Bo Bice

'American Idol' Video Timeline: Six Seasons Of High Notes And Hot Messes

19 Feb 2008 15:07:00 EST

From Jordin to Kelly, 'Idol' expert Jim Cantiello relives each season of the cultural phenomenon in 60 seconds.
By Jim Cantiello

Before "American Idol" sucks you in with the latest crop of contestants, make sure you're well-versed on the show's long (and sometimes lurid) history!

From the ear-pleasing highs to the glass-shattering "no!"s, this timeline by MTV News' "American Idol" expert Jim Cantiello will tell you everything you need to know about the first six seasons: the scandals, the shocking eliminations and the so-bad-they're-brilliant, oh-no-they-didn't performances.

Season Six: 2007

WINNER: Jordin Sparks

RUNNER-UP: Blake Lewis

HIGH NOTE (OF THE SEASON): The first time Jordin Sparks sings "I (Who Have Nothing)" proves that the 17-year-old is a major contender in the competition, giving older, more seasoned singers like Melinda Doolittle a run for their money. (However, the second time Jordin sings the Shirley Bassey classic proves Sparks is less an emotionally mature 17-year-old and more an easily programmed teen-bot.)

LOW NOTE (OF THE SEASON): During Diana Ross week, similarly follicled Chris Sligh takes "Endless Love" and Coldplay's "Clocks," throws them in a blender and hits the "pulverize" button. The result is a 90-second performance of whiny high notes and off-kilter melody tweaks. Appropriate enough, it feels endless.

HOT-MESS PERFORMANCE OF THE SEASON: Kristen Wiig look-alike Nicole Tranquillo doesn't survive one week of the semifinals, and you can't really blame America, considering the wild-eyed caterwauling she displays on Chaka Khan's "Stay." Between the funny faces, the spastic body jerks (I don't dare call it dancing), and the cocky persona, Nicole emerges as the looniest, most passionate contestant of the season. No surprise that Nicole is Paula's favorite singer.

SEASON SHOCKER: A 16-year-old country crooner named Baylie Brown wows viewers with an audition that Simon calls "commercial with a capital C." Many expect to see her in the finals, only to be floored a few weeks later when, during Hollywood Week, the judges cut Baylie for forgetting the lyrics (even though her groupmate Antonella Barba — more on her below — makes it through to the next rounds despite also drawing a blank). Later in the season, arguably the best singer in "Idol" history, Melinda Doolittle, fails to make the top two as beatboxer Blake Lewis and young whippersnapper Jordin Sparks move on to the finale. You know it's a shock when even Simon Cowell looks sincerely flabbergasted.

SEASON SCANDALS: In the midst of the semifinals, PG-13-rated photos of Antonella Barba surface, some of which show her either cavorting around a veterans memorial in a wet T-shirt or sitting on a toilet. (Additional X-rated photos that claim to be of Barba are quickly proven to be fake.) Producers keep Antonella around, which prompts Frenchie Davis fans (Rosie O'Donnell included) to cry racism. Alas, America isn't feeling Antonella's vocal stylings and sends her back to New Jersey the final week of the semis. Once in the top 12, iffy contestant Sanjaya Malakar somehow avoids the dreaded "bottom three" for several weeks. Howard Stern and VoteForTheWorst.com take credit for his longevity after running public campaigns to keep the less-than-outstanding singer around as long as possible. And finally, during the finale, Clive Davis spends what feels like 45 minutes praising Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Taylor Hicks, Kellie Pickler — hell, practically every "Idol" contestant except Kelly Clarkson, with whom he's embroiled in a very public dispute over the creative direction of her angry album "My December." (In a delicious TV moment, after Clarkson finishes ripping through her single "Never Again," the "Idol" director cuts to an awkward audience-reaction shot of Davis.)

CULTURAL IMPACT/LEGACY : Season six suffers from I.I.C., or "Idol Identity Crisis." Rather than focusing on the one thing fans actually care about — the contestants — "Idol" instead acts like Angelina Jolie ("Idol Gives Back"); "TRL" (patience-testing appearances by Fergie, Gwen Stefani, Akon, J. Lo and Robin Thicke, to name a few); and NASCAR (even more product placement than usual). During the competition, Blake Lewis and Chris Sligh take major risks with contemporary song choices and their own modern arrangements of classic tunes, letting audiences know that they're more than just karaoke stars. Meanwhile, Sanjaya's outrageous hairstyles and awkward disposition make him a household name (and the punch line to countless late-night talk-show jokes). Toward the end of the season, producers hold a songwriting competition to fight off complaints from viewers that the "Idol" coronation song is always too sappy. Ironically, America chooses "This Is My Now" (perhaps the sappiest song yet) as the big finale single. The first season during which numbers are dangerously down — both in ratings and in album sales — suggests that "Idol" isn't invincible. And lastly, a little girl named Ashley Ferl becomes an overnight celebrity after she spends the entirety of Sanjaya's "You Really Got Me" in hysterics.

Season Five: 2006

WINNER: Taylor Hicks

RUNNER-UP: Katharine McPhee

HIGH NOTE (OF THE SEASON): Paris Bennett's "Take Five" (from her first audition) still gives me goose bumps with every single note. It's so genius that Paula's sheep-like "Ya-a-a-a-a-a" reaction is poetry compared to the joyful-but-bizarre noises I made when I first heard Bennett. It's really unfortunate that during her "Idol" run Princess P never tops this flawless first impression.

LOW NOTE (OF THE SEASON): Ace Young squeezes Train's "Drops of Jupiter" out of his voice box and then exposes his chest to reveal a scar ... while he sings a lyric about a scar. Seriously, dude? P.S.: It looks like special-effects makeup, if you ask me.

HOT-MESS PERFORMANCE OF THE SEASON: In the season's semifinal kickoff, Manilooney (and just plain looney) Bobby Bennett proves that what happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas, and fans of all things campy hit the jackpot. Between the wide-eyed mugging, the "Liza with a Z" jazz hands and the song dedication to his dead "gram," Bennett's performance is deranged enough for you to think that John Waters cast this round of "Idol."

SEASON SHOCKER: The two-hour season finale is so jam-packed with surprise guests, weeping random audience members and cheesetastic group numbers that for once "Idol" airs a results show that isn't 99 percent boring filler — and that might be the biggest "Idol" shocker ever.

SEASON SCANDALS: Any plus-size divas out there? Take note: Gay men will probably make up most of your fanbase, so don't pull a Mandisa. The singer cites "Pray the Gay Away" preacher Beth Moore as a personal hero, and then busts out some spoken word at the top of a song that comes off as being ... questionable: "Your addiction, lifestyle and situation may be big, but God is bigger!" Regardless of 'Disa's clarification attempt — "When I said 'lifestyle' I was talking about my food addiction" — the harm is already done and her fans flee. A week later, she goes bye-bye. On an also-ran note, flamboyant identical twins Derrell and Terrell Brittenum are "uninvited" from the competition after they're thrown in jail for a 2005 incident in which they allegedly stole a man's identity to buy a car. Thankfully, their arrest happens after the Hollywood Week episodes taped, so viewers are still treated to their fair share of Brittenum-related diva tantrums and hissy fits.

