dance chart with “Stronger”. So, Allen would fit in nicely. It’s just a strange fit for this soulful rocker whose music leans more towards John Mayer than Kylie Minogue. But take a listen to this awesome remix below and I doubt you can deny his grooves. If this is a taste of his new music, he may have a second chance at success with his sophomore album due this spring. (And yes, that pits him against Lambert again whose second disc is due in March. We’ll see if he can better his last showing which had his debut selling around 300,000 copies compared to Lambert’s 800,000 copies). For more on Allen’s new music, head to his site here and let me know if you love his dance mix below.

Kris Allen “Vision of Love” (Maison & Dragen emac edit)

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.

My Top 5 Albums of 2011

I’m way behind on all my recaps for the year, but here’s a quickie to tide you over… Check out my top five albums of 2011… Now, I have to put a little asterisk on this list because like most pop music listeners, and ahem, teenagers, I am more of a singles buyer these days. It brings me back to my youth! And let’s be honest, most albums are just really good for a few songs. Rarely does a masterpiece that is brilliant from beginning to end happen anymore. But it sure did with the top-selling and critically acclaimed, soon to be Grammy winning, 21 by Adele. It’s pretty much perfect and it’s my fave of the year. Take a gander at the rest of my top 5 below (and some choice tracks from each album) and watch for more on the year in music to come.

My Top 5 Albums of 2011:

1. 21- Adele: basically every song was flawless, heart wrenching and beautiful. It already has yield two #1 singles “Rolling in the Deep” and “Someone Like You” and “Set Fire to the Rain” just hit the top ten. Watch for this hit heavy record to continue to thrive in 2012. It’s also the biggest selling album in the US since 2004 as it nears 6 million copies sold.
Adele “Rumour Has It”

2. Stronger- Kelly Clarkson: this Grammy winning came back with a vengeance and arguably her strongest record to date. It features the top ten smash “Mr. Know It All” and the #1 country and AC duet “Don’t You Wanna Stay” with Jason Aldean. Watch for several more smashes on the way. And damn does she have some soul for the girl next door.
Kelly Clarkson “What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger)”

3. Lady Gaga- Born This Way: with the biggest sales week of the year at over 1 million units on its debut, Gaga’s third record was another smash. It yielded the hits “Born This Way” (# 1), “The Edge of Glory” (# 3), “You and I” (# 6), Judas (#10) and “Marry The Night” which just went top 40. It was more fabulous fancy fun dance pop from Gaga.
Lady Gaga “Hair”

4. Body Talk- Robyn: this Swedish dance chanteuse cranked out dance smash after smash from this album grabbing a Grammy nomination last year and two more this year. All the tracks are infectious and unique and it’s hard to pick just one favorite. She also is finally breaking through in the US, thank goodness!
Robyn “Call Your Girlfriend”

5. Nothing But the Beat- David Guetta (with various artists): this dance smash was a nonstop party with wonderful pairings from the French DJ and artists like Jennifer Hudson (the anthemic “Night of Your Life”), Jessie J, Will I Am, and Usher (the top five smash “Without You”). But the best was the brilliant and haunting “Titanium” with Sia.
“Titanium”- David Guetta w/Sia

So those are my favorites. What are yours? And who are you looking forward to in the next year. I don’t know about you, but I’m counting the days til the new releases from Madonna and Adam Lambert.

Today’s Christmas Cheer brought to you by Jennifer Hudson

Oscar and Grammy winner Jennifer Hudson blows the roof off of any joint every time she performs and that was certainly the case at the recent Christmas in Washington special which aired Friday night on TNT.  Hudson performed a few holiday classics in front of the President and the First Lady and I have her gorgeous version of “Do You Hear What I Hear”. I’d say it rivals Whitney Houston’s iconic version from the 80′s. Take a look and a listen below and watch Hudson tonight on VH1 Divas Celebrate Soul at 9pm.

Jennifer Hudson “Do You Hear What I Hear?”

