American Idol | |
---|---|
Season 8 | |
Broadcast from | January 14, 2009–May 20, 2009 |
Judges | Simon Cowell Paula Abdul Randy Jackson Kara DioGuardi |
Host(s) | Ryan Seacrest |
Broadcaster | Fox Broadcasting Company |
Finals venue | Nokia Theatre Los Angeles |
Winner: Kris Allen |
|
Origin | Conway, Arkansas |
Song | "No Boundaries" |
Genre(s) | Pop rock, alternative rock, acoustic rock, CCM |
Runner-up | |
Adam Lambert | |
Chronology | |
◄ 2009 ► |
The eighth season of American Idol premiered on January 13, 2009, and concluded on May 20, 2009. Judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson continued to judge the show's contestants, along with Ryan Seacrest as host. The season introduced Kara DioGuardi as the fourth judge on the Idol panel.[1] It was also Abdul's final season as a judge.[2] Kris Allen, a native of Conway, Arkansas, was announced the winner of the competition on May 20, 2009, defeating runner-up Adam Lambert after nearly 100 million votes. Kris Allen is the only married winner of the competition at the time of his victory. This was the second season where both of the final 2 contestants had been in the bottom 3 or 2 at least once before the finale, with the first being season 3.
The eighth season saw numerous changes to the format of the show. There were 36 semi-finalists instead of 24, and thirteen finalists instead of twelve, nine contestants chosen by the public and four by the judges in a wild card round. Another addition was the "save," which was used on the top seven results show to veto Matt Giraud's elimination.
The winner Kris Allen was then signed to 19 Entertainment/Jive Records. In addition to Allen, Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey, Allison Iraheta, Lil Rounds and Michael Sarver all signed record deals. Anoop Desai signed an independent record deal.
Several changes were planned for season 8. Fox Entertainment president Kevin Reilly stated that Idol would feature fewer "William Hung-like" contestants and "funny auditions," and would quickly move its focus to the potential singers during the earlier stages of the competition, thus moving the season at a faster pace.[3] Mike Darnell, president of Fox's alternative programming, said the contestants would be more emotional and that viewers would learn more about them and their pasts than they had in the previous season.[4] Songwriter and record producer Kara DioGuardi was added as a fourth judge on the panel. She had previously collaborated with Celine Dion, Hilary Duff, Enrique Iglesias, Leona Lewis and Christina Aguilera, and produced several Top 40 hits. As a songwriter, she had already worked with several American Idol alumni and winners, including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, David Archuleta and David Cook.[5] Meanwhile, Ken Warwick became the new executive producer, as Nigel Lythgoe had left the show to focus on So You Think You Can Dance and his new show with Simon Fuller, Superstars of Dance.[6] Idol Gives Back was canceled for season 8, as the ongoing economic crisis and recession, left Idol officials uncomfortable asking financially struggling viewers to donate.[7] The semifinals saw the biggest change as the wild card round returned for the first time since the third season. After voters picked three finalists from each of three groups of 12 semi-finalists, the judges selected eight of the previously eliminated 27 semifinalists to return and perform a song on the March 5, 2009, show. They were judged by the panel, instead of a vote by the viewers, with four advancing to the finals.[8][9] Although the finals had been billed from the beginning of the season as a set of 12 contestants, the judges announced at the last minute that they would be advancing a fourth wild card/thirteenth contestant, Anoop Desai, as well.
Another change in the Idol format is judges' save, an element previously used in France's Nouvelle Star (French Idol).[10] The judges were given the power to exercise a veto on one eliminated contestant in the finals and spare them from elimination for that particular week. This can only be invoked up until the Final 5. The following week two contestants will be eliminated if the save is used because nobody is eliminated on the week that the save is used. The save can only be used once and it must be unanimous. The new format change was revealed on March 11, 2009.
