X Slide

American Idol 15 Best Auditions Ever 15 David Cook Livin on a Prayer Season 7 Okay so the season 7 champ was sporting a goofy fauxhawk and unfortunate red highlights when he busted out some Bon Jovi in a nondescript conference room in Omaha NE But close your eyes and listen to the unexpected choices Cookie makes with the song s tempo and melody and you ll get a glimpse of the distinctive daring re arranger who inspired a nation of speed dialers and changed the Idol game forever and for the better 14 Megan Joy Can t Help Loving Dat Man Season 8 The quirky tattooed beauty got her moment in front of the judges on her twent

third birthday but it was Simon Paula Kara and Randy who received a gift in the form of Megan s jazzy jaunty twist on a classic from the musical Show Boat You re different You are one of the few I m gonna remember Mr Cowell declared And almost a year since said audition aired we still completely concur 13 Sundance Head Stormy Monday Chris Sligh Kiss From a Rose season 6 Sundance and Chris made similar first impressions in American Idol season 6 They were burly affable and controversially groomed hedgehog goatee and Sideshow Bob curls respectively But by the time each man was done it was his voice that mattered most Sundance s soulful Stormy Monday had fans predicting he d crack the top 12 easily alas he got booted in the final week of semifinals while eventual tenth place finisher Chris boasted that his lovely Kiss From a Rose had Paula crumbling in his chubby little hands 12 Fantasia Barrino Proud Mary season 3 You don t see too many Idol wannabes audition with up tempo numbers and with good reason It s hard enough to stay on key before Simon Paula and Randy without having to worry about rhythm That s why Fantasia s effortless cover of the CCR Tina Turner show stopper is so memorable Accompanied only by the steady snap of her own fingers the season three winner proved she was a force to be reckoned with from the very first note of her Idol journey 11 Kimberley Locke Somewhere Over the Rainbow season 2 Idol s eight season history is littered with big voiced divas straining to hit their glory notes But none have been showier or more successful than third place finisher Kimberley s soaring yet controlled reinterpretation of the Wizard of Oz classic Forget Simon s backhanded compliment about Kimberley championing vocals over image any way you look at it the woman s audition is a beauty 10 Justin Guarini Who s Lovin You season 1 He s been reduced to an Idol punch line thanks to his anemic record sales and a starring role in the wretched From Justin to Kelly but watch the guy s seamless self assured audition again with fresh eyes As Simon himself points out it s a privilege to sit back and listen to undiscovered talent this terrific 9 Taylor Hicks A Change Is Gonna Come Swanee River Rock season 5 It was all right there from the beginning The soulful rasp the signature gray locks the spastic dancing Randy and Paula loved it Simon loathed it But whether you re in the former camp and cheered Taylor on to his season five crown or the latter Simon voted against sending Taylor to Hollywood and insisted he should be singing backgrounds it s impossible to forget exactly how Soul Patrol became a part of the Idol lexicon 8 Leneshe Young Nati Season 8 An overly long segment on Leneshe s family struggling with homelessness combined with the young woman s declaration that she was planning to audition with a song she penned herself gave us momentary train wreck vibes But the minute this teenager opened her mouth and sang a jaunty radio ready number dealing with romance in her hometown of Cincinnati we were blown away in the best way possible A year later we re still fuming How come this gal didn t crack the top 36 7 Brandon Rogers Always on My Mind season 6