Adam Lambert at the premiere of "Michael Jackson's This Is It" on Tuesday
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

Adam Lambert paid homage to Michael Jackson during his stint on "American Idol." The glam singer put his own stamp on Jackson's classic tune "Black or White" while competing on the show. And at the red-carpet premiere of "Michael Jackson's This Is It," Lambert shared with us just how the King of Pop inspired him.

"Michael wasn't afraid of just being himself," he said. "Michael didn't conform to one style of music. He did his own thing. That's the thing that makes me tick."

Another "Idol" alum, David Cook, also shared his experience with covering one of the King of Pop's tunes. "I actually borrowed it from Chris Cornell and, being on the show, you want to do songs people know — and who doesn't know Michael Jackson?" David Cook said about his take on "Billie Jean." "It's incredible to be here to honor Michael Jackson."

Lambert, who definitely isn't afraid to do his own thing when it comes to his music or his style, also recalled hearing the shocking news of Jackson's untimely passing in June. He was deep in the "Idol" tour, and the news stunned everyone.

"We were in rehearsals, actually," he explained, revealing that fellow contestant Lil Rounds was the first from "Idol" to hear the news and share it with the producers on the show. Lambert was busy singing when he noticed that something distressing was moving through the tour camp. "I kept singing and I pulled away from the mic and I said, 'What's going on?' We all just stopped."

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Adam Lambert
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Kevin Griffin made a name for himself in the '90s with Better Than Ezra, but these days, when he's not busy working with the band and releasing new music, he's writing with some of the biggest names from "American Idol."

He's worked with everyone from Jason Castro to David Cook and David Archuleta, and this time around, he's written some songs for Kris Allen and Adam Lambert for their top-secret, highly anticipated debuts, both out this fall. He's hoping the songs he submitted for Lambert make the final cut.

"As a songwriter, you want to get on the projects that are high-profile but you hope are going to be successful," he said about collaborating with "Idol" alumni. "And certainly, the 'Idol' things are successful."

So what should fans expect from Lambert's upcoming debut? "Adam has that potential for that worldwide, crazy success, 'cause his taste is kind of an international kind of thing," Griffin said.

As fans of the show know already, Lambert has a flair for the theatrical and a penchant for glittery rock. Griffin said that there will probably also be some disco thrown in.

"I know that they're going for more of an international, pop-rock, goth sound," he said. "I know what they're wanting, and I think it's going to be something that you could hear in between a Fall Out Boy song and a Kylie Minogue song. You'd mash that together and put some mascara on it."

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Adam Lambert, Kris Allen and David Cook perform on "Good Morning America" on Friday
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During his Friday (August 7) morning performance on "Good Morning America," last year's "American Idol" champ David Cook got a little help from a couple of his closest pals.

Cook was joined on stage by current "Idol" crown-wearer Kris Allen and runner-up Adam Lambert for a rocking take on Fleetwood Mac's 1987 song "Little Lies," briefly turning the Central Park stage into the epicenter of the "Idol" universe.

Cook, Allen and Lambert traded verses on the tune while the audience screamed wildly. The surprise collaboration was part of GMA's "Summer Concert Series," live from New York City. Their version of "Lies" wasn't televised, however — rather, it was saved for a Web exclusive, which you can watch here.

Cook — backed by his four-piece band — handled the opening verse of the tune himself, but then, unexpectedly, announced "Ladies and gentlemen, I need you to make a ton of noise for Adam Lambert and Kris Allen!" The two emerged from backstage, mics in hand (much to the delight of the crowd), and took turns tackling the next verse. All three then joined together on the chorus.

At song's end, under a wave of guitar feedback, all three smiled and bowed, as the Central Park crowd cheered wildly.

All three men also performed separately as part of "GMA's" "Summer Concert Series" live from New York City. Cook did his hit "Come Back To Me," Lambert performed his cover of Muse's "Starlight," and Allen did his cover of Kanye West's "Heartless."

