Leadoff Performances

[back to top] Leadoff Performances

Click on a column header to sort by that column.
# Episode / Theme Slot Performance Approval Rating σ Result
1
Open
1/10
And I Am Telling You Im Not Going0003And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
86
 
13 2Safe
2
Open
1/10
I Will Survive0003I Will Survive
55
 
17 5Wild Card
3
Open
1/10
Ill Be There0003I'll Be There
42
 
19 5Wild Card
4
Open
1/5
How Am I Supposed To Live Without You0003How Am I Supposed To Live Without You
62
 
18 7Eliminated
5
Motown
1/10
If You Really Love Me0003If You Really Love Me
47
 
18 2Safe
6
1960s
1/8
Under The Boardwalk0003Under The Boardwalk
43
 
19 2Safe
7
1970s
1/7
Heartbreaker0003Heartbreaker
40
 
18 4Bottom Group
8
Big Band
1/6
Minnie The Moocher0003Minnie The Moocher
84
 
11 2Safe
9
Burt Bacharach Love Songs
1/5
Walk On By0003Walk On By
73
 
21 2Safe
10
1980s & 1990s
1/8
New Attitude0003New Attitude
19
 
15 7Eliminated
11
Idol's Choice / Judge's Choice
1/6
Edge Of Seventeen0003Edge Of Seventeen
36
 
26 7Eliminated
12
Finale
1/6
Before Your Love0003Before Your LoveOriginal Winners Song (Coronation Single) performance
44
 
13 7Eliminated
13
Open
1/8
Come To My Window0003Come To My Window
66
 
19 5Wild Card
14
Open
1/8
Open Arms0003Open Arms
68
 
17 5Wild Card
15
Open
1/8
Its All Coming Back To Me Now0003It's All Coming Back To Me Now
56
 
21 7Eliminated
16
Open
1/8
Didnt We Almost Have It All0003Didn't We Almost Have It All
19
 
12 7Eliminated
17
Open
1/9
I Feel The Earth Move0003I Feel The Earth Move
45
 
22 3Judges' Choice
18
Motown
1/12
Heat Wave0003Heat Wave
34
 
15 4Bottom Group
19
Movie Hits
1/11
Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)0003Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)
21
 
12 4Bottom Group
20
Country Rock
1/10
Aint Goin Down Til The Sun Comes Up0003Ain't Goin' Down ('Til The Sun Comes Up)
43
 
28 2Safe
21
Disco
1/8
Let's Groove0003Let's Groove
19
 
17 2Safe
22
Billboard #1 Hits
1/8
At This Moment0003At This Moment
66
 
20 2Safe
23
Billy Joel
1/7
Its Still Rock And Roll To Me0003It's Still Rock And Roll To Me
34
 
12 7Eliminated
24
Diane Warren Songs
1/6
If You Asked Me To0003If You Asked Me To
72
 
15 2Safe
25
1960s / Neil Sedaka
1/10
Aint Too Proud To Beg0003Ain't Too Proud To Beg
44
 
17 4Bottom Group

[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.

WhatNotToSing.com copyright © 2007-2024, The WNTS Team.  All rights reserved.  Use of this website implies that you accept our Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy.  American Idol is a registered trademark of 19 TV Ltd.  We are not affiliated in any way with American Idol, Fox Television, FremantleMedia North America, or any of their parent or subsidiary companies.