Auditions began July 17 the previous year, and were held in the following cities:[11]
Episode Air Date | Audition City | Date | First Audition Venue | Callback Date | Callback Venue | Golden Tickets |
January 13, 2009 | Phoenix, Arizona | July 25, 2008 | Jobing.com Arena, Glendale | September 2008 | The Boulders, Scottsdale | 27 |
January 14, 2009 | Kansas City, Missouri | August 8, 2008 | Kemper Arena | October 5, 2008 | Firestone Building[12] | 27 |
January 20, 2009 | San Francisco, California | July 17, 2008 | Cow Palace[13] | September 13, 2008 | Westin St. Francis | 12 |
January 21, 2009 | Louisville, Kentucky | July 21, 2008 | Freedom Hall | September 7-8, 2008 | Churchill Downs[14] | 19 |
January 27, 2009 | Jacksonville, Florida | August 13, 2008 | Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena |
September 3, 2008 | Amelia Island Plantation[15] | 16 |
January 28, 2009 | Salt Lake City, Utah | July 29, 2008 | EnergySolutions Arena | September 18-19, 2008 | Wells Fargo Center | 13 |
January 29, 2009 | New York, New York | August 19, 2008 | Izod Center, East Rutherford | August 26, 2008 | Chelsea Piers, New York[16] | 26 |
San Juan, Puerto Rico | August 2, 2008 | Coliseo de Puerto Rico | September 2008 | Conrad San Juan Condado Plaza | 9 | |
Total Tickets to Hollywood | 149 |
Contestants were required to be between the ages 16 and 28 on July 15, 2008 and eligible to work in the United States. Contestants were ineligible if they had previously reached the semifinal in Season 1-3 and 7, or the top 44 from season 4 and 5, or top 40 from season 6. They were also ineligible if they held then current recording or management contracts or if they were not U.S. citizens or landed immigrants (i.e. temporary residents).
One auditioner who received widespread publicity was Katrina Darrell, also known as "Bikini Girl", for auditioning in her bikini. She reached the Hollywood stage but was cut in the group round.[17]
For this season, the Hollywood round moved from the Orpheum Theatre to the Kodak Theatre, which was previously used for the finale in seasons 1 and 3–6. In addition, the Hollywood round was extended to two weeks.
In the first round, the 147 contestants each sang a short solo a cappella performance of any song. The next round had the remaining 107 contestants performing in groups of three or four. Group rounds had returned since season 6. The 72 contestants that passed group day performed one more solo song, this time accompanied by a band, before being narrowed down to 54. The final 54 then went to the "judges' mansion" in Los Angeles for the final results, and the Top 36 were announced. Some contestants had a sing-off to determine who would enter the top 36. Lacey Brown who lost in a sing-off with 9th placer Megan Joy later made the following season's Top 12 where she became the first finalist voted out.
The top 36 were announced in a special two-hour broadcast on Wednesday, February 11, 2009.[18]
All 36 contestants, performing in three groups of twelve, sang songs that were Billboard Hot 100 Hits.
Below are the three semi-final groups with contestants listed in their performance order. In each group, three people advanced to the next round, based on votes by the viewers. The top male and female recipient advanced, along with the next highest vote recipient of the remaining ten contestants in each group. Each week two males advanced however it was never revealed who was the highest voted and which advanced through the non-gender specific slot. Following those nine singers advancing, eight of the remaining 27 semi-finalists were selected by the judges to compete in the Wild Card round. Following another performance by each Wild Card contender, the judges selected four contestants to advance to the final group of 13.
