Leadoff Performances

[back to top] Leadoff Performances

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# Episode / Theme Slot Performance Approval Rating σ Result
1
Shania Twain
1/6
Youre Still The One0003You're Still The One
40
 
29 2Safe
2
Country Rock
1/10
Aint Goin Down Til The Sun Comes Up0003Ain't Goin' Down ('Til The Sun Comes Up)
43
 
28 2Safe
3
Idol's Choice / Judge's Choice
1/6
Edge Of Seventeen0003Edge Of Seventeen
36
 
26 7Eliminated
4
Queen / Open
1/12
Bohemian Rhapsody0003Bohemian Rhapsody
44
 
26 2Safe
5
Finale
1/6
You Give Love A Bad Name0003You Give Love A Bad NameReprise performance
77
 
25 7Eliminated
6
Songs From the Movies
1/6
Kiss From A Rose0003Kiss From A Rose
21
 
25 2Safe
7
Now and Then
1/8
Diamonds0003Diamonds
43
 
25 2Safe
8
80's
1/12
I Love Rock and Roll0003I Love Rock and Roll
45
 
25 2Safe
9
Finale
1/8
Home Broussard0003Home
53
 
25 2Safe
10
Disney / Mothers' Day (online)
1/14
Kiss The Girl0003Kiss The Girl
43
 
25 2Safe
11
Big Band
1/10
Someone To Watch Over Me0003Someone To Watch Over Me
48
 
24 2Safe
12
Year You Were Born
1/8
When I Dream0003When I Dream
32
 
24 7Eliminated
13
Queen
1/8
Fat Bottomed Girls0003Fat Bottomed Girls
51
 
24 7Eliminated
14
Elvis Presley
1/8
Jailhouse Rock0003Jailhouse Rock
60
 
24 2Safe
15
Mariah Carey
1/7
When You Believe0003When You Believe
55
 
24 2Safe
16
Idol's / Producers' / Judges'
1/9
And So It Goes0003And So It Goes
73
 
24 2Safe
17
Songs From The Cinema
1/7
I Dont Want To Miss A Thing0003I Don't Want To Miss A Thing
47
 
24 2Safe
18
1980s
1/12
I Like It0003I Like It
46
 
24 7Eliminated
19
Year You Were Born / Divas
1/10
Straight Up0003Straight Up
64
 
24 2Safe
20
Disney
1/10
I 2 I0003I 2 I
45
 
24 7Eliminated
21
Rock
1/6
Whole Lotta Love0003Whole Lotta Love
84
 
23 2Safe
22
Motown
1/11
I Heard It Through The Grapevine0003I Heard It Through The Grapevine
44
 
23 6Saved
23
Elton John
1/11
Country Comfort0003Country Comfort
56
 
23 2Safe
24
Billboard Hits
1/8
Poker Face0003Poker Face
44
 
23 2Safe
25
Disney
1/10
Bare Necessities0003The Bare Necessities
66
 
23 2Safe

[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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