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
Country
1/11
A Broken Wing0003A Broken Wing
68
 
21 4Bottom Group
2
Finale
1/6
A House Is Not A Home0003A House Is Not A Home
39
 
16 2Safe
3
Open
1/8
A Little Less Conversation0003A Little Less Conversation
38
 
27 2Safe
4
Billboard Hot 100
1/12
A Little Less Conversation0003A Little Less Conversation
36
 
20 7Eliminated
5
Open
1/10
A Little Less Conversation0003A Little Less Conversation
31
 
21 7Eliminated
6
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
7
Movie Songs
1/8
Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)0003Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)
38
 
18 2Safe
8
Country Rock
1/10
Aint Goin Down Til The Sun Comes Up0003Ain't Goin' Down ('Til The Sun Comes Up)
43
 
28 2Safe
9
Grand Ole Opry
1/11
Aint Goin Down Til The Sun Comes Up0003Ain't Goin' Down ('Til The Sun Comes Up)
25
 
14 4Bottom Group
10
Soul
1/12
Ain't Nobody0003Ain't Nobody
85
 
19 2Safe
11
Open
1/12
Ain't Nobody0003Ain't Nobody
39
 
17 7Eliminated
12
1960s / Neil Sedaka
1/10
Aint Too Proud To Beg0003Ain't Too Proud To Beg
44
 
17 4Bottom Group
13
Open
1/12
Alive0003Alive
n/a
 
n/a 2Safe
Judges / Hometown / Reprise
1/8
All By Myself0003All By Myself
n/a
 
n/a 7Eliminated
Alanis Morissette / Ed Sheeran
1/12
All I Really Want0003All I Really Want
n/a
 
n/a 7Eliminated
16
Open
1/10
All In Love Is Fair0003All In Love Is Fair
38
 
17 2Safe
17
Open
1/8
All Mixed Up0003All Mixed Up
63
 
14 2Safe
18
Billboard charts
1/12
All Right Now0003All Right Now
25
 
20 2Safe
19
Open
1/10
Alone0003Alone
54
 
17 2Safe
20
Year You Were Born
1/10
Alone0003Alone
23
 
16 2Safe
21
Idols' / Jimmy's / Judges' Choice
1/9
Amazed0003Amazed
37
 
21 2Safe
22
Open
1/10
And I Am Telling You Im Not Going0003And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
86
 
13 2Safe
23
Open
1/6
And I Am Telling You Im Not Going0003And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
43
 
21 3Judges' Choice
24
Idol's / Producers' / Judges'
1/9
And So It Goes0003And So It Goes
73
 
24 2Safe
25
Finale
1/6
Angel0003Angel
44
 
18 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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