Top 100 ‘American Idol’ Live Performances of All Time (2024)

‘American Idol”: Top 100 Live Performances

Simon Cowell often told contestants on American Idol that they had to create a moment on the show, something so memorable it would stand out as one of the most unforgettable performances in Idol history. Many finalists have taken those words to heart – so many that the biggest difficulty in compiling a countdown of the top 100 performances in the show’s first 14 seasons is having too large a field to consider.

The main criteriafor ranking Idol’s greatest performances were the performances themselves, not how high the finalist finished in the competition nor how successful their careers have been in their post-Idol years.

As the final season progresses, we presentthe greatest performances from 100 to 1.And for the first time, Billboard reveals the stories behind the song selections and live performancesthanks to dozens of interviews with the Idols and the members of the production staff, peoplewho worked on the iconic series for over a decade to assure that there would be so many unforgettable moments.

100. “A Little Less Conversation” –- Jon Peter Lewis

Season 3

Dubbed a “pen salesman” by Simon Cowell during his audition, Lewis confides to Billboard that he had not listened to a lot of Elvis Presley music before this performance. He first heard the song years earlier when he saw the King perform it on TV. “I stopped and watched and thought it was a great song.” Then it came back into his consciousness when he heard it on the soundtrack of the remake of Ocean’s Eleven. The night before he was scheduled to rehearse the song for Idol, he listened to it on his iPod in his hotel room. “I was jumping around,” says Lewis. “I wouldn’t call it dancing. It was more stage movement. It turned out to be very memorable.”

99. “Midnight Train to Georgia” –- Paris Bennett

Season 5

Bennett, the granddaughter of Grammy-nominated recording artist Ann Nesby, was 17 years old when she competed on the fifth season of Idol. During the top 24 performances, Bennett risked being called “old fashioned” by Simon Cowell by performing “Midnight Train to Georgia,” but the Gladys Knight and the Pips No. 1 hit fit her like a glove. “That’s just a natural song for me,” Bennett said. She later recorded her version of the song for the album American Idol: Season 5 Encores.

98. “Mandolin Rain” –- Scott MacIntyre

Season 8

Before he showed up for Hollywood Week, MacIntyre did his homework to prepare for competing on Idol. “I had a master list of 33 songs that I sifted through very carefully, filtering what was going to work for me, what was going to showcase my range, my artistry and my piano playing.” He also considered how memorable each song was, how contemporary and how many well known they were. One of the songs on the list was Bruce Hornsby’s “Mandolin Rain.” “It’s a song that I have been familiar with for years. When I was 15 years old and just starting to write some pop-type structured songs, people would tell me, ‘That piano solo on that song sounds like Bruce Hornsby’ and I had no idea who he was. My parents and I looked him up and then I really got into his music.” After performing “Mandolin Rain” on Idol, MacIntyre received a note from Hornsby. “He wrote, ‘Great job on the show. I really enjoyed following you.’”

96. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” –- Katharine McPhee

Season 5

Immortalized by Judy Garland in the film The Wizard of Oz, this Harold Arlen andE. Y. “Yip” Harburg composition was chosen for McPhee by Simon Cowell in the judges’ round of the top 3 show on season 5. Simply seated on the floor, McPhee opened the song a cappella and delivered a sweet and pitch-perfect version. It was hard not to shed a tear when she reached the song’s final notes, and several critics thought it was the performance of the season. McPhee reprised the song the following week for the top 2 season finale when she battled Taylor Hicks for the crown. This time, she performed the song on stage at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, just steps away from the legendary Grauman’s Chinese movie theater, where The Wizard of Oz premiered on Aug. 25, 1939.

95. “That’s All” –- Ace Young

Season 5

The top 7 finalists were asked to make selections from the “Great American Songbook” and Young chose a 1957 hit by Nat King Cole, “That's' All.” “It was my last performance on the show,” says Young, who was eliminated from the competition the following night. “I obviously didn't know that going into it so I went all out. I used my own money and bought my first ever suit for that one – a $3,000 Alexander McQueen that was cut to fit every mold of my body. I wanted to look sharp for my grandpa who was in the audience for the first time that night. He played saxophone in the big bands as a kid and always wanted me to look sharp. Of all the ways I could have left the show, I am happy that Simon Cowell let me know that I was a true gentleman. See – Simon does have a nice side!”

97. “Someone to Watch Over Me” –- Allison Iraheta

Season 8

“I was feeling very pretty that day,” Iraheta recalls of her performance on “Rat Pack” week. “I loved the dress, the make-up and my hair. They really made me feel beautiful. I was feeling a level of respect and fear because these were classic songs.” Vocal coach Dorian Holley and associate music director Michael Orland helped Iraheta understand the words and story behind the song. “Dorian really taught me how to focus when singing songs like that. And how important it is to sing at a level of four instead of 10, so the feeling and energy can come across, instead of starting at a level 10. At 16 years old, you want to sing loud and just go crazy and Dorian and Michael taught me that less is more when it comes to songs like that. That saved my life musically – my respect for music is really learning how to listen and pay attention to the meaning behind the song.” Iraheta continues, “It was one of the most memorable weeks for me and it brings a smile to my face, thinking about Rickey Minor and the band, that set-up with the string section and the arrangement and how beautiful they made everything sound. I’m grateful to have experienced that.”

94. “Come Rain or Come Shine” – Danny Gokey

Season 8

For “Rat Pack” week, Gokey found something judge Kara DioGuardi claims was missing that entire season: swagger. “You had swag tonight,” she told him. “It was unbelievable. And the rasp and the tone, I’m starting to think you should do standards.” Simon Cowell called it Gokey’s best performance in weeks. “That was outstanding,” he said.

93. “Your Man” -– Scotty McCreery

Season 10

“One of the keys to auditioning is to find out what makes you unique,” says McCreery. “At 16, having a deeper voice than most people my age, I thought I should show that off. I grew up loving that Josh Turner song. I had no clue it would blow up.” People still come up to the season 10 winner all the time and sing the opening line of “Your Man,” “Baby lock the door and turn the lights down low.”

During McCreery’s hometown visit for top 3 week, Idol producers surprised him by bringing Turner on stage to duet with him. “I was singing and leaning down, and all of a sudden people stated screaming and I thought, ‘Oh man, I got ’em! They really love me!’ I had no clue when I turned back around that Josh would be there. He’s a great guy and he’s been very gracious. It was a cool moment for me and I was genuinely excited. But it’s tough to go back and watch Idol because I was so young and those were my awkward teenage years.”

91. “As Time Goes By” –- John Stevens

Season 3

When the top 8 were asked to choose a song from a soundtrack to perform, movie buff Stevens quickly considered “Rainbow Connection” from The Muppet Movie, “If I Loved You” from Carousel­ and a few James Bond themes before deciding on “As Time Goes By.” “I selected this song based on its obvious root as an American jazz standard and it being familiar to almost everyone because of its classic role in Casablanca. After choosing the perfect song, I brought it into rehearsals with Michael Orland and my vocal coach, Debra Byrd. We had to select the right key and whether or not I was going to sing the intro. The opening verse had only been recorded popularly by Tony Bennett, and the lyrics still ring true today.That is what still makes this song such a timeless masterpiece. So we decided to perform the verse and rehearse it that way.I had been familiar with this song for many years but never sang it until this moment. Looking back at the video of my performances, there are things I would have done differently and I cannot help but identify how much I've grown as a musician since then.But I'm very proud of how I handled the songs I sang, most of all, ‘As Time Goes By.’”

90. “Walkin’ After Midnight” –- Kellie Pickler

Season 5

“I was 19 and green,” says Pickler of her time on Idol. “It was 10 years ago. I didn’t know my ass from my elbow and Debra Byrd, Michael Orland and [music director] Rickey Minor schooled me and showed me the ropes.”

Raised by her grandmother Faye, Pickler didn’t grow up loving the same country artists as her peers. “I listened to Tammy Wynette, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and Kitty Wells. They’re the reason I fell in love with country music.”

Given the 1950s theme for top 11 week, Pickler picked one of her favorite songs, “Walkin’ After Midnight,” Cline’s first single to appear on the Billboard charts (peaking at No. 12 on the pop side in 1957).

92. “Terrified” –- Didi Benami

Season 9

A year before she appeared on Idol, Benami wrote a song, “Pretty Fool,” with Jason Reeves. From then on, she followed his career, so she noticed when he posted a song online that he wrote with Kara DioGuardi – “Terrified.” Later, at Hollywood Week, Benami was surprised to see “Terrified” on the list of songs the contestants could perform. “It was unreleased at the time so I thought why don’t I do a song that nobody’s ever heard, because I’m going to sink or swim on this one. And I was literally terrified to do that. I was shaking.” It didn’t help that moments before she went on stage to sing, she was told by the production staff her own guitar wasn’t working, and was handed a guitar she had never played before.

Performing DioGuardi’s then-unreleased song (a month later it appeared on an album by Katharine McPhee) in front of the songwriter and judge was a “bold move,” according to Benami. “I had to do something that was going to keep me on the show. I had to stand out from all of the other contestants. I couldn’t look at Kara until part way through because I was so nervous. I closed my eyes for some of it. I did see Kara nod her head at me and smile.”

While the judges were commenting, DioGuardi told Simon Cowell that “Terrified” was her song. “I got good feedback from Simon,” Benami remembers. “I was in shock. It was one of the most amazing moments of my entire life.”

87. “Come Together” –- Carly Smithson

Season 7

For the first time in Idol history, the show was allowed to do an entire show based on the songbook of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick put together a list of songs for the season 7 contestants to make their selections “(We didn’t want them doing ‘Glass Onion,’ Lythgoe told Billboard at the time).

Smithson looked over the list. “‘Come Together’ was the one song I felt I could really lean into as a rock artist. It has a great bass line and a stomping rhythm that drives through the entire performance. I was a local bar singer before my Idol success. ‘Come Together’ had been part of my weekly set, so I was very familiar with the song and the lyrics.”

Smithson was a long-time Beatles fan. “Being from Ireland, I grew up surrounded by Beatles music. They covered so many genres. The core is rock and roll but you can hear so many other sounds and influences. I picked the one song that has been a complete lyrical mystery. Lennon described each verse as utter nonsense, but it’s open to interpretation and allows the performer to be very free.”

Smithson wasn’t the only finalist who asked for “Come Together.” “I wanted it badly. I knew I could have a real show moment and let go on stage for a change. Michael [Johns], Amanda [Overmeyer] and a few others requested it. So out came a [hat] and we all had to reach in and pick. I was lucky; the song title was on the piece I pulled out. I bounced off the walls with excitement for the rest of the day.”

Smithson worked on the song with Debra Byrd and associate music director Matt Rohde. “We were trying to figure out the key when we stumbled across a version of the song by Tina Turner. The higher key sat in a sweet spot for my voice and slightly changed the feel of the song, giving it some grit. When we got to the stage rehearsals, [stage manager] Debbie Williams took it to the next step. Byrd gave me the performance attitude but Debbie completed the delivery with the direction of movement. For the longest time I had just been a stiff voice. This was the first performance on the show where I used the stage. Byrd and Debbie get all the credit for that.”

The judges were effusive in their praise for Smithson. Simon Cowell compared her to Kelly Clarkson. “I usually pick myself apart after I step off stage but that night I felt calm and satisfied.It was the one night everything ‘came together.’”

