Sanjaya Malakar
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images

Over the course of eight stupendous seasons, "American Idol" has showcased some of the best undiscovered singers in the country and a few who, well, were probably better left that way.

There have been plenty of highs and just as many lows. So, in celebration of Wednesday night's (May 20) Lambert vs. Allen finale, we're taking a look back at some of those who came before them — and were quickly forgotten. Because while there have been plenty of "Idol" also-rans who were really good, there are just as many who weren't. And really, we'll remember them a lot longer than the talented ones.

So here's a look back at some folks who reached for the stars (even though they probably shouldn't have) and didn't let a little thing like "skill" stand in the way of their dreams. Here's our list of the most puzzling, unsettling and downright "WTF?" contestants in "American Idol" history.

	Biggest "WTF?" Contestants On "Idol"

Ace Young, season five
The robotic stare. The preternaturally rosy cheeks. The hypnotically perfect teeth and flowing locks. It is entirely possible Young — who finished seventh during the fifth season of "Idol" (a.k.a. "The Lost Year") — is a cyborg. A really bland one. From Colorado.

Amanda Overmyer, season seven
She was the rockin' nurse who never really found her way in the competition (she finished 11th). Her two-toned hair, gruff mannerisms and epically festooned jeans landed her on our list. Her gravelly takes on Janis Joplin, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Joan Jett tunes landed her a lifetime of gigs at biker rallies and chili cook-offs all across this great land.

Blake Lewis, season seven
The beatboxing man-child who inexplicably finished second on season seven (a.k.a. "The Other Lost Year"), Lewis scatted his way through Jamiroquai, 311 and, uh, Bon Jovi; landed a record deal with Arista; released an "electro-funk-soul-pop" album called Audio Daydream; then summarily got dumped by his label. Wicky-wicky-WTF, indeed.

Bucky Covington, season five
The Buckster rode his down-home charm, amazing hair and truly mystifying teeth to a fifth-place finish in season five. Post-"Idol," he's become a successful country artist, but during his time on the show, he could most adequately have been described as "a more Southern Bo Bice." And that's not particularly great.

Haley Scarnato, season six
The singer for whom Simon's "cabaret" criticism was seemingly created, Scarnato sang — and behaved — much like a Disney character brought to life. In a bid to make up for a lack of talent, she began shedding her good-girl image, showcasing her legs instead of her voice, and it worked. Scarnato kept surviving (she ended up finishing eighth), and we all lost a little bit of faith in humanity. WTF?!?

Jasmine Trias, season three
She was from Hawaii! She always wore flowers in her hair! She somehow finished third! WTF, people?

Jason Castro, season seven
The goofy dreads, the ukelele, the stony giggle ... we love Jason Castro. But there's no denying the fact that he pretty much lost interest in "Idol" toward the very end (he probably had Xbox to play or something), seemingly butchering versions of "I Shot the Sheriff" and "Mr. Tambourine Man" on purpose. It was hilarious, for sure. But it was also really "WTF?"

John Stevens, season three
The so-called "Teen Martin" sorta-crooned his way through a series of Rat Pack standards during the early days of "Idol," earning a special place in the hearts of grandmas everywhere. He finished sixth, released an album and now apparently attends the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Kevin Covais, season five
Another grandma-approved, gawky crooner, Covais — nicknamed "Chicken Little," due to his similarity to a CGI-animated chicken — stuck around way longer than he probably should have, eventually finishing 11th.

Kristy Lee Cook, season seven
The Wal-Mart of "American Idol" contestants: flag-waving, deceptively down-home, but really pretty terrible when you get right down to it. She belted out patriotic standards like "God Bless the USA" and faith-based classics like "Amazing Grace," then was thankfully sent packing.

Ryan Starr, season one
A singer/actress more famous for her midriff than anything else, Starr (or Tiffany Ryan Montgomery, if you live in the real world) dressed like a thrift-store Wonder Woman, got the boot, appeared in Stuff magazine, starred in some reality-TV shows (and a straight-to-DVD movie!) and is now presumably up to something, somewhere.

Sanjaya Malakar, season six
Perhaps the most "WTF?" contestant in "Idol" history, Malakar mystified viewers with his hairstyles, bleated his way through truly awful versions of No Doubt's "Bathwater" and "Bésame Mucho" and launched a million xenophobic call-center conspiracy theories when he continued to survive on the show. He eventually finished seventh — truly, he was impervious to the judge's critiques — and will appear on the upcoming NBC import "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!" alongside such luminaries as Spencer Pratt, Heidi Montag and Lou Diamond Phillips.

Scott Savol, season four
Bizarre, bulgy crooner from Cleveland whose continued survival on the show — he placed fifth — seems more of a testament to the power of Vote for the Worst than anything else. Oh, and Seacrest continually referred to him as "Scotty the Body." WTF, dude?

Taylor Hicks, season five
This dude actually won! Looking back now, it's pretty easy to ask, "What were we thinking?" But at the time, when America was gripped with Soul Patrol fever, it was — well, actually, it was pretty bad back then too. His victory (and subsequent failure to light up the charts) makes him the ultimate "WTF?" contestant in "American Idol" history.

Are you an "American Idol" expert? Take our ultimate "Idol" quiz to find out! Plus, get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

• The Biggest "WTF?" Contestants Of "American Idol"

• Taylor Hicks
• Blake Lewis

Taylor Hicks and MTV News' Jim Cantiello
Photo: MTV News

In 2006, when salt-and-pepper-pelted soul singer Taylor Hicks won the fifth season of "American Idol," he probably never imagined he'd be popping out of an ice-cream cone, singing "Beauty School Dropout."

Now Hicks is doing just that, playing the Teen Angel — a role made famous by Frankie Avalon in the 1978 film version of "Grease" — in the musical's latest Broadway revival. For his first foray into acting, it's not a bad gig, and Hicks is hoping it will open more doors for him down the line.

"It's a really cool part," he said. "The Teen Angel comes down and tells Frenchy she should put down her teasing comb and go back to high school. I've kind of channeled Elvis, a little Graham Parsons and Liberace, all at the same time, for this role. It was just a perfect fit and a way for me to experience the Broadway stage in a small dose, instead of a full role. I come out in the second act. I pop in from an ice-cream cone, in a blue rhinestone suit, and rock it out for a few minutes."

Hicks said his Teen Angel is like none that has graced the stage before him, because he "Taylor-ized it." To prepare for the role, he claims he "started doing séances to channel Elvis, and he told me that I needed to wear a midnight-blue, rhinestone-studded suit, and that's what happened. Now we're packing the place out. It's sold-out every night, and I get to play a little harmonica, which is cool. I couldn't do that on 'Idol.' That wasn't the year where you could play instruments."

According to Hicks, the "Grease" part wasn't his first offer. Earlier this year, he'd been asked to join the Broadway cast of "Hairspray," a gig he couldn't fit into his schedule. But being part of "Grease" has given him the itch to act again.

"Right now, I'm releasing a new record in the fall — hopefully — so [doing] this allows me to stay in the city, be in front of thousands and thousands of people for the next three months, and it allows me to reinvent myself, as a musician, an entertainer and possibly a Broadway actor," he said. "This is a nice way to get my feet wet in the acting field. Before, I was so entrenched in music — playing clubs and roadhouses when I was a kid — so Broadway was kind of an abstract thought for me. It's not now. It's real, and I enjoyed being directed from a theatrical aspect as opposed to a musical aspect. It's going to be an interesting road for me."

Hicks said that his fans, known as the "Soul Patrol," have been at each performance — so much so that during one of the shows, he looked down and spotted his face tattooed on a woman's body ("It wasn't anywhere revealing," he said).

Hicks' year has been full of ups and downs. It started off on a bad note, as Arista Records revealed they'd dropped Hicks from their roster after just one release. His 2006 self-titled effort has sold 702,000 copies to date, making it the worst-performing of all the "American Idol" champs' albums. But then, Hicks landed the "Grease" gig, and, with a new album to record, he's close to signing with a new label.

"I don't have a name for the album yet, but I do know that it's some of the best music that I've ever written, and from an artistic standpoint, this album, being in my control, has allowed me to really breathe as a songwriter," he said. "As an artist, you kind of understand the times and what your surroundings are and write from them. So there's some political undertones on the album. It's a serious time for us."

Hicks said he's not worried about the future, because he knows he has what it takes to sustain a career in music. "It would be scary if I didn't really believe that I was supposed to do this," he said. "For me, as a kid, I knew I was supposed to entertain and perform for folks. When you have that self-belief and inner-determination, you understand there are peaks and valleys in this business, and you just keep working at it. You show up to work, whether it's 25 people at a Steak & Ale, or Wembley Stadium and there's 500,000 people. If you keep working, and you're good to people, you'll be blessed."

Despite the poor sales, Hicks said he's still proud of his debut album. "As many songs as were thrown at me in the 10 minutes I had to choose them, I kept a good guard up, because I knew my artistic guard would allow people to say that I really took the integrity to keep my art," he said. "I've been working 15 years to make it in this business. I didn't want to not make it anymore. I'm proud of that record. I just wish we would have had more time to record it, but I'm proud of it. That's key."

• Taylor Hicks Is A Teen Again In 'Grease'

• Taylor Hicks

Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks
Photo: FOX

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 should be. Ironically, country star Carrie Underwood shines brightest when singing a rock song, Heart's "Alone."

