Leadoff Performances

[back to top] Leadoff Performances

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# Episode / Theme Slot Performance Approval Rating σ Result
151
Elton John
1/11
Country Comfort0003Country Comfort
56
 
23 2Safe
152
Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame
1/9
Man In The Mirror0003Man In The Mirror
41
 
21 4Bottom Group
153
Songs From The Movies
1/8
Old Time Rock And Roll0003Old Time Rock And Roll
15
 
21 7Eliminated
154
21st Century
1/7
Swingin0003Swingin'
27
 
18 2Safe
155
Carole King
1/9
Oh No Not My Baby0003Oh No Not My Baby
23
 
19 2Safe
156
Now And Then
1/10
Closer To The Edge0003Closer To The Edge
45
 
15 2Safe
157
Inspirational Songs / Lieber & Stoller
1/8
Dont Stop Believin0003Don't Stop Believin'
52
 
20 7Eliminated
158
Idols' / Jimmy's / Judges' Choice
1/9
Amazed0003Amazed
37
 
21 2Safe
159
Finale
1/6
Gone0003GoneReprise performance
67
 
19 2Safe
160
Open
1/13
Moves Like Jagger0003Moves Like Jagger
37
 
21 5Wild Card
161
Open
1/12
Cowboy Casanova0003Cowboy Casanova
32
 
9 7Eliminated
162
Open
1/6
Oh Darling0003Oh! Darling
44
 
18 7Eliminated
163
Stevie Wonder / Whitney Houston
1/13
I Wish0003I Wish
65
 
14 4Bottom Group
164
Year You Were Born
1/11
Hard To Handle0003Hard To Handle
66
 
21 2Safe
165
Billy Joel
1/10
Only The Good Die Young0003Only The Good Die Young
35
 
18 4Bottom Group
166
Personal Idol
1/9
Everything0003Everything
52
 
22 2Safe
167
1980s
1/12
I Like It0003I Like It
46
 
24 7Eliminated
168
2010s
1/10
Didnt You Know How Much I Loved You0003Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You
75
 
16 2Safe
169
Now and Then
1/14
Rolling In Deep0003Rolling In The Deep
82
 
19 4Bottom Group
170
Queen / Open
1/12
Bohemian Rhapsody0003Bohemian Rhapsody
44
 
26 2Safe
171
60's / British
1/12
River Deep Mountain High0003River Deep - Mountain High
79
 
17 4Bottom Group
172
California / Wish You Wrote
1/10
Have You Ever Seen The Rain?0003Have You Ever Seen The Rain?
47
 
19 2Safe
173
Judges' / Idols' / Jimmy's Choice
1/9
Id Rather Go Blind0003I'd Rather Go Blind
58
 
22 7Eliminated
174
Finale
1/6
I Have Nothing0003I Have Nothing
50
 
21 7Eliminated
175
Open
1/10
Heaven, Heartache And The Power Of Love0003Heaven, Heartache And The Power Of Love
27
 
14 7Eliminated

[back to top] Summary

Say you're a contestant on American Idol, and you're standing backstage a few hours before show time when the producers walk up to you and say, "Congratulations, Fred, you're singing first tonight!" Assuming your name is really Fred, your response should be to (choose one):

  1. Thank them profusely for the coveted honor of leading off the show.
  2. Throw up on their shoes.
  3. Hide in the wardrobe room and don't come out until the second commercial break.

Well, we can rule out A. As we and our friends at USA Today noted, the leadoff spot hasn't been terribly friendly to contestants over the years. Just 15 (of 282) first singers have have turned in a five-star performance, while 87 have been sent home (including 54 of 190 finalists, the highest ratio of any slot by far.) Through AI6, four of the six leadoff singers in a Final 3 episode have been voted off, and five of six in the Finales (where so far only Ruben Studdard has sung first and lived to tell about it.)

The challenges of performing first are obvious. Many late-arriving viewers miss the performance entirely, and those who do see it have upwards of an hour to forget about it before the voting begins. Plus, singing in front of a "cold" audience is rarely a treat; that's why opening acts were invented. Certainly the producers are aware of this too, so if they were ever intent on getting rid of a contestant – and we are not saying we suspect them of anything (cough-cough) – the leadoff spot is the obvious place to put him or her.

So if you ever find yourself opening the show on Idol, do whatever it takes to make it as memorable of a performance as you can. And don't forget to apologize to the producers afterwards for their shoes.

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