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

Blake Lewis
Photo: Will Ragozzino/Getty Images

As far as Blake Lewis is concerned, selling close to 300,000 copies of his debut LP, A.D.D. (Audio Day Dream), was a "huge success" — at least on a personal level. Apparently, Arista Records has a different definition of success.

The atypical "American Idol" alumnus (he was the season-six runner-up, ultimately losing out to Jordin Sparks) told MTV News that he parted ways with Arista just seven months after his record landed in stores. That makes his the shortest of all the relationships forged between former "Idol" contenders and their various record labels. But the beatboxer would like to clarify one point: He wasn't dropped by the label — the relationship merely dissolved.

"My contract with Arista is up, and they didn't option me, so I'm with 19 Recordings and we're working on booking a tour," he explained. "Arista went through a lot of changes. The person who was working on my record was fired. ... I guess in the world of radio, selling 300,000 is not a success. I beg to differ. I couldn't be happier, and my fans are amazing and super-supportive."

The label setback isn't about to deter Lewis from continuing his music career. He said he's already written four songs for his sophomore LP, which he's working on with his band's drummer, Kevin "KJ" Sawka. The pair will be co-producing the effort, which Lewis describes as "Massive Attack meets Zero 7 — drum-and-bass with a little pop influence."

But who will release the record when it's in the bag? Lewis said he may release the disc through his own label, which he's in the process of getting off the ground. "I'm super-passionate about this record," he said. "Who knows what's in store? Half the year's over, and it's only going to keep going."

Lewis believes sales of his album were hurt because he couldn't get Top 40 radio to spin the LP's first single, "Break Anotha." He also thinks it might not have been the best choice as a lead single.

"I did a track with Lupe Fiasco called 'Know My Name,' and I thought that would have been a better single," he said, adding that he's about to meet with Simon Fuller, who created "American Idol" and runs 19 Recordings, to see if he can get his debut offering released overseas. "It was largely influenced by '80s music and electronic music, so I want to get over there and tour as much as possible."

In the eyes of some of his fans, Lewis is a casualty of the "American Idol" machine. As history has shown, "Idol" runner-ups generally aren't given the same label support as the show's champs, making it even more challenging for them to sustain their post-"Idol" momentum. But Lewis doesn't feel he was shafted for his second-place finish.

"I got to make an album I'm proud of, and I worked my butt off on this music," he said. "Regardless of if it's a huge mainstream success or not, I've been an independent artist for the last eight years, and I'll keep it that way if I have to. I don't think I got shafted — they treated me well. It's just that the industry is eating itself alive. There are only three major labels left, and I have experienced the deterioration of the industry."

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. And relive six seasons of "Idol" hot messes and high notes in six minutes with our video timeline.

• Blake Lewis

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

The Roots and Patrick Stump on Saturday
Photo: MTV News

WEST HOLLYWOOD, California — "Y'all acting real industry right now," Roots' drummer Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson joked to the crowd during a lull in his band's three-and-a-half-hour performance on Saturday night. "If y'all were really in the industry, you'd be up at Clive Davis' party right now."

And he couldn't have been more correct. For five years now, the Roots' pre-Grammy jam session has been the most unpredictable, least industry party during the most industry week in Hollywood. And this year's was no different. If anything, it was the most free-flowing and lively session yet. And it certainly ended later than ever before.

Held at the tiny Key Club on the same night as music executive Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy party (which took place at the palatial Beverly Hilton), the 2008 session was loose and unpredictable, the kind of event that musicians dream of playing and music fans dream of attending. There were unlikely, thoroughly amazing colaborations — like Seal strolling onstage unannounced to cover a Bowie tune as Fall Out Boy frontman Patrick Stump played rhythm guitar and the rest of the Roots kept pace — totally off-the-wall song selections (the Roots and neo-soul singer Bilal funking up Radiohead's "Everything in Its Right Place") and a good-natured, party-up vibe that didn't stop until the clock hit nearly 4 a.m.

Taking the stage at 12:11 a.m. — bear in mind, the event was tentatively scheduled to start at 10 p.m. — ?uest took a seat behind his kit, loosened his tie and snapped a quick snare line; sousaphonist Damon Bryson (don't call him the tuba player) added a somber low end and guitarist Kirk Douglas launched into a version of Bob Dylan's "Masters of War." The song built into a chaotic maelstrom, then fell away to a ?uest drum solo, which really became a drum duet when Travis Barker joined him on a second kit. The two passed the rhythm back and forth for a full eight minutes before Barker exited to thunderous applause and the song ended at around the 17-minute mark (we weren't kidding about the "longest-running" part).