LOW NOTE (OF THE SEASON): I'm tempted to pick Anthony Federov's "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" only so I can mention Simon's hilariously simple "hideous" assessment, but Mikalah Gordon's "Love Will Lead You Back" is far too offensive to overlook. The hyperactive teen takes Taylor Dayne's lush ballad and sings it like a goose warning its gaggle of imminent danger: 92 seconds of ear torture.

HOT-MESS PERFORMANCE OF THE SEASON: The theme is " '70s Dance Music" (or, as everyone else in the world calls it, disco), and lucky for us, country fembot Carrie Underwood is not wired to handle it. During her dazed, confused and downright petrified "MacArthur Park," someone switches the Underwood-4000's vocal mode to "4-year-old pageant queen" and her hairstyle to "40-year-old drag queen." Yes!

SEASON SHOCKER: Judd Harris' elimination is a jaw-dropper — not necessarily because we expect him to advance, but because of the manner in which he is eliminated. During the semifinals, Seacrest tells the front row (Judd included) to sit pretty and relax. Then, after "safe"-ing each of the back row's contestants, the host, without any warning, turns back to the couch and announces, "Judd, you are out." If there's such a thing as karma, Seacrest is in for one hell of a firing some day.

SEASON SCANDALS: Days before the top 12 are set to hit the stage, front-runner Mario Vazquez drops out of the show for personal reasons. (A lawsuit filed against Vazquez in 2007 claims he pulled a George Michael on a crew member. Whoa!) Later in the season, "Idol" is forced to hold a re-vote after a production error displays incorrect phone numbers on a performance show. Oops! The "Idol" gods save the best scandal for last, however. Season-two degenerate Corey Clark (see season-two scandals below) re-emerges with an inflammatory book to sell. In it, he claims that the real reason he was DQ'd from the show back in '03 was because he was having an illicit affair with Abdul. On a sensational prime-time news special (called — wait for it — "Fallen Idol") the former contestant speaks (and sings) about his "relationship" in graphic detail. (I'm still trying to track down an MP3 of the song "Paulatics," by the way.) Abdul denies it, "Idol" hires a private-investigative team, and wouldn't you know it? They conclude that Paula was straight-up telling the truth.

CULTURAL IMPACT/LEGACY: The "rockers" put a much-needed new spin on the "Idol" formula, juicing up the competition with a fresh, unexpected energy. (There are only so many times you can hear an amateur destroy "My Cherie Amour," right?) Also, in order to prevent season three's crazy gender gap, the show institutes the six boys/ six girls top-12 quota we all know and loathe. Plus, producers get even looser with their moral code. The show barely bats an eyelash when domestic charges against Scott Savol and past drug arrests for finalist Bo become public. (Audiences don't seem to care, either.) And finally, the first country "Idol" is crowned and goes on to become one of the biggest names in the genre, while Bo the Rocker's career flat-lines.

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's standards night, there's no way in hell the crooner can succeed. But there's no excuse for his listless Latin-night offering, "Music of the Heart." Simon says it best when he tells 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. And this dude outlasts Jennifer Hudson?

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

SEASON SHOCKER: Is 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 end 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 is the one to say goodbye.) Three weeks later, the two remaining divas land at the bottom again, as the perennially pitchy Jasmine Trias sits pretty on the "safe" couch. Paula solemnly notes that "America got it wrong" before sobbing uncontrollably as La Toya sings 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 has to be cradled. Two years later, in what might be the oddest celebrity cause ever, Abdul pressures California lawmakers to enforce nail-salon regulations. You can keep your African poverty, Bono. Abdul wants our cuticles protected!

CULTURAL IMPACT/LEGACY: Because of the gospel-influenced divas, season three is remembered as the year "Idol" went to church. (No wonder watching Fantasia's post-win performance of "I Believe" is a religious experience!) Season three is also notorious for "discovering" William Hung, a naive Asian civil-engineering student who auditions for the show and is catapulted into the limelight thanks to a severely off-key rendition of Ricky Martin's "She Bangs." His fame (and record contract) births a new breed of "Idol" celebrity: the freak show.

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 band together for a diva-licious duet of "Band of Gold." It's supposed to be a group number, but the other female contestants are too chicken to share the stage with the two best singers in the batch. They're 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 her Wild Card performance, where Simon puts the attractive-but-tone-deaf singer through to the top 12 even though he says her "Can't Find the Moonlight" was awful. Typical!

HOT-MESS PERFORMANCE OF THE SEASON: Marine Josh Gracin performs "Jive Talkin' " like he's trying to pick a fight with everyone in America at once. The hand-held camera remains about 4 inches away from his face as he walks 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 make him look like a dude in a porno? It is stunning in its wrongness.

SEASON SHOCKER: Aside from the ousted contestants (see scandals below) and the terrifying Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire being a guest judge, the biggest shock has to be that the formerly annoying Ryan Seacrest is 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 begin, front-runner Frenchie Davis is told to hit the road after it is uncovered that she has 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 posts a mug shot of the alleged sister-beater, the blindsided producers oust Corey from "Idol." And lastly, Trenyce is humiliated when her especially unglamorous mug shot (for a 1999 felony theft charge) pops up on the Internet. Producers let her stay because of her honesty, but America ends up doing the show's dirty work by voting her off.

CULTURAL IMPACT/LEGACY : By casting Ruben, Clay, Kimberley and Frenchie, "AI 2" broadens America's definition of "pop-star image." Fans eat it up. However, by voting on voice over looks, the season ends up being fairly predictable, where the singer who deserves to go home each week does. The final Ruben/Clay showdown is a tight race (one that Seacrest calls a "photo finish"), and although Studdard is the victor, Aiken ultimately wipes the floor with him in record sales. The disqualified Frenchie ends up paving a path that several "Idol" contestants (including Aiken) will follow once their pop music careers stall: Broadway. Speaking of struggling singers, in 2007, Ruben wins a new title: First "Idol" to be dropped by a record label. Ouch.

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" is sassy, flirty and oozes 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" is a complete and utter disaster. The arrangement certainly doesn'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 crosses the line in its final moments, when the single mom panders for votes by pimping her son accepting a rose from her kid. Even Paula hates it.

HOT-MESS PERFORMANCE OF THE SEASON: From the "I see London, I see France" miniskirt to the manic delivery, Ryan Starr's "Frim Fram Sauce" had me clapping with catty glee. How she's 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 solid performance that week.) For non-conspiracy theorists, the big scandal occurrs in the semifinals when contestant Delano Cagnolati is disqualified for lying about his age. (The equally forgettable Ejay Day replaces him.)

CULTURAL IMPACT/LEGACY : More than just "the season with two hosts," season one lays the low-budget foundation for what will 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 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.

Which season was your favorite? Do you think season seven will stand the test of time? And will this show ever end?

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

• 'American Idol': Six Seasons In Six Minutes

• Jordin Sparks
• Blake Lewis
• Taylor Hicks
• Katharine McPhee
• Carrie Underwood

Katharine McPhee
Photo: Marc Serota/ Getty Images

Looks like the folks over at Sony BMG — the mega-label that serves as the parent company to Arista, Columbia, Epic, J Records, RCA and others — are cleaning house. While such a move would typically mean widespread layoffs, it seems that this time, the company is shedding artists.

Actually, make that artists who have competed on "American Idol."

Within the last three weeks, Sony BMG has reportedly severed ties with three former "Idol" contestants — the most recent being season-five runner-up Katharine McPhee, whose sole eponymous effort for the label, which dropped in late 2006, has sold only 365,500-plus copies since its release.

While McPhee's dismissal has yet to be officially confirmed by RCA Records, a source confirmed the parting to Entertainment Weekly on Wednesday. A spokesperson for McPhee could not be reached by press time.

Just last week, season-five victor Taylor Hicks was dumped by J Records, in what was described as a "mutual" split. Hicks wrote on his MySpace page that "artistic freedom and control [was] an exciting prospect" for him, and that he's begun writing tracks for his next release, which, according to The Associated Press, he'll be recording independent of any label. Hicks' self-titled debut has scanned nearly 700,000 copies since first it hit stores in 2006; it was the first album from an "Idol" winner that failed to reach the 1 million sold mark.

Late last year, "American Idol" season-two champ Ruben Studdard was also chopped from the J Records roster, following a poor showing for his 2006 LP, The Return, which, to date, has sold 236,000 units.

So, what does the future hold for McPhee, who recently made the leap from songstress-to-actress with her turn as a pregnant hippie in the upcoming comedy "I Know What Boys Like"? No one knows for sure, but it might not be a bad idea for her to concentrate on beefing up those acting chops. McPhee is also starring in the dark romantic comedy "The Last Caller," as a narcissistic woman searching for love, and will be featured in the forthcoming indie film "Success."

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

• MTV.com Exclusive: Katharine McPhee

• Katharine McPhee
• Ruben Studdard
• Taylor Hicks

The Shins' Marty Crandall
Photo: Karl Walter/Getty Images

Shins multi-instrumentalist Marty Crandall was reportedly arrested Friday night on a domestic-violence charge after an altercation with girlfriend and former "America's Next Top Model" contestant Elyse Sewell. In a LiveJournal.com post titled "Worst Weekend Olympics" that has since been locked, Sewell, who dated Crandall for several years, wrote that a night of drinking in a Sacramento, California, hotel room ended with her escaping "from the room through a blitzkrieg of violence." According to several reports, the post featured photos of Sewell's heavily bruised arms and bloody knuckles, and noted that Crandall bore bite marks from their alleged scuffle, which resulted in Sewell's arrest as well. Both were reportedly booked after she notified hotel security about the incident — Sewell was reportedly released from jail Saturday, while a search of the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department Web site shows that a man named Martin Lesley Crandall was released from jail Sunday. A spokesperson for the Sacramento Police Department could not be reached for comment at press time. In a Sunday afternoon post, Sewell wrote on her LiveJournal.com page that, "I'm feeling much better on this new day (after sleeping until noon). I've decided to heed the advice of many commenters (lawyerly types) and friends — lock my last entry about the legal foibles between me and my ex-boyfriend." The Shins' label Sub Pop responded to the matter on Monday (January 7), saying in a statement, "Marty Crandall and his ex-girlfriend Elyse Sewell were both arrested over the weekend following an argument at a Sacramento hotel which resulted in hotel staff calling the police. They were both taken into police custody and released over the weekend. There will be no further comment at this time, and [we] would appreciate their privacy being respected." Crandall and Sewell are due back in court Tuesday. ...