CULTURAL IMPACT/LEGACY : Considering nine out of the 12 finalists score music deals (including fourth-placer Chris Daughtry whose debut album breaks records), it goes to show you that you don't have to win "American Idol" to have a career — and considering the fizzling sales of Katharine's and Taylor's records, it goes to show you that winning "American Idol" (or at least making it to the finale) doesn't guarantee a career, either. (Both Kat and Taylor were dropped from their record labels in early 2008.)

Season Four: 2005

WINNER: Carrie Underwood

RUNNER-UP: Bo Bice

HIGH-NOTE (OF THE SEASON): Rockers Bo Bice and Constantine Maroulis each have their moment in the sun. Bice's a cappella "In a Dream" stops everyone dead in their tracks, while Constantine's "Bohemian Rhapsody" is not the train wreck it

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'American Idol' Vets Bo Bice, Constantine Maroulis Can't Stop Rockin'

25 May 2007 06:01:00 EDT

Unforgettable season-four contestants hanging tough with new albums.
By Gil Kaufman

So much for striking while the iron's hot. Instead of rushing out an album right after his ouster from the 2005 edition of "American Idol," Constantine Maroulis has spent the past two years indulging his love of musical theater, acting in a soap opera and putting together an empire under his snarkily named Sixth Place Productions banner.

(Are you an "Idol" junkie? Don't miss our recap of the Wednesday night finale, see a 60-second recap, watch our carpet coverage here, and read about Sanjaya and Carrie Underwood strutting their stuff on the red carpet.)

"I'm an actor, I love to host and I'm a singer. I did Broadway, and I produced my own tours and started my own label," said Maroulis, who appeared on Broadway in "The Wedding Singer" musical and is currently playing a singer on the daytime drama "The Bold and the Beautiful" (see "Constantine Maroulis Hopes For 'Roseanne'-Type Success"). "Would I trade all that work for making one successful album right off the show? I don't have that answer. I think this record is better than the one I could have made right off the show. It's more grassroots — I picked the band, financed it and co-wrote a bunch of the songs."

The album, titled Constantine, will drop August 7 on his label, with distribution from Sony/Red. Self-proclaimed "blue-collar guy" Maroulis is confident that his fans will find it and buy enough copies to keep him on the road. "I can sell a couple hundred thousand copies and do what I love to do: play clubs," he said. "I don't need to be a huge star."

Just in case, though, he did bring in some ringers, including Matchbox Twenty singer Rob Thomas, who co-wrote a song on the album, as well as Nashville songwriter Angie Aparo (Faith Hill's "Cry"). "It's got a distinctly rock sound, kind of an East Coast Bon Jovi/Rob Thomas vibe with great pop hooks," Maroulis said. The first single, "Everybody Loves," has been featured on "The Bold and the Beautiful" and is on iTunes now. The next single, "Girl Like You," will soon be tied to a story line on the show.

Season four's other rocker, #2 finisher Bo Bice, is also prepping an album for later this year: his yet-untitled sophomore release. His 2005 debut, The Real Thing, featured assists from Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Nickelback's Chad Kroeger and former Evanescence member Ben Moody that were brokered by Bice's label (see "Intestines, 'Idol,' Baby And Bon Jovi Helped Inspire Bo Bice's Debut"). The longhaired Southern rocker says he called the shots this time around.

The album, which Bice is recording with noted country producer Frank Liddell (Faith Hill, Dixie Chicks), features the music hound's wish list of famed session masters. "I was throwing around ideas of the people I wanted to play on it," Bice said. "And I was like, 'Yeah, sure, these guys will play on my album. Right!' " But a few phone calls landed him Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell — who Bice met a decade ago when he delivered a package of Christmas CDs to Leavell's house — as well as Black Crowes drummer Steve Gorman, legendary session guitarist Waddy Wachtel (Keith Richards, Tom Waits) and bluegrass icon David Grisman.

"It's a star-studded cast, and I'm the only one on there who's not famous," the ever-humble Bice joked. "I picked and co-wrote the songs that if I was a guy who would be spending my hard-earned money buying an album I would want to hear." That means original back-to-basics Southern rock and country-tinged singer/songwriter tunes co-written with A.J. Croce (son of 1970s singer Jim Croce) and Chris Tompkins (Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats").

Bice said he wrote 31 songs for the album and is narrowing down the list to 10-12 that will make the final cut, including four songs that are currently vying to be the first single.

"I didn't have a lot to do with the first record," said Bice, who took time off in late 2006 to have another surgery to finally correct a nagging intestinal blockage that hospitalized him 15 times last year. "It was very RCA and Clive [Davis]-driven. It was an excellent album, but it was a revolving door of one guy in this week, another guy the next. This time I was here for every aspect [of it], and I'm a lot more comfortable."

Bice and Maroulis were the trailblazers for rock singers on "Idol." They paved the way for the show's latest breakout star, last season's #4 finisher Chris Daughtry, a fact Bice takes pride in (see "If It Weren't For Bo, Could Chris Rock Out On 'Idol'?").

"It made me proud that Chris said I was part of what inspired him to audition," said Bice, who is in the midst of an acoustic U.S. tour. "There was never a bone in my body that thought I was going to win or make it that far. To see people progress and see more rock people on there makes me proud."

Bice has eight dates left on his acoustic tour, according to his management: Yuma, Arizona (Saturday); Anaheim, California (Tuesday); West Hollywood, California (Wednesday); San Diego (Thursday); Bakersfield, California (June 1); Tucson, Arizona (June 3); Odessa, Texas (June 7); and Dallas (June 9).

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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'American Idol' Video Timeline: Five Seasons In Five Minutes (Or 2,500 Words)

21 May 2007 06:01:00 EDT

From Justin to Taylor, commentator Jim Cantiello relives each season in this unique words-and-video report.
By Commentator Jim Cantiello

And you thought the sixth season of "American Idol" was filled with hair-raising moments ...

From the ear-pleasing highs to the glass-shattering "no!"s, this timeline by MTV News' "American Idol" expert Jim Cantiello will tell you everything you need to know about the first five seasons: the lurid scandals, the shocking eliminations and the so-bad-they're-brilliant, oh-no-they-didn't performances.