The entire Roots crew then filled the stage, and worked through a version of "Proceed" (from '94's Do You Want More?!!!??!) which they dedicated to late producer and friend Jay Dee, a.k.a. J Dilla. That gave way to a funky instrumental, powered by a hard-charging horn section and featuring James Brown-ian grunts from MC Black Thought. Soon after, Stump got onstage and lended his voice to a cover of the Police's "Walking on the Moon" (turns out he does a mean Sting impression), and then sung the hook on "Birthday Girl," the first single from the Roots' upcoming album Rising Down.

At roughly 1:45 a.m., Stump was giving pounds to the band and preparing to leave the stage when suddenly, Seal strode up, and after a lengthy discussion with Douglas, the band thrust into a version of Bowie's "Rebel, Rebel," with Mr. Heidi Klum delivering lines like "Hot tramp, I love you so!" with vampish aplomb. The unlikely group then worked its way through jazzy takes on Jimi Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary" and the Steve Miller Band's "Fly Like an Eagle," all while members of the crowd — including Gym Class Heroes frontman Travis McCoy — went nuts, reaching toward the stage and thrusting Blackberrys, iPhones and cell phone cameras aloft.

And the guest stars just kept on coming. The Roots then brought Bilal up to jam through a couple of numbers — including the aforementioned take on Radiohead — which unfortunately killed the momentum Seal had built. Perhaps realizing that, Black Thought called hip-hop legends MC Lyte and Doug E. Fresh up to the stage, for a medley of old-school hip-hop hits ("Cha Cha Cha" and Slick Rick's "La Di Da Di" being two of the standouts), which got the crowd back on its feet, and by the time 3 a.m. hit, Fresh, Thought and "American Idol" runner-up Blake Lewis were engaging in a beatboxing battle that blew the roof off the place.

Then Corinne Bailey Rae stepped to the microphone to do a little work, and at 3:13 in the morning, ?uestlove finally stood up from the drum kit. The Roots' B-Team then assembled to help fellow Philly-ites Fat City Reprise play a few tunes. By this time, the crowd at the Key Club had started to thin, and from the side of the stage, ?uest could be seen eyeing a sheet of paper, a sort of set list comprised of 17 bullet-pointed items for the night. His eyes made his way down to the 17th of those points — "Get the f--- off the stage!" — so he decided to do just that, reassembling the Roots for one final musical outpouring, a thank you for the crowd, some onstage embraces and then, it was over.

It was epic. It was hectic. It was disorganized. It was everything a party is supposed to be. And, yes, it raged until long past curfew. In fact, as the crowd members spilled out into the streets, many of them happened to drive by the Beverly Hilton, site of the Clive Davis party. Not surprisingly, things had been shuttered there for hours. At this hour, the industry was already asleep.

Don't sleep until February 10 — geek out on the Grammys with MTV News' complete coverage right here!

• Will.I.Am, Gym Class Heroes, Fall Out Boy, More At The Roots' 5th Annual Jam Session
• 2008 Grammy Awards Performers And Presenters
• 2008 Grammy Award Nominees: Akon, Fergie, T.I., More
• Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, More At The In Style And Grammy Salute To Fashion
• Ashlee Simpson, Pete Wentz, Paris Hilton, More At The Fuse TV Pre-Grammy Party

• The Roots
• Patrick Stump
• Travis Barker
• Blake Lewis
• Corinne Bailey Rae

Gwen Stefani mentors last season's final 10 "American Idol" contestants
Photo: Fox

Will the next season of "American Idol" boast the best crop of singers yet to appear on the singing competition? Yes — or so claims Nigel Lythgoe. While admitting that he gets paid to say it, the executive producer insisted the upcoming seventh edition will produce the strongest top 12 in the show's history.

"This year I think ... there will be standout individuals right from the beginning," he said during a Thursday (December 13) conference call with journalists to discuss the upcoming season, which kicks off January 15 with a two-hour special. "It's not just a question of seeing somebody grow like Jordin last year, [who] grew [over the course of] the series. ... This year I think you will go, 'Wow, he's great, she's good and that kid's great too!' There will be standouts very, very quickly."

As promised, there will also be a few tweaks to the "Idol" formula, including allowing some instruments during the audition phase, a first for the show. Lythgoe said it was not yet decided if the top 12 contestants will be allowed to play live onstage because of fears that it might give some finalists an advantage over ones who cannot play, but he hinted that playing and singing worked out very well for some wannabes during the Hollywood week and caused others to crash and burn during auditions.