Order | Contestant | Song (original artist) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jackie Tohn | "A Little Less Conversation" (Elvis Presley) | Eliminated |
2 | Ricky Braddy | "A Song for You" (Leon Russell) | Wild Card |
3 | Alexis Grace | "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" (Aretha Franklin) | Advanced |
4 | Brent Keith | "Hicktown" (Jason Aldean) | Eliminated |
5 | Stevie Wright | "You Belong with Me" (Taylor Swift) | Eliminated |
6 | Anoop Desai | "Angel of Mine" (Eternal) | Wild Card |
7 | Casey Carlson | "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" (The Police) | Eliminated |
8 | Michael Sarver | "I Don't Want to Be" (Gavin DeGraw) | Advanced |
9 | Ann Marie Boskovich | "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (Aretha Franklin) | Eliminated |
10 | Stephen Fowler | "Rock with You" (Michael Jackson) | Eliminated |
11 | Tatiana Del Toro | "Saving All My Love for You" (Marilyn McCoo) | Wild Card |
12 | Danny Gokey | "Hero" (Mariah Carey) | Advanced |
Order | Contestant | Song (original artist) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jasmine Murray | "Love Song" (Sara Bareilles) | Wild Card |
2 | Matt Giraud | "Viva la Vida" (Coldplay) | Wild Card |
3 | Jeanine Vailes | "This Love" (Maroon 5) | Eliminated |
4 | Nick Mitchell1 | "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (Jennifer Holliday) | Eliminated |
5 | Allison Iraheta | "Alone" (i-TEN) | Advanced |
6 | Kris Allen | "Man in the Mirror" (Michael Jackson) | Advanced |
7 | Megan Joy | "Put Your Records On" (Corinne Bailey Rae) | Wild Card |
8 | Matt Breitzke | "If You Could Only See" (Tonic) | Eliminated |
9 | Jesse Langseth | "Bette Davis Eyes" (Jackie DeShannon) | Wild Card |
10 | Kai Kalama | "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" (Jimmy Ruffin) | Eliminated |
11 | Mishavonna Henson | "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" (Train) | Eliminated |
12 | Adam Lambert | "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (The Rolling Stones) | Advanced |
Order | Contestant | Song (original artist) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Von Smith | "You're All I Need to Get By" (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell) | Wild Card |
2 | Taylor Vaifanua | "If I Ain't Got You" (Alicia Keys) | Eliminated |
3 | Alex Wagner-Trugman | "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" (Elton John) | Eliminated |
4 | Arianna Afsar | "The Winner Takes It All" (ABBA) | Eliminated |
5 | Ju'Not Joyner | "Hey There Delilah" (Plain White T's) | Eliminated |
6 | Kristen McNamara | "Give Me One Reason" (Tracy Chapman) | Eliminated |
7 | Nathaniel Marshall | "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" (Meat Loaf) | Eliminated |
8 | Felicia Barton1 | "No One" (Alicia Keys) | Eliminated |
9 | Scott MacIntyre | "Mandolin Rain" (Bruce Hornsby and the Range) | Advanced |
10 | Kendall Beard | "This One's for the Girls" (Martina McBride) | Eliminated |
11 | Jorge Núñez | "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (Elton John) | Advanced |
12 | Lil Rounds | "Be Without You" (Mary J. Blige) | Advanced |
Order | Contestant | Song (original artist) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jesse Langseth | "Tell Me Something Good" (Rufus and Chaka Khan) | Eliminated |
2 | Matt Giraud | "Who's Lovin' You" (The Miracles) | Paula |
3 | Megan Joy | "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" (KT Tunstall) | Simon |
4 | Von Smith | "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (Elton John) | Eliminated |
5 | Jasmine Murray | "Reflection" (Christina Aguilera) | Randy |
6 | Ricky Braddy | "Superstition" (Stevie Wonder) | Eliminated |