86. “My Funny Valentine” –- Constantine Maroulis

Season 4

The theme was “classic Broadway,” which couldn’t have been more perfect for Maroulis, who graduated from the Boston Conservatory with a B.A. in musical theater and went on to star in the lead role of the Broadway international touring production of Rent before his run on Idol. “I didn’t want to be obvious and sing a song from West Side Story. I always loved ‘My Funny Valentine’ (from the 1937 musical Babes in Arms by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart). I remembered it from The Talented Mr. Ripley when Matt Damon sings that haunting melody. The lyrics are great poetry.”

Maroulis worked on the arrangement with Michael Orland and Dorian Holley. “Michael is so versatile and Dorian is one of the greatest singers I know. It was a collaborative effort. I had to flip it on its ass. So we came up with a version like ‘My Funky Valentine,’ where the pulse of the song was the heartbeat.”

Maroulis won raves from all three judges. Randy Jackson told him this is what he should be singing, Paula Abdul said she was falling in love with him and Simon Cowell gave him a “7” for vocals and a “9 and a half” for “pouting.”

81. “Let It Be” –- Brooke White

Season 7

There were so many John Lennon-Paul McCartney songs to choose from, White was having a difficult time deciding which one to perform. She narrowed down her choices to “Let It Be” and “Across the Universe.” “Five of us wanted ‘Let It Be,’” she remembers. “So they put five pieces of paper in a hat, we all reached in and grabbed one and I was the lucky winner. Michael Johns tried to swap songs with me and I almost did but thankfully that didn’t happen. He had his own unforgettable moment with ‘Across the Universe.’”

White recalls that the process of rehearsing and arranging songs was usually very stressful. “But this one didn't need a new arrangement, it's one of those songs you don't mess with. I knew I had to play the piano. Michael Orland and Dorian Holley helped me work out the best one minute and 30 seconds of the song. Then I practiced it a million times on the keyboard in my hotel room.My roommates can attest to that.When it came time to rehearse it was one of the most magical moments of my Idol history on that stage. Rickey Minor, the band and that full orchestra, the lights – we were all in it together and it felt so special.”

Performance day was another story. “It was rough,” White says. “I was experiencing some drama that day and I had been crying and feeling overwhelmed about trying to make everyone happy. Then while I was running through the tune alone the message of the song hit me: "there will be an answer, let it be." I took that to heart. When it was show time, I remember walking to the piano and taking off my shoes to feel the pedal beneath my foot. I was nervous. I made eye contact with Rickey, we both took a giant breath together and then it was time. I started to play and when I sang the words, "and when the broken-hearted people living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be," a lump hit my throat and my voice started to quiver. It took everything in me to hold back the tears. I felt every emotion. I was overwhelmed with being there, with gratitude and it was like an out-of-body experience. The room was with me; we were all in that song together. There was a stillness, yet an intensity that was so thick it was undeniable.”

89. “Jealous Guy” –- Casey James

Season 9

When he was told the theme for the week was Lennon-McCartney songs, James immediately knew he wanted to sing one of his favorites, Lennon’s “Jealous Guy.” “I pulled Michael Orland aside and I played it and said, ‘I want to wear something nice. I want to let my hair down and I want a cello on stage with me and I want to be playing an acoustic and I want the lighting to be simple.’ I was never more sure of anything and I think that may be why it came across so well. It was from the heart, which is where all music should come from, but sometimes it’s more transparent than others and I was thankful that I had the chance to do that.”

80. “Amazed” –- Josh Gracin

Season 2

Carrie Underwood was not American Idol’s first country star. Two years before her season, Gracin proved himself in the genre, especially when he performed a hit by Lonestar that crossed over to pop and topped the Hot 100. “I chose ‘Amazed’ because it had always been a favorite of mine and I felt it would show off some range,” says Gracin. “Since time was limited, getting the most out of the arrangement was always a top priority.”

The first Idol contestant to be an active member of the military while appearing on the show, the former Marine says, “I felt it was a crucial point [in the competition] for me to really come out strong. I'll be the first to admit I didn't perform as well on the show as I know I could have. I grew up listening to all genres of music and I should have made that more known on the show. My writing today really shows the exposure I had to all genres growing up.”

Gracin praised his vocal coach: “Debra Byrd was great and always tried to push me, [based on] the potential she saw in me. She helped me relax and focus on being comfortable with the song and to perform with confidence. Her words and belief in me helped me go a long way, even after the show.”

79. “Piano Man” –- Colton Dixon

Season 11

American Idol’s resident piano man of season 11 shone brightest during Billy Joel week, and Dixon knew the song choice had to be right. “When I heard it was Billy Joel week, most people assumed I would do ‘Piano Man.’ I actually wanted to go against that expectation originally, but after playing around with the idea, I found I couldn't not do that song,” he says. “I still hear from fans to this day that ‘Piano Man’ was their favorite performance of mine. I think it gave people a representation of how I could change a classic and make it my own. I really enjoyed that week."

88. “Folsom Prison Blues” –- Paul McDonald

Season 10

McDonald’s indie rock band the Grand Magnolias played Bonnaroo in 2008. Before they took the stage, they were going over songs in the artists’ campsite. “I remember strumming on ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ and everyone was jamming,” McDonald recalls. “My guitar player was feeling it. We thought maybe we should toss it in.” The band kept the song in its set after Bonnaroo. “We played a lot of college towns and when we wanted to add in a cover, that one was fun, uplifting and cool. And I love Johnny Cash.”

McDonald tried to perform the Cash classic on Idol several times and was discouraged but he finally prevailed. Executive producers Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick had McDonald close the telecast that night. “I figured if they’re giving me the closing spot, it might be alright. It totally went down the way I wanted it to. It was fun to perform.”

77. “Stay With Me” -– Skylar Laine

Season 11

Laine hit the stage with one mission in mind: to "rock it out because I love this song." That she did, in a performance that Jennifer Lopez described as "if Tina Turner went country…you're a natural born performer." Laine's country-rock inspired take on the Faces’ 1972 hit "Stay With Me" (perhaps taken from the Travis Tritt version that Randy Jackson name-dropped he was a part of recording) ignited the Idol audience. Jackson heaped on the praise: "I don't think we have ever had someone with your voice that performs like that. It's like Reba mixed with Kelly Clarkson or Tina." Steven Tyler summed it up best when he called Laine "a pistol."

75. “Whole Lotta Love” –- Elise Testone

Season 12

“When I first chose 'Whole Lotta Love,' the Idol crew needed a bit of convincing from me that it was the right choice,” Testone recalls. “I felt very comfortable with it, because I sang it with my old band the Freeloaders for so many years and felt I had found a way to sing it as if it were mine. Once the producers heard me rehearse it, they understood. The short arrangement I performed live was a direct influence of my experience playing with my band but shortened with the help of the wonderful Michael Orland to fit into the live show. I asked if we could add a short three-note tag to keep some originality in the performance. Soyon An and I designed the outfit and the choreography was guided by Napoleon and Tabitha (NappyTabs). With this performance, the band was set up on stage so I felt the connection with the players and music in a very real way. Having all those resources provided for amazing performance opportunities on American Idol and I am grateful for my experiences.”

85. “Somos Novios (It’s Impossible)” — Devin Velez

Season 12

Velez had been singing in Spanish for years before he tried out for Idol, but didn’t plan to do that on the show: “I’m not sure why but I felt like in the competition I should keep to English.” Velez prepared three songs for his audition and after singing two of them, the judges asked him to sing one more. “In the middle of my third song, Mariah Carey interrupted me and asked if I was Hispanic. I told her I was and she asked if I sang in Spanish and I said yes. Then she asked if I would sing something in Spanish instead. Feeling super-unprepared and on the spot, I sang the first song that came into my mind, ‘Con Los Años Que Me Quedan’ by Gloria Estefan, as if my life depended on it.” All four judges said yes and put Velez through to Hollywood. “After my audition, Mariah said, ‘This is going to be your secret weapon. Remember your roots – it shows your true colors and it’s beautiful.’ As the competition went on, I decided to follow Mariah’s wise words and performed ‘Somos Novios.’ I felt comfortable and connected, like this would set me apart from the rest of the contestants.”

74. “Levon” –- Taylor Hicks

Season 5

Hicks knew he had to make an impression during top 24 week and make it fast if he was going to stay in the competition. So he took a chance and made a choice based on his gut. “‘Levon’ was a hunch,” he says. “A song you can stylize can give you an edge on Idol. I thought I could make it my own vocally.” He reprised the Elton John song for the show’s finale and catapulted to a season 5 win.

84. “Maggie May” — Paul McDonald

Season 10

“When I did Idol, I had no expectation of going anywhere,” says McDonald. “I figured if they like me, they like me.” For his audition in Nashville, he sang Little Richard’s “Tutti Frutti.” “It was a fun song to bust out. I knew that even if I got kicked off right then, I would always have this super-ridiculous story that I sang ‘Tutti Frutti’ a cappella on the Ryman stage in front of Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson.” Although he wasn’t kicked off, he was asked to go home and learn a different song – Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May.”

“I can’t really mimic other artists that well. I’m not that great of a vocalist compared to most of the folks on Idol. I come from more of a songwriting perspective, so when I hear someone else’s song, I look at the lyrics and the melody and sing it my own way, like it was one of my own songs. At the same time, Rod Stewart and I have a similar vibe and some of my inflections go the same way, especially on his early Faces material. So I tried not to do it exactly like he would do it.”

73. “Hemorrhage (In My Hands)” –- Chris Daughtry

Season 5

Daughtry was a big fan of Fuel, the Pennsylvania-based rock band that took this song to No. 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2001. “I had been doing acoustic shows at home. Every now and then I would do a bunch of covers. I always loved the intensity behind that song. I thought if I could get something like this approved on the show, even though the general public might not know it, then it would be a huge win. It ended up being the most memorable performance I ever did.”

Before the Idol season ended, Daughtry was surprised when Randy Jackson approached him one day. “There was such a separation between us and the judges.” But Jackson had something important to say. He told Daughtry that Chris Bell from Fuel had called and wanted Daughtry to be the new lead singer of the group. “It was a shock,” says Chris. “I didn’t know Brett [Scallions] wasn’t singing with them anymore. I went and rehearsed with them for fun. It wasn’t an audition because I didn’t want to do it. I felt like I had a lot of things to say and if I fronted an existing band, I’d be saying what they’ve been saying for years. I also had a hard time with the idea of replacing a singer who was still alive.”

Instead of joining Fuel, Chris formed his own band —Daughtry.

72. “New York State of Mind” –- Kimberley Locke

Season 2

Before the season two contestants arrived in Los Angeles, they received phone calls telling them to prepare a Billy Joel and a Stevie Wonder song in advance. “I worked with my choir teacher in Nashville to come up with an arrangement of ‘New York State of Mind,’” Locke remembers. “One of the students at the community college also helped with the arrangement.” Once they were in L.A., music supervisor Susan Slamer told the contestants they needed to choose songs for Billy Joel week. “The second those words came out of her mouth, I slammed my song down on the table and said I was ready. That was one of those weeks where I got to take it easy because I was beyond prepared. All I had to do was get my outfit together.” Locke was rewarded with rare praise from Simon Cowell. “That was a highlight. That week was unbelievable for me. I think it lifted me to a new level and people started to notice me.”

83. “Ooo Baby Baby” — LaToya London

Season 3

“I wanted to do something sexy and smooth, just to show my softer side because I was always belting out songs,” says London, who decided to demonstrate that by covering the master of the Quiet Storm format, Smokey Robinson. “Ooo Baby Baby” was originally a hit for his group the Miracles, peaking at No. 16 on the Hot 100 in 1965. “[Nick] Ashford and [Valerie] Simpson were the guest judges that week and I was feeling a little Smokey.”