"Three [contestants] that I'm positive will be in our top 12 [played instruments and] were terrific, and a couple of others really just crashed and burned. It's very difficult to sing in tune and play drums at the same time. It's a complete nightmare." He also mentioned that this year's competition has three or four very promising singers who are 16 and 17 years old.

Another change will be that this year's show will feature fewer celebrity mentors and judges, and focus more intently on the contestants' stories. Lythgoe admitted "Idol" got away from that thread a bit last year — to the show's detriment.

"I think we got carried away with the mentors last season for sure," he said of the pileup of guest stars that included past winners Carrie Underwood and Fantasia, as well as Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez, Fergie, Pink and Enrique Iglesias. "We will spend more time talking to the kids about their lives [and] what they want from this competition."

And while he said the show has already inked two celebrity guests he's "absolutely thrilled" about (but would not name), when asked if he'd consider having Britney Spears as a guest judge on "Idol," Lythgoe said not anymore.

"I would have had Britney Spears on last year, when I thought she was trying to get it all back together, but Britney at this moment in time is not well enough," he said, adding that he thinks she's exceptionally talented but needs some "looking after" at the moment.

Though ratings for the show remained strong last year — and it continued to be, far and away, the most watched show in primetime — Lythgoe said that kind of mass popularity doesn't always translate at the record store. The weak chart debuts from last year's winner, Jordin Sparks, and runner-up, Blake Lewis, are not necessarily a sign that the show is on the wane, Lythgoe said.

"I've never believed that the television audience is the same as the record-buying audience," he said. "If that were true, my God, they'd be selling 60 million albums as opposed to 2 million albums. I don't know how that translates ... it doesn't always translate." Citing the middling success of such past winners as Ruben Studdard and Fantasia Barrino, Lythgoe said the show is a springboard, but that it doesn't guarantee Carrie Underwood-style success for every winner or finalist.

In a year when it will likely face little or no competition from scripted dramas due to the ongoing writers strike, Lythgoe said, despite the temptation, "Idol" has no plans to stretch its wings to more than two nights. He did, however, say it will pick up a third evening on April 9, when the "Idol Gives Back" charity special comes back for a second year.

Lythgoe also discussed "The Next Great American Band," the ratings-debacle "Idol" spinoff he also executive produces. He said he believes the show is hurting due to a combination of people having a harder time connecting with a band versus an individual, as well as a terrible time slot.

"If you've really got any common sense, instead of watching [bands] on television on Friday night, you're actually out enjoying yourself watching bands," he said.

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

• Jordin Sparks
• Blake Lewis

Josh Groban's <i>Noël,</i>
Photo: WEA/ Reprise

The album's robust sales are proof positive of Oprah's influence — and, of course, the season, as sales of Christmas releases increased across the board. Still, it's nonetheless impressive that in the nine weeks since its release, the LP has held the #1 spot the last three. Next week's chart shows that the album's week-three triumph was hardly threatened; the record sold another 581,500 copies, and the closest competitor, Alicia Keys' As I Am, finished at #2, selling 234,400 units.

But perhaps the bigger story is how "American Idol" season-six runner-up Blake Lewis' debut, Audio Day Dream, fared on the top 200 (see " 'American Idol' Runner-Up Blake Lewis Creates Own Genre On A.D.D. Debut"). Entering the chart at #10 with just 97,500 copies scanned, Lewis' disc was the sole chart newcomer to bow in the top 10, but the album generated fewer sales than "Idol" victor Jordin Sparks' self-titled debut did. Sparks' album turned out the lowest first-week numbers for any debut from one of the show's champs, and this week, it sits at #24 with sales reported at 52,500, just three weeks after first landing in stores. It, too, entered at #10 the week after its release, with little more than 119,100 sold (see "Jordin Sparks' Debut Has Weakest-Ever Opening For An 'American Idol' Champ: What Went Wrong?").

The remainder of the top 10 is filled out with some of the biggest-selling albums of the year, enjoying a holiday sales boost. Behind Keys at #3 is the Eagles' Long Road Out of Eden with 204,500 scans, and coming in at #4 with 158,400 sold is the 26th addition to the Now That's What I Call Music! compilation series. The soundtrack to "Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus" climbs two spots to #5, selling 132,200, while the soundtrack to "High School Musical 2" follows at #6 with 128,000 sold.

Carrie Underwood's Carnival Ride rises two positions to #7, having sold 106,800 copies. Garth Brooks' Ultimate Hits follows at #8 with 105,000 scans, and coming in at #9 with 98,800 copies scanned is country crossover Taylor Swift's self-titled debut.