7 | Tatiana Del Toro | "Saving All My Love for You" (Marilyn McCoo) | Eliminated |
8 | Anoop Desai | "My Prerogative" (Bobby Brown) | Voted |
This episode was re-aired on June 29, 2009, in a tribute to the death of Michael Jackson on June 25. This makes it the only episode of the show to be re-aired by Fox.[58]
Order | Contestant | Song (original artist) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Lil Rounds | "The Way You Make Me Feel" (Michael Jackson) | Safe |
2 | Scott MacIntyre | "Keep the Faith" (Michael Jackson) | Safe |
3 | Danny Gokey | "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" (Michael Jackson) | Safe |
4 | Michael Sarver | "You Are Not Alone" (Michael Jackson) | Safe |
5 | Jasmine Murray | "I'll Be There" (The Jackson 5) | Eliminated1 |
6 | Kris Allen | "Remember the Time" (Michael Jackson) | Safe |
7 | Allison Iraheta | "Give In to Me" (Michael Jackson) | Safe |
8 | Anoop Desai | "Beat It" (Michael Jackson) | Safe |
9 | Jorge Núñez | "Never Can Say Goodbye" (The Jackson 5) | Eliminated1 |
10 | Megan Joy | "Rockin' Robin" (Bobby Day) | Safe |
11 | Adam Lambert | "Black or White" (Michael Jackson) | Safe |
12 | Matt Giraud | "Human Nature" (Michael Jackson) | Safe |
132 | Alexis Grace | "Dirty Diana" (Michael Jackson) | Safe |
Mentor: Randy Travis
Order | Contestant | Song (original artist) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Michael Sarver | "Ain't Goin' Down ('Til the Sun Comes Up)" (Garth Brooks) | Bottom 2 |
2 | Allison Iraheta | "Blame It on Your Heart" (Patty Loveless) | Bottom 3 |
3 | Kris Allen | "Make You Feel My Love" (Bob Dylan) | Safe |
4 | Lil Rounds | "Independence Day" (Martina McBride) | Safe |
5 | Adam Lambert | "Ring of Fire" (Anita Carter) | Safe |
6 | Scott MacIntyre | "Wild Angels" (Martina McBride) | Safe |
7 | Alexis Grace | "Jolene" (Dolly Parton) | Eliminated |
8 | Danny Gokey | "Jesus, Take the Wheel" (Carrie Underwood) | Safe |
9 | Anoop Desai | "Always on My Mind" (Brenda Lee) | Safe |
10 | Megan Joy | "Walkin' After Midnight" (Patsy Cline) | Safe |
11 | Matt Giraud | "So Small" (Carrie Underwood) | Safe |
Mentor: Smokey Robinson
Order | Contestant | Song (original artist) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Matt Giraud | "Let's Get It On" (Marvin Gaye) | Bottom 2 |
2 | Kris Allen | "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" (Marvin Gaye) | Safe |
3 | Scott MacIntyre | "You Can't Hurry Love" (The Supremes) | Bottom 3 |
4 | Megan Joy | "For Once in My Life" (Jean DuShon) | Safe |
5 | Anoop Desai | "Ooo Baby Baby" (The Miracles) | Safe |
6 | Michael Sarver | "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (The Temptations) | Eliminated |
7 | Lil Rounds | "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave" (Martha and the Vandellas) | Safe |
8 | Adam Lambert | "The Tracks of My Tears" (The Miracles) | Safe |
9 | Danny Gokey | "Get Ready" (The Temptations) | Safe |
10 | Allison Iraheta | "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (The Undisputed Truth) | Safe |
Order | Contestant | Song (original artist) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Anoop Desai | "Caught Up" (Usher) | Bottom 2 |
2 | Megan Joy | "Turn Your Lights Down Low" (Bob Marley) | Eliminated |
3 | Danny Gokey | "What Hurts the Most" (Mark Wills) | Safe |
4 | Allison Iraheta | "Don't Speak" (No Doubt) | Bottom 3 |
5 | Scott MacIntyre | "Just the Way You Are" (Billy Joel) | Safe |
6 | Matt Giraud | "You Found Me" (The Fray) | Safe |
7 | Lil Rounds | "I Surrender" (Celine Dion) | Safe |
8 | Adam Lambert | "Play That Funky Music" (Wild Cherry) | Safe |
9 | Kris Allen | "Ain't No Sunshine" (Bill Withers) | Safe |