London remembers that the three resident judges enjoyed her performance. Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul gave favorable reviews. “Simon liked it too,” says London, “but he didn’t like my hair. The hair thing wasn’t my choice, honestly, but that did teach me a good lesson – if you’re not feeling something, don’t do it because you are the representative of that. Not the hairdresser, not the person that talked you into doing it, you. They might influence you to go one way or another but you have to truly know what you want to do.”

82. “Take Me to the Pilot” –- George Huff

Season 3

It was Elton John week and Huff was having a difficult time choosing a song until Nigel Lythgoe suggested he listen to a song that was the B-side of John’s first Billboard Hot 100top 10 single, “Your Song,” in 1970. Although she wasn’t familiar with “Take Me to the Pilot,” Debra Byrd says after she listened to the gospel-tinged track, she knew why Lythgoe thought it would be perfect for Huff. “Once George heard the song, he was very enthusiastic about singing it,” Byrd remembers.

Watching Huff excel on the Elton John-Bernie Taupin composition, it’s difficult to believe he was under the weather. “George was my poster boy for doing a singing competition while ill,” says Byrd. The New Orleans-born finalist was not feeling well the entire season. “He knew how to sing just enough so he wouldn’t hurt his vocal health,” says Byrd. “He kept telling me he was getting better. After the show was over, he did heal and he really was better.”

71. “Still of the Night” –- Caleb Johnson

Season 13

For the first time in Idol history, fans were invited to vote for songs they wanted the finalists to perform. A viewer from Oregon named Cameron Martin posted a video explaining why he wanted Johnson to sing Whitesnake’s “Still of the Night”: “It requires power and range, and you have all of them. Just go out there and crush it!” Johnson was happy with this choice. “I love the song. I love Whitesnake,” he says. “It was cool getting to sing my ass off.” In his pre-Idol days, Johnson had sung “Still of the Night” with his cover band, but says there was quite a difference performing the song on network television. “I was working with top-tier musicians. We had special effects and pyro. Matt Rohde and [vocal coach] Kenya Hathaway helped me so much.” It all added up to a standing ovation from Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopez and a tweet from Whitesnake’s David Coverdale, praising the performance.

69. “Beautiful Life” –- Nick Fradiani

Season 14

The first time Fradiani heard “Beautiful Life,” he liked it immediately. “I recognized the voice,” he explains. “It was Chris Carrabba from Dashboard Confessional.” Carrabba co-wrote the song that Fradiani was able to memorize quickly and sing the next day. “It was the final song to determine who wins but at that point, Clark [Beckham] and I were so happy to be down to the last two, I didn’t feel any pressure that last night.”

Fradiani performs his coronation song live like he sang it on the season finale, but there are other versions. “When we visit radio stations, we do a more chilled-out, acoustic version. If you don’t have drums, you have to change it up a bit.” Fradiani reprised “Beautiful Life” as a duet on season 15 with Gianna Isabella. “At first I told her she was singing it wrong. But that’s how she heard it. She was willing to change it back but I said, ‘I like what you did, let’s keep it.’ It was different hearing a girl sing it.”

64. “I Put a Spell on You” –- Quentin Alexander

Season 14

Before choosing this song,Alexander spent some time rehearsing Seal’s “Kiss from a Rose.” “But it didn’t feel right,” he recalls. The New Orleans-born finalist ran into mentor Scott Borchetta at the Idol studio and mentioned he’d rather go with “I Put a Spell on You.” “He asked me to sing it for him and we both agreed it was the perfect song for me.”

As a “’90s baby,” Alexander knew Bette Midler’s version from the 1993 film Hocus Pocus. Later, he discovered the original 1956 recording by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. “I was completely floored! He’s an iconic African-American male performer who was completely out of the box.” Shortly before he sang “I Put a Spell on You” on Idol, Alexander saw Annie Lennox tackle it on the Grammys. “Of course, she murdered it.”

After his conversation with Borchetta, Alexander worked on the song with Kenya Hathaway and Matt Rohde. “We free-styled it and with one run-through, it was clear to all of us that it was going to be epic. Then Rickey Minor and the band came on board with all the eerie sound effects and boom! It was magic.”

Of all his Idol performances, “I Put a Spell on You” is Alexander’s favorite. “I feel like it was the only one that was 100 percent me. I got lost in it. I remember the audience going crazy and Keith Urban calling it a ‘Grammy performance.’ With that song, I proved to myself that I deserved to be on the show. From the beginning, I questioned what my place was in the competition. I asked myself every week, ‘Why me?’ But after that day I never said those words again.”

63. “Treat Her Like a Lady” –- Lee DeWyze

Season 9

The theme was a very general “R&B/Soul” and DeWyze chose the first hit by the Florida-based family group, Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose – not a song that has been covered a lot, even though it peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 in 1971. “My goal was never to perform a song the way it was originally done. I wanted to take a song and change it up. And when I heard ‘Treat Her Like a Lady’, I heard rock, even though the original has a totally R&B feel. I just heard a kick drum and I felt it. I started playing it and that was just the way it went.”

61. “White Flag” –- Jax

Season 14

Jax was seven years old when Dido released “White Flag” in 2003. “That was one of the songs in my childhood that clicked in my brain. I played it when I was growing up so it was my most effortless performance,” says the native of East Brunswick, N.J. “Every week on Idol I put so much thought into every song. That was one week I didn’t need to put any thought into it because it was in my comfort zone and it’s a song I really connect to.”

Jax wanted to perform the entire song but that’s not possible on Idol. “Michael Orland and Dorian Holley really helped with the arrangement. Michael came up with the little riff on the piano at the beginning. The producers always wanted something uptempo. They felt it was a risk to do a ballad. And it always was. When I do ballads I tend to lose the tempo. I like to hold out notes. The judges didn’t mind the raw messiness of it because they found the beauty in it. Their feedback was good.”

78. “Uprising” –- James Durbin

Season 10

After the results show for top 8 week, Matt Bellamy of Muse and his then-fiance, Kate Hudson, went backstage to meet the finalists. “Matt and I were drawn to each other from across a crowded rom – cue the South Pacific soundtrack – and ended up chatting for 20 minutes about classic rock, four-octave vocal ranges and a mix of other things. I didn’t know then where that meeting of the minds would lead,” says Durbin.

The theme for the following week was “Songs from the 21st century.” Not seeing anything appealing on the suggested list of songs, Durbin came up with his own list and gave it to music supervisor Robin Kaye. “I was ecstatic when she later told me that ‘Uprising’ had been cleared by Matt himself. But he sent specific instructions that I had to sing the final chorus up one octave in full scream mode! It was a challenge I was willing to accept.” Listening to the song that he was very familiar with, Durbin zoned out and came up with the idea of setting his performance in a post-apocalyptic world. “I wanted custom stage wear made by Cody Varona, owner of Forgotten Saints on Melrose in Los Angeles, and I wanted to use the giant ‘elephant doors’ to the studio at CBS where Idol originates and I wanted a marching band. The greatest thing I realized on Idol was that the producers have a large budget to work with. If you can think of something that will improve the show’s visuals and potentially increase ratings, they will pay for it.” Durbin was happy with the performance visually and vocally. “It wouldn’t have been possible without Matt challenging me, Ken Warwick and Nigel Lythgoe funding my wild imagination, Art Conn and Cody Varona for letting me look like ‘Storm troopers on Melrose,’ as Steven Tyler put it, and the greatest fans ever for voting me through.”

60. “Blue-Eyed Lie” –- Jessica Meuse

Season 13

It’s rare for a contestant to sing an original song on Idol, especially during the audition process, but Meuse defied the odds by offering up her own composition. “The original inspiration for ‘Blue-Eyed Lie’ is a man-child I dated in my early 20s. It was one of my first serious relationships, and I hadn't really ever been cheated on before. The relationship wasn't even really that long-lasting but he taught me everything I don't want in a partner. ‘Blue-Eyed Lie’ poured out of me in a matter of minutes. My songs are straight from my soul and the melody and concept usually hit me like an asteroid at the same instant. The lines ‘they say a man who's worth your tears will never make you cry’ were stuck in my head for hours before I finally sat down and wrote them. The rest of the song just flowed. It was incredibly cathartic to simply write the words on paper.” Meuse explains why she sang an original song for her audition: “I figured if they’re not going to like me, it would be for exactly who I am. My songs are real and raw and I’ve lived through every word. I also had the feeling I needed to sing an original, so I did.” Does the object of her scorn know the song was about him? “I’m almost 100 percent certain he does,” says the finalist from Slapout, Alabama. “Since I sang it on national television, his mom heard it. She posted a huge rant about how she didn't like ‘that Jessica Meuse girl’ because ‘Blue-Eyed Lie’ was about her baby angel. If only she knew what an ‘angel’ her baby really was!”

76. “I’ll Stand by You” –- Pia Toscano

Season 10

“Song selection is always difficult on a show like American Idol because there is so much at stake if you make a bad choice,” says Toscano. “When I was making my decision on which song I should choose for my top 24 performance, I phoned my best friend Cassie and we went through a bunch. We landed on ‘I'll Stand by You’ and ‘All by Myself.’ I originally chose ‘All by Myself,’ as that was a song I had always dreamed of performing. It was such a challenge to me that I had to tackle it. When I went to perform it for Nigel Lythgoe and 19 Entertainment, they noticed that ‘I'll Stand By You’ was also on my list. After hearing ‘All By Myself’ they encouraged me to save it for the following week if I was to move on in the competition. Michael Orland and I decided that we could make ‘I'll Stand By You’ just as chilling and as impactful. He pulled every note out of my range that at the time I didn't even know existed and pushed me beyond what I thought was my limit. If it wasn't for Michael's stunning arrangement of ‘I'll Stand by You’ and him instilling a confidence in me, I probably wouldn't have been able to pull it off.”

59. “Can’t Help Falling in Love” –- Jena Irene

Season 13

The theme for top 4 week was “Love: Break-Ups, Dedications and Make-Ups.” Jena Irene recalls, “This song was an easy choice. I’ve been playing it since I was 12, but never sang it in the previous rounds because it was so ‘lovey-dovey.’ With this theme, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to perform it with only me and the piano. With that song, simplicity is key. If I had performed it with the full band, the effect wouldn’t have been the same. By that point in the competition, I knew that my strong suit was at the piano, so I took everything else out of the instrumentation to have the attention on the piano and the lyrics. ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ was a moment in time where I felt in control of everyone’s emotions for two minutes and it’s something that I will always crave to get back. Butmy debut album is a trip and I knowI’ll get that feeling back again (LMAO).”

57. “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” — Jessica Sanchez

Season 11

Sanchez performed the showstopper from Dreamgirls in top 4 week and again in the season finale, but for that live show, she was teamed with the woman who first recorded the song and starred in the original Broadway cast, Jennifer Holliday. “I had the chance to sing with one of my inspirations growing up and it's a moment in my life I will never forget,” says Sanchez. “When I found out that I was singing with the Jennifer Holliday, I cried backstage. It was such a moment of achievement in my life. My voice was actually gone the night of the performance – I could barely speak. But it ended up being one of my best performances. People always talk to me about it and how intense it was, especially with our facial expressions. I just tell them, sometimes you’ve got to get ugly when you sing; sometimes the uglier you get, the more into it you are and the notes just end up coming out better.”

54. “Flying Without Wings” –- Ruben Studdard

Season 2

When there were only four finalists from season 2 left in the competition, they were invited to the Beverly Hills Hotel to meet with Clive Davis so he could play them the song they would be recording if they won American Idol. Davis told Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, Kimberley Locke and Josh Gracin that he had a pair of songs for them to hear. First he played “This Is the Night” and second, “Flying Without Wings.” Then Davis broke the news: Clay and Josh would record the first song and Ruben and Kimberley the second.

