Top 10 Greatest American Idol Performances 

What about Imagine by David Archuleta from Season 7?

Definitely not!!! You forgotten Jessica Sanchez and Tamayra Gray!!!

It would have been nice to hear more of them singing!

Bo BIce's "In a Dream", Blake Lewis's "You Give Love a Bad Name", Jason Castro's "Hallelujah", and pretty much any performance by David Cook are all missing from this list, they were better than some of the ones you did mention. I have watched every season, and these performances still stick out to me.

Where is Melinda Doolittle. One of the best ever. My Funny Valentine as well as Home were my favorites

I think Kelly should have been #1

@@sue-lynncroteau3864 they are afraid to look obvious

Now going on album number 10

Clay will always be my favorite!

Carrie Underwood is more successful than Kelly Clarkson as the higher selling singer ...

Not just an Oscar… EGOT status!🙌🏾

That’s why he’ll never find another 1D. Oh wait, he didn’t. One of the female judges is responsible for recognizing their talent.😂

@@TonyBrion Also a TOKEN

No doubt! 😕

learn troll

Really. Who is Simon? No one with any personal talent. Jennifer Hudson has become one of her generation's most incredible talent. He sees her boot in his mouth everyday.

Exactly! I don’t agree with this list.

@@angelablack7946 the only people I agree with being on this list are Clay Aiken and Adam Lambert

Agreeee

1000000000000000000% agreeeed

There’s only room for 10… lots of good stuff will get left out!

Agreed. Solitaire gave me chills

​@@stephaniemajors7697 Very nice pfp! Adam is my all time favorite AI contestant, hands down no contest. I ADORE his voice. I got to do the VIP experience for his GlamNation tour where you got to meet him, and he was SO SWEET. He's so down to Earth and humble. And tall. 😂 I'm an illustrator for a living so I gave him a print of a portrait I did of him in that awesome GlamNation top hat, and he FLIPPED over it. "YOU drew this??! This is amazing!!! Oh my god!!! Fanart is my favorite gift to get from fans! Thank you so much!!" Then he gave me a bear hug and stepped away from the meet and greet for a moment to stick his head in the band's dressing room that was a few feet away so he could set it in a chair, telling them, "Don't let this get damaged, okay???" before coming back and giving me ANOTHER hug and thank you. He also signed a second print I brought for myself. I had a health crisis during his AI run where for a couple MONTHS I didn't know if I'd ever be able to draw again, and being bedridden to my dad's recliner the only thing that got me through the long nights alone in the living room was listening to his version of Mad World on repeat, so it's a very special song for me. Sorry for the info dump! Adam just has a special place in my heart. 😅

I remember Simon didn't seem to like Clay.

It’s a man’s world is the one I listen back to at least three times a year

I agree; I have a list of 50! I also prefer La'Porsha's "Diamonds" to "No More Drama", but they're both great along with "Glory".

All of the above I agree!

Adam's Mad World honestly made me cry. I believe this was the last week he tried to win. I personally believe he helped the winner win. This guy got exponetially better and Adam played it safe. I think he wanted to be himself and not some "Idol" that didn't fit his mold.

@@aaronlawrence3274 I forgot this performance and I'm going to listen to it. He was so amazing in this song. One thing I don't like about AI is that they have these stupid theme weeks. Some singers get dumped because they couldn't fit into the theme. Adam Lambert couldn't do the country theme but was able to change it to meet his style. Not everyone has that ability.

I thought of that one too. So good!

My brain immediately went to that performance when I started watching this. I can't believe it's not on the list!

All of the singers are great that they can become great musicians!🎤

I was just gonna say Tamyra should be here

That was EASILY the best performance of that season. 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾

She was amazing! Why she is not a Grammy award winner is beyond me.

I remember that performance. I was hoping it would make the list.

I so agree about Daughtry...I have 99% of his bands CD's..

I agree about Kelly! That woman can sing anything! She has major talent! She will always be my favorite!

Yes to all three. Jordin Sparks’ I Who Have Nothing gave me chills.

Yep, agree!

Great list but not my placement ranking I'd definitely move Carrie much higher. 'Alone' was beautifull but I would have used her cover of INDEPENDENCE DAY. I also put Katherine McPhee's cover of OVER THE RAINBOW. Her cover was the number 1 viewed songs on social media.

Same

I used to feel that way, but listening to him with Queen reminds me of the gap between him and Freddie Mercury. There will never be another Freddie though I guess.

@@johannf36 I kinda disagree bcs he was not actually trying to replace Freddie, the whole thing was about paying tribute to Freddie's legacy.