Jay-Z, Bono, Al Gore, George Clooney, Jon Stewart and Matthew McConaughey were just a few of the celebrities who appeared in a video poking fun at Microsoft founder Bill Gates on his last day and subsequent retirement. The clip aired Sunday as a part of Gates' last keynote address to his company. In the video, Gates — with newfound time on his hands — explores several alternative post-career options. First he's in the studio cutting a record with Jay at the boards. "You killed it, Billy G," Jay says in the clip. Then Bono gets a phone call that brings him offstage during a concert — on the other end, Gates shares his new high score at "Guitar Hero." The near-eight-minute video ends with the iconic software advocate receiving a cheering ovation. ... Curiously, the Gates keynote event wasn't the only place where Jay and Bono crossed paths recently — the exiting Def Jam prez checked out a screening of U2's new 3-D concert film on Monday (January 7), according to RollingStone.com. Jay reportedly left the "U2 3D" screening early. ... Miley Cyrus, Fergie and John Legend have been roped into the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, which will go down March 3-22. The country-centric event will also feature Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and Rascal Flatts. ...

Kid Rock's scheduled arraignment Monday in DeKalb County, Georgia, has been postponed until February 4, according to the DeKalb County Solicitor's Office. The arraignment stems from Rock's arrest in October on a misdemeanor battery charge after he allegedly got into a brawl over a woman at a Waffle House. According to a Solicitor's Office spokesperson, the postponement was necessary to give officials more time to investigate the matter and determine whether they'll prosecute the case. ... Nicole Kidman is having another, um, kid. The actress, who already has two adopted children with ex-husband Tom Cruise, is expecting her first baby with new hubby Keith Urban. ...

Add Beanie Sigel to the growing list of veteran rappers unhappy with what they see as a lack of support from Def Jam. Jay-Z detractors LL Cool J and Method Man have been the most vocal, but in an interview with DJ Whoo Kid over the weekend, the Philadelphia lyricist revealed his — and labelmate Freeway's — frustration with the label. "It's some f---ed-up sh-- that needs to be addressed," Sigel said. "A lot of questions should be directed to the people in charge. They need to be put on the spot and asked questions. Because I want to know myself. ... I'm waiting to hear the same answers to questions that me and Freeway get asked." Jay-Z has stepped down as president of Def Jam, but he still seemed to draw some of Beans' ire, though he wasn't directly named. Beans, however, explained he will release a mixtape soon titled "True American Gangster," a play off Jay's most recent album, November's American Gangster. ...

According to a post on Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider blog, "American Idol" season-five winner Taylor Hicks is the latest "Idol" to get the boot from J Records. Just weeks after season-two champ Ruben Studdard was dropped, an unnamed label source told the site that Hicks is going to record his next album on his own, because "he is no longer on the J Records roster." A spokesperson for J Records could not be reached at press time. ... Jessica Simpson escaped to Mexico over the weekend, with boyfriend Tony Romo — and her parents — in tow, according to People.com. The two were also joined by some of Romo's Dallas Cowboys teammates, who have apparently warmed up to the actress, who some had criticized for distracting the quarterback. ... Actor Jack Black and wife Tanya Haden are expecting their second child, according to The Associated Press. Black reportedly confirmed his wife's pregnancy over the weekend. Black and Haden, a cellist and the daughter of jazz great Charlie Haden, were married in 2006 and already have one child, a 6-month-old son. ...

BT, an electronic-music producer who has worked with everyone from Britney Spears to the Roots, is speaking out about the alleged abduction of his daughter by the child's mother. According to a statement released by his publicist, 3-year-old Kaia Transeau has been missing for three weeks, and BT has not had contact with her since the first few days she was gone. "I am diligently and delicately working to do everything possible to amend this tragic family situation," he said in a statement. "As a father, my only goal is to get my daughter back home. I appreciate your continued support and understanding in this desperate hour." Kaia is on the National Crime Information Center's missing-persons list (304-625-2000). ...

José González is feeling green — the indie-folk luminary will launch an environmentally friendly trek starting February 29 in Miami. The singer/songwriter has partnered with Reverb for his Green Tour, which will find him neutralizing emissions from venue energy use and calculating his CO2 footprint. Tickets will cost an extra 50 cents each to offset costs for the effort, and the jaunt will end March 31 in Vancouver, British Columbia. ... OK Go have stepped up for a good cause — the band ganged up with New Orleans funk/soul group Bonerama during the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and recorded music at a studio in the city's Upper Ninth Ward. The end result is an exclusive iTunes EP that will drop February 5 and benefit local musicians — including R&B legend Al Johnson — who are still struggling to get their lives back together. You're Not Alone features three reworked songs from OK Go's last album, 2005's Oh No, as well as covers of David Bowie's "Rock 'N' Roll Suicide" and Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released," with Johnson contributing vocals to the latter track. The groups are also partnering to play two benefit shows: a gig Friday at Tipitina's and a February 2 concert at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C., that will be streamed on NPR. ...

R.E.M. aren't the only big-name rock vets who will perform at this year's South by Southwest festival — Black Crowes will also descend on Austin, Texas, with a headlining show at Stubb's on March 15. The band has lined up seven additional March club gigs, during which it will play the entirety of its first proper studio release in seven years, March 4's Warpaint, in addition to classic material. The Crowes' One Night Only run starts March 2 in Sayreville, New Jersey, and ends March 20 in Los Angeles. Speaking of R.E.M., frontman Michael Stipe recently chimed in on the presidential-nomination race, and while he's not exactly going to pull a Chuck Norris and throw his support behind Republican candidate and Mike Huckabee, he did have a few kind words for the former Arkansas governor. "I can't think of probably a single issue in which I am even remotely in the same universe as that guy ... and yet, he was kind of charming and ... self-deprecating," he said on Sirius Satellite Radio program "Jade Radio." "He was actually kind of a good sport, and funny, and I don't know what that means. Maybe it's a good thing that's he's being lauded right now by the right. He's an evangelical. May God bless all living creatures, but my God ... how weird." ... A Perfect Circle mastermind Billy Howerdel has christened his new band Ashes Divide. The group will release its debut album in March, with the album's first single, "The Stone," due to hit radio January 22. ....

Sony/BMG — home to Beyoncé, Alicia Keys and Carrie Underwood — is finalizing plans to sell part of its collection without Digital Rights Management protection in the first quarter of 2008, BusinessWeek.com reports. The first initiative under the deal will come via a Platinum MusicPass series of digital-album gift cards that will be sold starting January 15 at Best Buy, Target and other select stores. The album cards retail for $12.99 and come with bonus material — titles include Backstreet Boys' Unbreakable, John Mayer's Continuum and Bruce Springsteen's Magic. Also being considered is an upcoming Pepsi Super Bowl promotion featuring Justin Timberlake that will involve the free distribution of 1 billion songs from major labels.

1.4.08

The Hannah Montana tour is definitely one of the hottest tickets in town for tweens and their parents, but one woman admits she went a little overboard in trying to win tickets for her daughter. Texas mom Priscilla Ceballos apologized Friday (January 4) on NBC's "Today" show for writing an essay falsely claiming the girl's father had died in Iraq just so the girl could see Hannah (a.k.a. Miley Cyrus) in person. "I just wanted to help my daughter write a compelling story," she said. The fabricated essay won the contest's grand prize, which included airfare for four to Albany, New York, and four tickets to a sold-out Hannah Montana concert there, as well as a makeover that included a blond Hannah Montana wig. "Please accept my heartfelt apology and please do not punish my child for my mistake," Ceballos urged on the show. ...

What's harder to find than a City of Gold? For "American Idol" rocker Chris Daughtry, it was one of his own songs. Daughtry was commissioned to write a song to play over the end credits of "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," but the single, "Feels Like Tonight," was left on the cutting-room floor, reports Variety. "It's a great song, and probably could have been a good marketing tool, but when we put it up with the movie, it just felt wrong," Disney music chief Mitchell Leib told the Hollywood trade. ...In other "Idol" alumni news, Season Two winner Ruben Studdard and semifinalist Frenchie Davis (who got the boot from the show after Fox discovered that she worked for an adult Web site before trying out) have signed on for the 30th anniversary national tour of the Tony Award-winning musical revue "Ain't Misbehavin'." Richard Maltby Jr. co-wrote and directed the Broadway production, which showcases the music of "Fats" Waller, and he will re-create his original direction. Studdard was in need of some good news after being the first "Idol" winner to be dropped from his label, when J Records let him go in December. Since appearing on "Idol," Davis was in the Broadway cast of "Rent." The "Ain't Misbehavin' " tour will begin in November and run at least through May 2009. ...