Generally speaking, album sales were up last week, thanks to the holiday shopping season, and the announcement last week of this year's Grammy contenders. For example, sales of Kanye West's Graduation, which garnered the most nominations, were up 7 percent to close at 25,100; the album surged ahead 10 spots to #58. Meanwhile, sales of Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, which was nominated for six awards, rose 48 percent to end at 17,600-plus, according to the latest SoundScan totals.

One of the week's biggest gainers was Mexican band K-Paz de la Sierra's Capaz de Todo por Ti, which experienced a sales increase of 309 percent, following the death of lead singer Sergio Gomez 10 days ago. (He was kidnapped and later found dead, one of three popular traditional Mexican musicians to be murdered last week.) The album, which wasn't on the chart last week, appeared at #93, selling 15,300 copies — up from 3,700 the previous week.

Just 13 new releases managed to find their way onto next week's top 200, including Lewis' inaugural studio offering. Rapper Scarface's M.A.D.E. enters the chart at #17 with 62,900 scans, while DJ Drama's first aboveground mixtape, Gangsta Grillz: The Album, which features tracks by T.I., Young Jeezy, Lil Jon, Lil Wayne, Yung Joc, Jadakiss, Jim Jones and others, comes in at #26 with 48,800 sold.

Carnival, Vol. 2: Memoirs of an Immigrant, the latest from ex-Fugee Wyclef Jean, opens at #28, having sold 46,400 copies its first week in stores. That's the lowest chart position and weakest sales of any of 'Clef's previous outings. Back in 1997, The Carnival debuted at #16 with 52,000 sold, while 2000's The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book opened at #9 with 95,400 scans; 2002's Masquerade entered the chart at #6 with 81,500, and 2003's The Preacher's Son bowed at #22 with 49,300 sold.

Godsmack's career-spanning Good Times, Bad Times: 10 Years of Godsmack collection sold 40,500 copies to enter the chart at #35, while Wu-Tang Clan associate Ghostface Killah's The Big Doe Rehab follows at #41 with 35,600 sold. Styles P's new one, Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman), comes in at #52 with sales of 28,500.

Late rapper 2Pac has not one, but two posthumous releases making their debuts on next week's chart. The Best of 2Pac, Pt. 1: Thug sits in the #65 spot with 22,500 sold, while The Best of 2Pac, Pt. 2: Life follows at #77 with 18,900 copies snatched up. Meanwhile, Too Short's Get Off the Stage enters at #160 with sales reported at 8,000, and Rufus Wainwright's Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall comes in at #171 with 7,400 sold. Lastly, debuting at #196 with 6,300 sold, it's Crunk Hits: Volume 4, a compilation featuring the likes of T.I., Shop Boyz, Fat Joe, Chris Brown, Chamillionaire and Jim Jones.

• Blake Lewis' Debut LP Lives Up To A.D.D. Title

• Josh Groban
• Scarface
• Wyclef Jean
• DJ Drama
• Blake Lewis

Ghostface Killah's <I>The Big Doe Rehab</i>
Photo: Island Def Jam

The eight days of Hanukkah begin at sunset Tuesday (December 4), and in commemoration of the holiday, we've lined up the week's eight biggest new releases:

Ghostface Killah's The Big Doe Rehab
December 4 matters more to Ghost than to a lot of the artists dropping new releases this week, mainly because he actually had to put up a fight to keep the date. While he told Mixtape Monday in October that his seventh studio album had been cemented for a December 4 release date "for the longest [time]," he came to discover that the new Wu-Tang Clan album, The 8 Diagrams, had been pegged for the same date. But apparently in an effort to appease Ghost, RZA delayed the latter disc a week — which likely made him as content as he appears on his new CD's album cover. He has most of his fellow Clan along for the ride — RZA's nowhere to be found, though — as well as Beanie Sigel, Chrisette Michele and others on the follow-up to Fishscale, which was widely ranked as one of the best rap releases of 2006.

Wyclef Jean's Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant
Ghost's guest list pales in comparison to Wyclef's, which isn't just longer but runs the gamut in terms of music genres. Mary J. Blige, Lil Wayne, Serj Tankian, T.I., Norah Jones, Akon, Shakira, Chamillionaire and even Paul Simon play a role on the release, which features a bonus big name on pretty much every track. Pick up the deluxe edition for even more guest-star goodness — Weezy, 'Kon, Raekwon and more are featured on some of the extra CD's five additional tracks and three videos. The iTunes version of Carnival II has yet another bonus track, while the Best Buy edition comes with three Rhapsody Original extras.