Season One: 2002

WINNER: Kelly Clarkson

RUNNER-UP: Justin Guarini

HIGH NOTE (OF THE SEASON): Simon may have called Tamyra Gray's "A House Is Not a Home" one of the best performances on TV ever, but I'm still partial to Kelly Clarkson's offering on Big Band night. Her "Stuff Like That There" was sassy, flirty and oozed sex appeal without being over-the-top. (Haley Scarnato, take note!) Bonus points for making me finally understand a genre of music I thought only my grandparents liked. (Xtina, take note!) Christina Christian's mesmerizing "Ain't No Sunshine" is a close second.

LOW NOTE (OF THE SEASON): Between the Molly Ringwald dance moves and singing that would make Ashlee Simpson wince, "rocker" Nikki McKibbin's "Always Something There to Remind Me" was a complete and utter disaster. The arrangement certainly didn't help (nothing says "hard rock" like bad drum programming and an inexplicable "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going"-style Vegas breakdown, right?) but the performance truly crossed the line in its final moments, when the single mom pandered for votes by ~~pimping her son~~ accepting a rose from her kid. Even Paula hated it.

HOT-MESS PERFORMANCE OF THE SEASON: From the "I see London, I see France" mini skirt to the manic delivery, Ryan Starr's "Frim Fram Sauce" had me clapping with catty glee. How she was able to stay so hilariously earnest while singing a song about wanting "chafafa on the side" blows my mind.

SEASON SHOCKER: Thanks to a lame Patti LaBelle song choice, über-talented Tamyra gets ousted before the shaky-at-best Nikki McKibbin. An emotional McKibbin is propelled into the top three, the studio audience boos, and in five seconds, "Idol" becomes the most unpredictable show on TV.

SEASON SCANDALS: Some cry foul when Christina Christian's elimination falls on the same night she happens to be recuperating in a hospital bed due to "exhaustion." (It's even fishier considering her performance that week was solid.) For non-conspiracy theorists, the big scandal occurred in the semifinals when contestant Delano Cagnolati was disqualified for lying about his age. (The equally forgettable Ejay Day replaced him.)

CULTURAL IMPACT/LEGACY : More than just "the season with two hosts," season one laid the low-budget foundation for what would later become the "American Idol" empire. Several seasons — and "Idol" winners — later, purists still point to Kelly Clarkson as the only true "Idol." Her record sales suggest the same, although both Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry have had impressive-so-far post-"Idol" careers as well (sales-wise, anyway). Clarkson's first single breaks a record previously held by The Beatles (!!!) and her first two albums go on to sell a bajillion copies. (Actually, it's more like 12.5 million.) In the broadcast world, reality-show producers bark in unison, "GET ME A CRANKY BRITISH JUDGE!" (see "So You Think You Can Dance and/or Ice-Skate With the Stars AND Have Talent?!"), while an ill-conceived (and rushed) attempt at big-screen domination results in one of the worst movies of all time. Paula Abdul enjoys fame again — this time without the help of an animated cat. And lastly, America learns a new word: pitchy.

Season Two: 2003

WINNER: Ruben Studdard

RUNNER-UP: Clay Aiken

HIGH NOTE (OF THE SEASON): During "Hollywood Week" the big (voiced) girls Frenchie Davis and Kimberley Locke banded together for a diva-licious duet, "Band of Gold." It was supposed to be a group number but the other female contestants were too chicken to share the stage with the two best singers in the batch. They were smart to steer clear.

LOW NOTE (OF THE SEASON): Deciding on the worst Carmen Rasmussen performance is like choosing between death by a swarm of bees or toothpick stabbing. I'll go with the Wild Card performance, where Simon put the attractive-but-tone-deaf singer through to the top 12 even though he said her "Can't Find the Moonlight" was awful. Typical!

HOT-MESS PERFORMANCE OF THE SEASON: Marine Josh Gracin performed "Jive Talkin' " like he was trying to pick a fight with everyone in America at once. The handheld camera remained about four inches away from his face as he walked through the crowd, making "give it to me" hand gestures for a minute straight for no apparent reason. Did I mention that his facial expressions made him look like a dude in a porno? It was stunning in its wrongness.

SEASON SHOCKER: Aside from the ousted contestants (see "Season Scandals" below) and the terrifying Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire being a guest judge, the biggest shock had to be that the formerly annoying Ryan Seacrest was a lot more likeable without scripted banter and an unnecessary co-host at his side. Sorry, Brian Dunkleman!

SEASON SCANDALS: Pack a lunch — it's gonna take awhile to weed through all this. First, before the semifinals began, front-runner Frenchie Davis was told to hit the road after it was uncovered that she had modeled topless for a skuzzy porn site. Although Frenchie says she was honest to executives about her past, the same cannot be said about Corey Clark. Nine hours after the Smoking Gun posted a mugshot of the alleged sister-beater, the blindsided producers ousted Corey from "Idol." (The saga continued: see Season Four.) And lastly, Trenyce was humiliated when her especially unglamorous mugshot (for a 1999 felony theft charge) popped up on the Internet. Producers let her stay because of her honesty, but America ended up doing the show's dirty work by voting her off.

CULTURAL IMPACT/LEGACY : By casting Ruben, Clay, Kimberley and Frenchie, "AI2" broadened America's definition of "pop star image." Fans ate it up. However, by voting on voice over looks, the season ended up being fairly predictable, where the singer who deserved to go home each week did. The final Ruben/Clay showdown was a tight race (one that Seacrest called a "photo finish") and although Studdard was the victor, Aiken ultimately wiped the floor with him in record sales.

Season Three: 2004

WINNER: Fantasia Barrino

RUNNER-UP: Diana DeGarmo

HIGH NOTE (OF THE SEASON): If you look up "Wow moment" in the "Idol" dictionary, you'll see a picture of Fantasia singing her signature "Summertime."

LOW NOTE (OF THE SEASON): Poor John Stevens. Unless it was standards night, there was no way in hell the crooner could succeed. But there's no excuse for his listless Latin night offering, "Music of the Heart." Simon said it best when he told the young singer, "You and Latin music go together like chocolate ice cream and an onion." That actually sounds appetizing compared to this painful schlock-a-thon. This dude outlasted Jennifer Hudson??

HOT-MESS PERFORMANCE OF THE SEASON: Camile Velasco was a walking disaster: The girl had such bad stage fright that every time she performed, it looked like she was one swallow away from projectile-vomiting all over the judges. Maybe meeting her idol Elton John would loosen her up? Nah. She turned "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" into a whiney cat-in-heat debacle. I break into cold sweats just thinking about it — while simultaneously wishing it was my ringtone.

SEASON SHOCKER: Was it the result of racism (Sir Elton's theory), a random side-effect of an Illinois tornado (Al Roker's theory) or just plain vote-splitting (common-sense theory)? Whatever the case, the bottom three of Barry Manilow week ended up being the best singers of the season: Fantasia, Jennifer Hudson and La Toya London, dubbed "The Three Divas" by Ryan Seacrest. (The future Oscar winner was the one to say goodbye that night.) Three weeks later, the two remaining divas landed at the bottom again, as the perennially pitchy Jasmine Trias sat pretty on the "safe" couch. Paula solemnly noted that "America got it wrong" before sobbing uncontrollably as La Toya sang her swan song.