Cook had previously performed a solo version of "Little Lies" earlier this year on "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

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David Cooke
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In some roundabout way, it's entirely possible that David Cook might not have won the seventh season of "American Idol" if it weren't for Michael Jackson.

See, it was his edgy take on "Billie Jean" — which was, for accuracy's sake, actually a take on Chris Cornell's version on the song — during the sixth week of the competition that took Cook from underdog to frontrunner, eventually carrying him to the "Idol" crown, a platinum-plus debut album and millions of fans around the world.

So, naturally, when he learned of the death of Jackson, he felt the need to pay respects to the man — and not just for his excellent songbook, either.

"The impact Michael Jackson has had on me as an artist is the same impact he's had on everyone ... he blew pop music wide open, and made it bigger than just music, you know?" Cook told MTV News. "That's viewed [in terms of] the short films he made for music videos, plus look at the cultural gaps: There's people that know no English except for the two words 'Michael' and 'Jackson.' And that's pretty incredible."

And that global reach is what astonishes Cook the most about Jackson. He credits the King of Pop for taking mainstream music to the mega masses ... and paving the way for all pop stars who have followed since. Without Jackson, there would be no Britney, no Beyoncé — no David Cook.

"To think that Michael Jackson as more influence on the world than presidents and world leaders, that's huge," he said. "And the fact that he was able to do that, I think, is what allows people like me to go out and perform music and have it matter in some small sense, I guess."

For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered."

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David Cook
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Since winning "American Idol" last season, David Cook has been finding his own way in the music world. But in the midst of his current Declaration Tour, Cook returned to the "Idol" stage for the season-eight finale last Wednesday.

"I love being there," he said. "It's such a family atmosphere. ... With everything going on and everything being so crazy with the tour, it was nice to just feel like I came home for a second."

Cook continues to work closely with the charity Accelerate Brain Trust Cure on behalf of his late brother Adam, to whom he dedicated his finale performance of "Permanent." All of the proceeds from the iTunes download of "Permanent" will go to the charity.

Reliving his own "Idol" finale experience in a way, Cook credited Adam Lambert and Kris Allen for being phenomenal performers and stand-up guys. "America couldn't get it wrong," he said. Cook recalled how his own finale had been built up as an epic rivalry, despite the camaraderie he developed with runner-up David Archuleta.

He also focused on one really important aspect of the competition: "Lambert and I both have that side-swoop-bang thing going on, so there's that. I guess Kris and Archie have similar haircuts too. It's all about the hair, guys."

As far as his career is concerned, Cook wants to continue to tour and record as much as possible and perhaps delve into writing songs for other artists. Winning "Idol" was an epic moment in his musical journey, but it didn't change his aspirations.

"The goals that I have for myself now, musically, are the same goals I had for myself 10 years ago," he said. "I just want to write music that is therapeutic for me, because that's why I started writing music. And also, I want to write music that people can pull what they need to from it."

As far as his dream songwriting collaborators are concerned, one person is at the top of his list: "I have a dream person I'd like to write with, and that's Paul McCartney. Sir Paul McCartney, I should say. ... Paul, if you're ever looking for an intern, I'm available."

Cook will be making stops across the country through mid-October.

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• David Cook's Return To 'American Idol'

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David Cook
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On Wednesday night, a year after he was crowned the American Idol, David Cook performed on the season-eight finale, when Kris Allen was named this year's champion. During his performance, Cook paid tribute to his late brother Adam with the song "Permanent."

"For the finale this year, I was floored that they would allow me to have that platform," he told MTV News. "There's so many great artists out there that could have had that moment. The fact that they had me come back and perform 'Permanent,' something that was important to me, the charity and everything, to continue to give me that platform [was great]."

He does admit that although he was grateful for the chance to sing the song and bring attention to his charity, Accelerate Brain Trust Cure, he did hope that when he went out there, he wouldn't get too emotional and cry in front of everyone. "I was kind of half-joking with everyone beforehand that I always seem to cry at 'Idol,' " he said. "I really didn't want to with this last performance."