Order | Contestant | Song (original artist) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Danny Gokey | "Stand By Me" (Ben E. King) | Safe |
2 | Kris Allen | "All She Wants to Do Is Dance" (Don Henley) | Safe |
3 | Lil Rounds | "What's Love Got to Do with It" (Tina Turner) | Bottom 3 |
4 | Anoop Desai | "True Colors" (Cyndi Lauper) | Bottom 2 |
5 | Scott MacIntyre | "The Search Is Over" (Survivor) | Eliminated |
6 | Allison Iraheta | "I Can't Make You Love Me" (Bonnie Raitt) | Safe |
7 | Matt Giraud | "Part-Time Lover" (Stevie Wonder) | Safe |
8 | Adam Lambert | "Mad World" (Tears for Fears) | Safe |
Mentor: Quentin Tarantino
Order | Contestant | Song (original artist) — Film | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Allison Iraheta | "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" (Aerosmith) — Armageddon | Safe |
2 | Anoop Desai | "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" (Bryan Adams) — Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves | Bottom 3 |
3 | Adam Lambert | "Born to Be Wild" (Steppenwolf) — Easy Rider | Safe |
4 | Matt Giraud | "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" (Bryan Adams) — Don Juan DeMarco | Saved1 |
5 | Danny Gokey | "Endless Love" (Lionel Richie & Diana Ross) — Endless Love | Safe |
6 | Kris Allen | "Falling Slowly" (Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová) — Once | Safe |
7 | Lil Rounds | "The Rose" (Bette Midler) — The Rose | Bottom 2 |
Order | Contestant | Song (original artist) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Lil Rounds | "I'm Every Woman" (Chaka Khan) | Eliminated1 |
2 | Kris Allen | "She Works Hard for the Money" (Donna Summer) | Safe |
3 | Danny Gokey | "September" (Earth, Wind & Fire) | Safe |
4 | Allison Iraheta | "Hot Stuff" (Donna Summer) | Bottom 3 |
5 | Adam Lambert | "If I Can't Have You" (Yvonne Elliman) | Safe |
6 | Matt Giraud | "Stayin' Alive" (The Bee Gees) | Safe |
7 | Anoop Desai | "Dim All the Lights" (Donna Summer) | Eliminated1 |
Mentor: Jamie Foxx
Order | Contestant | Song (original artist) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Kris Allen | "The Way You Look Tonight" (Fred Astaire) | Bottom 3 |
2 | Allison Iraheta | "Someone to Watch Over Me" (Gertrude Lawrence) | Safe |
3 | Matt Giraud | "My Funny Valentine" (Mitzi Green) | Eliminated |
4 | Danny Gokey | "Come Rain or Come Shine" (Sy Oliver with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra) | Safe |
5 | Adam Lambert | "Feeling Good" (Cy Grant) | Bottom 2 |
Mentor: Slash
Each contestant sang one solo and one duet with a fellow contestant.
Order | Contestant | Song (original artist) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Adam Lambert | "Whole Lotta Love" (Led Zeppelin) | Safe |
2 | Allison Iraheta | "Cry Baby" (Garnet Mimms and the Enchanters) | Eliminated |
3 | Kris Allen & Danny Gokey | "Renegade" (Styx) | N/A |
4 | Kris Allen | "Come Together" (The Beatles) | Safe |
5 | Danny Gokey | "Dream On" (Aerosmith) | Safe |
6 | Adam Lambert & Allison Iraheta | "Slow Ride" (Foghat) | N/A |
Each contestant sang two songs.
Order | Contestant | Song (original artist) — Judge | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Danny Gokey | "Dance Little Sister" (Terence Trent D'Arby) — Paula Abdul | Eliminated |
2 | Kris Allen | "Apologize" (OneRepublic) — Randy Jackson & Kara DioGuardi | Safe |
3 | Adam Lambert | "One" (U2) — Simon Cowell | Safe |
4 | Danny Gokey | "You Are So Beautiful" (Billy Preston) | Eliminated |
5 | Kris Allen | "Heartless" (Kanye West) | Safe |
6 | Adam Lambert | "Cryin'" (Aerosmith) | Safe |
Each contestant sang three songs.
Order | Contestant | Song (original artist) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Adam Lambert | "Mad World" (Tears for Fears) | Runner up |
