by Nicole Hogsett

Created on: May 14, 2009

One thing we can count on every season of American Idol is a standout performance one that steals the night away from all of the other contestants. Those performances, as rare as they may be, negate all claims that Idol is just a glorified karaoke show and after weeks of waiting and watching in frustration, are a shining reminder as to why the show is the phenomenon it is. Below are the ten all-time best performances on American Idol.

10. Jason Castro Daydream

When Castro took the Idol stage for the first time, he was relatively unknown in the Idol-universe. We hadn't heard his back-story, we didn't see his audition and for all intents and purposes he was absent during Hollywood week, at least on screen. But the famously-dreadlocked season 7 contestant took the stage, guitar in hand, sang Daydream and excited viewers and the judges by being himself and for the sometimes over-calculated show a much needed breath of fresh air.

9. Adam Lambert Mad World

By far one of the series most intriguing and talented contestants to date, Lambert did nothing better than keeping the audience guessing as to which Adam would perform: the glam-rocker or the sensitive one. With Mad World, on its own a beautiful, sad song, Lambert gave a vulnerable performance, free of tricks or over-the-top gimmicks, instead relying solely on his magnificent voice. With this performance he was quickly established as the front runner of the season and a true artist.

8. Trenyce Proud Mary

There are certain songs that no contestant on Idol should touch, usually because they can never live up to the original (anything by Whitney Houston or Celine Dion falls into this category). Trenyce took a risk picking a song as widely known as Proud Mary, originated by Creedence Clearwater Revival but famous for being performed by the beloved, dynamic and usually untouchable Tina Turner. But with a pitch-perfect vocal and a fun, energized performance, Trenyce hit her stride and gave a memorable, show-stopping performance.

7. Elliott Yamin A Song for You

Elliott Yamin was the underdog of Season 5 overshadowed by the likes of Chris Daughtry, Katherine McPhee and Taylor Hicks. With A Song for You, Yamin showed why he was a contender in the competition (and ultimately the third-place finisher). Stripped of any tricks, his performance relied solely on Yamin's greatest asset: his pure, beautiful voice. The performance may lack the glitz and glamour of some of the other performances on the show,

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