“I wasn’t that thrilled with the song because I didn’t really care much for the original version,” Studdard recalls. That original version was by the Irish boy band Westlife, an act signed by Simon Cowell to RCA in the U.K. “I went in the studio and Clive said, ‘Trust me, it won’t sound like that once these guys are done.’”

Studdard had a surprise as to who “these guys” were. “I thought it was just going to be me and the Underdogs. I didn’t know Babyface was going to be in the room. It was an amazing session and the song turned in to something I love to sing. It’s a constant reminder of American Idol.”

53. “Wide Awake” –- Rayvon Owen

Season 14

Owen was studying at Belmont University in Nashville when Katy Perry released “Wide Awake.” With his friend Will Padgett, Owen came up with a new stripped-down arrangement and recorded a YouTube video. The reaction in his community was so great, Owen decided to perform the song for the Idol judges at his audition. “I thought it would be a good way to showcase my artistry and creativity,” he says. Owen reprised it on the first live show when the theme was “What got me here” and the finalists had to do their audition songs. “That was exciting because now I was able to sing with the full band. I had to explain what I wanted. Rickey [Minor] wanted to speed it up. I said, ‘No, no, no!’ “I wanted to make it sound like worship music, where it grows in emotion and intensity.” Most memorably, Owen held one of the final notes seemingly forever and was rewarded with a strong audience reaction and praise from Jennifer Lopez.

52. “Dream On” –- Michael Johns

Season 7

When the top 8 were given the theme “Inspirational Music,” Australian-born Michael Johns chose this Aerosmith classic as a way of telling his own story of coming to America with aspirations to make it in music. The theme of the song, he said, "is pretty universal. I moved to this country and had a dream and I'm psyched to live that now." Johns added that if "you're willing to work, you can achieve it." Backed by a 20-piece orchestra, Johns tapped into his inner rock star, but Randy Jackson wasn't feeling it, oddly saying that Idol is not about dreams but singing. Paula Abdul came to the rescue, telling Johns that he sang as good as he looked and that her chihuahuas would join him on stage for the high notes. Looking back on this, it isn't hard to get choked up as Johns said to Jackson, "I'm here living in America, and dreams can come true." It's comforting to know that he lived some of his dreams before his untimely passing on Aug. 1, 2014.

51. “Cry Baby” –- Allison Iraheta

Season 8

Iraheta’s mother warned her she would be eliminated if she sang Garnet Mimms and the Enchanters’ “Cry Baby” on Idol. Dorian Holley and Michael Orland urged her to go with Jefferson Airplane’s “Somebody To Love” instead. But the magenta-haired teenager really wanted to perform the song that was a big part of Janis Joplin’s repertoire. “Part of the reason was because my mom said no. I told her if I get eliminated at least it would be doing the song I wanted to do. My mom and I really fought that week and it really got to me. I cried a lot – and the freaking song was called ‘Cry Baby’!” Iraheta performed the song on the rock-themed top four show. And was eliminated.

70. “All By Myself” –- Jasmine Trias

Season 3

For the top three show near the end of season 3, Trias, along with Fantasia and Diana DeGarmo, had to sing three songs – one the finalists chose for themselves, one picked by the judges and one selected by Clive Davis, who was the guest judge that week. “When I heard that Clive picked [Eric Carmen’s] ‘All By Myself’ for me, I immediately thought of the extremely high belted note in Celine Dion’s version,” says Trias. “Honestly, I felt pretty nervous about it! I had to work really hard with the vocal coaches and the musical director. I definitely focused most of my rehearsal time on that song over the other two I had to perform. Whitney Houston was a huge inspiration and idol of mine, so knowing Clive would be watching and judging my performance was a big deal. Being a top three finalist on such a major TV show was already a lot of pressure for me at such a young age. No matter what happened, I really wanted to do the song justice, enjoy the moment and leave it all out on the stage. Thankfully when the ‘big note’ came, I was able to hit it! I love the song and still sing it today.”

49. “Trouble” –- Elliott Yamin

Season 5

“Elvis week was one of the most memorable weeks from my tenure on Idol,” says Yamin. “The show flew the top four on a private jet to Graceland. We were given an intimate tour of the property by Priscilla Presley, then rehearsed our song choices with Tommy Mottola. He told me to stop singing like I was at a bar mitzvah and I lost it! He was so honest and funny.”

Yamin decided to perform an Elvis song he had never heard. “I chose ‘Trouble’ because it had a real blues vibe and I thought I could add some sass and soul to the arrangement. My only goal was to show some personality – for a change – and prove to everybody that I deserved to move ahead to the top 3. And it worked!”

Yamin credits Dorian Holley and Michael Orland “for helping me to come out of my shell. I was a singer when I tried out and Idol taught me how to also be a performer. ‘Trouble’ was one of my favorite performances because I really emoted those lyrics and felt comfortable moving around on stage and playing with the mic stand. Dorian and Michael helped to instill that confidence that I sometimes lacked, even toward the end of the season.”

48. “Gone” — Scotty McCreery

Season 10

“I was a reserved performer,” says McCreery of his early Idol appearances. “I wanted to shake things up. People had seen what I could do but they wanted to see what else I had. So I laid it all out there, running and jumping.” But his athletic leap (which brought him just inches away from falling off the stage) during Montgomery Gentry’s “Gone” wasn’t planned. “It was impromptu. In rehearsal you can figure out what you’re going to do but you really can’t [lock it in] until the cameras are turned on and there are people in the audience and millions are watching at home. That’s when the adrenaline gets pumping.”

After his Idol season, McCreery met Montgomery Gentry backstage at the Grand Ole Opry. “They said they appreciated me doing their song and that I did good. That was pretty special for me. Now we’ve done quite a few shows together and they bring it up every time.”

68. “Bennie and the Jets” –- Haley Reinhart

Season 10

“Bennie and the Jets” topped the Hot 100 for one week in 1974. When thetop 11 contestants were selecting songs for an Elton-themed week, no one had chosen “Bennie” yet. Reinhart called her family and told them she was thinking of picking the song. “And they said, ‘Oh my God, the song is playing right now in the restaurant we’re in.’ It was immediate validation, just a little sign. I’m such a huge Elton John fan that getting to do any of his songs that week would have been incredible. I loved being part of the creative process. I wanted to sit on the piano and make it a cool, loungey act. I started off a little jazzier, brought out the energy and let it build. It was a pivotal moment for me. The world shifted in my favor.”

46. “Georgia on My Mind” –- Clark Beckham

Season 14

“Growing up as a big fan of classic soul and R&B, I always heard people talk about Ray Charles’ ‘Georgia On My Mind’ as one of the greatest songs ever. However, I had gone through most of my life without ever actually hearing the song. Around the time I was going to audition for American Idol, I listened to it and fell in love with it. I sat down at a piano and sang the song without knowing the chords. I let my mind be free and played the chords I heard in this place I went to in my head. Releasing myself into the song (my emotions, my thoughts, my wants and desires, my everything), chords came out and the arrangement and dynamic of the song rang true for me and I’ve stuck with it ever since.

“A lot of people ask what ‘Georgia’ means to me. Am I singing ‘Georgia’ thinking of a love interest, my home or what? At first I sang it thinking of a woman but that didn’t stick for me. Then I sang it with my hometown and ‘the South’ in mind. Now I like to sing ‘Georgia’ thinking of Jesus and my story concerning him.”

Right before he headed out to California for Hollywood Week, Beckham prepared the song with an Idol performance in mind. “I remember getting a standing ovation from Keith and Jennifer and watched Harry write down things in his notes (which I would kill to see).”

For the season top 2 finale, Beckham reprised “Georgia on My Mind” as his favorite performance. “The band was outstanding and really appreciated my arrangement of the classic Ray Charles song which was a huge honor as our musical director, Rickey Minor, played that song with Ray himself.”

45. “Home” –- Melinda Doolittle

Season 6

"It was our first week on the larger stage, first week with a mentor and Diana Ross was it! I was so excited and nervous because I love her. I love The Wiz and I had always wanted to sing ‘Home.’ However, I was really cautious about which lyrics I chose because a lot of people that sang songs about home on Idol went home right after. So, I just chose the verses that spoke to where I was at the moment. I was going through so much change in front of America, and I was finding my new home at the front of the stage instead of in the background. So the song choice and arrangement were easy once I knew what I wanted to say. I think it worked so well because it was honestly my story and I meant every lyric. I cried at the end because the standing ovation from the audience was confirmation that I had truly found a home for myself. I’m sappy like that. Gratefully, Paula cried with me.”

67. “Time of the Season” –- Blake Lewis

Season 6

Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits and Lulu were the mentors for the top 11’s “British Invasion” theme. Lewis wanted to sing the Zombies’ No. 3 hit from 1969, “Time of the Season.” Nigel Lythgoe didn’t think it was a good choice and suggested “Tobacco Road,” written by an American songwriter, John D. Loudermilk. The song peaked at No. 14 in 1964 for a band from Surrey, England – the Nashville Teens.

Lewis resisted, and as the ultimate decision must be made by the contestants, stuck to his original choice. According to Lewis, after hearing the rehearsal of “Time of the Season,” Lythgoe told him he made the right choice. “Tobacco Road” was still performed on the British Invasion showby Phil Stacey.

66. + 65. [tie] “I Have Nothing” –- Vonzell Solomon/Trenyce

Season 4/Season 2

“I love Whitney Houston,” says Solomon. “‘I Will Always Love You’ was my song to sing and everywhere I’d go, people would give me a standing ovation. So when the ‘1990s’ theme came up, ‘I Will Always Love You’ fit . No-brainer! But I couldn’t because it didn’t clear. I think Dolly was tired of everyone butchering her song onIdoland I didn’t blame her. In previous seasons, some people killed that song and not in a good way. So I had to pick another one and I still wanted to sing Whitney.” Solomon asked Debra Byrd to help her chop “I Have Nothing” down to a minute and a half. “I was so nervous, but I did pretty well. Now when I watch it back, I think, ‘Eww. Why did I make that face?’ and ‘Why did I go to that note?’ But it’s a fan favorite and I love that song, so I’m happy I picked it.”

Two years before Solomon performed “I Have Nothing,” season two’s Trenyce chose the same song under similar circumstances. “For movie week, it was a no-brainer for me to chooseThe Bodyguard,” she explains. “Whitney Houston has been my idol since I was eightyears old. I'd studied her while growing up because she was the first beautiful, young singer I'd seen whose tone I matched! I adored her. She seemed majestic, almost like a Disney Princess, and I always wanted to be her. I'd performed ‘I Have Nothing’ a lot but my first choice was ‘I Will Always Love You.’ However, we had clearance problems. Dolly Parton wouldn’t allow us to use it, so I had to go with my second choice.” Trenyce talked with Byrd and they decided simply standing and singing worked best for the song, with Trenyce looking as elegant as Houston. “Rehearsals went great! It was my most confident week, because I didn’t have to learn the song. It was more about getting the audience to actually hear that this was what I sounded like. This was the week we had another idol of mine, Gladys Knight [as a guest judge] – a woman, a confident songstress and iconic voice! Her comments were what I remember most: she said I sold the song wearing my Sunday best and the fact that I dared to do Whitney was impressive. After that, I didn't care what the others judges said. However, in true Simon fashion, he only commented on how ‘old’ I looked, or at least that's all I understood. It crushed my spirit a bit because I knew people watching would listen more to him.But in my mind, just getting to sing Whitney in every household in America more than made up for a little girl's dream. It was giving inspiration to other girls like me in Memphis, and that’s what I always wanted as a contestant.”