DJ Drama's Gangsta Grillz: The Album
There's yet another red-hot guest list in the mix this week, and it's the one featured on Drama's long-overdue studio-LP debut. Diddy, Outkast, T.I., Young Jeezy, Lil Jon, Wayne, the Clipse, Yung Joc, Pharrell, Paul Wall and Nelly all piled onto the disc. The effort was delayed a few times due to Drama's much-publicized studio raid earlier this year and controversy over his well-known moniker, which left him time to come up with another banger or two. "What a better time to drop than during the holidays, a week and a half after Thanksgiving?" Drama recently told Mixtape Monday. "I call myself 'Mr. Thanksgiving.' "

Mariah Carey's "The Adventures of Mimi" DVD
Mirroring Justin Timberlake — who released his new "FutureSex/LoveShow - Live From Madison Square Garden" DVD only through Best Buy a couple of weeks ago — Mimi has stepped up with her own exclusive double-DVD release for the chain. Her first video package since 2000's "#1's" collection captures her October 8, 2006, concert in Anaheim, California, with 19 performances, behind-the-scenes clips, a tour documentary, a karaoke-style feature and more.

Nelly Furtado's Loose: The Concert
Furtado is feeling a bit more generous than Carey — the singer is not only releasing her concert set wide, she's also issuing it in both CD and DVD form. The former item finds Furtado running through 11 of her best-known songs while on her recent European and U.S. tours in support of Loose — including "I'm Like a Bird" and "Promiscuous" — while the expanded DVD has her covering Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" and chalking up a bunch more songs, including "Turn Off the Light" and "Powerless." In case fans need even more incentive to grab the DVD instead, it comes with a half-hour's worth of behind-the-scenes video footage with the pop star.

Styles P's Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman)
We've been streaming for free the third solo effort from the D-Block member, a disc that has "Blow Ya Mind" (featuring Swizz Beatz) as its first single. But that's not the only guest P has in tow — he also tapped one of his December 4 competitors, Ghostface, as well as Beanie Sigel, Akon, Jadakiss and others. "I'm just trying to be the MC and come with good, old-fashioned street soul music," he recently told Mixtape Monday of the vibe of the effort, which marks his debut on Koch Records. "I really feel like the '90s era."

Godsmack's Good Times, Bad Times ... Ten Years of Godsmack
The hard-rock band has sold about 11 million albums in the U.S. since it formed 11 years ago, and with a dozen or so singles that rock radio has probably burned into your brain, a greatest-hits collection is only fitting. Also "good timing," so to speak — given Led Zeppelin's recent reunion — is Godsmack's cover of the classic-rockers' "Good Times, Bad Times," which kicks off the 16-song menu. Aficionados will likely want to grab the CD-plus-DVD edition, which features the band performing acoustically at the House of Blues in Las Vegas.

Blake Lewis' Audio Day Dream
Last but not least, the beatboxing "American Idol" alumnus steps up with his first album — for which he claimed to MTV News that he had invented a whole new genre. "I call it '2080,' because it's a mix of all the great pop music that's inspired me," he said of the disc, which blends funk, soul, rock and pop. The sixth-season finalist's album is led by the single "Break Anotha," which was co-written with and produced by Ryan "Alias" Tedder of One Republic, as well as other tracks Tedder helped craft. J.R. Rotem produced and co-wrote "What'cha Got 2 Lose?" with Lewis and fellow "Idol" finalist Chris Richardson, while none other than Lupe Fiasco — who cranks out his own new album, Lupe Fiasco's "The Cool," in a couple of weeks — is featured on "Know My Name."

That's a Rap: Hip-hop heads have a lot on their plate this week — in addition to all the above, there's also a new album from Scarface, Made, that features guest spots from (surprise!) Lil Wayne and T.I. Scarface's last album did well, reaching #12 on the Billboard albums chart and selling more than 300,000 copies, but with hardly any promotion behind his new effort, it's going to be tough for him to score a repeat performance. Also back in stores is Too Short, whose Get Off the Stage is coming under the radar as well — probably because it's the last release he's putting out through Jive. It features E-40, the Pack and more.

There's plenty more bristling on the archival front too, chiefly the new two-part The Best of 2Pac collection. The discs are being sold separately and feature one unreleased song and one new remix apiece: Part 1: Thug has "Resist the Temptation" and a new mix of "Dear Mama" featuring Anthony Hamilton, whose original version was nominated for a Grammy Award; while Part 2: Life contains "Dopefiend's Diner," which finds 2Pac using a vocal sample of the melody line from Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner," and an acoustic remix of "Thugz Mansion."

