Oh, American Idol. After 13 years and 15 seasons you’re finally leaving us. And, let’s be real, it’s time. However, you don’t last a decade and a half in modern TV without becoming a cultural touchstone in the process. During its heyday, Idol was one of the most talked-about and widely debated shows—perhaps if only because of the hilarious, mean, and downright genius criticism from former judge Simon Cowell.
With Idol wrapping up its final season’s two-night premiere tonight (8 P.M. ET on Fox), we thought it only right to look back at the 10 best performances from the show’s storied run. From its first winner, Kelly Clarkson, to breakout stars Adam Lambert, Carrie Underwood, and Jennifer Hudson, there’s certainly been no shortage of monumental displays of talent on the Idol stage.
10. Colton Dixon, “Piano Man”
This season 11 contestant parlayed his Idol fame into a respectable following within the Christian rock scene. But before his seventh-place exit, Dixon was an intriguing if not occasionally emo slice of musical wonderment. Watch as he adds some contemporary, alternative flair to Billy Joel’s classic piano bar, drown-your-sorrows sing-along.
9. Lee Dewyze, “Hallelujah”
Okay, so this former paint salesman’s career didn’t exactly take off following his stint on Idol, but Dewyze did unleash some iconic performances during season 9. His most memorable? Undoubtedly this soulful take on singing-competition staple “Hallelujah.”
8. Carrie Underwood, “Alone”
It’s still amazing to see just how far Carrie Underwood has come since taking the Idol title in 2005. Back then, well before the six Grammy wins, the small-town country girl was still a bit rough around the edges—in a good way. Her cover of Heart’s “Alone” was not only a season 4 highlight, but a performance many of her megafans still revisit today.
7. Joshua Ledet, “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World”
Made-for-TV talent shows can lead fans to believe that a contestant possesses more talent than he or she actually does. But every so often, there are contestants like season 12’s unsung hero, Joshua Ledet, who didn’t even make it to the finale. Randy Jackson called the soul singer’s performance of “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World” “one of the best performances in the history of any singing show.”
6. Phillip Phillips, “Volcano”
We’ll admit it: Back when Phillip Phillips was a season 11 contestant, we couldn’t help but feel as if we were back on the DMB summer circuit. But then the Georgia boy pulled out a wild card in the form of Damien Rice’s “Volcano.” Sure, Phillips’ relationship with Idol hasn’t been exactly smooth of late, but even he can’t deny it was Idol (and performances like this one) that first put him on the map.
5. Jennifer Hudson, “Circle of Life”
True Idol fans are still ticked off that J. Hud didn’t take the season 3 crown—and with good reason. Showings like this rendition of Elton John’s Lion King belter “Circle of Life” not only gave us goose bumps but also showed that Hudson had true star potential. She may not have won Idol, but we’re pretty sure an Oscar and a Grammy look pretty damn good on her mantel.
4. Kris Allen, “Heartless”
In one of the biggest shockers in American Idol history, season 8 underdog Allen catapulted himself into contention for the crown with a folksy take on Kanye West’s “Heartless.” So powerful, in fact, was this performance, that the following week Allen went on to upset Adam Lambert in the finale.
3. Kelly Clarkson, “You Make Me Feel”
Hard to believe, but it’s been 13 years since Kelly Clarkson fought off Justin Guarini to win the inaugural American Idol crown. It was downright obvious from the get-go, though, that the Texan powerhouse was the real deal. Check out her mammoth spin on “You Make Me Feel” from season 1. You can almost hear Guarini conceding.
2. Adam Lambert, “Mad World”
Lambert certainly isn’t the only Idol contestant to have lost the competition and gone on to great commercial success, but he may very well be the one with the most raw talent ever to do so. It seemed like every week the octave-defying singer was one-upping his previous performance. To that end, there are several Lambert performances we could have chosen here, but for our money his rendition of “Mad World” was the most memorable.
1. Katharine McPhee, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”
Say what you will about Smash or even Scorpion, but this season 5 contestant first entered our lives as an innocent, angelic-voiced beauty vying for our Idol votes. And wow, what a rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” Katharine McPhee’s truly is. It’s so wonderful, in fact, that we had no choice but to place it as the #1 Idol performance of all time. Let the debating begin!
The 10 Best Performances in American Idol History
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