43. “I (Who Have Nothing)” -– Candice Glover

Season 12

Glover wasn’t the first Idol contestant to sing this Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller hit. “I was inspired by season 6 winner Jordin Sparks’ version. Her performance really stood out and impressed me but I wanted to put my own individual spin on it by singing it emotionally and passionately in a powerful, commanding way.”

Glover sang “I (Who Have Nothing)” twice during her season. The first time was during top 10 week when the finalists could choose any song performed by a previous Idol. She reprised it on the finale when the top two were asked to encore their favorite performance. That night, “I decided to sing the entire first verse a cappella, to give a more powerful, dramatic start to the song. Then I had the band come in during the chorus. It was scary but I’m glad I did it. Keith Urban commented that ‘it was like a planet exploding apart,’ and the audience [members] were up on their feet.”

42. “Get Here” -– Justin Guarini

Season 1

During the first four seasons, music supervisor Susan Slamer would spend Sunday evenings in the Idol house, playing songs for the contestants to consider for the following week. “I had never heard a lot of the music before,” says Guarini. “There were people I had heard, like Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra and Oleta Adams. With the time constraints we were under, the thought was, ‘Go with a song you know. Don’t try to learn something new because it’s too crazy right now.’” So the Pennsylvania-based finalist chose the Brenda Russell-penned “Get Here,” a hit for Adams in 1991. “A lot of the songs I did on the show were old school R&B. I resonate with the soul singers.”

40. “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” –- David Hernandez

Season 7

“I had two songs in mind to sing that week and I rehearsed them with Debra Byrd,” Hernandez recalls. “But Ididn't like the way they were sitting in my voice. I scratched those two songs and had a conversation with Byrd about what inspired me. My mom was a huge R&B soul fan and one of the groups I always listened to was the Temptations. I was worried ‘Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone’ would be way too long because the original single is about seven minutes. We were able to cut the song down to about two minutes. Byrd helped me find my own way. She didn't hand me a song and say, ‘here this is what you would sound good singing.’ It took me a long time to get there, but she helped me arrive there on my own.” Hernandez was quarantined with pneumonia the week before this performance and didn’t return to good health until two days before the live show. “I was excited because my voice came back. I felt very confident the night of the show. It was the first time Simon became a fan and told me I had the best vocal of the night. Paula said my voice cut through and pierced her heart and of course Randy said, ‘Yo, dog, that’s the David Hernandez we know!’”

62. “Don’t Cry Out Loud” –- Diana DeGarmo

Season 3

“Back in 2004, I would never have imagined in a million years how much this song would impact my life,” says season 3 runner-up DeGarmo. “At the time I thought Clive Davis' choice of ‘Don't Cry Out Loud’ was a foul ball out of left field. It was a wild card song that I had no clue what to do with from my 16-year-old point of view. As it turned out, every time I performed it, I learned a little more about who I was as an entertainer and singer. But the best education I could have ever received was getting the opportunity to record my own version with the one and only MelissaManchester herself. Spending that day in the studio with a strong-minded, creatively driven and brilliant artist like Melissa was the best inspiration and eye-opening experience that I will never forget."

39. “Creep” –- Jena Irene

Season 13

“I knew I wanted to sing ‘Creep’ if I made it to top 10, so I already had that one in my back pocket,” says the teenager from Farmington Hills, Mich. Before she sang the Radiohead song on the top seven show, she hit a roadblock. “The executives were reluctant to let me sing it. It took about four weeks of eliminations to finally convince everyone it was a great song choice. I knew that a lot of people could relate to that song in one way or another, and I was one of those people. I had the arrangement already worked out prior to Idol, and since I have such a long history and connection with the song, I didn’t have to think about the lyrics, how the lyrics connected to me or the emotion while performing it live. All I was thinking about was how I wanted to get the message across in my body language and my facial expression. ‘Creep’ is such a blunt song that takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, and I knew that the performance had to match – and it worked.”

37. “Nature Boy” –- Casey Abrams

Season 10

Mentor Jimmy Iovine warned Abrams not to sing Nat King Cole’s 1948 hit “Nature Boy” and asked the finalist what else he had. Abrams said his second choice was Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight” and sang it for Iovine and guest mentor will.i.am. They told Abrams it was a much better choice. “If you want to win this competition, you need to take the help at this point,” Iovine declared on Idol. “And Casey chose not to. So he better be right.”

Turns out, he was. “The most life-changing moment in my life was playing ‘Nature Boy’on American Idol,” says Abrams. “I was getting pressure not to play that song and do something more up-tempo. But by sticking with the song that I know and love, I proved some pretty big music execs wrong, and made Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, Randy Jackson give me a standing ovation, all for a jazz song that I learned in high school.”

36. “Always Be My Baby” -– David Cook

Season 7

The mentor for the top 7 was Mariah Carey. “I benefitted that week from low expectations,” Cook claims. “What the hell am I going to do with Mariah Carey week? And then I remembered a story about Frank Sinatra. Before he would listen to the music, he would read the lyrics and try to figure out what the story of the song was – what it was saying and the mood and the emotion behind it, and then he would sing that emotion to the music.”

A Boyz II Men fan while growing up, Cook looked to Carey’s Daydream album, which featured their collaboration on “One Sweet Day.” That’s where he found another No. 1 hit by Carey, “Always Be My Baby.” “I read the lyrics and it struck me as in the same vein as ‘Every Breath You Take’ by the Police. I wondered if it could work that way. I noodled around for an hour on an acoustic and came up with an idea I thought might work.”

Cook found the experience of being tutored by the mentors nerve-wracking, “Because you don’t want to mess up, especially in front of the person who did the song.” When it came time to meet Mariah and work with her on the song, “I was mortified because I wasn’t ready. I was still in this phase where I could go in one of two directions. I don’t remember walking away feeling confident one way or the other. It felt like a gamble for sure.”

34. “Over The Rainbow” –- Kimberley Locke

Season 2

Back in the day, Locke joined CD clubs like Columbia House and BMG. “I was always excited to get my new box of CDs. I started to order Judy Garland albums. One of my favorite CDs I ever got was Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall. It was classic and life-changing. I explored her music more and more and learned about her and her journey. It made an impact on me.” Locke was singing with the Imperials, a band made up of Tennessee State University professors, at Mère Bulles, a high-end steakhouse in Brentwood. “I was the new kid on the block and I really respected the band. I wanted to sing ‘Over the Rainbow’ and they encouraged me every night. Eventually I had that song in my body. I did the same arrangement for my Idol audition. I tell my vocal students now, when you go to an audition, you need to do a song you can sing in your sleep, and that was my song. When I first encountered the three judges in Nashville, I walked into that room, closed my eyes and sang that song because I knew I could deliver.”

33. “Ring of Fire” –- Adam Lambert

Season 8

“I was really inspired by David Cook’s approach to the show the year before,” says Lambert. “I thought he was really smart in that he didn’t let the theme weeks throw him off. A lot of people conform to the theme, so it turns into this talent show, whereas David kept his cool points because he always made it work for his style and he was very true to his own artistry. When it came to [Grand Ole Opry] week, I thought it was one of those moments where you could take a song and make it work for you, like he did with ‘Billie Jean.’” Although country wasn’t in his wheelhouse, Lambert remembered an electro version of the Johnny Cash hit “Ring Of Fire.” “I thought it was sexy and the words were hot. The melody was good. It was dark and risqué. I knew that was the one I should do. Vocally, I felt like I nailed it. Of course I read the press on it and people said, ‘He’s screeching.’ That really wasn’t screeching. But everybody has their own opinion.”

58. “Fancy” –- Joey Cook

Season 14

You didn’t know what shade Cook’s hair would be tinted from week to week, but you did know she was going to deliver a unique, impactful performance every time, and her take on Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” was no exception. “Initially, I was nervous about the ‘party music’ theme because if you’ve listened to any of my previous work, that’s not exactly my forte,” Cook declares. “With the help of Kenya Hathaway and Matt Rohde, I decided I was going to make the party come to me. We used an arrangement put together by one of my favorite bands, Postmodern Jukebox, while also putting our original spin on it and ended up creating my breakout performance of the season.” Cook’s distinctive reading of Azalea’s No. 1 hit caught the attention of the Postmodern Jukebox gang. “That led to my opportunity to record multiple videos with them and join them on their North American tour the past few months.”

32. “A Moment Like This” –- Kelly Clarkson

Season 1

Which season 1 contestant said this: “‘A Moment Like This’ is one of the most difficult songs I’ve ever had to sing.” No, not Kelly Clarkson. The quote is from Justin Guarini, who also told Billboard: “No conspiracy theory, it was written before anyone knew I going to be part of the finale. It’s just not written for someone who does what I do. I struggled and struggled with it in the studio. There was a point after the finale when I was with Kelly and I said, ‘Baby, I did everything, but you’re going to win tomorrow night. I love you.’”

As senior vice-president of A&R for RCA, Stephen Ferrara was charged with finding a coronation song for the first winner of American Idol—before anyone knew who the winner would be. Sifting through all of the submissions, Ferrara hit paydirt when he heard a song written by Jorgen Elofsson and John Reid. “We had to record the complete song with the [top] four finalists,” Ferrara told Billboard. “They all sing in different keys.”

After Clarkson was named the first American Idol, “A Moment Like This” shipped as a single the next day.It became the first Idol song to top the Hot 100 and its 52 to 1 move smashed a 36-year-old record by the Beatles for the biggest jump to the pole position. (Clarkson later rewrote her own record, rocketing 97-1 with "My Life Would Suck Without You" in 2009.)

30. “You Give Love a Bad Name” -– Blake Lewis

Season 6

"I've never been into Bon Jovi but I loved that song," says Lewis. "Not the original, but the remix Orbital did in a mash-up with Belinda Carlisle. Dave [Bryan] and Richie [Sambora] were stoked because they have kids and actually watch [Idol]. Jon Bon Jovi was skeptical, probably thinking, 'He's going to ruin my song,' which was very legitimate. I did this 12-bar beatbox breakdown in the middle of his rock song. I did the whole thing half time. I cut out half the bass line and put keyboards in it. I had so much fun – I arranged all my own music on the show." Lewis returned to Idol during season 13 to watch the finalists perform; coincidentally, Caleb Johnson chose to sing "You Give Love a Bad Name" that day.

56. “You Set Me Free” –- Angie Miller

Season 12

“For the last round of Hollywood week, it was announced that we could either choose from a list of songs or do an original,” Miller recollects. “A few minutes after that announcement, my mom reminded me of a song I wrote three months earlier called ‘You Set Me Free.’ I wasn't super-confident in the song yet because I had only performed it once before. So I met with Matt Rohde and said, ‘I'm going to play you this song I wrote. Please be honest and tell me if it's a good song or not!’ Thank God he liked it. Two days later I performed it in front of America, and my life has never been the same.”

55. “Ain’t No Sunshine” –- Kris Allen

Season 8

Allen had performed Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” before he tried out for Idol, but his earlier renditions weren’t anything like the way he sang it in the competition. “I thought, what if I came out and played the piano?” he explains. “I hadn’t been playing the piano that long.” While Allen was noodling in a rehearsal room, Adam Lambert walked in. “He said it sounded really cool with the chord structure and he encouraged me to do the song. I wanted to make it different and have people feel what the song is about, because the lyrics are so gripping. I also wanted to make it more contemporary. That’s the vision I had in my head and I ran with it.”

