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, but in a singing competition Yamin showed he had more depth and range than most of his fellow contestants, and gave the most affecting performance of that season.
6. David Cook Billie Jean
Cook stayed true to his rock roots throughout his Idol run an important factor in determining what kind of artist one will be after the Idol stage's lights go down. And it was no secret that the Season 7 winner was the judge's unabashed favorite. They heaped praise on him even when he, arguably, didn't quite deserve it. When he performed Chris Cornell's version of Billie Jean a slowed-down, angst-ridden version of Michael Jackson's classic hit, Cook showed why he was the front runner of the competition. His vocal was flawless, filled with his trademark rock edge and if anyone doubted Cook's abilities up until then, they were proven wrong with one performance.
5. Kris Allen Heartless
Perhaps the most unexpected and risky song choice in Idol history, it would be a challenge to find anyone who wasn't at least a little shocked when Kris announced he'd be performing Kanye West's hit, which West himself had performed himself during a results show this past season. But all doubt washed away once Kris began his refreshing acoustic version of the song. The highlight of Season 8's Top 3 performance night, the song brought the presumed third-place finisher a trip to the finals and another download-worthy single.
4. Carrie Underwood Alone
When the singer entered Rock 'n' Roll week, many wondered what the country girl would perform. That night she performed Heart's Alone actually, she killed it. She belted out the song effortlessly singing the low parts with her soft, beautiful tone and hitting all the big notes and showing all the range in her big voice when the chorus called for it. To this day, no Idol performance of Alone for some reason an Idol staple - has measured up to that one the performance in which 'Carrie Underwood the star' arrived.
3. Fantasia Summertime
Fantasia had a moment when she sat on the edge of the stage with minimal lighting and back-up band, and sang Summertime with style and class. Hitting every note with her unique voice, Fantasia, with this performance, toned it back and showed her versatility, ability to sing any song thrown at her and her range. Fantasia went on to win the season, and although she has seen her fair share of success since, Summertime is when she hit her stride and showed what she could do.
2. Kelly Clarkson Stuff Like That There
It's very rare that a contestant flourishes on Big Band night but Kelly Clarkson owned the stage. Standing in front of the band, wearing a polka-dotted dress and working the microphone like a professional. She was flirty, she hit all the big notes and used parts of her voice that no one knew she had, and have been absent in her very successful career since. The season 1 winner undoubtedly gave the first ever standout performance.
1. Blake Lewis You Give Love a Bad Name
Blake Lewis, for what he lacked in vocal strength, was the competition's most unique contestant to date. Between the beat-boxing and rearranging every song to "make it his own" (an unofficial Idol mantra), Blake took an unconventional path to Idol success. His personal best performance, and the best performance the show has ever seen, was during Bon Jovi week, when he took a classic and completely changed it to make it something new and fresh he gave an old hit contemporary and fresh. From beginning to end the performance was intriguing and entertaining. To this day, a performance on the Idol stage has not lived up to the energy and originality Lewis gave that fateful night.
There they are the ten best performances ever on the Idol stage. And with each new season of American Idol there's the promise of another performance to awe and inspire the viewers and join the rank of these and that's what makes this show worth watching.