Literature probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of C-Murder, but the rapper — who is to be retried on a second-degree murder charge on February 11 — is taking part in a unique book club that connects readers with authors. On January 19, C-Murder will help christen the New Orleans "chapter" of the Conversations Book Club when he joins the group at the Comfort Inn & Suites downtown to discuss "Death Around the Corner," his recent novel about the city post-Katrina. ...

R.E.M., My Morning Jacket, Vampire Weekend, Daniel Lanois, Tech N9ne and My Brightest Diamond are among the initial slate of bands scheduled to perform at this year's South by Southwest festival. Lou Reed will be the keynote speaker at the fest, which will take place in Austin, Texas, March 12-16. ... Birdman is being sued for allegedly sampling other artists' songs without paying for them. The lawsuit, which was filed in New Orleans, claims that the Cash Money Records co-founder (real name: Bryan Williams) owes several music publishers money for using copyrighted songs without permission. ... Does Britney have some competition? Both Whitney Houston and her estranged husband, Bobby Brown, were no-shows Friday (January 4) at their scheduled court appearance, TMZ.com reports. According to the Web site, Whitney's attorney, Stephen Kolodny, said the singer was sick. ...

Bay Area producer/DJ Amplive won't be putting out his remix of Radiohead's In Rainbows after all. Just a month after announcing his remix album, Rainydayz Remixes, which was to feature a cameo from Too Short, Amp announced on his MySpace page that he had received a cease-and-desist letter from Radiohead's publisher, Warner/Chappell, on December 18 that barred him from releasing the unapproved album, according to a story on Pitchfork linked to from Amp's site. In a video on his MySpace page, a dejected-looking Amp, holding a sign that reads "free," laments, "In Rainbows is one of the top Radiohead albums, and I'm a big Radiohead fan, and it was all done in celebration." He says he wanted to show his appreciation for Radiohead's pioneering pay-what-you-want scheme by doing a hip-hop remix album that would also have featured Del Tha Funkee Homosapien and Jurassic 5's Chali 2na. He says he wishes that Radiohead could hear the free remix album, which he knows they would like, and suspects the band is not to blame for the legal action. "Thom [Yorke], holla at me, man," he pleads to the band's frontman at the end of the message. ...

Australia's first couple of music, Silverchair singer Daniel Johns and singer/actress Natalie Imbruglia, have announced that they will separate after four years of marriage, according to the Melbourne Herald Sun. The pair announced their split in a joint statement released Friday (January 4) that read, "While we are very sad that our marriage has ended, we want to make it clear that our parting is amicable and we remain friends. ... This mutual decision has not been taken lightly or quickly. However, our career demands and our lives in different parts of the world have brought us to the point where unfortunately this difficult decision was necessary for both of us. We have simply grown apart through not being able to spend enough time together." ... On March 25, long-running, genre-spanning party-poppers the B-52s will return with Funplex, their first album of new material since 1992's Good Stuff (and their first to feature co-frontwoman Cindy Wilson since '89's Cosmic Thing). Guitarist Keith Strickland describes the album as "loud, sexy rock and roll for your pleasure zones, with the beat pumped up to hot pink," just in case you were wondering. ...

Josh Groban had a great Christmas, but the music industry? Not so much. For the eighth year in a row, album sales were down, with total album sales diving 15 percent in 2007 to 500.5 million units, according to year-end figures from Nielsen SoundScan. The Los Angeles Times reports that it was the lowest tally and steepest decline since Nielsen began publishing estimates based on in-stores sales data in 1993. There was a bright spot with digital-album sales rising 2.4 percent to 30.1 million units, but even that paled in comparison to the 19 percent uptick in 2006. The overall picture, including albums, singles and individual-song downloads, showed a rise of 14 percent to 1.4 billion units, which, again, was down from the 19 percent gain in 2006. ...

Last year's Live Earth concert and the Roskilde Festival in Denmark will be recognized with environmental honors at the upcoming Midem Green World Awards in Cannes, France, later this month, according to BBC News. The awards pay tribute to events that promote a greater awareness of environmental issues. Live Earth is being recognized for the strict green guidelines it set out in order to create a low-impact worldwide event, while Roskilde, one of the largest European festivals, is earning praise for serving all its drinks in recyclable plastic mugs. ...

Not everyone is psyched about the huge music festival that is slated to touch down in Vineland, New Jersey, this summer courtesy of a hookup between Lollapalooza promoters C3 and the people behind England's Glastonbury Festival. According to the Vineland Daily Journal, a group of citizens, including a former City Council president, have mobilized under the banner of Neighbors Against Rock Concert Site in an attempt to block the show. The first meeting of NARCS is slated to take place Thursday, with the goal of blocking the festival — currently scheduled for August 8-10 — from taking place on a local 570-acre farm. The event is expected to draw 35,000-40,000 people over three days, with mostly on-site camping, which neighbors worry will have a negative impact on the area due to potential increases in traffic, noise, crime and pollution. According to the Journal, NARCS isn't opposed to the festival, just its location. The group is considering a lawsuit to stop the show, while suggesting that promoters move it to a more "appropriate" location, such as the local county fairgrounds. ...

The once-in-a-lifetime New Year's Eve gig at a small club in Surrey, England, that featured Who guitarist Pete Townshend, former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and guitar god Eric Clapton might not be a one-off after all. The secret show, which the trio performed under the name Totally Abandoned, benefited charity and included mostly "old classics," according to London newspaper The Independent. A Thursday post on the Who's site confirmed that the gig took place and teased that "a much larger gig" could happen in New York before March. ...

Stephen Stills is recovering after having surgery for prostate cancer on Thursday. He is expected to be at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25 for the world premiere of "CSNY/ Déjà Vu," a movie directed by Neil Young that revolves around his and Stills' group, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

• The Shins
• Jay-Z
• U2
• Bono
• Miley Cyrus

My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way
Photo: Paul McConnell/ Getty Images

My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way got married over the weekend, his representative confirmed to MTV News on Wednesday (September 5). The Projekt Revolution tour, which featured the band, ended Monday in Englewood, Colorado, and Denver radio station 93.3 FM reports that Way married Mindless Self Indulgence bassist Lyn Z that evening at the venue, the Coors Amphitheatre. MSI were on the Projekt Revolution tour as well and are slated to support MCR on their European tour beginning October 30. ...

Lindsay Lohan attorney Alfred Gerisch filed a brief late last week supporting the starlet's request for the dismissal of all or part of a negligence suit that had been filed against her over an October 2005 car crash, according to Los Angeles TV station CBS 2. In the brief, Gerisch claimed Raymundo Ortega is using lies about Lohan being drunk at the time of the crash "as a battering ram to force a settlement." Gerisch cited as the evidence a police report that called Lohan an "innocent victim" and stipulated alcohol was not involved in the incident, although Ortega's attorney Robert G. Klein has called the document hearsay. A hearing on Lohan's motions is set for Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court. ...

Busta Rhymes (real name: Trevor Smith) saw his trial postponed Wednesday after the prosecutor and the defense lawyer said they weren't ready to begin, The Associated Press reports. Instead, a judge ordered the rapper to appear in court November 7 for hearings on charges of attacking two men, driving drunk and driving with a suspended license. He previously rejected a deal that would land him in jail for a year. ...

Looking healthier than she had prior to her reported drug overdose and hospitalization last month, Amy Winehouse took the stage at Tuesday night's Mercury Awards show in England to sing "Love Is a Losing Game." It was the singer's first public performance since she announced the postponement of her fall U.S. tour and cancellation of her VMA appearance on doctor's orders to rest. ... Usher — who just remarried pregnant wife Tameka Foster on Saturday — is making another lifestyle change: He has put his five-bedroom in metro Atlanta's Country Club of the South community up for sale, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The asking price for the house — which Usher bought from L.A. Reid — is a cool $1.9 million. ...

A judge on Wednesday approved Jennifer Lopez's $545,000 arbitration award in a lawsuit against her first husband. Also in accordance with a court-ordered arbitrator's decision early last month, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael C. Solner issued a permanent injunction barring Ojani Noa from publishing negative details about the singer/actress. Lopez had filed the breach-of-contract lawsuit over Noa's plans to publish a tell-all book in which he was expected to claim Lopez had multiple affairs. Solner also told Noa to give Lopez all copies of materials related to the book, and denied his request for another 30 days to find a lawyer. ...

It sounds like fans aren't feeling the American Idols Live Tour this time around. Halfway through the outing, there were no sellouts for the first 30 shows on the tour, with only one date topping the 93 percent capacity mark — a gig in winner Jordin Sparks' home state of Arizona — Billboard Boxscore reports. Compare that to last year's tour, which boasted appearances from Taylor Hicks, Chris Daughtry, Katharine McPhee and Elliott Yamin — and had 17 sellouts in its first 30 dates and 10 shows with more than 93 percent capacity. Boxscore reports 14 of first 30 shows for the current tour were below 60 percent capacity and a gig in Birmingham, Alabama, was at an anemic 38.9 percent. ...

Bono, J.K. Rowling, Russell Simmons and — sure, why not? — Homer Simpson rub elbows with Bill Gates, President Bush and Oprah Winfrey on USA Today's most-influential-people list, which came out Tuesday. ... Master P is going Green — well, in a sense. The hip-hop mogul is joining forces with none other than Seth Green for "Play the Industry," a new role-playing video game with a hip-hop theme, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "Play the Industry" will feature a 3-D world and allow gamers to become a star hip-hop artist, athlete, power broker and more. A late 2009 release is being targeted. ...