2 | Kris Allen | "Ain't No Sunshine" (Bill Withers) | Winner |
3 | Adam Lambert | "A Change is Gonna Come" (Sam Cooke) | Runner up |
4 | Kris Allen | "What's Going On" (Marvin Gaye) | Winner |
5 | Adam Lambert | "No Boundaries" | Runner up |
6 | Kris Allen | "No Boundaries" | Winner |
Did Not Perform | Female | Male | Top 36 | Wild Card | Top 13 | Winner |
Safe | Safe First | Safe Last | Eliminated | Judges' Save |
Stage: | Semi Finals | Wild Card |
Finals | |||||||||||||
Week: | 2/18 | 2/261 | 3/4 | 3/5 | 3/112 | 3/18 | 3/263 | 4/1 | 4/8 | 4/154 | 4/225 | 4/29 | 5/66 | 5/13 | 5/20 | |
Place | Contestant | Result | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kris Allen | Top 13 | Bottom 3 | Winner | ||||||||||||
2 | Adam Lambert | Top 13 | Bottom 2 | Runner-up | ||||||||||||
3 | Danny Gokey | Top 13 | Elim | |||||||||||||
4 | Allison Iraheta | Top 13 | Bottom 3 | Bottom 3 | Bottom 3 | Elim | ||||||||||
5 | Matt Giraud | Elim | Top 13 | Bottom 2 | Saved | Elim | ||||||||||
6 – 7 | Anoop Desai | Elim | Top 13 | Bottom 2 | Bottom 2 | Bottom 3 | Elim | |||||||||
Lil Rounds | Top 13 | Bottom 3 | Bottom 2 | |||||||||||||
8 | Scott MacIntyre | Top 13 | Bottom 3 | Elim | ||||||||||||
9 | Megan Joy | Elim | Top 13 | Elim | ||||||||||||
10 | Michael Sarver | Top 13 | Bottom 2 | Elim | ||||||||||||
11 | Alexis Grace | Top 13 | Elim | |||||||||||||
12 – 13 | Jorge Núñez | Top 13 | Elim | |||||||||||||
Jasmine Murray | Elim | Top 13 | ||||||||||||||
Wild Card |
Ricky Braddy | Elim | Elim | |||||||||||||
Tatiana Del Toro | Elim | |||||||||||||||
Jesse Langseth | Elim | |||||||||||||||
Von Smith | Elim | |||||||||||||||
Semi- Final 3 |
Arianna Afsar | Elim | ||||||||||||||
Felicia Barton | ||||||||||||||||
Kendall Beard | ||||||||||||||||
Ju'Not Joyner | ||||||||||||||||
Nathaniel Marshall | ||||||||||||||||
Kristen McNamara | ||||||||||||||||
Taylor Vaifanua | ||||||||||||||||
Alex Wagner-Trugman | ||||||||||||||||
Semi- Final 2 |
Matt Breitzke | Elim | ||||||||||||||
Mishavonna Henson | ||||||||||||||||
Kai Kalama | ||||||||||||||||
Nick Mitchell | ||||||||||||||||
Jeanine Vailes | ||||||||||||||||
Semi- Final 1 |
Ann Marie Boskovich | Elim | ||||||||||||||
Casey Carlson | ||||||||||||||||
Stephen Fowler | ||||||||||||||||
Brent Keith | ||||||||||||||||
Jackie Tohn | ||||||||||||||||
Stevie Wright |
1 Due to the 2009 Speech to the Joint Session of the United States Congress on Tuesday, February 24, 2009, the performance show was moved to Wednesday, February 25 and the results show was moved to Thursday, February 26.
2 Ryan never specifically said who the bottom three or four was, but Megan Joy was brought up with Jasmine Murray and Anoop Desai with Jorge Nuñez for dramatic effect. Jasmine Murray was announced as the first to leave, followed by Jorge Nuñez.
3 Due to the White House Press Conference on Tuesday, March 24, 2009, the performance show was moved to Wednesday, March 25 and the results show was moved to Thursday, March 26.
4 Due to the judges using their one save, in order to save Matt Giraud, the Top 7 remained intact for another week.
5 The bottom two were eliminated on April 22. It was never announced who received the lowest number of votes, although Lil Rounds was announced as the first to leave, followed by Anoop Desai.
6 It was only announced that Allison Iraheta received the lowest number of votes this week. The other member(s) of the bottom two or three were never revealed, and the safe contestants were announced in random order.
In addition, songs are played during the elimination night to promote an artist, single, album, or the show itself. Included is a list of those songs with their Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Digital Songs reactions.