SEASON SCANDALS: Midway through the competition, the increasingly loopy Paula Abdul begins showing up to "Idol" with her arm in a sling. The judge tells "Entertainment Tonight" that she almost lost her thumb in a freak manicure accident, but never fully explains why her entire arm had to be cradled. Two years la

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For The Record: Quick News On My Chemical Romance, Eminem, Ciara, Bo Bice, Lloyd Banks, MySpace & More

09 Oct 2006 20:08:00 EDT

MCR line up club shows; Eminem won't face domestic-violence charges; Ciara plots tour.
By MTV News staff report

My Chemical Romance have booked three club dates around the October 24 release of The Black Parade. The band hits New York's Webster Hall on October 24, Axis in Boston on October 25 and Chicago's House of Blues on October 26. More dates are expected to be announced in the coming days. My Chemical Romance are also among the performers set to take the stage for this year's Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans on October 29. ...

After investigating Eminem for domestic violence in Michigan's Macomb County, police say they are not going to press charges against the Detroit rapper. According to reports, Em was involved in a dispute with his niece and estranged wife Kim on September 24. ... Ciara will embark on a six-week run of U.S. theaters beginning October 26 in Washington, D.C. The trek is scheduled to run through December 10 in New York. Ciara: The Evolution is due December 5. ... Bo Bice underwent emergency intestinal surgery on Thursday and is currently recovering in a Nashville hospital. The "American Idol" runner-up, who has been battling intestine problems since last summer, was recently diagnosed with the intestinal condition intussusception. Bo will miss some tour dates, but doctors are hopeful his latest surgery will be the final resolution to his health problems. ...

Lloyd Banks often hits fans with an assortment of witty one-liners and clever punch lines. But the G-Unit rapper took to his alma mater, August Martin High School in Jamaica, New York, last week, with a much more straightforward message: Get your education. Banks donated $10,000 to the school library and offered words of encouragement to an auditorium full of students. "I wanted to be a writer. I loved English," Banks explained to Fox's New York affiliate. "I wanted to know how to count my money, so I love math. You got to take what you want out of [school] and it will definitely put you in the right direction." ...

MySpace has announced its Rock for Darfur concert series, comprising 20 benefit shows around North America on October 21 aimed at raising awareness and funds for the humanitarian crisis in the African country of Sudan. Among the artists pledging to donate part of their ticket proceeds from their concerts that day to Oxfam's relief efforts in the Sudan are Alice in Chains, TV on the Radio, Atreyu, Ziggy Marley, Teddy Geiger, the Secret Machines, Jamie Cullum, Citizen Cope, the Fray, Insane Clown Posse, Amos Lee and Gov't Mule. A public service announcement promoting the shows featuring Samuel L. Jackson will air in theaters this month. ...

Kevin Federline will be holed up at Kitson Men in Los Angeles for a couple of hours on Wednesday, not to shop, but to launch a clothing line — and preview tracks from his upcoming album. Federline will host a party from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at the popular shop, celebrating the premiere of Five Star Vintage's Holiday 2006 collection. DJ Irie is also scheduled to preview tracks from K-Fed's LP at the event, ahead of its October 31 release. ... Kelly Clarkson, Marc Anthony, Rascal Flatts and Madeleine Peyroux will join Tony Bennett for a November 9 concert at Los Angeles' Kodak Theatre, in honor of the crooner's 80th birthday. All ticket proceeds from the event will benefit the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps, an organization founded by Paul Newman. George Clooney will co-host the event with Newman, Billy Crystal, Jack Nicholson and Bruce Willis. ...

A new track by Prince called "The Song of the Heart" will be the first single on the "Happy Feet" soundtrack, due October 3. Other tracks on the record include Pink covering Rufus and Chaka Khan's "Tell Me Something Good," Patti LaBelle, Yolanda Adams and Fantasia collaborating on "I Wish" and a mash-up of Jason Mraz's cover of Steve Miller Band's "The Joker" with Chrisie Hynde's cover of Bread's "Everything I Own." The stars of the movie, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Robin Williams and Brittany Murphy, also cover songs by the likes of Elvis Presley and Queen. "Happy Feet" opens November 17. ... The track list to the "Saw III" soundtrack has been revealed. The album, due October 24, will feature songs from 20 different artists, including Slayer, Lamb of God, Disturbed, Blue October, Avenged Sevenfold, Mastodon, Ministry and Meshuggah. ...

Good news for people who love bad news: Modest Mouse have announced that they won't be releasing their much-anticipated new album, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, on December 19, as has been previously reported. Instead, the record will see the light of day in 2007 (according to the Mouse's label, Epic Records, no firm date has been settled upon, but fans can expect it in "the first quarter" of next year). Obviously realizing the news was a major bummer to their fans, MM decided to soften the blow by also confirming a slate of shows, starting with a November 5 gig at Avalon in Los Angeles. They'll also make appearances in Miami, New York and Anaheim, California, before heading over to London. For more information on the tour, check out ModestMouse.com. ...

Seminal New York proto-punk rock band the New York Dolls have announced a headlining trek, topping Little Steven's Underground Garage Tour. As much of a seismic influence on Aerosmith and Kiss as Morrissey and the Sex Pistols, the Dolls' trashy aesthetic and insouciant rock-and-roll abandon in the otherwise drab early '70s set the template for legions of bands to follow. While three of the original bandmembers — guitarist Johnny Thunders, drummer Billy Murcia and behemoth bassist Arthur "Killer" Kane — have passed away, original vocalist David Johansen and guitarist Sylvain Sylvain recruited a new lineup (including former Hanoi Rocks bassist Sam Yaffa) and unleashed a comeback album earlier this year. ...

Babyshambles have postponed the remaining dates of their British tour so that frontman Pete Doherty can focus on his drug-rehabilitation efforts, the band's label announced Saturday. "The band apologizes to fans but hopes that they will understand the importance of Peter being able to best continue his good progress in recovering from addiction," EMI said. "The dates will be rearranged for as soon as possible and all tickets will remain valid." ...

Fantasia and comedian Lewis Black will perform at the second annual Quill Awards, recognizing books selected by American readers. The ceremony will be held Tuesday at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. ... YouTube and Universal Music Group have reached an agreement that allows the video-sharing giant to legally post videos from UMG's roster of artists on the site, both companies announced Monday (October 9). Under the partnership, Universal's artists will be compensated an undisclosed sum in return for YouTube receiving access to thousands of videos in the UMG archives. The deal also allows for music from Universal artists to safely be incorporated into user-generated videos that are uploaded to the site. UMG is the first of the major record companies to strike such an arrangement with YouTube — which was sold to Google on Monday, according to The Associated Press. ...