29. “Moody’s Mood for Love” –- Elliott Yamin

Season 5

Yamin first heard “Moody’s Mood for Love" when Quincy Jones recorded the vocalese masterpiece on his 1995 album, Q’s Jook Joint. The track featured vocals by Take 6 and Brian McKnight. “I fell in love with all of the jazzy intricacies and nuances,” says Yamin.

“‘Moody's Mood For Love’ was my favorite performance,” proclaims the singer from Richmond, Va. “It was one of those moments where the song really showcased my vocal ability. It was an easy choice because no one had ever sung it on Idol and no one was expecting it. It wasn't and isn't a pop song. After I performed it, with the exception of one flat note, I truly felt like I had arrived and I would be a force to be reckoned with – should I make it through to the next round.”

28. “I (Who Have Nothing)” –- Jordin Sparks

Season 6

Sparks loves Smokey Joe’s Café, the jukebox musical featuring the songs of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. She loves it so much that she saw it on Broadway seven times, then watched the DVD almost every day after school. The highlight of the show for her was the song “I (Who Have Nothing).” Sparks did her research and discovered the original version by Ben E. King and successful covers by Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones.

“They’re all so different, especially the way they emote, so how was I going to sing it?” Sparks was guided by the performance by the actor who performed it on Broadway. “The way he sings it, he makes you feel like you’re the one he’s talking to. That’s what I wanted to do. Whoever is listening to me, I want them to feel like they’re the one who is breaking my heart.”

Sparks wasn’t feeling well when she performed the Leiber-Stoller hit – she had a sinus infection, was losing her voice and felt too weak to stand. As a result, she doesn’t remember the performance, just the applause after. “That was the performance where people said, ‘OK, she came to win.’ It was a time when the judges were really looking at me. Other people were frontrunners but they started looking at me differently after that. It’s the performance most people want to talk to me about.”

27. “Heartless” –- Kris Allen

Season 8

For the “contestants’ choice” round on the top three show, the finalists could choose any song in the world. Allen was listening to Kanye West’s album and asked Adam Lambert, “What if I did ‘Heartless’?” Lambert replied, “It would be genius.” That gave Allen the confidence to lock in his song selection. “Once I got into it, it was one of the easiest things I’ve done. I played it my way and sang it my way.” Fans loved Allen’s version and let him know. “It was weird to me because it was so easy. But that makes sense because when something comes that easily to you, you’re going to be really good at it.”

26. “A Change Is Gonna Come” –- Syesha Mercado

Season 7

One week before the top 4 were scheduled to perform, Mercado had no idea what to sing for “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” week. She confessed that to Billboard’s Fred Bronson during a one-hour interview in an Idol rehearsal room, and Bronson suggested two songs —Brenda Holloway’s “Every Little Bit Hurts” and Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come.” Mercado went home and thought about the songs and chose Cooke’s civil rights anthem.

“That song is a classic,” says the Florida-based finalist. “I remember meditating backstage about what the song meant to me, because there’s a lot of history behind the song that people don’t know. When I thought about it, I was just thinking about how my life is changing and how I’ve grown so much since my first performance and I’ve gotten more comfortable and this is a dream come true for me, to be able to sing for millions of people, because you inspire and motivate them. And also I’m getting a lot of exposure and I’m taking the next step towards my dream and my goal, so I was trying to hold back the tears the entire time and toward the end of the song, I broke. I couldn’t finish it because I was just so emotional and very, very happy.”

25. “Hallelujah” –- Jason Castro

Season 7

Castro had a difficult time choosing a song for 1980s week. “The music didn’t fit me. There’s a lot of good rock but I’m not a rock guy, as far as singing. I used to be a rock guy but I became a mellow singing guy.” He was going to go with a Dan Fogelberg song but it didn’t clear. “So I had to consider other songs and I stumbled upon the fact that ‘Hallelujah’ was written and originally released in the ’80s. It was intimidating because Jeff Buckley’s version is out of control. Fortunately I didn’t have enough time to do his one-minute long note at the end so I knew I’d be safe. I can’t hold a note for more than 10 seconds. It’s ridiculous and frustrating. It drives me crazy.”

The judges loved Castro’s take on the Leonard Cohen composition. Paula Abdul cited Castro’s “beautiful vulnerability” and Simon Cowell, after admitting “Hallelujah” is one of his all-time favorite songs, told Castro he was “absolutely brilliant.” “It’s a special song,” Castro agrees. “So many people hadn’t heard it and I’m glad now they have.”

A week after the dreadlocked singer performed “Hallelujah” onIdol, the Jeff Buckley version debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Digital Songs chart, marking the first time that Buckley's iconic Leonard Cohen cover had ever charted in America.

24. “Independence Day” –- Carrie Underwood

Season 4

In a tribute to her own Idol, Martina McBride, Underwood chose this song for the top 10’s “1990s” theme. Before she sang, Underwood already won the hearts of America with the story of how she was excited for her first date at age 16 in 1999 – until her father ruined the moment cleaning his shotgun in full view in the living room. As she took to the stage to sing the song with a full orchestra, Underwood was not only poised to win the competition – she was blossoming into a superstar. Simon Cowell, who said he had heard karaoke all over the world, praised the then 21-year old as having "the ‘it’ factor." "That's what it's all about," he said. How right he was.

50. “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” –- James Durbin

Season 10

It took 10 seasons for Idol to finally devote a week to songs written by Carole King. “I know that she is one of the greatest American songwriters in history, but I had absolutely zero ideas as to what I would sing and therefore feared for the worst,” says Durbin. “Luckily, I had [vocal coach] Peisha McPhee and Michael Orland to help me whenever I had any uncertainty. I don’t remember exactly who suggested ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’ but the moment I heard it, I knew it was the right song choice. I also knew I didn’t want to mess with the arrangement too much, but rock it out a little and I knew I wanted to play guitar. That was also the week I started wearing my hair down and threw blonde chunk in it. I finally felt like I was starting to come into my own as an artist. That same week, Gibson Guitars had presented each of us with our own brand-new guitar. I was given a Sunburst Les Paul Custom. The stars had aligned! Valhalla, I am coming!
“I wore a pair of boots, which always make me feel great because they belonged to my dad, and I proceeded to handle the song and performance with care. When people expect you to be running around on stage and screaming your head off, it’s so much nicer to surprise them by standing still and strumming the guitar.

“As for the a cappella beginning, that came about on the day of the live performance show. The song had already been recorded at Interscope and I didn’t like how it turned out. It was way over-produced, which completely took the soul out of it. Once again Peisha and Michael had my back and requested the a cappella beginning, which made that performance so much more special.

“This song went on to be my most viewed performance on YouTube.It also went on to be the top selling iTunes single out of the entire Season 10 contestants’ recorded singles. That is all thanks to Carole King, Peisha McPhee, Michael Orland, Ray Chew Live, Gibson Guitars and of course, everyone who ever voted for me and purchased the single.”

23. “The Tracks of My Tears” –- Adam Lambert

Season 8

For Motown week, Lambert’s first impulse was to sing Edwin Starr’s No. 1 hit from 1970“War.” But ultimately he chose to perform Smokey Robinson and the Miracles’ “The Tracks Of My Tears." “I really related to the words, even though that’s not the style that I’d be going in. It’s a beautiful song, and we had Smokey mentor us during that week. He was really sweet.”

22. “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” — Joshua Ledet

Season 11

“I’ve loved this song since I was a little boy,” says Ledet. “It carries so much power and meaning. It’s my all-time favorite song and I knew instantly I wanted to perform it.” Surprisingly, Ledet had never sung the 1966 hit before. “I’ve always been a bit intimidated when performing a James Brown classic,” he explains. Ledet met with his friend Neka Brown to talk about his decision to perform “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” on Idol. “She encouraged me and gave me that push that I needed.”

As originally envisioned by the producers, Ledet’s performance was going to include pyro, but at the last minute the special effects were nixed. “They felt that the pyro was saying I won the competition. And because the performance was already mind blowing, adding the pyro would have been too much.”

Despite his raves from the judges, Ledet had reservations about his presentation. “I felt my performance could have been better. There were some mistakes here and there. But no one seemed to notice, so I never shined the light on them,” he laughs.

21. “Respect” –- Kelly Clarkson

Season 1

Otis Redding wrote and recorded “Respect” in 1965, butthe definitive version was released two years later whenAretha Franklin’s cover took "Respect"No. 1. Decadeslater, a contestant on a television talent competition show made viewers pay attention to her when she turned to the Franklin songbook, performing five of her songs on American Idol.

Debra Byrd remembers the dress rehearsal for “Respect.” “All of Kelly’s high notes were gone. She panicked. I told her, ‘We can fix this, get dressed.’ I had one more contestant to work with – Justin Guarini. A p.a. came running over and said that Kelly was in tears. I had the p.a. go to the health food store. They got what I asked for and I gave Kelly some things to do. Then we went outside and tested her high notes. I made her do them three times in a row so she knew psychologically she could hit them.”

Just 45 minutes later, Clarkson was back on stage, singing “Respect.” “All of her notes were there,” says Byrd. “Every person on the crew turned and looked at me, wondering what I did to that girl. After she won, I thanked her for trusting me. She said, “I wouldn’t have made it if ‘Respect’ hadn’t gone well.”

47. “Up to the Mountain” –- Crystal Bowersox

Season 9

“Singing Patty Griffin's ‘Up to the Mountain’ for the season 9 finale was a deeply emotional moment in time for me,” says Bowersox.“My life has been sectioned into pre- and post-AI, and I remember feeling overwhelmed with gratitude in that performance; grateful for the struggle I had endured in my personal life thus far, and for the challenges throughout the competition.Grateful for the uncertainty of the future, knowing only that there were incredible experiences to be had after that pivotal moment. Grateful for my son – at the time he was a little over a year old. He is the only true reason I ever chose to become an American Idol contender. His existence asks my spirit to move and climb mountains daily – and for him, I will.”

20. “Solitaire” –- Clay Aiken

Season 2

Neil Sedaka was the celebrity judge when the finalists performed hits from his songbook. Music supervisor Susan Slamer remembers when Clay Aiken selected a composition that was a hit for the Carpenters, “Solitaire.” “That was a natural choice for Clay,” she believes. “It’s got the power, it’s got the range, it’s got the great feeling that he can emote with. He could really feel it and get into it and I remember when Clay sang that song, Neil had tears in his eyes.” Sedaka confirms that memory: “I was overwhelmed by Clay's voice and I said, 'I've lost the song. It will forever be a Clay Aiken song.' The next night I was having dinner at Spago and Clive Davis came over and told me, 'We're going to record "Solitaire" with Clay.' Then I heard the record didn't come off well and it was not included in Clay's Measure Of A ManCD. Clive said, 'I feel terrible, Neil. I'm going to re-record it.' I never heard the original, but the second recording was brilliant. Brilliant!"

17. “Takin’ It to the Streets” –- Taylor Hicks

Season 5

“‘Taking It to the Streets’ was the perfect choice at the time,” says Hicks of his decision to do the Doobie Brothers classic.The move worked, as it advanced Hicks forward from the top 16 and one step closer to Idol history. “It had that up tempo [style] that I needed to show off the dance moves,” he adds. Released as the B-side of his coronation song “Do I Make You Proud,”Hicks still performs the hit in his live sets. “It’s a song that has connected with the Idol audience throughout the years.”