Week | Performer(s) | Title | Hot 100 Reaction |
Hot Digital Songs Reaction |
Notes |
Top 36/ Group 1 |
Carly Smithson Michael Johns |
"The Letter" | Ineligible to chart (No legal digital release) |
live performance | |
Top 36/ Group 2 |
Brooke White | "Hold Up My Heart" | 47 (debut) | 27 (51,171 +999%) | live performance |
Top 36/ Group 3 |
No performer | ||||
Top 13 | Kanye West | "Heartless" | 7 (+1) | 13 (95,223 +18%) | pre-recorded[59] |
Kelly Clarkson | "My Life Would Suck Without You" | 5 (+4) | 6 (141,167 +38%) | live performance | |
Top 11 | Brad Paisley | "Then" | 35 (debut) | 18 (64,127 +999%) | live performance |
Carrie Underwood Randy Travis |
"I Told You So" | 9 (+48) | 4 (125,806 +701%) | pre-recorded[60] | |
Top 10 | Ruben Studdard | "Together" | did not debut | N/A | pre-recorded[61] |
Smokey Robinson Joss Stone |
"You’re the One for Me" | did not debut | N/A | live performance | |
Stevie Wonder | "My Chérie Amour"/"Superstition"/ "Overjoyed"/"All About the Love Again" |
ineligible to re-enter | N/A | live performance | |
Top 9 | David Cook | "Come Back to Me" | 63 (debut) | 40 (39,430 +498%) | pre-recorded |
Lady GaGa | "Poker Face" | 2 (+1) | 2 (228,799 +11%) | live performance | |
Top 8 | Frankie Avalon | "Venus" | N/A | N/A | live performance |
Flo Rida Wynter Gordon |
"Right Round" | 3 (=) | 4 (179,913 +9%) | live performance | |
Kellie Pickler | "Best Days of Your Life" | 50 (+53) | 34 (46,825 +257%) | live performance | |
Top 7 (week 1) |
Jennifer Hudson | "If This Isn't Love" | 63 (+23) | 86 (19,112 +172%) | live performance |
Miley Cyrus | "The Climb" | 4 (+4) | 2 (189,566 +0%) | pre-recorded | |
Top 7 (week 2) |
David Archuleta | "Touch My Hand"[62] | did not debut | 107 (12,875 +558%) | live performance |
Freda Payne Thelma Houston KC |
Medley of "Band of Gold" "Don't Leave Me This Way" "Get Down Tonight." |
ineligible to re-enter | N/A | live performance | |
Top 5 | Natalie Cole | "Something's Gotta Give" | did not debut | N/A | live performance |
Taylor Hicks | Seven Mile Breakdown | did not debut | N/A | live performance | |
Jamie Foxx | "Blame It" | 2 (+2) | 4(+6) | live performance | |
Top 4 | Paula Abdul | "I'm Just Here for the Music" | 87 (debut) | 61(24,615 +999%) | pre-recorded[63] |
No Doubt | "Just a Girl" | ineligible to re-enter | TBA | pre-recorded | |
Daughtry | "No Surprise" | 15 (debut) | 7 (103,593 +999%) | live performance | |
Top 3 | Noah Mushimiyimana | "I'm the World's Greatest" | NA | NA | live performance |
Jordin Sparks | "Battlefield" | 32 (debut) | 12 (75,007 +999%) | live performance | |
Katy Perry | "Waking Up in Vegas" | 13 (+38) | 5 (103,921) +180% | live performance | |
Top 2 | Carrie Underwood | "Home Sweet Home" | 79 (re-entry) | TBA | live performance on May 19, 2009 |
The finale took place at the Nokia Theatre on May 20, 2009.
Musical Performances:
"So What" (Pink) - Top 13
"Permanent" (David Cook) - David Cook
"Cue the Rain" (Queen Latifa) - Queen Latifa & Lil Rounds
"I'm Yours" (Jason Mraz) - Jason Mraz, Anoop Desai & Alexis Grace (the rest of the top 13 minus Kris & Adam joined at the end of the song)
"Kiss a Girl"(Keith Urban) - Keith Urban & Kris Allen
"Glamorous" (Fergie) - Top 13 girls (Alison Iraheta, Lil Rounds, Megan Joy, Alexis Grace & Jasmine Murray)
"Big Girls Don't Cry" (Fergie) - Fergie with Top 13 girls
"Boom Boom Pow" (Black-Eyed Peas) - Black-Eyed Peas
"Time After Time" (Cyndi Lauper) - Cyndi Lauper & Alison Iraheta
"Hello" (Lionel Richie) - Danny Gokey
"Just Go" (Lionel Richie) - Lionel Richie & Danny Gokey
"All Night Long" (Lionel Richie) - Lionel Richie & Danny Gokey
"Beth" (KISS) - Adam Lambert
"Detroit Rock City" (KISS) - KISS & Adam Lambert
"Rock and Roll All Night" (KISS) - KISS & Adam Lambert
"Black Magic Woman" (Santana) - Carlos Santana & Matt Giraud
"Smooth" (Santana) - Carlos Santana & Top 13
"Pretty Flowers" (Steve Martin) - Megan Joy, Michael Sarver with Steve Martin playing banjo
"Do You Think I'm Sexy" (Rod Stewart) - Top 13 guys (Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey, Matt Giraud, Annop Desai, Scott MacIntyre, Michael Sarver, Jorge Nunez)
"Maggie May" (Rod Stewart) - Rod Stewart