Tower Records is having a going-out-of-business sale. The legendary music chain's assets were sold at a bankruptcy auction on Friday to the liquidation firm Great American Group, which bid $134.3 million for what was once the most dominant music retailer in the country, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Great American began liquidation and going-out-of-business sales on Saturday at the company's 89 U.S. stores, ending a 46-year run that was done in beginning a decade ago by competition from mass retailers like Wal-Mart and Internet sales. The court-supervised auction was the end of a saga that began its final act in August, when major suppliers refused to ship product to the bankrupt chain because it was unable to pay its bills.

10.06.2006

Paul Wall will share some golden nuggets of wisdom at the Dallas Hip-Hop Summit on Financial Empowerment October 14. The event, put on by Russell Simmons' Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, will also feature Erykah Badu and B2K's Raz-B. ...

Ludacris, Jermaine Dupri and Young Jeezy will be on hand Thursday in Atlanta when BET announces the nominees for its first Hip-Hop Awards. The ceremony, to be hosted by Katt Williams, is scheduled for November 12 at Atlanta's Fox Theatre. ...

Mary J. Blige, Dave Matthews, Tony Bennett and Aerosmith are joining forces for an exclusive concert series called Traveling Through Life, only open to Citi/AAdvantage card members. Each is performing a private concert: Matthews at Los Angeles' Wiltern LG (October 30); Blige at the Chicago Theatre (November 9); Bennett at the Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, Texas (November 12); and Aerosmith at the Beacon Theatre in New York (December 3). Tickets will be available via PrivatePass.Citi.com starting Monday. Matthews will perform with guitarist Tim Reynolds to benefit Bama Works Youth Initiative, while Aerosmith's gig will be acoustic. ...

Shakira's homecoming show in Barranquilla, Colombia, has a greater mission than getting bodies moving. Proceeds of the November 15 concert will fund a school for 1,800 children forced from their homes by Colombia's civil war, The Associated Press reports. The En

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For The Record: Quick News On DMX, Bo Bice, Dashboard Confessional, Fort Minor, Will.I.Am, Guns N' Roses & More

30 Jun 2006 16:06:00 EDT

DMX out on bail; 'Idol' finalist added to Macy's gala; students get Dashboard LP for cheap.
By MTV News staff report

DMX posted $25,000 bail and left the Westchester County jail in White Plains, New York, Friday (June 30), The Associated Press reports. X (real name Earl Simmons) was sent to jail Thursday by a judge who had issued an arrest warrant Wednesday after X did not appear in court to face charges of speeding, failure to wear a seatbelt and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle; the charges stem from a June 2 incident. X's lawyer said he didn't appear in court because he was ill, according to The Boston Globe. But the judge, who had earlier granted two postponements, was not moved and ordered X to be led off to jail in handcuffs. ...

Bo Bice has been added to NBC's "Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular," which was already set to feature performances by Nick Lachey and Lionel Richie. The "Idol" finalist will sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" for the show, which airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. ... Meanwhile, Aerosmith are hooking up with conductor Keith Lockhart for the "Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular," which CBS will broadcast at 10 p.m. Dr. Phil and Robin McGraw are hosting. ...

Stay in school, work hard and Dashboard Confessional will thank you kindly. The band is making its new release, Dusk and Summer, available for $6.99 to any student from elementary school through grad school with a valid student ID. The deal's available at Best Buy and is a nod to Dashboard main man Chris Carrabba. "All the albums I grew up listening to always had labels on them saying 'Pay No More Than ...' and it was always a pretty reasonable price," Carrabba said of the promotion. ...

Fort Minor are inviting fans to make their own video for "Where'd You Go." Clips submitted by Wednesday will be reviewed by Mike Shinoda, who will pick his three favorites. Viewers can then vote on MTV Overdrive from July 24 to 30, and a winner will be named August 1. ... Bow Wow is going back on comments he made recently that his next album might be his last. "What I meant was I'm going to devote a lot more time to movies, and not only movies, but working with my artists on my label and do what I have to do to be a businessman and not just a musician and an actor," Bow said. ... Will.I.Am was questioned by police in Berlin on Thursday in connection with an early-morning fight at the 40 Seconds club. Police spokesperson Ronny Frank told AP the fight, in which a champagne bottle was used, was apparently between Black Eyed Peas' bodyguard and the doorman. There were contradictory reports as to Will's involvement, but no charges have been filed. ...

Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose is not happy about his treatment from Swedish authorities when he was arrested on Tuesday following a brawl with security guards in a Stockholm hotel. According to a statement from Rose's manager, Merck Mercuriadis, even though Swedish authorities were aware the band is in the middle of a tour, they "continually threatened us over a 12-hour period with between five days' and three weeks' incarceration without bail if Axl did not 'cooperate.' " Mercuriadis said fans should not take the police report — which had Rose arguing with a woman and hitting and biting a security guard who tried to break it up — at face value. He said Rose was basically "held for ransom" after being "accosted" by the security guard at the hotel and manhandled by the arresting officer, who caused him to lose a valuable bracelet. Mercuriadis also said Rose was held down by five police officers while in custody as a doctor tried to take blood to administer a drug test three separate times. ...

Dave Matthews Band have donated money to build enough renewable-energy generators to offset all the carbon-dioxide emissions they've produced on tour since 1991. The band is working with NativeEnergy (NativeEnergy.com) and Clean Air-Cool Planet. ... British director Paul Fraser has released a short film inspired by the Arctic Monkeys song "When the Sun Goes Down." The movie, "Scummy Man," is available on DVD or online at DominoRecordCo.us/scummyman. ... Mastodon, Converge and the Bronx will join forces for a heavier-than-tungsten tour scheduled to kick off in September. Specific dates and cities aren't available just yet but should be announced in the next few weeks. ...

Pretty Ricky are asking fans to name their second album, due this fall. Ideas can be submitted via the band's Web site, PrettyRicky.com, and the winner will receive a personal call from the group and a credit on the CD. ... A special 10-year anniversary re-release of Sublime's classic 1996 album is due August 15. Sublime - Deluxe Edition will include 15 bonus tracks, eight of them previously unreleased, including the original version of "Doin' Time." ... Kinky will release Reina September 5. Colin Hay of Men at Work guests on the Latin electronic rockers' third album. ...

On September 26, Tori Amos will release A Piano: The Collection, a five-disc box set featuring her greatest hits, B-sides and unreleased songs. Included in the collection's 86 tracks are an extended version of Amos' 1992 debut, Little Earthquakes, remixes of songs from her Boys for Pele album and an entire disc of career-spanning flipsides. The set also comes with extensive liner notes penned by Amos herself. ... The Crystal Method have partnered with Nike to record music specifically for jogging. The 45-minute album, Drive: Nike + Original Run, is available through iTunes' new Sport Music section. ...