Luckily, the show offered him some eye candy (and some old friends) to keep him from tearing up. "It was difficult, but I just remember looking around the room and seeing, like, Cameron Diaz over here and Heather Locklear over here and the four judges in the front and just thinking it's such an oddly absurd moment, and I was here a year ago," he said. "To have those, for lack of a better way to phrase it, distractions, it was just like, 'Where in the world am I at right now?' It kind of helped me get through it."

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David Cook
Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images

Kris Allen and Adam Lambert will have plenty of company on the "American Idol" stage this week when they face off to determine who will emerge victorious in this season's competition.

According to an "Idol" spokesperson, Tuesday night's show will find former "Idol" champ and country superstar Carrie Underwood paying her second visit this year to the big stage, this time to perform the season's farewell song, her cover of Mötley Crüe's "Home Sweet Home."

Tuesday night will otherwise be devoted to Allen and Lambert singing for the crown, though the spokesperson said it has not yet been announced what the theme of the night is or who will be choosing the songs the two contestants perform.

	'Idol' Season 8 Live Performances

Wednesday night's two-hour finale will, as usual, feature a cavalcade of stars filling out the drama of the crowning of the season-eight winner. In addition to the traditional top 10 group numbers, among the performers confirmed for the results show are season-seven winner David Cook, the Black Eyed Peas, Queen Latifah, Keith Urban, Lionel Richie, Carlos Santana and Cyndi Lauper.

A spokesperson said there will be additional performances on the Wednesday night show, but the full lineup has not yet been announced. When asked, the spokesperson added that rumors speculating that Michael Jackson will appear on the finale — fueled by a Tweet from "Idol" castoff Scott MacIntyre last week — are "just rumors."

Last year's "Idol" finale featured top two finishers Cook and David Archuleta dueting on the "Spider-Man" tune "Hero," the top six women singing "She Works Hard for the Money" and "Hot Stuff," followed by Donna Summer singing a new single. Texas rockers ZZ Top joined Cook for "Sharp Dressed Man," folk icon Graham Nash sang "Teach Your Children" with Brooke White, Seal sang "Waiting for You" with Syesha Mercado, the Jonas Brothers performed "S.O.S." and Archuleta joined OneRepublic for "Apologize."

In addition to a number of other top 10 finishers dueting and performing, the show featured a surprise appearance by George Michael and was capped by Cook singing the winner's single, "The Time of My Life."

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David Archuleta
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David Archuleta is sending his love and sympathies to David Cook after news broke that the 2008 "American Idol" winner's older brother, Adam, died of cancer over the weekend.

"It really struck me when I heard about the news of Cook's brother," Archuleta said in a statement. "I know they had been struggling with it for a while, so my heart really goes out to them."

Adam, 37, had been battling brain cancer for over a decade, and Cook often paid tribute to his brother on the show. In his statement, Archuleta continued, "It's so admirable the way he's handling it, though, and it's amazing to see him there as an example for millions of other people who have also been affected the same way he and his family have. I'll be keeping him in my thoughts and prayers, and hope the Cook family stays strong."

On Sunday at the 12th annual Race for Hope 5K run in Washington, D.C., where Cook served as grand marshal just a day after his brother died, Cook told the crowd, "I actually lost my brother yesterday to a brain tumor, and I couldn't imagine being anywhere else right now. I lost one today, but I gained 9,000, and I will be here every year that they will have me."

"Idol" judge Paula Abdul told People that Adam Cook was part of the show's "extended family," saying he "supported his brother wholeheartedly, even through his own fight. My heart goes out not only to David, but his family as well."

Fellow judge Simon Cowell also had kind words for the family, telling the magazine, "I was incredibly saddened to hear the news. I met Adam Cook a few times at 'American Idol.' He was an incredible guy, and right now my thoughts are with David and his family."

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Adam Lambert
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Adam Lambert has been heralded as one of the most original contestants "American Idol" has ever seen. The 27-year-old Los Angeles-bred stage actor's compositions have been praised as unique and provocative, and his unorthodox vocal interpretations of some rather beloved tunes have had the judges cooing gleefully, labeling him as the one to beat this season.