Apparently $31 million isn't good enough for Rob Zombie. While the director's "Halloween" scared up a whopping figure at the box office over the weekend, he's "not going to do any more 'Halloween' movies, or any more remakes of any kind," he told EW.com. In fact, Zombie isn't even so sure he'll be sticking to horror when it comes to his recent deal with Dimension Films. "I signed up for two more pictures, but not two more 'Halloween' pictures. They're going to be original stuff — and I don't necessarily know that they're going to be related to the horror genre either.'' ... Daniel Radcliffe is "terrified" over the prospect of acting on Broadway. He told Reuters that "Equus" — for which he appeared nude in the London production — might open in New York late next year. "It will be amazing, but I will be terrified," the actor said of the prospect. "I would be very nervous because I think that [the audiences are] even more discerning than in London." ...

For a guy who isn't planning to release an album anytime soon, Beck sure is busy. In addition to "Timebomb," the new track he pumped out last month, he's spruced up Philadelphia psych-rockers Dr. Dog's "The Girl" with a new remix. The song will appear on a Dr. Dog 7-inch in October, and the B-side will be a cover of the band's "Heart It Races" by Architecture in Helsinki. Dr. Dog will tour with Wilco starting Tuesday and ending September 21. ... Pop Montreal has put together a snappy lineup for its five-day stint October 3-7. The fest will host Hot Hot Heat, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Patti Smith, Black Mountain and more. ...

The annual Bridge School Benefit concert hosted by Neil Young at the Shoreline Amphitheatre near San Francisco will boast the usual mix of old friends and new faces this year, with unplugged sets from John Mayer; Metallica; Eddie Vedder with Flea and Jack Irons; Tom Waits with the Kronos Quartet; Tegan and Sara; Regina Spektor; Jerry Lee Lewis; and, of course, host Young. The shows will take place October 27-28. ... Warped Tour has come to a close — so naturally, it's time to move on to founder Kevin Lyman's other big shindig: next year's Taste of Chaos. Atreyu will headline the fest, with dates and additional acts to be announced in the coming months. ...

Closing arguments in the Phil Spector murder trial began Wednesday, with prosecutors delivering a multimedia presentation that traced the events leading up to the death of Lana Clarkson, the Los Angeles Times reports. The defense objected to part of the presentation, asking Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler to declare a mistrial, but he refused. The defense is due to begin its closing statements Thursday, and jury deliberations will likely begin Friday. ...

Jude Law was arrested outside his London home late Tuesday after allegedly attacking a photographer there, according to the U.K.'s Press Association. The actor voluntarily went to a police station after the incident, which is under investigation. ... Nicole Kidman was engaged to marry another man in between her marriages with Tom Cruise and Keith Urban, she divulged to Vanity Fair, although she did not identify the person. "I got engaged to somebody ... but it just wasn't right," she told the magazine for its October cover story. The actress also said she didn't have any regrets about marrying Cruise. My agents told me, 'Once you become Mrs. Tom Cruise, you do know your career is going to die.' I was appalled. I was like, 'Hello?' I'm in love, and I don't care if it's shooting myself in the foot. I'd much rather be married and have a family.' " ...

Legendary tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who has pancreatic cancer, is in very serious condition, according to AP. He has been suffering kidney problems and losing consciousness while recovering after a recent hospital stay. ...

New Model Army have scrapped their planned tour of North America due to visa complications. ... As the Strokes continue their hiatus, guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. announced on his MySpace blog last week that he is headed back into the studio to work on the follow-up to his solo debut, Yours to Keep. "I'm happy to say that at the end of October we are going in for round two," Hammond wrote. "We are going into Electric Lady Studios for five weeks to record the second record." Hammond said he plans to videotape some of the sessions and show the clips on his MySpace page.

09.4.07

In Style's readers have voted, and Justin Timberlake, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Fergie are among the sexiest stars in the constellation. TV and movie stars dominate the Sexy Portfolio, part of the magazine's 10th annual Sexy Poll, which garnered 50,000 votes on InStyle.com. Fergie is the only musician to get "hot-to-the-touch" status (her 14 fellow hotties include Terrence Howard, Isla Fisher, Ben Stiller and more). "Cleavage is in-your-face, a bare stomach is overt, but a bare leg is always sexy and appropriate," Fergie said, explaining her appeal. "I'm pretty out there in my videos, but in real life, I feel sexier when I'm more subtle. Josh [Duhamel, her boyfriend] agrees. It's better to be alluring than too available." Beyond the Portfolio, "Grey's Anatomy" won Sexiest TV Cast; Jolie earned Sexiest Movie Star Whose Va-Va-Va-Voom You'd Like to Steal; Pitt and George Clooney tied for Sexiest Reasons to Spend $10 on a Movie; Pitt and Jolie nabbed Sexiest Too-Hot Twosome; Timberlake got the Sexiest Troubadour badge. Beyoncé, Shakira and Carrie Underwood tied for Sexiest Girl Found on on iTunes. ...

(See Fergie, Terrence Howard, Ben Stiller and more make In Style's Sexy Poll.)

Britney Spears' lawyer says the singer has been cleared of recent complaints to child-welfare workers, People.com reports. "It does not appear [Los Angeles County] will pursue any action at this time," Laura Wasser said at a hearing in Spears' child-custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline. According to the site, there will be three more court hearings in the dispute this year, during which Federline's request for primary custody of sons Sean Preston and Jayden James will be considered. His attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan is seeking depositions from Spears' assistant, former nanny and others close to her. Meanwhile, Spears bodyguard Cesar Julio Camera has been officially charged with misdemeanor battery after wrestling with a pair of men who were trying to photograph the singer with her children in Las Vegas in July. ...

Owen Wilson has returned to his home in Santa Monica, California, after attempting suicide last week, Fox News reports. Director Wes Anderson — who collaborated with Wilson on September 28's "The Darjeeling Limited," as well as "The Royal Tenenbaums" and more films — talked to reporters at the Venice Film Festival on Monday, saying Wilson is "doing very well." "Owen wishes he could be with us," Anderson said. "We all miss having him. Obviously he has been through a lot this week. I can tell you he has been doing very well, he has been making us laugh. When he is ready he's going to speak for himself much better than any of us could." ...

Game (real name: Jayceon Terrell Taylor) will stand trial on three felony charges stemming from a pickup basketball game in Los Angeles in February, TMZ.com reports. His next court date is September 25. Game is charged with three counts of making a criminal threat, possession of a firearm in a school zone and exhibiting a firearm in the presence of an officer. The rapper, who is free on $50,000 bail, faces more than five years in state prison if convicted. ...

The full itinerary for Kelly Clarkson's rescheduled tour in support of My December will carry the singer through a 26-city outing. The trek begins with a string of three dates at the Beacon Theatre in New York (October 14-16) and also ropes in two home-state gigs, in Dallas and Houston. The seven-week tour — which replaces a scrapped summer tour — will have Clarkson playing more intimate theaters than the arenas she was originally booked into, including the Orpheum in Boston (October 23); Fillmore in Detroit (October 28); Paramount Theater in Denver (November 5); and the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on December 3. ... Take a seat, Amy Winehouse — Klaxons have scooted by the starlet and picked up the U.K.'s prestigious Mercury Prize for their debut, Myths of the Near Future. The band also nudged past the Arctic Monkeys, Jamie T and others. ...

Usher made it official again on Saturday. The 28-year-old singer married pregnant wife Tameka Foster, 37, in a large, glitzy ceremony in Atlanta a few weeks after the pair got officially hitched in a civil ceremony. People.com reports that 200 people attended the wedding at a 16th-century-style French chateau resort outside Atlanta. The lavish wedding came nearly a month after their previously scheduled wedding was called off at the last minute. ... Halle Berry is three months pregnant with her first child. She's due to have the baby, whose father is Berry's boyfriend Gabriel Aubry, on Valentine's Day. ... Tobey Maguire tied the knot with his fiancee, jewelry designer Jennifer Meyer, in Hawaii over the weekend, according to "Entertainment Tonight." Leonardo DiCaprio was among those who reportedly attended the ceremony. ...

Evanescence have sketched out new tour dates for the U.S. and Mexico. Amy Lee will take her troupe through Florida and Texas from October 23-31, then head to Mexico for three shows to be held November 3, 5 and 7. After that, they'll plow through the States from November 10-December 4. ...

Zac Efron denies that money is the deciding factor in whether he takes part in "High School Musical 3" — he says it's all about the script. The actor told People, "There's no feuding with 'High School Musical,' " and added, "If the script is good and if we all agree on a final script, then there's nothing that is going to hold us back from doing [a third installment]." ...

Hulk Hogan has spoken out on last week's car crash involving his son, Nick Bollea, saying he didn't think anyone had survived. "We were going to get something to eat and Nick paged me and said, 'Dad, I want to go early, because we don't have a table at the restaurant,' " he told TV's "The Insider" in an interview set to air Tuesday (September 4). "As I was going down our normal route, I saw this yellow car, and it happened to be twisted ... and there were ambulances there and police were there, and — bam — [I realized that] it was my car." Hogan also commented on his son's condition and that of John Graziano, the passenger who is still in critical condition. "Nick is doing good," Hogan said. "He's got a broken arm, some broken ribs, some neck problems and some stuff wrong with his knees, but he's hanging in there. He's living at the hospital with John. He's going to be OK, and John's going to be OK, and we're going to move forward." ...