16. “Billie Jean” –- David Cook

Season 7

When the themes for each week were revealed, Cook’s typical reaction was “What am I going to do?” That’s how he felt about choosing a song from his birth year. An Internet search turned up Chris Cornell’s 2007 recording of “Billie Jean,” Michael Jackson's classic seven-week Hot 100 No. 1 in 1983. “I’d always been a big Cornell fan,” says Cook. “I noodled with the song and felt like I could do a decent job. We tried to build off Chris’ version – Idol­ is always tough when you have a minute-and-a-half to create a moment, never mind tearing down the lyrics and shortening the story.

“That was one of the few songs where I felt like I did what I wanted to do with it. My goals are always higher than everybody else’s goals for me. There were weeks when I didn’t feel like I did what I wanted to do but it still ‘went over.’”

Some Chris Cornell fans felt their idol didn’t get enough acknowledgement for Cook’s version, although Ryan Seacrest mentioned Cornell in the intro. Shortly after the episode aired, the Soundgarden and Audioslave star praised Cook’s cover of his cover.

At this point, Cook and Cornell hadn’t met, but they did encounter each other much later – at the ear, nose and throat doctor. "I was sick and he was there with a family member," Cook explains. "The doctor put Chris in my room and said, 'You guys should meet.'"

44. “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” –- Kelly Clarkson

Season 1

Debra Byrd remembers the moment she thought the singer from Burleson, Texas, was a contender for the crown. Clarkson was recording the Carole King-Gerry Goffin-Jerry Wexler song “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” at the Capitol Records’ studio in Hollywood. “Kelly is such a soprano, she couldn’t sing lower at that time than a middle C,” says Byrd. Clarkson complained that the key was too low and pulled Byrd into a side room. “She jumped up two octaves into Mariah Carey or Minnie Riperton territory and asked me if I would do that. In a heartbeat I would!” Kelly asked her mother for a second opinion and she concurred with Byrd, who asked Clarkson why she wasn’t sure. “Because I don’t want to be compared to Mariah” was the answer. Byrd countered, “No one else in this building can do that except you. That’s why I would do it.”

On the day of the live broadcast, Clarkson hadn’t decided if she would attempt the notes or not. “Kelly wanted to do a flurry of notes,” Byrd recalls. “I said, ‘Hit one note and come back down.’ She did and it was a pivotal performance for her. It put her on the map.”

15. “I Walk the Line” –- Chris Daughtry

Season 5

“I was a little nervous when I saw it was ’50s week, because I didn’t know any ’50s music,” says Chris Daughtry. “I looked through the list and didn’t see anything that suited me.” Then he thought of an artist who might have had a hit song in that 10-year period. Fortunately, Johnny Cash made his Billboard singles chart debut in 1957 with “I Walk the Line.” “I already knew an amazing cover of it that I thought would work for me.”

With the help of Michael Orland and Dorian Holley, Daughtry found a way to perform the arrangement from the band Live in one minute and 30 seconds. “Michael and Dorian suggested getting to the chorus quicker. That was probably my first time doing the ‘CliffsNotes’ versionof the song.”

In the interview package that preceded the song, Daughtry credited Live with the arrangement he was doing. So he was surprised when Randy Jackson said he loved how Chris made the song his own. The reference crediting Live had been edited out of the video. “I freaked out and went to the producers. ‘Guys, you threw me under the bus!’ I had even said in the interview, ‘Make sure you show this part.’”

Fans reacted online, accusing Daughtry of taking credit for Live’s arrangement. But something great did come out of the controversy. “It got me a phone call from one of my heroes, Ed Kowalczyk, the singer from Live, and he became one of my best friends.”

14. “Bohemian Rhapsody” –- Constantine Maroulis

Season 4

The top eight were asked to sing songs from their birth year so Maroulis had to make a selection from music released in 1975. “I always tried to go against the grain,” he says. “There were probably a lot of other songs that were more conducive to what I wanted to do, but ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ stood out for me.”

Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick told Maroulis it wasn’t going to work. “At first,” Maroulis remembers, “they said you can’t cut up a masterpiece.” The original recording by Queen ran 5:55 and Maroulis would have to perform it in less than two minutes. Working with Michael Orland and Dorian Holley, Maroulis found a way to make it work.

What he didn’t know until it came time to perform the song was that American Idol director Bruce Gowers was the director of Queen’s music video for “Bohemian Rhapsody” (which explains why Gowers’ license plate was “Bo Rap”). “Bruce was the one who told me to look into the camera, which Simon called ‘pouting.’ Coming from the acting world, I was trying to connect with the people at home.”

After the dress rehearsal, Lythgoe gave Maroulis a warning. “I sang something out of tune and Nigel said, ‘Watch that ending, it’s a little tricky.’ Of the on-air version, Maroulis says, “It’s not my best vocal but it’s performance-driven. It’s more about the performance and the lyric. It’s a song fans still want to hear.”

41. “Paint It Black” –- Siobhan Magnus

Season 9

When Magnus heard that the theme for top 12 week was the Rolling Stones’ songbook, she knew exactly what to do. “I called my Uncle Alan [Ware], who’s a bit of a rocker. I knew that he was very familiar with the Stones.” Ware, co-founder of Boston’s Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra, had a surprising reaction to Magnus’ choice of “Paint It Black.” “He told me he didn’t think it was suitable for a female vocal and he advised me to sing something else. I thought more about it, and after I tried it with Michael Orland and Dorian Holley, I still wanted to sing it. It wasn't until my private rehearsal with Michael and Dorian that the song really came together in my imagination. I remember telling them how I loved to be in the haunted houses my high school drama club used to put on and that we always featured evil clowns. While I was saying something weird about my love of creepy circus music, Michael began playing the intro music of ‘Paint It Black’ in a circus waltz, and we looked at each other and both said, ‘Yes!!!’ We explained the feeling and intention of the intro to Rickey Minor, who then worked his magic on it.”

13. “Circle of Life” –- Jennifer Hudson

Season 3

The finalists were brought to the Beverly Hills Hotel to meet their latest mentor but they weren’t told who it was. The first thing they saw was a red piano – and then they were introduced to Elton John. “Jennifer had worked on a Disney cruise so she knew right away which song she wanted to perform,” says Michael Orland. “I sat on that piano bench in the rehearsal room with Elton John while he watched Jennifer do his song and he was blown away.” One of the highlights of Hudson’s performance was the dramatic key change. “Debra Byrd and I knew we had to do a big huge modulation. That girl’s voice gave you goosebumps. It didn’t matter what she sang.”

12. “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” –- Katharine McPhee

Season 5

The top 5 finalists could choose any song that was in the top 10 of any Billboard chart published that week. Nigel Lythgoe asked columnist Fred Bronson to work with the contestants and help them to make their song choices. For McPhee, Bronson’s first choice was asong that was then scaling the tastemakerAdult AlternativeSongs chart. Although the KTTunstall song had not broken through on mainstream radio yet, McPhee liked it right away when Bronson played it for her.

Michael Orland thought it was a terrible song choice. “As soon as I saw her do it with the band, on the floor with the box drums, I couldn’t believe I ever doubted it. I thought it was genius.” Between the drums and McPhee singing on the floor, Orland says it was one of his favorite performances of the entire season.

McPhee’s dramatic staging and outstanding reading helped the original recording rocket up the Hot 100 and become a No. 20 hit. Later, McPhee received a thank you note from a grateful Tunstall.

9. “A House Is Not a Home” –- Tamyra Gray

Season 1

For Idol’s first top 5 week, the finalists had to sing a love song written by Burt Bacharach. Gray only knew the Luther Vandross remake of Bacharach and Hal David’s “A House Is Not a Home,” not the Dionne Warwick original.

“Tamyra wanted to do Luther’s version, which is a million times slower,” Debra Byrd remembers. With one minute and 20 seconds allotted for every performance, Byrd told Gray she could not do the unhurried Vandross arrangement. “We had to mix the two, make it a hybrid with Dionne’s tempo but Luther’s inflection. Tamyra was heartbroken because she loved Luther’s version. I had to tap dance a lot to get her to mix the versions because she hated the fact that she couldn’t get all of Luther’s in. I had to make it palatable for her and that was a huge struggle.”

Byrd’s battle was worth it. “That was one of those moments where you are awestruck at someone’s absolute star power,” says music supervisor Susan Slamer. “The entire package, from what she wore to the way she walked onstage to her complete and utter professional delivery, it gave us goosebumps. Everybody in the house was moved. The judges were stunned, and I do think it’s one of those rare moments when you realize a star is born.”

38. “Angels” –- David Archuleta

Season 7

For inspirational week, David Archuleta admitted he was having a "hard time" picking a song – until he found Robbie Williams' "Angels," a song that was a hit all over the world except for the U.S., where it peaked at No. 53 on the Hot 100.

The teenager from Murray, Utah, said he "felt so strongly with the music and the song and the message in it. Despite whatever you are going through, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel." Seated at a grand piano in a light colored shirt, Archuleta looked – and sounded – angelic as he was enveloped in soft lighting and mist. "That was your hottest moment of the whole season," said Randy Jackson, who concluded it was "crazy hot!" Paula Abdul agreed, saying it was "fantastic."

8. “In a Dream” –- Bo Bice

Season 4

Bice was in a rehearsal room arguing with fellow finalist Anthony Fedorov about whether they were going to watch The Price Is Right or something else on the CBS monitor when music supervisor Susan Slamer walked in and told Bice the song he asked to sing had been cleared. The Birmingham, Alabama native didn’t know what she was talking about. He looked at the piece of paper Slamer handed him and it said, ‘In A Dream’ by Badlands. Bice jumped up and went running to find a producer. Although the deadline had passed to change the song he was performing that week, he pleaded to be able to switch to “In a Dream.” Bice was told the 32-piece band had already rehearsed his original choice and that it was too late to change. Bice said it wouldn’t be a problem because he was going to perform a cappella. “He told me, ‘No one has ever sung a cappella past Hollywood Week, so I’m not sure how that’s going to go over.’ I didn’t want to tell him I didn’t watch Idol very much so I wasn’t concerned. The producer asked me to sing the song for him and after, he was very quiet. Then he said, ‘This could either really be good for you or it can not really work out at all. I think this could end up being suicide for you if you want to do this, but I’m going to let you change your song.’” Bice still remembers his performance, but not for the reason you might think. “I flubbed the very last note. It’s always stuck with me and I hate that I messed up because the rest of the song I really dug. And the room was silent and you could have heard a pin drop and I’m thinking, ‘Ah, I screwed that note up. Oh, damn.’ And about that time, the audience erupted in applause and I thought, ‘Great. Maybe they didn’t hear that screwed-up note.’”

7. “When A Man Loves a Woman” –- Joshua Ledet

Season 11

Percy Sledge had a No. 1 Hot 100 hit with this song in 1966 and Michael Bolton topped the chart with his cover in 1991. But Ledet had never heard either recording before his stunning performance of the R&B classic on Idol. “I had heard bits and pieces but I never actually listened to the whole song,” he explains. “I chose the song from a list that we were given. I felt the passion and power in the melody. Then I sang it to myself and realized that I could make this my own.”

Ledet worked with Michael Orland on the arrangement. “After a long week of nerves I was finally at peace with my performance. I couldn’t wait to share it with the world.”

Mentor Jimmy Iovine and guest mentor will.i.am were both impressed with Ledet’s rehearsal. “He’s going to tear the roof down,” predicted the Black Eyed Peas founder. And that’s what Ledet did. Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson rose to their feet halfway through the song. “That’s the best thing I’ve ever seen on American Idol,” Lopez gushed. “You gave it up so big, God came through your eyes,” said Tyler, adding, “That was the most beautiful performance I’ve ever seen.”