And they didn't even put what I consider to be his best performance on here, because while everyone goes nuts over Mad World, I think Tracks of My Tears was better and way more underrated

@@NYChica23 I think Adam's best performance was A Change Is Gonna Come. He made me love a song I never cared for. He transported himself into another place which was visible by the way he acted afterwards. He had to shake it off and get back into the moment.

YES!

Don't forget LaToya London, a great singer who like Diana DeGarmo, Fantasia Barrrino, Kat McPhee (who got great reviews when she stepped into the lead in Waitress in the West End and then Broadway) and others who went on to do musical theater. We saw her in the national tour of The Color Purple, in San Francisco. It was "local girl makes good" since she was from, I believe, Oakland.

Agree

Kelly Clarkson?

YES!

Yeah Clay

Clay got my votes that year. Ruben was great, as well as Kim. But to me, Clay was really great.

My first thought too!! He should be at least an honourable mention 100%

yep he is so good

Especially since he is the most successful non winner from that show.

@@johnwiesner9590 *one of the most successful non-winners

@@moonlight2487 As a recording artist, Chris Daughtry is the most successful non winner. Jennifer Hudson and Adam Lambert became very successful in different ways.

She did a great rendition of "Get Here" as well.

Yes! So did I forget about her! She definetly should be on this,list!!

I came here to see my man david archuleta!

I stopped watching years ago when Simon was still being mean but I watch these videos to see some of the performers

@@acciotardisalohomora6302check out her rendition of Creep with Postmodern Jukebox. She’s amazing.

Love Haley! The judges were always over harsh with her.

She was consistently fabulous!

Honestly Haley was smoking hot and can sing like an angel! I fell in love within seconds 😍😁

In this video they said Kelly was the biggest star. It depends on what you mean by star. Carrie is the biggest in terms of selling records and probably money. Kelly had many songs on the Pop chart which Carrie doesn't have. Kelly now has her own syndicated TV show. If Carrie ever quit music, I bet she could do the same. So there's no clear winner.

Well...although not a "winner" Adam Lambert

​@@janejones7638Carrie's success has been in country music, and she has been a Grand Ole Opry member since 2008. Carrie is currently on her sixth concert tour, and I don't hear much of Kelly doing concert tours. Kelly and Carrie are clearly the two biggest success stories from Idol.

@@janejones7638 and J.Hud has an Oscar

I wouldn't say Simon's prediction on being the best selling Idol winner was entirely true, because while she is a successful performer, I'd say Kelly Clarkson still edges her out in that regard

Right! Like just to it bro!!

Her version is my all time favorite

Absolutely!!

She also had the best stage presence and the way she took her ear monitor thing out!! 🔥

Then she married that 80 year old man that groomed her

We are all waiting for the Gospel album.

I agree with you 💯 %! I didn't know that song before his performance, and it was amazing. Love how his entered the stage with the drum line accompanying him!

Is a real shame he did not win that year

he is good but nothing is beating Fantasia summertime

I concur. I think Mad World was better than all others

I would place him as number 1 idol contestant, as well.

u just a hater

Yeah, he was the best in my opinion.

I think it worked in his favor to be the runner-up. Had he won, he would've made the album the producers wanted him to make. Instead, he got to do what he wanted. Seems to have worked out in his favor.😊

I still have this recording on my phone! It’s my fav from Idol…❤❤❤

Yes, he was!!!

Same I was PISSED 😂

yep Blake Lewis...he's on my play list

Blake Lewis’ performance of that song was my husbands all time favorite AI song. He just mentioned it again the other day!

Me too, but I liked every song he sung.

Loved Bo so much! I loved him much better than Carrie! I loved how exciting he was to watch and he was gorgeous too!

i agree...love Bo Bice as I have him on my playlist.

My favorite performance of all time on Idol! I really wanted him to win. I saw the AI concert after this season and he blew Carrie away.

No Kidding. That was an amazing performance.

Yes, Bo was my fave, he should be here!

I was thinking about lakisha as well

Absolutely! Still gives me goosebumps!

Yes! That was beautiful. She and Kelly are the two I always remember from Idol.

It's one of my favorite songs. I wanted to give her an ovation in my house. It was phenominal and she absolutely deserved her win.

agree

I agree; I believe that performance cemented her winning

I remember being gob-smacked at the end of the performance. I knew I was watching something unprecedented in the moment. And while there have been MANY other idol performances of this caliber, this one stands out as it was the first MAGICAL one. :)

@@grirl007 yes she was amazing u should check out her recent songs like The WAY AND Fighting from her Sketchbook album its amazing also

oh my goodness yes i loved her rendition of that

Yes! That is one of my favourite Idol performances of all time. She was stunning

Yaaas you’re my actual favorite RU-vid channel