The new single from Dave Matthews, the live favorite "Eh Hee," debuted Tuesday on iTunes. The video for the song, co-directed by Matthews, will be available as a free iTunes download for a week. The track, on which Matthews sings all vocals and plays all the instruments, is not tied to any upcoming release. ... PJ Harvey is planning two live performances around the release of her next album, White Chalk, which drops September 25. She'll perform October 10 at the Beacon Theatre in New York and October 15 at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. ...

DragonForce guitarist Herman Li performed with Tool during their August 22 gig at London's Brixton Academy. He performed a guitar solo in the middle of "Lateralus." ... H.I.M. and Bleeding Through will hit the road next month for a trek that is set to run through December. The first gig is booked for October 18 in Sayreville, New Jersey, the jaunt will wind down December 2 in New York. ... Bloodsimple have been forced to drop off the tail end of this year's Family Values Tour, as frontman Tim Williams needed dental surgery. The band's sophomore LP, Red Harvest, is slated for release October 9. ... Alice in Chains plan to immortalize their August 21 acoustic gig at the Rave/ Eagles Club in Milwaukee with a to-be-scheduled live release. During the show, the band performed "Heaven Beside You," "Angry Chair" and "Rooster," as well as a cover of Elton John's "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy." ... Tracks made famous by Stevie Wonder, Louis Armstrong and Aretha Franklin get a new shine on Frankie Valli's Romancing the '60s, due October 2. ...

Pete Doherty's drug case was postponed Tuesday after he failed to show up in court, Reuters reports. The case — which stems from the troubled rocker's recent arrest on suspicion of drug possession in London — was adjourned until October 2 after West London Magistrates Court heard he had checked himself into rehab. ... Bill Murray was dropping off people after a party when he was pulled over for speeding in a golf cart in Stockholm, Sweden, late last month, he said at the Venice Film Festival on Monday, The Associated Press reports. The police "asked me to come over and they assumed that I was drunk, and I explained to them that I was a golfer," he said. Authorities took a blood test after Murray refused to submit to a breathalyzer test, and he could face drunken-driving charges. ...

Bo Diddley was released from a hospital in Gainesville, Florida, on Saturday. The rock icon was hospitalized late last month after suffering a heart attack during a routine medical exam. ... Jeffrey Carter Albrecht, 34, who played keyboard for Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians since 1999, was shot and killed early Monday morning in Dallas while trying to kick in the door of his girlfriend's neighbor's house. The neighbor, who believed a burglar was trying to break in, fired a shot through the door around 4 a.m, according to AP. Albrecht, who had also played with Brickell's husband, Paul Simon, and who was prepping a solo album, died on the scene. No arrests had been made in the incident as of press time.

• Fergie, Terrence Howard, Ben Stiller Make In Style's Sexy Poll

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Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini on the first "American Idol" season finale
Photo: Kevin Winter/ImageDirect

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 later, in what might be the oddest celebrity cause ever, Abdul pressures California lawmakers to enforce nail-salon regulations. You can keep your African poverty, Bono. Abdul wants our cuticles protected, dammit!

CULTURAL IMPACT/LEGACY: Because of the gospel-influenced divas, season three is remembered as the year "Idol" went to church. (No wonder watching Fantasia's post-win performance of "I Believe" was a religious experience!) Season three is also notorious for "discovering" William Hung, a naive Asian civil-engineering student who auditioned for the show and was catapulted to the limelight thanks to a severely off-key rendition of Ricky Martin's "She Bangs." His fame (and record contract) births a new breed of "Idol" celebrity: the freak show.

Season Four: 2005

WINNER: Carrie Underwood

RUNNER-UP: Bo Bice

HIGH-NOTE (OF THE SEASON): Rockers Bo Bice and Constantine Maroulis each had their moment in the sun. Bice's a cappella "In a Dream" stopped everyone dead in their tracks, while Constantine's "Bohemian Rhapsody" was not the train wreck it should have been. Ironically, country star Carrie Underwood shone brightest when singing a rock song, Heart's "Alone."

LOW NOTE (OF THE SEASON): I'm tempted to pick Anthony Federov's "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" only so I can mention Simon's hilariously simple "hideous" assessment, but Mikalah Gordon's "Love Will Lead You Back" is far too offensive to overlook. The hyperactive teen took Taylor Dayne's lush ballad and sang it like a goose warning its gaggle of imminent danger: 92 seconds of ear torture.

HOT-MESS PERFORMANCE OF THE SEASON: The theme was "70's Dance Music" (or as everyone else in the world calls it, disco) and lucky for us, country femmebot Carrie Underwood was not wired to handle it. During her dazed, confused and downright petrified "MacArthur Park," someone switched the Underwood-4000's vocal mode to "4-year-old pageant queen" and her hairstyle to "40-year-old drag queen." Yes!

SEASON SHOCKER: Judd Harris' elimination was a jaw-dropper — not necessarily because we expected him to advance, but because of the manner in which he was eliminated. During the semifinals, Seacrest told the front row (Judd included) to sit pretty and relax. Then, after "safe"-ing each of the back row's contestants, the host, without any warning, turns back to the couch and announces, "Judd, YOU are OUT." If there's such a thing as karma, Seacrest is in for one hell of a firing some day.

SEASON SCANDALS: Days before the top 12 were set to hit the stage, front-runner Mario Vazquez dropped out of the show for personal reasons. (A lawsuit filed against Vazquez in 2007 claims he pulled a George Michael on a crew member. Whoa!) Later in the season, "Idol" is forced to hold a re-vote after a production error displays incorrect phone numbers on a performance show. Oops! The "Idol" gods saved the best scandal for last, however. Season-two degenerate Corey Clark re-emerged with an inflammatory book to sell. In it, he claimed that the real reason he was DQ'd from the show back in '03 was because he was having an illicit affair with Abdul. On a sensational primetime news special (called — wait for it — "Fallen Idol") the former contestant spoke — and sang — about his "relationship" in graphic detail. (I'm still trying to track down an MP3 of the song "Paulatics," by the way.) Abdul denies it, "Idol" hires a private investigative team, and wouldn't you know it? They conclude that Paula was straight-up telling the truth.

CULTURAL IMPACT/LEGACY : The "rockers" put a much-needed new spin on the "Idol" formula, juicing up the competition with a fresh, unexpected energy. (There's only so many times you can hear an amateur destroy "My Cherie Amour," right?) Also, in order to prevent season three's crazy gender gap, the show institutes the six boys/ six girls top-12 quota we all know and loathe. Plus, producers get even looser with their moral code. The show barely bats an eyelash when domestic charges against Scott Savol and past drug arrests for finalist Bo become public. (Audiences don't seem to care, either.) And finally, the first country "Idol" is crowned and goes on to become one of the biggest names in the genre, while Bo the Rocker's career stalls.

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 topped this flawless first impression.

LOW NOTE (OF THE SEASON): Ace Young squeezed Train's "Drops of Jupiter" out of his voice box and then exposed his chest to reveal a scar ... while he sang a lyric about a scar. Seriously, dude? P.S.: It looked 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 proved 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 was deranged enough for you to think that John Waters cast this round of "Idol."

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

SEASON SCANDALS: Any plus-sized divas out there? Take note: Gay men will probably make up most of your fanbase, so don't pull a Mandisa. The singer cited "Pray the Gay Away" preacher Beth Moore as a personal hero, and then busted out some spoken word at the top of a song that came 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 was already done and her fans fled. A week later, she went bye-bye.

CULTURAL IMPACT/LEGACY : Considering 9 out of the 12 finalists scored record deals, 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 and Taylor's records, it goes to show you that winning "American Idol" doesn't guarantee a career.

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

• 'American Idol': Six Seasons In Six Minutes

• Kelly Clarkson
• Justin Guarini
• Ruben Studdard
• Clay Aiken
• Fantasia

Taylor Hicks
Photo: Vince Bucci/ Getty Images

Taylor Hicks will use the Saturday and Sunday concerts in his Birmingham, Alabama, hometown to help those affected by a devastating tornado that hit Enterprise earlier this month. The "Idol" winner — who will be headlining shows in the city for the first time since he was crowned — has invited the Red Cross to collect money on site. While in Birmingham, Hicks will also be presented with the key to the city, which he is planning to dedicate to the tornado victims. ...

Jim Jones appeared at Game Stop in New York on Tuesday to take on challengers in EA's new "Def Jam: Icon" video game. Later on that night, Jones joined Russell Simmons, Redman, Chamillionaire and Funkmaster Flex at the release party at Ultra in New York. "This game is f---ing nuts," Redman told MTV News. "This is taking fighting joints to the next level." ...

Speaking of Redman, the rapper has set a March 27 release date for his latest album, Red Gone Wild - Thee Album. Guests include Snoop Dogg, Method Man, Erick Sermon, Keith Murray, Nate Dogg and Biz Markie, while Scott Storch, Timbaland and Rockwilder contributed production. Red, who is performing at South by Southwest on March 16-17, is releasing "Put It Down" as the first single. ... Korn are planning a tentative July 17 release for their yet-untitled new album, which they've been recording since late last year. The band's MTV Unplugged hit stores Tuesday. ...

Blues Traveler singer John Popper was arrested in Washington on Wednesday after police clocked his black Mercedes SUV going 111 mph on Interstate 90. The Associated Press reports that after they stopped him for speeding, police found a cache of weapons — including four rifles, nine handguns and a switchblade stashed in a series of hidden compartments — as well as a small amount of marijuana in Popper's car. Authorities also found a Taser and night-vision goggles in the vehicle, which had flashing emergency headlights, a siren and a public-address system. Popper, 39, is the owner of the car, which was being driven by another man and was seized by police. Authorities plan to charge the pair with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. "Popper indicated to troopers that he had installed these items in his vehicle because (in the event of a natural disaster) he didn't want to be left behind," the Washington State Patrol said in a news release. Popper also told officers he collected weapons. Both men were booked and released on their own recognizance. ...