6. “Alone” –- Carrie Underwood

Season 4

On air in the Coca-Cola red room, the finalists were handed copies of Fred Bronson’s The Billboard Book of Number One Hits and Ryan Seacrest asked Bronson to explain why the contestants were receiving his book. He told them that next week they would be singing one of Billboard’s No. 1s from the Hot 100. Underwood picked a chart-topper from 1987, “Alone.” She explains, “I had always been a huge Heart fan and that song is really vocally challenging.”

After her performance, Simon Cowell made his boldest prediction of the entire series: “Not only will you win this show, you will sell more records than any other previous Idol winner.” Turns out, he was right (“I’m sure he must love that, doesn’t he?” Carrie laughs).

But how did Underwood feel after Cowell made such an audacious statement? “I was very flattered and happy. But then I thought, ‘What are the other contestants going to think? They’re going to hate me.’ And it could have worked against me if people didn’t like Simon and were rooting for someone else.”

5. “Stuff Like That There” –- Kelly Clarkson

Season 1

From the start of season 1, Clarkson had been anticipating a big band week because it was one of the themes featured on Pop Idol in the U.K. At the regularlyscheduled Sunday night music meeting at the house where the contestants were living, Susan Slamer was about to start playing songs for the contestants to consider when Clarkson exclaimed, “I want to sing ‘Stuff Like That There’!” “I asked, ‘From the film For The Boys?’ and she screamed, ‘You know it?’ and that was it,” Slamer recalls. “It was her first choice, her only choice. What made that performance so special was Kelly’s mannerisms. It’s the little dance moves, the little twist of the head that made it so special for me. And it’s a song that isn’t widely known or easy to sing. That was a special moment of the show.”

35. “Superstar” -– Ruben Studdard

Season 2

A lot of artists recorded “Superstar” before the Carpenters took it to No. 2 on the Hot 100 in 1971. The original recording was by Delaney & Bonnie (Bonnie Bramlett wrote the song with Leon Russell) and there were versions by Bette Midler and Cher. Although the Carpenters had the biggest hit, Studdard knew the song from Luther Vandross’ 1983recording, a chart entry when the Birmingham, Ala. resident was just a kid.

“That song was one of my mom’s favorites,” says Studdard. “I knew it backward and forward. I chose it because I was supposed to sing another song and I don’t think they could get it cleared.”

Ruben performed “Superstar” in a semi-final round and then again on the finale. His first post-Idol single was his coronation song, “Flying Without Wings,” backed with “Superstar.” The former went to No. 2 on the Hot 100 while the latter peaked at No. 2 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Since winning American Idol, Studdard has taken on “Superstar” as a signature song and has performed it hundreds of times since 2003.

2. “Lovesong” –- Candice Glover

Season 12

The original recording of “Lovesong” by the Cure peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 — and now, it's No. 2 againon our list of Idol’s all-time greatest performances.

Season 6’s Blake Lewis was the first finalist to perform “Lovesong” on Idolin an episode that featured Gwen Stefani as mentor. Lewis’ version was inspired by 311’s cover from 2004. Glover’s arrangement, performed during top 6 week, was based on a version recorded by Adele in 2011 for her album 21. The first half of that episode was dedicated to songs by Burt Bacharach and Hal David (Glover sang Dionne Warwick’s “Don’t Make Me Over”) and the theme for the second half was songs the Idols had wished they’d written.

After some comments from the judges that left Glover feeling they didn’t think she was going to be in the top 3 for the season, the South Carolina-born singer says, “I had to prove that I really belonged there. I needed to step up and come back with something strong. I wanted to show everyone who I really was, so even though the producers were against my choice, I chose ‘Lovesong.’ I’m so glad I stuck with it.”

The judges’ reactions to Glover’s performance were among the most memorable in the first 12 seasons. Randy Jackson proclaimed it the best performance in Idol history. Mariah Carey got out of her chair and walked over to Glover and did something unprecedented. “I couldn’t believe what happened,” says Glover. “Mariah threw glitter on me! The judges and the audience were on their feet. The screams and the cheers were more than I ever could have imagined. I never expected the audience to react like they did. I broke down and cried. I lost it, but I was on cloud nine!”

31. “I’m a Woman” –- Melinda Doolittle

Season 6

“I love [the Broadway musical] Smokey Joe’s Café and I love sassy songs,” says Doolittle. “The woman who hired me for the very first session I worked, Roz Thompson, had sung ‘I’m A Woman’ at Still Waters [in Branson]. I loved her getting all those words in there. I did not realize how many words it had and exactly how fast they went, but it ended up working out.” When she chose the Jerry Leiber-Mike Stoller composition popularized by Peggy Lee in 1963, Doolittle was running out of songs to perform. “One of my choices was Aretha Franklin’s ‘(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman’ and Leslie Hunt sang it. Then I chose ‘How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore’ and Stephanie Edwards did it and I thought, ‘Uh oh!’ After I sang ‘(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You’ve Been Gone’ and ‘My Funny Valentine,’ I didn’t have anything else to sing. So I chose ‘I’m A Woman’ because I remember that being a fun song and I thought, ‘Well, might as well have some fun.’"

19. “Hello” –- David Cook

Season 7

The top 16 theme was simple: the ’80s. “I was sure I was going home that week,” Cook confesses. “The first two weeks did not go well. Simon and I had a little session the week before during the judges’ critiques.” Still, Cook had to find a song to perform. “I was on the rod with my buddies, joking about what would be a funny song to go out on. ‘Hello’ came up. We thought it would be funny to do an ’80s power ballad version of it. Musically, I grew up a child of the ’90s. Some of my favorite concerts were by Mötley Crüe, Slaughter, Night Ranger and Skid Row. I definitely feel a huge connection to ’80s hair metal.”

Cook took the Lionel Richie song to his vocal coach, Debra Byrd. “She told me to go home, sit down, have a drink or two and read the lyrics and figure out how I wanted to tell the story.” Byrd had more advice for Cook. “I came from a band background and played clubs for a long time. You perform for the audience in front of you. I never had any prior training in front of a camera, so Byrd was great about getting me to understand there was an audience on the other side of the lens and I needed to play to that audience as well.”

The judges loved “Hello” and Cook felt like he had righted the ship. “Later, Lionel reached out through someone at the show and said complimentary things. I remember being floored that he knew my name, even for a minute.”

18. “The House of the Rising Sun” –- Haley Reinhart

Season 10

“I was on my way to Santa Monica to do an interview. We were in a really nice car with the top down and ‘The House Of The Rising Sun’ came on and I was singing along with it,” Reinhart recalls. “I just envisioned singing it on the show and I thought it would be really cool. And I love doing male songs. Then I talked to my mom and she said, “Your Aunt Marilyn thinks you should do ‘The House of the Rising Sun.’ She just has this feeling.’ My mom and her five sisters all have a touch of ESP. I told my mom, ‘That’s so peculiar because I just was going to talk to you about the same song. I heard it on the way here.’”

Sheryl Crow was the mentor for top five week and Reinhart narrowed her choices to “The House of the Rising Sun” and Sly & the Family Stone’s “Everybody Is a Star.” A producer suggested that the latter was “too sleepy” so Reinhart went with her first choice. She had been waiting all season to work with producer Don Was and was finally assigned to him this week. “We did the full song over and over. My voice was shot. I’m belting it the whole time. It sounds pretty rough and raunchy and raw.”

11. “Home” –- Phillip Phillips

Season 11

When the dust finally settled down on season 11, it was clear that Phillip Phillips would be the victor. Jimmy Iovine presented Phillips with the song three days before the finale, and it was a "Home" run from the moment he strummed the first notes. The energy in the theater after he performed it – complete with a marching band – was monstrous, and resulted in a three-judge standing ovation. "Everything about that was perfect," shouted Randy Jackson over the screaming crowd. "True artist performance." Jennifer Lopez rightly noted that she "couldn't think of any other singer or band that you sounded like" while Steven Tyler said Phillips made "the world your home." Truer words were never spoken. The song —written by Greg Holden and Drew Pearson —was a phenomenon, even becoming the theme of the Olympics Women Gymnastics Team. "I don't write songs like that," Phillips said backstage. Still, as the judges might say, he made it his own.

10. “Bridge Over Troubled Water” –- Clay Aiken

Season 2

Before Aiken delivered his best-known performance, Simon Cowell believed the North Carolina native was having an "off night." That thought was put to rest the minute Aiken took center stage on the season finale with a gospel choir and raised the 1970 Simon and Garfunkel classic to another level. "I didn't know you could hit that note, dawg," declared an enthusiastic Randy Jackson. Paula Abdul was breathless, exclaiming, "you gave us chills." She continued to declare Aiken a "true artist" because he "took a classic song and made us feel like we heard it for the first time." Even Cowell was sold, declaring Aiken "could win the competition." He didn't, but this performance went down in Idol history as being the one to top.

4. “Mad World” –- Adam Lambert

Season 8

The theme was songs from the Idols’ birth years and Lambert looked at the list and immediately knew he wanted to sing Tears for Fears’ “Mad World.” “I remembered the Gary Jules version from the movie Donnie Darko. It’s haunting and beautiful and it gets in your head and the words are amazing. I knew it would be different and very non-Idol and not showy. I thought, ‘I’m going to pull back and sound really vulnerable and do the song justice,” and they came up with a great arrangement of it, kind of this ambient acoustic thing. It turned out really cool.”

3. “Imagine” –- David Archuleta

Season 7

It was top 20 week when David Archuleta became the front-runner to win season 7. His status seemed cemented when he sang a dazzling version of John Lennon’s “Imagine” that left many in tears. “David’s voice gets me on an organic level,” says vocal coach Dorian Holley. “The beauty of his voice gets right to why people love music – it tears your heart out.” One of the many people who spontaneously burst out crying during Archuleta’s performances was vocalist Lynne Fiddmont, who was a backing singer in Rickey Minor’s band. “I was tired and cranky during Hollywood Week and then David opened his mouth and I didn’t know what was happening to me. Then every time he sang I had to tell myself not to get emotional on television. No matter what I said, I cried. He has that tender-hearted voice and a vulnerability that is very rare.”

1. “Summertime” – Fantasia

Season 3

When the top 8 contestants were asked to choose a song from a movie soundtrack, Fantasia had no idea what she wanted to sing. “She could not find anything she wanted to do,” says Michael Orland. “We struggled and struggled. Ken Warwick, Nigel Lythgoe, Susan Slamer, Debra Byrd and I played her a thousand songs. We finally played ‘Summertime’ from Porgy and Bess and Fantasia didn’t know it. She had never heard it in her life. Byrd sang it to her and she said, ‘Oh, I like that.’ We found the song on Thursday night and on Friday we worked with her for an hour, teaching her the song. By the time we recorded the instrumental tracks in the studio on Saturday, she had nailed it.”

It was Fantasia’s idea to sit on the floor while singing the George Gershwin-Ira Gershwin-DuBose Heyward song, originally written in 1934 for the stage production of Porgy and Bess. “I didn’t want a lot of makeup. I didn’t want jewelry. I didn’t want fancy clothes or shoes,” says the season 1 winner. “I remember the producers saying, ‘Why would you do that? This is television. You can’t.’ I told them, ‘I want people to see who I really am.’”

Orland credits Bruce Gowers’ direction as well as the lighting for helping to create the most outstanding performance in the long run of Idol. “I couldn’t believe she took that old tired song that everybody destroys in piano bars and every soprano destroys when they sing it and made me fall in love with it again. Not knowing ‘Summertime’ helped her because she was able to put her own stamp on it. Her phrasing couldn’t have been more heartfelt.”