Remind you of anyone from last season's "Idol"? Perhaps the guy who ended up taking home the whole kit and caboodle, David Cook?

Whether he is or isn't, it certainly seems as though Lambert is taking a few cues from last year's victor. Much like Cook, Lambert has done little if anything wrong in the eyes of the judges, and he's established himself early on as the guy viewers tune in for each week, "because they want to see what he's going to do next," said MJ Santilli, founder of the popular "Idol" blog MJsBigBlog.com.

Santilli, too, has noticed a number of similarities between last year's winner and this year's projected winner, and she thinks it's very possible Lambert is modeling his run for the crown after Cook's. Santilli agreed that if Lambert is, in fact, using Cook's recipe, he's at least adding some of his own ingredients to the mix. He's a more dramatic performer than Cook ever was, she said, which perhaps ties into Lambert's thespian days.

"They both change things up from week to week, and do interesting takes on these songs, whether it's borrowed or it's original," Santilli explained. "They are taking songs people are used to hearing one way and doing them another way, and it makes it really exciting for viewers. Adam is a showman, and so was Cook."

On the current season of "Idol," the judges have emphasized the importance of finding the right song and then putting one's own original stamp on it. While Lambert has garnered much praise for customizing other people's material, a closer inspection reveals that his interpretations are perhaps not as original as many people say.

While his rendition of Tears for Fears' "Mad World" on Tuesday drew a standing ovation from the panel's true critic, Simon Cowell, it was very similar to a cover recorded back in 2001 by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules for inclusion on the "Donnie Darko" soundtrack. Last season, Cook received similar accolades for his acoustic rendition of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean," which was very similar to ex-Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell's version; Cook didn't mention Cornell until he was called on it publicly.

Santilli also pointed out that Lambert's cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" sounds similar to a version performed by Dilana Robichaux in 2006 on the reality series "Rock Star: Supernova." Likewise, his take on the Miracles' "Tracks of My Tears" is reminiscent of the one performed by Gavin DeGraw, and, to a lesser extent, Lambert's cover of 'Play That Funky Music' sounds a touch like Extreme's cover of the Wild Cherry track.

"David Cook got into a lot of trouble for doing that, and at one point early on, he had to start rearranging his own stuff and not so much going to YouTube and finding already-existing arrangements," Santilli said. "After he did his cover of [the Beatles'] 'Eleanor Rigby,' which was a version that had been done by the band Doxology, and they got really mad and there was this big brouhaha that he took this arrangement and didn't credit anyone. He had to sit down with Ryan Seacrest on his radio show and say where the arrangements had come from. Then, Cook started doing his own arrangements."

Santilli said she expects a similar fate for Lambert. "He is a front-runner right now, and there's still a ways to go, but there's always a backlash against — and more scrutiny facing — the front-runner," she said. "I would be interested to see what happens in the next few weeks. If he is discovered, I don't think it's going to take him down, frankly."

Indeed, Santilli predicts Lambert will be the last man standing amid all the confetti when this season's winner is announced in late May, despite the threat posed by Danny Gokey — who, according to her, is this season's David Archuleta.

"Danny Gokey was the initial front-runner, but he has fallen away, like Archuleta had," she said. "I don't think Danny and Archy are similar artistically, but Archuleta came on strong that first week, and all his performances were strong ... they were just all the same. He lacked that thrill factor that Adam has, that Cook had."

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Megan Joy and Ryan Seacrest on "American Idol" on Wednesday
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Some singers fight to the last to stay on "American Idol." But sometimes, you can just tell they're ready to go home. Like last year's dreadlocked strummer Jason Castro — the winner of our recent poll about whom you'd like to see return to the show — it was pretty clear during the elimination show on Wednesday night that Megan Joy (drop the Corkrey) was eager to exit the stage.