Ozzy Osbourne, Genesis, Heart and ZZ Top have been named as this year's class for the second annual "VH1 Rock Honors." The ceremony will be taped in Las Vegas on May 12 and will air May 24 on VH1. ... Peter Gabriel will not join Genesis for the group's first tour in 15 years, Reuters reports. Expect to see singer/drummer Phil Collins, guitarist Mike Rutherford and keyboardist Tony Banks on the band's Turn It on Again Tour, which will hit Europe throughout the summer and arrive in North America on September 7. ... Hanson raised almost $3,500 through a LIFEbeat auction over the weekend. The funds will be used to help fight AIDS. ... O.A.R. are back on the road and will continue to be until May 5 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Later this year, the band is planning to release a DVD and double album recorded at its January 27 show at New York's Madison Square Garden. ... The Sword kick off their tour with Priestbird and Year Long Disaster Friday in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The jaunt runs through March 23 in Dallas. ...

Hard-rock rookies Flyleaf are celebrating their self-titled debut LP's gold status with their first headlining trek — and they're doing it for a good cause to boot. The Justice & Mercy Tour will raise funds for World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization fighting poverty and injustice, via a limited-edition EP and specially designed T-shirt the band is selling while on the road. The jaunt begins March 25 in Memphis and wraps April 30 in Port Saint Lucie, Florida. ... The Dismemberment Plan will reunite for a pair of gigs at the Black Cat in their native Washington, D.C., on April 27-28, three-and-a-half years after their breakup. The indie rockers will share the stage with Pilot to Gunner and the Oranges Band the first night, while Beauty Pill and Owls and Crows will open for the Plan the second night. The shows are being held to benefit Callum Robbins, the son of Jawbox frontman J. Robbins; the boy was recently diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, an incurable nerve disorder. Tickets for the shows, priced at $15, have sold out, with all proceeds going directly to the Robbins family. There is no word on whether the reunion will continue beyond these two benefit shows. ...

DJ Spooky has crafted music for "Stop the Clash of Civilizations," a political video designed to help resolve the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. Check it out here. ... The Bled will reissue their debut LP, Pass the Flask, March 20. The updated version of the disc will boast an additional 11 tracks, including rare and unreleased cuts. The band plans to work on its next offering this month at Baltimore's Salad Days Studio. The effort will be produced by Brian McTernan (Thrice, Texas Is the Reason) and hit stores this summer. ... The Blood Brothers have rolled out a slew of new dates as they continue to tour in support of last year's Young Machetes. The latest leg of the band's trek kicks off March 18 in Lawrence, Kansas, and is scheduled to make stops in Minneapolis, Chicago, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Las Vegas and Los Angeles before wrapping up April 27 in Seattle. ... Former Cold frontman Scooter Ward's new band When November Falls has signed with I AM: Wolfpack, the label founded by producer Ross Robinson. The band will begin tracking its forthcoming debut, tentatively titled The Series of Emotion, in June for a projected fall release.

03.07.2007

Birthday cake, champagne and dope beats: Two hip-hop moguls held big birthday bashes for their friends Tuesday night in Manhattan, New York. The 40/40 Club was poppin', as Jay-Z called on Roc-A-Fella family members Freeway, Memphis Bleek and the Young Gunz to help celebrate longtime Roc artist Beanie Sigel's b-day. Sigel isn't letting it be known if he's still signed to Jay-Z's label, but from the looks of all the smiles Tuesday night, it didn't matter. Tyrese, model Melyssa Ford, Dres of Black Sheep and of course Beyoncé came out as well. Over at PM, Diddy was in the house for high-ranking Bad Boy executive Harve Pierre's birthday party. Cassie, Mario Winans, DJ Tony Touch, Joe Budden, D-Nice and former Bad Boy hitmaker Stevie J. were all there. ...

Jennifer Hudson is about to become the new Avon lady, Reuters reports. The Oscar winner will be the spokeswoman for the perfume company's Imari brand and new scent, Imari Seduction, it was announced Wednesday (March 7). ... Christina Aguilera's fan club closed down Thursday, according to an announcement posted on the singer's Web site. Former Baby Jane members can log in to the messageboards with their existing username and password, and new users may register for the boards for free. ... Lance Bass will open up about his life, music and sexuality in "Out of Sync," an autobiography due in October, The Associated Press reports. ...

Carrie Underwood is returning to "American Idol" Thursday to perform her latest single, "Wasted." The show will determine the coveted final 12 and is also expected to feature a major announcement from host Ryan Seacrest. Theories are rampant, but it could have something to do with a show executive producer Nigel Lythgoe told MTV News he pitched Fox earlier this year. The program would bring back former "Idol" champs to sing songs written by the finalists of the songwriting competition for this year's finale song. "Let's see Constantine Maroulis again, let's see Ace Young, let's see Tamyra Gray and all of the great people that we voted for over the years," Lythgoe said. "I'd love to do that. And with good reason at the end of the day for doing it, which is to produce the song that the next 'American Idol' is going to sing." ... In other "Idol" news, along with producing Travis Tritt's new album and managing Van Hunt and Nikki Costa, Randy Jackson is launching an independent label and plans to release a jazz-inspired solo record this summer. Jackson compared the project to collaborative efforts released by Quincy Jones. "He had more concept records where he had a bunch of different artists doing a bunch of things," Jackson said. ...

Britney Spears will have a big career comeback if Timbaland has anything to do with it. The producer told Entertainment Weekly that he'd like to work with Spears on new music — and his frequent collaborator (and Britney's ex) Justin Timberlake may be onboard as well. "I'm the type of person who tries to save the world," Timbaland said. "I just want to take her away, go overseas and work [it] out. ... I asked Justin, 'How would you feel about me working with Britney?' ... 'Would you do it with me?' " Timbaland told the magazine that JT was willing to get involved. "She's just gotta be serious."

Hawthorne Heights won a key court battle this week against their now-former label, Victory Records, when a federal judge ruled that Victory does not have an exclusive right to the band's services. "The band is free to record and release material either on their own or with any other record company," said Hawthorne attorney Rhonda Trotter. In an attempt to get out of its contract, the band sued Victory in August, claiming owner Tony Brummel's "scheming" actions had seriously damaged Hawthorne's reputation. Though the court ruled that their contract with Victory was nonexclusive, the judge asked for more time to decide whether HH or Victory own the copyrights to the band's first two albums. Lawyers for Victory filed a motion on Tuesday asking the judge to reconsider the ruling. Trotter said the band is reviewing its options but has not yet decided how it will release its next album. ...

Sacha Baron Cohen bum-rushed the White House last year as part of a publicity stunt for his "Borat" movie, but now his character might be finding an unlikely ally in Condi Rice, of all people. According to Reuters, Borat is cited in the State Department's annual human-rights report, which criticizes Kazakhstan — where Borat supposedly hails from — for numerous abuses, including increased restrictions on free speech. Among the abuses the report points out was the Kazakhstan government's revocation of Borat.KZ, a site it deemed offensive. ... Jimi Hendrix's family is suing a vodka seller for what, in a press release, it calls the "unauthorized, tasteless promotion" of the late guitarist's name in a marketing campaign. Experience Hendrix, the Hendrix family company, filed a federal lawsuit against Seattle businessman Craig Dieffenbach for using trademarked material to market Hendrix Electric Vodka and other products. ... Angelina Jolie will be united in three months or sooner with the Vietnamese boy she is adopting, an adoption official from the country has told AP. ...

After masquerading as the New Pantheon award for all of one year, the Shortlist Music Prize is back, and recently announced its panel of nine listmakers and the initial "long list" of nominees for the award. Panic! at the Disco, Franz Ferdinand, KT Tunstall and Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne are among the artists who have submitted lists of their favorite records of the past year, all of which have been compiled into an initial list of 61 nominees — including Beck's The Information, Hot Chip's The Warning, the Raconteurs' Broken Boy Soldiers and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Show Your Bones. That list will be whittled down to 10 finalists in April, with the Shortlist winner to be announced later this spring. Any album released during 2006 was eligible for the Shortlist, so long as it had not been certified gold (500,000 copies shipped) during the calendar year. Previous winners include Sigur Rós, TV on the Radio and Sufjan Stevens. ...

Tool have rescheduled the 10 tour dates they recently postponed after drummer Danny Carey tore his bicep. The band will play Reno, Nevada, on April 30; San Diego on May 2; Las Cruces, New Mexico, on May 5; Tucson, Arizona, on May 6; Albuquerque, New Mexico, on May 8; Southaven, Missouri, on May 15; Oklahoma City on May 19; San Antonio on May 21; Corpus Christi, Texas, on May 22; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on May 24. Additional tour dates are expected to be announced shortly. ... "American Idol" contestants aren't safe from judge Simon Cowell, even when they're long off the show. At the Museum of Television and Radio's 24th annual Paley Festival in West Hollywood, California, last week, Cowell targeted Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson and "Idol" champ Taylor Hicks. "Hudson said 'American Idol' was a 'stepping stone' for her," Cowell said. "Stepping stone? It was her big opportunity to become noticed and she got noticed and she got 'Dreamgirls,' " he said, adding, "The reason people come on the show is because all the doors have been slammed in their face." As for "Idol" winner Taylor Hicks, "Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson loved him," Cowell said. "I couldn't stand him. Just because you win the show doesn't mean you will sell a lot of records. [Chris Daughtry] is the one who sold the albums, not Taylor." ...