Mack 10, Fiend and Westside Connection are also getting some love from the vaults with best-of collections, while some of Eazy-E's most memorable guest spots were culled for Featuring Eazy-E. An expanded 20th-anniversary edition of N.W.A's Straight Outta Compton is also hitting stores — with five bonus slices, including a live performance of "Compton's N the House" by Dr. Dre and MC Ren, and covers of Compton tracks by Snoop Dogg, C-Murder, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Mack 10 and WC. And repping newer talent is TVT's Crunk Hits Vol. 4 comp, which has the latest crunk classics by T.I., Lil Jon, Chris Brown and more.

Song Title of the Week:

"Conjunctions, Conjunctions, Everybody Loves Them" from Memphis May Fire's Memphis May Fire

Album Cover of the Week:

Ex-Boyfriends' three different "Clue"-themed covers for In With

Other Notables:

Various artists' "Live Earth: The Concerts for a Climate in Crisis"
In case you weren't privy to the landmark 7/7/07 event, a little guy named Al Gore is trying to raise awareness about a little issue called global warming. Backing him up at the concerts were about 100 of the world's best-known musicians whose performances across the globe were whittled down for the two-hour broadcast captured on this two-DVD/one-CD set. The first video disc spotlights John Legend, Beastie Boys, Black Eyed Peas, Snow Patrol and more; the second one has Rihanna, Foo Fighters and the Smashing Pumpkins, among others; and the CD includes tunes by Madonna, John Mayer, Keane, the Police and others. The net proceeds from the sale of the package go to the Alliance for Climate Protection.

Daft Punk's Alive 2007
The Parisian house duo had a huge year, ruling at Lollapalooza and getting a big boost from Kanye West. Their new live album — the release of which was delayed in the U.S. due to production issues — tries to put all that energy into disc form by immortalizing the act's first show in their hometown in 10 years. The two-disc version comes as a bound book and houses an extra enhanced CD with five songs from Daft Punk's encore, as well as 50 pages of photos and a video of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger," which 'Ye lifted for his song "Stronger."

Lamb of God's Sacrament - Deluxe Producer Edition
Not crazy about the metal titans' latest disc, the genre's top-selling album last year? Well, why not rework it yourself? That's what the guys are offering this week — a version of the disc with the studio tracks isolated, separated and prepared for use on Macs or PCs. Fans can rearrange or mix up the music at their whim, which means they'll have no reason to complain if they're still not happy with songs like "Walk With Me in Hell" and "Foot to the Throat."

New Releases:

· 4 Bonjour's Parties - Pigments Drift Down to the Brook (Mush)
· Aloha - Light Works (Polyvinyl)
· Ben's Brother - Beta Male Fairytales (Virgin)
· Bodies of Water - Ears Will Pop & Eyes Will Blink (Thousand Tongues)
· Bonde do Rolê - Marina Gasolina (EP; Domino)
· Daft Punk - Alive 2007 (limited-edition version comes with bonus CD; Virgin) [Buy Now]
· DJ Drama - Gangsta Grillz: The Album (Atlantic) [Buy Now]
Read: "DJ Drama May Lose His Name, But He'll Always Have Outkast"
· Ex-Boyfriends - In With (Absolutely Kosher)
· Food for Animals - Belly (Hoss)
· Nelly Furtado - Loose: The Concert (Geffen) [Buy Now]
· Ghostface Killah - The Big Doe Rehab (Def Jam [Buy Now]
· Isis - Holy Tears (EP; Ipecac)
· Wyclef Jean - Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant (Best Buy edition comes with three Rhapsody Original bonus tracks; Columbia) [Buy Now]
Read: "T.I. Kick-Starts Wyclef Jean's LP; Mary J. Blige, Akon Tagging Along"
· Blake Lewis - Audio Day Dream (Arista/J) [Buy Now]
Read: "'American Idol' Runner-Up Blake Lewis Creates Own Genre On A.D.D. Debut"
· Memphis May Fire - Memphis May Fire (Trustkill)
· Shane Newville - Formless (Syntax)
· Rademacher - Stunts (self-release)
· Scarface - Made (Asylum) [Buy Now]
· Chris Schlarb - Twilight & Ghost Stories (Asthmatic Kitty)
· Shipwreck - Rabbit in the Kitchen With a New Dress On (None)
· Styles P - Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman) (Koch) [Buy Now]
· Tender Forever - Wider (K)
· Too Short - Get Off the Stage (Jive) [Buy Now]
· Armin van Buuren - Universal Religion 2008: Live From Armada at Ibiza (Ultra)
· Rufus Wainwright - Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall (with DVD; Geffen) [Buy Now]
· Woelv - Tout Seul dans la Forêt en Plein Jour, Avez-Vous Peur? (K)
· The Wreckers - Way Back Home: Live From New York City (with DVD; Warner Bros.)
· Various artists - Night Owls 4 - A Shot in the Dark (Syntax)
· Various artists - To the Fallen Records Presents Country: Volume I and Rock: Volume I (To the Fallen)
· Various artists - "P.S. I Love You" soundtrack (Atlantic)
· Various artists - "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" soundtrack (Columbia)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