The influential and acerbic '80s trio Big Black will saddle up again for indie label Touch and Go's 25th anniversary celebration. Led by iconoclastic producer Steve Albini (Nirvana's In Utero, Pixies' Surfer Rosa), the group's "old school" lineup — also featuring guitarist Santiago Durango and bassist Jeff Pezzati — will perform together for the first time in nearly 20 years during the celebration, which will take place at the Hideout in Chicago from September 8-10. The shows will feature more than 25 other T&G bands past and present, including Albini's Shellac, Arcwelder, the Ex, Pegboy, Quasi, Seam, !!!, Calexico and the original lineups of the Didjits, Girls Against Boys, Killdozer, Scratch Acid, Man ... or Astroman? and others. ...

06.29.2006

Lindsay Lohan turns 20 on Sunday, but if you're looking to celebrate with the birthday girl, good luck tracking down her party. "I'm going to go away, out of the country," she told Harper's Bazaar in the magazine's July cover story. "Do something fun and different. They won't find me." Lohan said the Caribbean is her preferred spot to dodge photographers. "No one can get a picture of you on Turks and Caicos [Islands]. I go there with my family, and it's the perfect place to go with a guy." ...

Michael Jackson was acquitted of child-molestation charges last year, but some still believe he's guilty — including three people chosen to serve on the jury for a lawsuit filed against the singer by former business associate F. Marc Schaffel. The Associated Press reports that Jackson's molestation charges came up during Wednesday's jury-selection proceedings, at which time four potential jurors revealed that they thought he was guilty. "I have lots of opinions about this man," said one woman who was accepted on the panel. "How can you not? I read so much and I have tons of opinions." Schaffel seeks a sum of $3.8 million, claiming the singer owes him for unpaid loans, expenses, salary and proceeds from two TV programs aimed at repairing Jackson's public image. Jackson's attorney denies the allegations and maintains that Schaffel owes Jackson money. ...

Nickelback singer Chad Kroeger was arrested for drunk driving last week, Canada's national wire service, Canadian Press, confirms. The rocker was pulled over in British Columbia after police officers became suspicious of his driving. He was caught going over the speed limit as well. Charges have yet to be filed, but Canadian Press reports that authorities will be charging Kroeger with drunk driving. ... Rob Schneider wound up in a hospital this week after collapsing from exhaustion and food poisoning, AP reports. The actor was shooting the upcoming flick "Big Stan" at a women's prison in Northern California when he fell, but now he's back on the set. ...

Will Smith wants world leaders to keep the promises they made regarding international debt relief in the wake of the landmark Live 8 concerts last year, which he participated in. Speaking on behalf of the ONE Campaign, Smith is asking people to contact their leaders as July 4 approaches and reminds us that, "Every three seconds, someone dies of poverty-related disease." ... Downloading Madonna's "Hung Up" is going to cost Virgin France more than $750,000. The Paris Tribunal of Commerce ruled that the company disregarded an exclusive deal between Warner Music France, France Telecom and Orange when it downloaded the song and then sold the track on its VirginMega.fr site, BBC News reports. The song, which was supposed to be exclusively available for one week on France Telecom and Orange Web sites and mobile phones, was repackaged and posted on the VirginMega site. Virgin France argued that Warner Music's exclusive deal prohibited consumers from gaining access to the music, but the tribunal ordered damages paid to Warner Music France and the two telecom companies. ...

Incubus, Garbage's Shirley Manson, Iggy Pop and the Kings of Leon will pay tribut

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If It Weren't For Bo, Could Chris Rock Out On 'Idol'?

24 Apr 2006 06:00:00 EDT

Bice seems to have cleared the way for out-of-the-box contestants like Taylor Hicks, Bucky Covington.
By Corey Moss

Chris Daughtry and Taylor Hicks have been favorites for so long this "American Idol" season, it's easy to forget that for its first three years, the show was a pop and R&B competition.

Everything changed, of course, when a Southern rocker named Bo Bice nearly won the darned thing last season, and for that, "Idol" contestants and fans are thanking him for what is now a diverse and more exciting contest.

"I told Bo that he is the reason that I auditioned," Daughtry said. "I always thought that it was a little cheesy and it was real pop-oriented and I didn't think that I would be able to be myself, but when I saw him, he came out here and did his rock thing and everybody accepted it and he got very far. I thought, 'You know what? There is nothing stopping me from doing it.' "

"Bo opened up a lot of doors for a lot of people," added Bucky Covington, an eliminated rocker finalist. "I think he did the show a lot of good by coming on. He did a heck of a job, and so far with his career he's doing a fine job ... and I thank him very much for it."

Talent certainly carried Bice through the semifinals and finals — as it did for fellow season-four rocker Constantine Maroulis — but Jacob Clifton, who covers "Idol" for TelevisionWithoutPity.com, believes the show had an agenda with them from the start.

"Bo and Constantine were cast in season four to expand the show's appeal," Clifton theorized. "After the all-female revue that was season three, the show needed to do something to prove its performers didn't need to be lightweights, soul singers or cute young ladies to succeed."

Season three wasn't all ladies, though. There was Jon Peter Lewis, who was never deemed a rocker, but his song choices were almost all rock, including "A Little Less Conversation" and "Rocket Man."






	'Idol' Season Five Performances
	Photos Of The 12 Finalists

"I was doing what Taylor is doing before Bo and Constantine," Lewis said. "I'm not so sure that Bo or Constantine would have been given a chance in auditions if I hadn't been successful with more rockin' tunes."

What Bo and Constantine did, according to Shirley Halperin, who covers "Idol" for Teen People, was "make it OK for rockers who deem themselves to be 'credible' musicians to appear on 'American Idol,' " she said. "Like it wasn't so uncool that you'd never recover. Quite the opposite, actually. It can kick-start a totally legitimate career that could end with a Grammy in your hand, à la Kelly Clarkson.

"Were it not for Bo and Constantine, we could be looking at an endless line of Justin Guarinis," she added.

Whatever the case, both Bo and Constantine are happy to have blazed the trail for future rockers.

"Can we take a little credit for that? Is that OK?" Maroulis asked. "Just getting in there and doing our thing, no rules, no holds barred. I mean, neither Bo nor I had ever even seen the show."

"I never really thought of it in that light ... but that makes me feel great," Bice added. "If it wasn't for my mom convincing me to come and do this I probably wouldn't have, because I was too rock and roll and whatever else. So that makes me feel good to know that maybe just by taking a chance that I inspired someone else to take a chance."