A new law proposed by Connecticut legislators would require social-networking sites such as MySpace to verify users' ages and get parental consent for minors, AP reports. The bill was presented Wednesday, a day after a Connecticut man was sentenced to 14 years in prison for using MySpace to meet an underage girl he'd planned to have sex with. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal estimated that 10 to 20 other states are considering similar laws. "The technology is available," he said. "The solution is financially feasible, practically doable. If we can put a man on the moon, we can check ages of people on these Web sites." ... The future of many Internet radio stations could be in jeopardy thanks to a ruling Tuesday by an obscure panel of federal copyright judges. The decision by the Copyright Royalty Board significantly increased the royalties paid to musicians and record labels for streaming digital songs online, ending a discounted fee for small Internet broadcasters that some say could put them out of business, according to a Los Angeles Times report. Per the board's ruling, the current rate of 0.08 of a cent each time a song is played would more than double by 2010, resulting in fees that many small broadcasters say they cannot afford.

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Photo: Ray Mickshaw/FOX

On seasons four and five of "American Idol," when the semifinals featured 24 singers, one-third of them were teenagers — eight each season.

When this season's semifinalists were named on Wednesday, only three of the 24 were in their teens: 17-year-old Sanjaya Malakar, 17-year-old Jordin Sparks and 19-year-old Stephanie Edwards.

The numbers prompt the question: Is "Idol" growing up?

Since raising the age limit to 28 for season four, singers approaching 30 have dominated the show, from Taylor Hicks, Chris Daughtry and Elliott Yamin to Bo Bice, Constantine Maroulis and Nadia Turner. And in season six, eight of the remaining contenders are 27 or older, including early favorites like Chris Sligh, Melinda Doolittle and Jason "Sundance" Head.

"It is strange this season that most of the contestants are older," said DJSlim (a.k.a. Brent Natzle), author of IdolBlogLive.com. "I think this is simply because younger contestants never fare too well on the show in the first place, so instead of giving them a spot in the top 24, where they will soon be booted, they gave the spots to older, more mature contestants who may fare better with the voting public."

Jacob Clifton, who covers "Idol" for TelevisionWithoutPity.com, believes stocking the top 24 with older contestants is a practical decision from a television-marketing standpoint. "I'm sure that the mean viewer demographic has increased in age over the six seasons of the show as it goes through the cool cycle, so I'd imagine that has something to do with it," he said. "People want to see themselves on TV."

"Because we saw so little of the Hollywood round, it's difficult to say much about the particular contestants," added David Bloomberg, editor of FoxesOnIdol.com (see "What's Up With Super-Short Hollywood Round On 'American Idol'?"). "But it did seem to be a particularly harsh Hollywood round, and it might simply be that the older contestants were better able to handle it than the teenagers."

"Idol" co-executive producer Nigel Lythgoe, however, was not so quick to say older singers have an advantage.

"I think you get tired and a little more jaded when you get older, and you feel as though it's your last chance, and that can be very emotional and affect you greatly in this competition," he said. "Whereas the 16-year-olds bounce from one thing to another, they don't know half the music they're singing. I remember Lisa Tucker last year, we gave her a Burt Bacharach song. She sang it brilliantly, didn't understand a word she was singing probably, but sang it beautifully. That's what they do, they just take it in and sing it."

Lythgoe is fully supportive of how the contestants reaching the semifinals have been getting older each year, though. In fact, he wants to raise the audition age limit to 30 next season.

"I think [28] brought us some more maturity and a little more professionalism in certain areas and we're happy about that," he said. "I don't know why 28. I really don't know why 30, but I guess we're just about managing to cope with the hundreds of thousands [of applicants] that we're getting at the moment. Opening up any more and I'm frightened to death how many people we'll get."

Lythgoe is still pitching the idea to the other producers, but if it happens, he can rest knowing he has full support from "Idol" experts and big-name former contestants.

"Talent does not discriminate by age," FoxesOnIdol's Bloomberg said. "Let the audience decide who they want as their American Idol. Is it somebody who is 16 or somebody who is 36?"

"I think it's a great idea," Chris Daughtry said. "I think there's a lot of great, talented, untapped talent out there that has been doing the bar scene for a long time. Most of the guys in my band are over 30. And I don't think it stops there. I think that's when a lot of people are getting discovered."

TelevisionWithoutPity's Clifton pointed to "Rock Star," whose average contestant age is much higher than that of "Idol." "And it results in a consistently higher level of actual performance quality," he said. "The enjoyable irony of watching 17-year-olds fail and cry — or nearly hurl, in David Bradford's case last year — gets old, but great performances do not. A higher audition age limit means more practiced and mannered performances, which definitely fits the profile for what 'AI' is becoming."

"I don't think it's a bad thing," Katharine McPhee added. "By the time the record is out they're like 31, 32. By the time the second record is out they're like 35. But, hey, 30 is the new 20!"

And, finally, how would last year's winner feel about raising the age limit?

"I think it's a good idea, because the experience helps," Taylor Hicks said. "And you can never look too old either, take it from me."

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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Taylor Hicks
Photo: Vince Bucci/ Getty Images

"American Idol" is a cultural phenomenon and a ratings juggernaut, but let's face it, it ain't perfect. There are singers who can't sing, judges who don't judge and, well, whatever that whole Meatloaf thing was at last season's finale.

While the show's sixth season is already going strong, critics and fans have questioned how long it can last (see " 'American' Invincible? 'Idol' Watchers Weigh In On Show's Shelf Life"). And since "Idol" does seem to be the thing everyone has an opinion on, we thought we'd ask some people close to the show or the music industry in general what they'd change if they were in charge.

Surprisingly, no one suggested bringing Brian Dunkleman back.

Taylor Hicks, season-five winner: "I would probably allow people to play instruments. For me, there's a couple different aspects to my entertaining, two of them being harmonica and guitar. That could be a cool possibility."

David Bloomberg, editor of fan site FoxesOnIdol.com: "I'm not a big fan of the bad auditions. We could be done with those in a week and it would make me quite happy. Also, let us get to know all of the semi-finalists before we start to vote, to make it fair. I would suggest adding a special hour before the voting shows begin to give us short intros to all the remaining contestants. That way we don't have a situation where we've seen and heard a lot about a few contestants while others are brand new to us when they sing for our votes. Finally, Ryan Seacrest needs to stop taking himself so seriously and trying to outdo Simon with his jabs and insults. Enough already."

Randy Jackson, "American Idol" judge: "I could definitely live without [the celebrity guest judges]. I mean, the show works because it's the three of us on the panel, and what we do and how we interact. I think when people come into the arena that we judge in, it's often a little awkward and a little hard for them. I think people look at the show as a fan and go, 'I could do that. I'd love to be there.' It's almost like saying, 'I could be a pitcher.' Actually, I couldn't. I don't even know if I could pitch Little League. I mean, yes, you could do it, but is it going to be great or are you just there for the TV face time?"

JoJo Wright, on-air personality at KIIS-FM, Los Angeles: "Give out a William Hung Award [to the worst singer] at the completion of the audition process. Perhaps have William Hung present the award, himself."

DJSlim (real name: Brent Natzle), editor of IdolBlogLive.com: "I would eliminate all the auditions we have to watch, and of course there would be a huge overhaul to the voting system. Right now it isn't fair that people can vote literally thousands of times for their favorite Idol. Shows like 'Nashville Star' have been successful and they limit the number of votes people can cast. The biggest thing I would change with 'Idol,' though, would be allowing the contestants to use the Internet to blog about their experience on the show. 'Rock Star: Supernova' allowed the contestants to blog and it really helped to get to know the individual singers. Blogging is huge right now and 'Idol' needs to see that and take advantage of it. Instead of getting upset and suing blog owners, grow up and allow the contestants to blog about the show. Who cares if we find out any of the show's secrets?"

Paris Bennett, season-five finalist: "I love that people can call in and vote, but that is very, very controversial. So I'd redo the voting thing. And the genres they pick — our show was good, but we had these slow weeks, love-song week, and sometimes they're stupid."

Bryan-Michael Cox, songwriter/producer (Mariah Carey, Chris Brown): "I would focus more on the positive in the beginning. We think the negative stuff is hilarious, but when you're in the process of launching careers, you shouldn't take the seriousness out of it. You know, William Hung got a record deal, but that could have gone to someone with talent who could be building a career right now."

Todd Brabec, executive vice president/membership, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP): "It would be great to integrate contemporary songwriters into the show who can help write original material specifically suited to the finalists. They could show a behind-the-scenes look at the songwriting process and how it helps to shape the artist. I understand the producers are introducing a national songwriting competition into the mix this year, and that is a step in the right direction."

Ace Young, season-five finalist: "I'd change the food they gave the contestants. We didn't get much for breakfast, it was all crescent rolls and fruit. And I'd change the sleeping arrangements. We slept on beds smaller than a twin mattress and I shared a room with Chris [Daughtry] with my feet hanging off the bed. That was the worst thing about the whole deal."

Greg Wells, producer (Deftones, the Pussycat Dolls): "If I ran 'American Idol,' I would immediately ban all Broadway show tunes from being performed."

And finally ... you.: Write in to You Tell Us and explain what you would change about "American Idol."

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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