"We Are the Champions" (Queen) - Queen, Kris Allen & Adam Lambert (later joined by the rest of the top 13)
"No Boundries" (Kris Allen) - Kris Allen
Idol Awards:
Outstanding Male - Nick Mitchell (as Norman Gentle) "And I'm Not Going" (Dreamgirls)
Best Attitude Katrina Derrel (bikini girl) "Vision of Love" with Kara DioGuardi
Outstanding Female - Tatiana Del Toro "Saving All My Love"
Joanna Pacitti, who was originally selected as a semi-finalist, created controversy due to her being previously signed to A&M and Geffen Records. Later, she was found to have been having a "private relationship" with 19 Management. She was later disqualified and replaced by Felicia Barton.[64]
In the Top 13, the expected phone number for contestant Alexis Grace, 1-866-IDOLS-13, was not owned by American Idol, but by a company called Intimate Encounters, who used it as a phone sex line.[65] Although host Ryan Seacrest mentioned the replacement phone number, 1-866-IDOLS-36, several times, some commentators feared that the phone number confusion could lead to Grace being inadvertently voted off the show.[66][67] However, Grace was not voted off that week.
On the April 7 (Top 8) performance episode, Idol ran nearly eight minutes past its set ending time, such that viewers who recorded the program on digital video recorders completely missed the final performance, Adam Lambert's performance of "Mad World" which received a standing ovation from judge Simon Cowell. The show attempted to prevent running over time the following week by having only two judges, either Randy and Kara or Paula and Simon, critique each performance; however, the episode still ended two minutes over the time slot.
After the Top 11 program, Justin Guarini, while hosting Idol Wrap on TV Guide channel, asserted that the show's group performances were being lip-synced.[68] Soon after Guarini's assertion was aired, a spokesperson for the producers of American Idol said, "The Idols don't lip-sync, period."[68] The following day, the same spokesperson said that "due to extensive choreography and to balance their voices with open mics against a screaming audience, the Idols do sing along to their own prerecorded vocal track during the group performances only."[68][69] The spokesperson maintained that the performers sing their solo songs live, but their performances available to download through iTunes are recorded prior to airing.[68]
Kris Allen's win over Adam Lambert resulted in speculation about voter manipulation, a Christian voting bloc, and as many as "38 million" votes coming from Arkansas, Kris's home state,[70][71] a state with only 2.8 million people. There were also allegations that AT&T may have influenced the results.[72] Fox had previously denied these claims as baseless stating that the network has no preference on who the winner might be.[73] AT&T meanwhile said in a statement that the vote tally above was based on incorrect information and apologized by saying that "AT&T does not divulge or confirm how many votes were cast in any state."[74] On May 27, 2009, the producers of the show stated that they "stand by the outcome" and are "absolutely certain" that "without a doubt Kris Allen is the American Idol."[75][76][77]
Year | Category | Nominee(s)[78] | Episode | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | Outstanding Reality Show or Reality Competition | American Idol | Nominated | |
Outstanding Directing For a Variety, Music Or Comedy Special | Bruce Gowers | Show 833 (The Final Three) | Won | |
Outstanding Host for a Reality-Competition Program | Ryan Seacrest | Nominated |
Year | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2009 | Choice Male Reality/Variety Star | Kris Allen | Nominated |
Adam Lambert | Won | ||
Choice Summer Tour | American Idol Top 10 | Nominated |
Season 8 of American Idol was the top show for the 2008-9 broadcast prime-time season and took the top two spots for its Tuesday and Wednesday episodes. The viewers number for the Wednesday episodes averaged 25.527 million, while the Tuesday episodes averaged 24.741 million.[79] The ratings were down from Season 7, with the finale dropping 13% in the 18-49 demo and 9% in total viewers number.[80]
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