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Bo Knows Bar Fights: Bice Allegedly Scuffles With Ex-NFL Player

20 Apr 2006 14:46:00 EDT

Former 'Idol' finalist punched ex-New York Giant star Glenn Parker, according to bar manager.
By Gil Kaufman

We could make a joke about picking on someone your own size. Or even crack wise about how in New York recently, Bo Bice almost punched a one-way ticket to the "Valley of Angels" he sings about on his debut album.

Hell, we could even come up with some clever play on words, like Bo Versus the Volcano. But here's the thing: Even we don't think it's that funny that the former "American Idol" runner-up allegedly picked a fight with a 6-foot-5-inch, 300-pound former NFL lineman at O'Brien's Bar & Grill.

According to bar manager Cormack, a tipsy Bice was sitting at the bar Sunday night a few stools down from ex-New York Giants player and 12-year NFL veteran Glenn Parker, 39, who at some point leaned over and asked the singer if he was the Bo Bice from "Idol."

Cormack said Bice denied his identity and said his name was Kevin. A short time later, "Glenn came over to apologize to him and [Bice] had a go at 'im," Cormack said. "Glenn caught him and didn't swing back and I tried to separate them and as I was getting him off Glenn, he caught Glenn on the chin.

"Glenn's a big man and he never laid a hand on him. I have no idea why [Bice] acted that way, but Glenn could have really hurt him."

A spokesperson for Bice had no comment on the incident at press time.

Get "Idol"-ized on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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'Idol' Finalists Spill Song-Selection Secrets; Bo Bice Offers Advice

29 Mar 2006 06:00:00 EST

Choosing the wrong song to perform can sink a contestant's chances.
By Corey Moss, with additional reporting by Chris Murphey and Jeff Cornell

"American Idol" has never been just a singing competition, with personality and performance style carrying just as much weight since Kelly Clarkson took the first title in 2002. But as the contestants have gotten better and the competition stiffer, the number of vital factors has grown.

There's style and song arrangement, both overseen by professionals hired by the show. Some have argued the importance of camera time, which is, of course, out of a contestant's control. And there's song selection, the one true strategic element in the "Idol" race.

All you have to do is watch an episode and count how many times you hear the words "I didn't like that song for you," or "Perfect song" or "That was a big risk with your song choice" to see how much it has played a part in the fifth season.

Or just ask last season's runner-up, Bo Bice. "That's the most important part of 'Idol,' " he said.

Contestants have lived or died by their song picks since the semifinals this season, and what should make things interesting is that many of the finalists have different approaches to choosing songs.

"I try to pick songs that are my favorite songs that I listen to, like that Fuel song has been one of my favorite songs ever since it came out," said Chris Daughtry, referencing his rendition of "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" in the second week of semifinals.






	'Idol' Season Five Performances
	Top 12 Finalists

"I try to go with songs that I already know, even though they could be cliché to sing on the show," Katharine McPhee added. "I wanted to sing this other song a couple of weeks ago, and I chose to do [something new instead] and it didn't come out as well. You just have to go with what you know that you can do the best, what you love, what feels good and what represents you."

Familiarity may be key to some, but others are more about finding lyrics they can relate to at the moment, which could be part of a song that's entirely new to the performer.

"If I can't tie to it emotionally, I'm not going to do it," Ace Young said. "That is my key. If I can feel it and I can portray it, than you can feel it with me. Entertainment is my stress relief, so it should be your release watching."

It's also not always an option to go with something familiar when contestants get into the theme weeks.

"When that happens I say just pick one that speaks to you," Bucky Covington said. "Pick one that runs through your bones, one that makes you move. That's how I try to pick them."

In the finals, once the contestants learn the genre for the coming week, the show's producers actually do get them started by sharing several possibilities.

"For instance, when we did the '50s, we gave them a CD of '50s songs. We actually gave them Barry Manilow's '50s album and then a whole pile of other songs that we could clear, 'cause obviously we have to get music licenses," co-executive producer Nigel Lythgoe said. "And then they choose their own song. And they'll sing it a couple of times and go, 'I don't know if this is right,' or 'Yeah, I love it.' "

Contestants also have the option of choosing a different song within the theme, which is what helped Bo through last year's competition.

"Don't just take a list of songs you're given," he advised. "Do your research. Find things that move you, find things that really speak from your heart, things that don't just encompass your voice, but they encompass your spirit and your soul and what you stand for and are about."

The risk in finding something else is that producers still have to clear it — and if they can't, the contestant better have a backup prepared.

"American Idol" has deals with the two major publishing companies, ASCAP and BMI, but that's only part of clearing a song to be performed on the show.

"If we wanted to, say, clear a song by the Eagles, we would have to ask the publisher, the person who holds the rights, the songwriter and each one of the Eagles," Lythgoe said. "And if one of them says no, we can't sing the song."

According to Vincent Candilora, senior vice president of licensing at ASCAP, there are five different rights in the copyright of a song and "Idol" needs two of them to use it on the show: the performance right, which ASCAP and BMI handle, and the synchronization right, which "you need to get when you sync a musical composition with any type of visual: motion picture, video, etc.," he said. "That's handled directly by the musical publishers."

"The publishers are pretty up for this because it's good exposure for their song," added Phillip R. Graham, senior vice president of writer/publisher relations at BMI. "If it becomes the winner's song, they get a lot of performances out of it, and it's good for them."

Still, several artists have never cleared their songs for "Idol," both legends (the Beatles, for one) and newcomers.

"A lot of people that have written the songs just say, 'No, I don't want you to sing my song, ' " Lythgoe said. "People just don't want their songs sung by good singers."

But current songs aren't that popular among the contestants anyway. The judges might suggest them, especially for younger singers like Paris Bennett, but semifinalists Ayla Brown, Kinnik Sky and Heather Cox are proof that it's not always the best idea. They were voted out after singing Natasha Bedingfield, Alicia Keys and Mariah Carey songs, respectively.

"You've got the propensity to be compared to the current artist, so you have to be careful with that," explained Mandisa, who has stuck with the classics.

"I'm young, but the songs that I grew up to aren't the songs that are out now," Bennett said in her defense. "I am a big Gladys Knight fan and a big Tina Turner, Roberta Flack fan. I'm an old spirit."

Kellie Pickler, who has been praised for her song choices in recent weeks, has a simple strategy — and one that seems to be working.

"You just have to pick a song that showcases your vocal range and your talent and just hope that America likes it," she said.

Get "Idol"-ized on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Behind The Scenes, 'Idol' Is A Singing, Dancing Boot Camp

21 Mar 2006 06:00:00 EST

While the Brittenum twins are running their mouths, others are learning the ins and outs of theirs.
By Corey Moss

Becky O'Donohue knew making the "American Idol" semifinals would make her a celebrity. It was what happened to her as a singer that came as a surprise.