With her strangely giddy laughter, bizarre, birdlike flapping gestures and a snap at judge Simon Cowell that she didn't care about his criticism, Joy's uneven performance of Bob Marley's "Turn Your Lights Down" on Tuesday was almost beside the point. Given her bordering-on-passive-aggressive behavior, Joy, who had been a judges' favorite for her quirky, Adele-like, quavering vocals early on, didn't leave quietly. And Cowell returned the favor, telling the bubbly 22-year-old that there was no way the judges were going to save her and they didn't care about her either. Ouch!

Before we could get to the good stuff, this week's Ford music video cranked up the creepy factor, playing mix-and-match with the contestants' faces and bodies, for a couple of gender-bending looks the audience won't soon forget. But the group lip-synch-along did prove one thing: If Journey ever want to get rid of their new lead singer, Allison Iraheta and Danny Gokey would both be great replacements.

On to the important stuff. Looking for novel ways to torture the contestants, instead of having them stand up individually, host Ryan Seacrest asked Megan Joy, Kris Allen and Matt Giraud to walk across the stage and stand in a group of three. He then had Lil Rounds, Allison Iraheta and Adam Lambert do the same at center stage. Scott MacIntrye, Danny Gokey and Anoop Desai followed suit, with a tease from Ryan that one group represented the bottom three.

They stayed there while last year's "Idol," David Cook, performed his new single, the slow-burn rocker "Come Back to Me." Cook had his signature AC emblazoned on his electric guitar, an homage to older brother Adam Cook, who has been suffering from brain cancer. The performance was pretaped before Cook was forced to cancel shows on Monday and Tuesday to go home to deal with an unspecified family emergency.

The show also featured a wonderfully WTF performance from the always unpredictable Lady Gaga, which found her starting "Poker Face" at a Plexiglas piano filled with bubbles while wearing a silver suit of shiny disco armor. She crooned at the keys, accompanied by a dreadlocked violin player, then bounced up, exploding into the familiar club beat. She worked the stage amid a throng of male dancers. Near the end of the song, Gaga broke out into a bizarre techno hoedown during a violin solo as the camera zoomed in on her face to reveal that her left eye was covered by a zipper.

And finally, on to the eliminations. First swept into safety was Kris Allen, who got high marks for his touching rendition of Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine," followed by Matt Giraud, who was sent to safety after mistakenly thinking he was in the bottom three again following his judge-dissed too-close cover of the Fray. The news wasn't so good for Joy, who got lambasted for her Marley cover, and who responded to her second trip to the bottom by letting out a bird sound and flapping her wings in a strange pteranodon dance.

Lil Rounds made it through again, despite drawing yawns from Simon for her Celine Dion cover. Iraheta was not so lucky, though, done in either by her controversial Valley Girl outfit, or a not-great take on No Doubt's "Don't Speak." Not surprisingly, Adam Lambert made it through again, thanks to his rockin' version of Wild Cherry's "Play That Funky Music."

Gokey also made it to safety again. As did MacIntyre, whose "Just the Way You Are" by Billy Joel saved him. But Desai was back at the bottom, after a tepid take on Usher's "Caught Up."

Before the results were read, Ryan asked which of the bottom three was worth saving/ "One," Simon said, and moments later, Iraheta was sent to safety. Judging by her goofy faces and manic behavior, it was clear Joy was ready to go home. Asked if the judges might use their save on the tattooed single mom, Simon said dryly, "Megan, with the greatest respect, when you said that you don't care, nor do we, so I'm not going to pretend that we're even going to contemplate saving you. ... That's it."

Showing more pizzazz than she had in weeks, Joy bounced across the stage and sang directly to the judges' table during her farewell, pumping her hips and smiling as she shouted, "Yeah!" at the end.

"Thank you, everybody that works on 'Idol'! The contestants, you guys are the best! Judges, I love you. America, I love you, and baby, I'm coming home!" she said to her 2-year-old son, Ryder. Though she seemed like she was over it, Joy still broke into tears as she watched her montage and buried her head as she got a long group hug from her fellow contestants, as well as Paula and Kara DioGuardi.

Next week, the remaining eight contestants will sing songs from the year they were born.

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