· 2Pac - The Best of 2Pac: Part I - Thug and Part 2 - Life (Interscope) [Buy Now]
· Trace Adkins - Greatest Hits, Volume II: American Man (Capitol)
· Jason Aldean - Relentless (with bonus "Soundcheck" DVD; available exclusively at Wal-Mart)
· David Bowie - David Bowie Box (10-CD box set; ISO/Columbia) [Buy Now]
· James Brown - The Singles: Volume Four - 1966-1967 (limited-edition two-CD set; Hip-O-Select) [Buy Now]
· Nick Drake - Fruit Tree (box set with three CDs and one DVD; UMe/Fontana) [Buy Now]
· Eagles - Desperado; Eagles Live (two CDs); Eagles Greatest Hits: Volume 2; Hotel California; On the Border; One of These Nights; The Long Run; Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 and the two-CD The Very Best Of (Asylum) [Buy Now]
· Eazy-E - Featuring Eazy-E (Capitol/Priority)
· Fiend - The Best of Fiend: Mr. Whomp Whomp (Capitol/Priority)
· Godsmack - Good Times, Bad Times ... Ten Years of Godsmack (also available with DVD; Republic) [Buy Now]
· Billie Holiday - Rare Live Recordings 1935-1959 (five-CD box set; ESP Disk Ltd.)
· Lamb of God - Sacrament - Deluxe Producer Edition (with bonus CD of audio tracks that have been isolated, separated and prepared for use on Mac or PC; Epic)
· The Libertines - The Best Of: A Time for Heroes (Rough Trade) [Buy Now]
· Lindisfarne - The Very Best of Lindisfarne (Caroline)
· Mack 10 - The Best of Mack 10: Foe Life (Priority) [Buy Now]
· N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton - 20th Anniversary Edition (Capitol/Priority) [Buy Now]
· Westside Connection - The Best of Westside Connection: The Gangsta, the Killa and the Dope Dealer (Capitol/Priority)
· Various artists - Crunk Hits Vol. 4 (TVT)
· Various artists - 20 Years of Nuclear Blast (Nuclear Blast)

Music DVDs:

· Mariah Carey - "The Adventures of Mimi" (two DVDs; Best Buy exclusive) [Buy Now]
· Brian Eno - "77 Million Paintings by Brian Eno" (two DVDs; Hannibal)
· Nelly Furtado - "Loose: The Concert" (Geffen) [Buy Now]
· Pelican - "After the Ceiling Cracked" (with CD; Hydra Head)
· Scissor Sisters - "Hurrah: A Year of Ta-Dah" (Universal) [Buy Now]
· The Marshall Tucker Band - "Carolina Dreams Tour '77" (Shout! Factory/Ramblin'; one DVD and two CDs)
· Rufus Wainwright - "Rufus! Rufus! Rufus! Does Judy! Judy! Judy!: Live From the London Palladium" (Geffen)
· Various artists - "Live Earth: The Concerts for a Climate in Crisis" (two DVDs and one CD; Reprise)

Digital Releases:

· Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - American X: Baby 81 Sessions (limited-edition EP; available exclusively at ThinkIndie.com)
· Echo and the Bunnymen - B-Sides and Live (2001-2005) (Cooking Vinyl)
· Interpol - Interpol Live (EP; available exclusively at ThinkIndie.com)
· John Lennon - "John Lennon Video Album" (available exclusively at Starbucks via the iTunes Digital Release card; Capitol/EMI Music Marketing)
· Nassiri - Holiday Collection (self-release)
· Professor Murder - Professor Murder on a Desert Island (free EP; RCRD LBL)
· Various artists - Through the Wilderness: A Tribute to Madonna (Manimal Vinyl)

Coming Attractions:

December 11:
· Bow Wow and Omarion - Face Off (also available with bonus DVD; Columbia) [Preorder]
Read: "Bow Wow Says His Face Off With Omarion Will Mean A 'Whole Bunch Of #1 Records' "
· R. Kelly - "Trapped in the Closet, Chapters 1-22" DVD (Jive) [Preorder]
· Mario - Go (J) [Preorder]
· Wu-Tang Clan - The 8 Diagrams (Best Buy edition comes with exclusive DVD; Def Jam) [Preorder]
Read: "Wu-Tang Clan's 'First-Ever Cleared Beatles Sample' Claim Is Incorrect"