American Idol and the Grammy Awards

Earlier this week, three former American Idols received Grammy nominations bringing the total nominations for the franchise to whopping 38 and four of the singers have won the Award. Original Idol Kelly Clarkson won twice while season 4 champ Carrie Underwood has five trophies. Both ladies grabbed nominations this year along with season 5 singer turned Christian powerhouse Mandisa. We’ll see if any of them can take home the Grammy on Feb 12th, but I’d say Kelly has the best shot for her duet with Jason Aldean “Don’t You Wanna Stay” in the Country Duo/Group Category…. With this week’s nominations, I thought I’d take a look back at the history of the Grammys and American Idol…

American Idol Singers and the Grammys~

Kelly Clarkson, season 1 (6 nominations, 2 wins)
Best Pop Vocal Female-”Miss Independent”
Best Pop Vocal Female- “Since U Been Gone” (WIN)
Best Pop Album- Breakaway (WIN)
Best Country Vocal Collaboration- “Because of You” with Reba McEntire
Best Pop Album- All I Ever Wanted
Best Country Vocal Duo, Group, Collaboration- “Don’t You Wanna Stay” w/Jason Aldean (pending)
* Of note, Kelly’s latest album Stronger was not eligible during this year’s voting period (ending Sept 30) and it should be in the running next year.

Ruben Studdard, Season 2 winner (1 nom, 0 wins)
Best R&B Male Vocal “Superstar”

Fantasia, Season 3 winner (8 noms, 1 win)
Best R&B Album- Free Yourself
Best Female R&B Vocal- “Free Yourself”
Best Traditional R&B Vocal- “Summertime”
Best Female R&B Vocal- “When I See U”
Best Contemporary R&B Album- Fantasia
Best R&B Vocal Collaboration- “I’m His Only Woman” w/Jennifer Hudson
Best R&B Album- Back to Me
Best Female R&B Vocal- “Bittersweet” (WIN)

Jennifer Hudson, Season 3- 7th place (4 noms, 1 win)
Best Soundtrack Album- Dreamgirls
Best R&B Female Vocal- “Spotlight”
Best R&B Vocal Collaboration- “I’m His Only Woman” w/Fantasia
Best R&B Album- Jennifer Hudson (WIN)

Carrie Underwood, Season 4 winner (9 noms, 5 wins)
Best New Artist (WIN)
Best Female Country Vocal- “Jesus Take the Wheel” (WIN)
Best Female Country Vocal- “Before He Cheats” (WIN)
Best Country Vocal Collaboration- “Oh Love” w/Brad Paisley
Best Female Country Vocal- “Last Name” (WIN)
Best Country Vocal Collaboration- “I Told You So” w/Randy Travis (WIN)
Best Female Country Vocal- “Just a Dream”
Best Female Country Vocal- “Temporary Home”
Best Solo Country Vocal- “Mama’s Song” (pending)

Chris Daughtry (of Daughtry), Season 5- 4th place (4 noms, 0 wins)
Best Rock Song- “It’s Not Over” (songwriter)
Best Rock Vocal Duo/Group- “It’s Not Over”
Best Rock Album- Daughtry
Best Pop Vocal Duo/Group- “Home”

Ace Young, Season 5- 7th place (1 nom, 0 wins)
Best Rock Song- “It’s Not Over” by Daughtry (songwriter)

Mandisa, Season 5- 9th place (3 noms, 0 wins)
Best Contemporary Pop Gospel Album- True Beauty
Best Contemporary Pop Gospel Album- Freedom
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album- What if We Were Real (pending)

Jordin Sparks, Season 6 winner (1 nom, 0 wins)
Best Pop Vocal Collaboration- “No Air” w/Chris Brown

Adam Lambert, Season 8 runner-up (1 nom, 0 wins)
Best Male Pop Vocal- ”Whataya Want from Me”

Those are some pretty great stats. Looking at other singing competitions, only Nashville Star has produced a Grammy contender in Miranda Lambert who took home her first award last year. I highly doubt any of this year’s X Factor singers will wind up in Grammy’s good graces and the finalists of The Voice are already a memory. However, this year’s Idol winner Scotty McCreery could be a big contender next year as he is having a hugely successful post-Idol career with a #1 album that just went Gold and two top 30 country hits so far… And we’ll see if Idol can produce more Grammy winning superstars when season 11 begins on January 17th next year.

And before I go, please enjoy Kelly Clarkson’s wonderful Grammy performance of “Because of You” from the 2006 ceremony where she became Idol’s first Grammy winner.

Kelly Clarkson “Because of You” (live at the 2006 Grammys)