For 20 seasons between FOX and ABC, American Idol has been a launching pad for superstars like Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Adam Lambert and so many more contestants who rose to fame after their time on the show, whether they won it all or not.
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While each season has had dozens of notable names, from auditions to the finale, some contestants left their mark on the show with a single performance. From some life-changing auditions to some future winners' best, some performances on Idol forever changed the course of the show.
1 Larry Platt - "Pants On The Ground"
American Idol has seen plenty of bad auditions in its 20 seasons, but only one uttered the lyrics that will get stuck in your head for days. Larry Platt, then 62, auditioned for the show's ninth's season despite the age cut-off being 29.
Platt performed an original titled "Pants on the Ground," an anthem all about his dislike of young people wearing their pants low. Out of any auditions dubbed "bad," Platt's earned the most success, releasing "Pants on the Ground" as a protest song that wound up charting on the Billboard Hot 100.
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2 Sanjaya Malakar - "You Really Got Me'"
As far as unforgettable American Idol contestants go, Sanjaya Malakar ranks high on the list for his ever-changing hairstyles during Season 6. Best remembered for his mohawk, his hair often took away from his talent, sending him home smack in the middle of the season.
Malakar's run changed the show when it made viewers question the validity of voting, often believing the singer should have been voted off much sooner. His performance of "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks spawned the fame of "crying girl," a teen in the audience who noticeably sobbed during Malakar's performance.
3 Michael Johns - "It's All Wrong But It's All Right"
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Although he shockingly came in eighth place during Season 7, the late Michael Johns - who passed away in 2014 - became one of that season's biggest contestants, with a major fanbase and a successful career up until his unexpected death.
The Australian-born singer impressed the judges and the world with his rendition of "It's All Wrong But It's All Right" by Dolly Parton, his gruff powerhouse a recognizable change from Parton's tender voice. Parton notably praised the singer for his vocals and impending success in music.
4 Clay Aiken - "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
Singer and political figure Clay Aiken was the one to beat throughout Season 2 of Idol, and although he memorably came in second to Ruben Studdard, the two remain friends and touring buddies to this day, 20 years after competing against each other for the Idol title.
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As the second season's signature heartthrob, Aiken wowed viewers with each performance, but belting out "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon and Garfunkel accompanied by a choir during the season finale gave future balladeer contestants something to strive for.
5 David Cook - "Always Be My Baby"
Despite not even planning to audition for the show, David Cook came out on top of Season 7 after a nail-biter finale and a memorable season of talent. Pegged as that season's signature rocker, Cook was known for transforming well-known songs into his own.
Cook did this best during the week of the competition when Mariah Carey mentored the contestants, and he turned the upbeat R&B song "Always Be My Baby" into a slow and sultry ballad that left viewers captivated - and inevitably voting for the future idol.
6 Carrie Underwood - "Alone"
When you think of females in country music, odds are your mind goes straight to Carrie Underwood, who the music world might not have if it wasn't for Season 4 of American Idol. While the singer was mostly known for covering country songs during her run on the show that led to her inevitable win, it was when she dabbled in the rock genre that became a memorable moment.
Underwood sang “Alone” by Heart, a song heard sung by contestants like Season 7's Carly Smithson and Season 8's Alison Iraheta. But Underwood's performance stood out for being a country starlet taking on rock, unlike Smithson and Iraheta, who were already known for the rock genre.
7 Adam Lambert - "Mad World"
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Adam Lambert has had a rockin' career full of musical success, with the Idol memorably guest-starring on Glee, and performing with Queen, and it all happened after the Season 8 frontrunner came in second place to Kris Allen. The upset shocked fans around the world, putting Lambert in the company of contestants like David Archuleta, Katharine McPhee and Clay Aiken, all suspected winners who came up short in the end.
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The moment Lambert took the stage, sat in the middle among the darkness, and belted out "Mad World" by Tears for Fears is one most Idol fans can't forget. Lambert's version of the song was so chilling, it later turned into the theme song for James Franco's major villain on General Hospital.
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8 Trent Harmon - "Chandelier"
Season 15 was a considerably low-rated season that didn’t wind up shooting anyone to superstardom, even its winner. But it did give viewers one of the best performances in the show's history when winner Trent Harmon sang "Chandelier" by Sia.
The crooner changed the notable pop song into a moving ballad that allowed his vocals to shine. As one of the most recognized performances in the show's history, it upped the stakes for not only the other contestants of Season 15, but for every contestant that followed.
9 David Archuleta - "Imagine"
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Season 7 was a season to remember that ended with one of the most shocking finales in the show's history, but it was early on in the season that the world stood still for just a moment as David Archuleta sang a slow, acoustic version of "Imagine" by John Lennon.
The performance pegged Archuleta as a balladeer, earning praise from all three judges, with Simon Cowell notably calling him "the one to beat" out of the 20 contestants that remained. While others have dared tackle the song since Season 7, Archuleta's performance was admired by idols to follow.
10 Kelly Clarkson - "At Last"
Kelly Clarkson unforgettably won the first season of the show, being given the very first title of "American Idol." After flawless performances week after week, her win turned her into a global superstar, from platinum records to starring alongside runner-up Justin Guarini in 2003's From Justin to Kelly.
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But the show never would have become what it has over the last two decades if not for Clarkson's very first performance on the show, her Dallas, Texas audition of "At Last" by Etta James. Her vocals stood out from the rest since day one, and the rest became history for both Clarkson and the reality show.
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