December 18:
· Christina Aguilera - "Back to Basics: Live and Down Under" (RCA) [Preorder]
· Mary J. Blige - Growing Pains (Geffen) [Preorder]
Read: "Mary J. Blige Says She's 'Just Fine' With Her New Album, Losing 'Umbrella' To Rihanna"
· Chamillionaire - Mixtape Messiah 4 (Universal) [Preorder]
· Chingy - Hate It or Love It (Disturbing Tha Peace) [Preorder]
· Rivers Cuomo - Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo (Geffen)
· Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's the Cool (Atlantic) [Preorder]
Read: "Lupe Fiasco's Cool World: Tragedy Meets 'Mad Poppy Beats'"
· Rick Ross - Trilla (Def Jam) [Preorder]

December 25:
· Various artists - "High School Musical 2": Non-Stop Dance Party (Disney)
· Various artists - "Young Frankenstein: The New Mel Brooks Musical" (Decca Broadway)

• Ghostface Killah
• Wyclef Jean
• Mariah Carey
• Nelly Furtado
• DJ Drama

Blake Lewis
Photo: MTV News

The last thing the world needs is another genre of music — but don't tell that to Blake Lewis.

The atypical "American Idol" alumnus, who was the runner-up during the show's sixth and most recent season, will release his debut album, A.D.D. (Audio Day Dream), in just two weeks (December 4). According to the beatboxing bottle blond, the disc will contain a new sound — one none of us has ever heard before, maybe.

"It's my new genre I made up," the singer, who was heavily influenced by 1980s pop, proudly told MTV News during a recent interview. "I call it 2080, because it's a mix of all the great pop music that's inspired me." Lewis claims the record is a blend of electronic elements fused with funk, soul, rock and pop — pretty much everything, kitchen sink included.

"I worked with so many amazing people on this record, and the title came from this concept I came up with for the album," he explained. "I wanted to make a hip-hop mixtape or a great electronic mix — just one mix, start to finish, that takes you on a journey through metal, drum-and-bass with scratching on it to Michael Jackson pop into Erasure into Depeche Mode into some dub reggae. This album goes everywhere, and it was an amazing process to work on it. There's a song on the record that's [the Police's] 'Every Breath You Take' meets [1984 film] 'The NeverEnding Story.' "

Lewis worked with a cornucopia of producers on A.D.D., including OneRepublic's Ryan "Alias" Tedder, Sam Watters, J.R. Rotem, BT, David Hodges, Mike Elizondo, S*A*M and Sluggo, and Sean Hurley. The set features a guest spot by Lupe Fiasco, and fellow "Idol" finalist Chris Richardson even co-wrote a track. Lewis recently finished working on the video for the LP's first single, "Break Anotha," which was shot against a green screen and has an interesting concept behind it.

"It's hard to describe, but you know how when you open Rorschach inkblot tests, how they have two different sides? It's going to be like that," he said. "There's going to be, like, ink and water, and different effects behind me that come in."

The song was recorded in Lewis' hometown of Seattle, at London Bridge studios — the same place Alice in Chains recorded 1990's Facelift, Soundgarden tracked 1989's Louder Than Love, and Pearl Jam made their 1991 debut, Ten. Lewis said he could feel "that same energy and that vibe" during his time at London Bridge, and said that had an effect on the sessions. So did recording most of the tracks in his native city, where most people still refer to him as Bshorty.

"Bshorty's in my blood," he said, when asked about the nickname. "I was the shortest kid in school, and 311 is my favorite band, so I [took a cue from them and their nicknames] and started doing all these hip-hop shows and beatboxing contests and raves, and it just stuck for a long time. Basically, the name came from watching aggressive inline-skate videos during the 1990s."

Lewis is "totally ready" for his album to hit stores and said he feels "fortunate and blessed" to have been able to make the record. He even admitted that he's not intimidated by his "Idol" contemporaries. In fact, he'd love to see their records succeed — especially winner Jordin Sparks' forthcoming album, due in stores Tuesday.

"Good luck and congrats," said Lewis, who appeared in Sparks' video for the song "Tattoo." "She's my little sister, but bigger than me. She's so rad and so genuine, and I wish her all the success in the world. I would love to work with her in the future and collaborate with her for something."

Lewis, who said he hopes to tour in January, also had some words of wisdom to impart on the next crop of "American Idol" wannabes. "The producers won't like it, but my advice is be yourself," he said. "Don't listen to anything they have to say, unless it's going to help you in a certain way. And look at the camera. You are reaching the people at home, so look in the camera or you won't visually reach anyone."

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

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