"You just never actually think that you're going to become a better performer and artist for it," O'Donohue said. "I was pleasantly surprised with just how far I've come."

With its glitzy stage, well-dressed host and spectacular ratings, it's hard to think of "American Idol" as more than a TV show (or TV phenomenon), but for those who have experienced it, it's just as much a learning lab as it is Simon Cowell's soapbox.

"Behind the scenes they call it star boot camp," explained fourth season runner-up Bo Bice. "That's what they do, and you can see the refinement."

In fact, once "Idol" wanna-bes make it to Hollywood, one of the first things they do is meet the vocal coaches who will be working with them through the finale. Viewers only see the drama, but while the Brittenum twins are running their mouths, others are learning the ins and outs of theirs from experts like Debra Byrd.

"I tell them, 'Welcome to star school,' " Byrd said. "Carrie Underwood just wrote me a note and said something like 'I hope these new contestants appreciate what you give them. I try to remember everything you've taught me and I hope they appreciate being in star school.' "

Subjects in star school (or boot camp, depending on who you ask) range from singing techniques to industry tips to everything in between. And it's all through firsthand experience.

"I have learned things here that you can't learn anywhere else," said semifinalist David Radford, who was formally trained when he came in as season five's token crooner. "It's like Show Business 101 ... and you learn how the business really works and what to do and what not to do. I think that's very important and I'm one step ahead of other prospective musicians."

Business education is part of it, but it all starts with the voice for Byrd, a former Barry Manilow backup singer who has coached everyone from Bob Dylan to Anita Baker.






	'Idol' Finalists Hit The Red Carpet
	Top 12 Finalists

"I teach the things that should help you from now until you're in the nursing home," she said. "Things that should really help you vocally no matter what the gig is."

Semifinalist Kinnik Sky, for instance, learned that smiling while you sing helps keep you on pitch. "Just a lot of little things, that if you can be conscious of while you're performing, really help," she said.

Of course, Byrd and her team also work with the singer on the oh-so-common mistake of oversinging (see "The Scourge Of 'American Idol': Oversingers").

"I always tell the kids: In competition if you run faster, if you jump higher, you win, but with singing it's not like that," music director Michael Orland said. "The harder you shout, the worse you sing. You go out of tune, you go way sharp. So the thing is to keep your poise and sing with passion and sing like you mean it without screaming."

"Idol" also teaches contestants how to maintain their voices. "Breathing properly, basic vocal coaching," Byrd said. "Kelly Clarkson got it from her high school choir teacher, who was so fabulous, so they get little bits along the way and I just embellish on it."

And then as the season goes on, star school starts to become more about performing — blocking, using your body, singing while dancing, those sorts of things.

"I have people who'll stare at the ceiling or they'll stare at the floor and I always teach them: know where you are, sing into that little box right there [the camera] and sing to someone and connect and get the votes," Byrd said. "That's the most daunting thing, because most of them have never done that. Justin Guarini was a master at it. EJay Day was a master at it. Constantine was Constantine. So now they get it."

Even the seasoned Constantine Maroulis admits he learned a whole lot while on "Idol."

"Absolutely," he said. "There is a reason why they are the number one show — they have the best people working there."

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Why Does 'Idol' Have Genre Weeks, Anyway?

15 Mar 2006 06:00:00 EST

The objective is to challenge the singers — and, of course, to please the audience.
By Corey Moss

If you were to look for an album from a former "American Idol" or runner-up, you would find Kelly Clarkson in the pop section, Ruben Studdard in gospel, Clay Aiken in adult contemporary, Fantasia in R&B, Carrie Underwood in country and Bo Bice in rock.

Clearly, in the real world, being a one-genre singer is not a problem; it's basically encouraged.

So why then have different genre weeks during the finals of "Idol"? Why make a country girl sing Stevie Wonder this week, knowing damn well she will never cover him on record?

Well, according to those behind the show, there are a number of reasons, beginning, of course, with the often-debated definition of "American Idol."

"The winner has to appeal to all of America, not just country fans or rock fans or whatever," co-executive producer Nigel Lythgoe said. "The sad thing for me is somebody like Ruben who didn't pigeonhole himself on 'Idol' — he did sing 'Imagine' and a Bee Gees [song] — and then the record label pigeonholed him."

Versatility is the key to longevity, the producers believe, and an artist who has a career is a true "Idol."

"We want a singer who's going to be around in 10 years' time, and the only way that you can guarantee that is to throw everything at them," co-executive producer Ken Warwick added. "We don't want a one-trick pony."

Forcing contestants to sing a variety of songs is also one of the ways the judges determine the best singers.






	'Idol' Finalists Hit The Red Carpet
	Top 12 Finalists

"The theory is that Mariah Carey can sing anything," judge Randy Jackson said. "You hear that expression, 'She can sing the phone book.' So if you can really sing, you should be able to sing anything, so we're testing them. That's the whole competition."

It's also a way to judge a singer's ability to make something their own, as well as see how they perform under added pressure. "It allows everyone to see how you land on your feet," said Debra Byrd, one of the show's vocal coaches.

And then there's that other little advantage: ratings.

"I don't make any excuses for that, either," Warwick said. "The reason why we have such a wide demographic is the mums and dads go, 'I remember that song from back in the '70s. That was a great song.' A lot of great music was around in those times and we want to appeal to everybody."

The theme weeks also add a train-wreck factor that one could argue is the reason many start watching "Idol" at the beginning of each season anyway.

"Frankly, I think the reason they do the genre nights is they want to see people fail," theorized Andrew Wallenstein, who covers "Idol" for The Hollywood Reporter. "Someone who is great singing gospel obviously probably isn't that good at punk, and we'll have fun watching them fail."

Byrd thinks of theme weeks more as balancing out the competition.

"The thing about the themes that I love is, 'This week may not be challenging for me but it is for you,' " she said. "Next week, 'I'm busting my butt and you're sailing.' "

For Byrd and her fellow coaches, the theme weeks also provide an opportunity to educate the contestants on musical styles.

"I think the genre weeks are really hard because this generation of singers is maybe not as versed in music as maybe we were," coach Dorian Holly said. "These kids' knowledge of music is very narrow."

"Pop music was invented in America, but the way the radio stations have gone for one type of music these days, it's so disparate now, it's very difficult for kids to get an overall feel of American music," added Lythgoe.

"Case in point, Fantasia Barrino came in one day and said, 'I don't know what to sing this week,' I think it was songs from the movies. And I said, 'You should sing "Summertime," George Gershwin.' She had never heard of it, and that's a crime. It's a crime that you have kids at school who have never even heard of George Gershwin, let alone be able to appreciate his music."

Fantasia went on to sing "Summertime." Not only did she give one of the most memorable performances on "Idol" — she later took the song to the top of the singles chart.

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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