Interlude: 20 All-Time Best American Idol Performances

9 Seasons. 9 Winners. Kelly. Ruben. Fantasia. Carrie. Taylor. David. Kris. Lee. These people may have won the title but turning in one of the show’s most memorable performances is a different story entirely.

And with American Idol Season 10 premiering a few months from now, I scoured my files and the internet and re-watched dozens of performances to come up with a definitive list of the All-Time Greatest American Idol Performances.

DISCLAIMER: I am no expert, but this is my opinion - to each his own - and yours will be in the comments below! Haha.

Honorable Mentions!

25. In A Dream

Bo Bice

Season: 4
Week: Top 3
Theme: Idol's Song Choice

24. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me

Clay Aiken

Season: 2
Week: Wild Card
Theme: -

23. Always Be My Baby

David Cook

Season: 7
Week: Top 7
Theme: Mariah Carey

22. Hemorrhage

Chris Daughtry

Season: 5
Week: Top 20
Theme: -

21. These Foolish Things

Paris Bennett

Season: 5
Week: Top 7
Theme: Great American Songbook

Here's my list of the 20 All-Time Best American Idol Peformances:

20. I Who Have Nothing

Jordin Sparks

Season: 6
Week: Top 11
Theme: British Invasion

Ever since her audition, she was already tagged - specifically by Simon - as someone very “sugary and cutesy”, probably because of her age. But her rendition of this very old song was downright revelatory as she managed to discard her usual bubbly image to something very serious - a threat in the competition. Her emotions while singing was breathtaking. It was pretty moving. Moreover, the incredible glory note at the end was a pleasant surprise.

19. What A Wonderful World

Anwar Robinson

Season: 4
Week: Top 16
Theme: -

I’ve already heard so many versions of this song but this one stuck out. His rendition was superb. He managed to give this old song a new arrangement that I surprisingly loved. The vocals were spot on and his range was unbelievable. I thought that this was his best performance on Idol. It was just sad that he wasn’t able to top this one as his performances went downhill after this week. Technically, he’s one of the best male vocalists to ever graced the Idol stage.

18. The Scientist

Katelyn Epperly

Season: 9
Week: Top 20
Theme: -

Three words: GIANT WHITE PIANO! Ha. This performance was both breathtaking and beautiful!! I'm not sure what pitch problems Randy was hearing toward the end of the number, or why Ellen was so mockingly dismissive of the tempo change, or how exactly Simon found it to be corny, but this performance was beyond stellar! Not only was her final glory note perfectly in tune, her interpretation was also thoroughly believable and virtually unmatched all season. Heck, I get chills just thinking about it. To me, her rendition of The Scientist was beautiful and haunting that, undeniably, just turned her into a force on this program - or maybe NOT since she was eliminated the week after!! Seriously. What's wrong with you America? Sigh.

17. A Song For You

Elliott Yamin

Season: 5
Week: Top 6
Theme: Love Songs

This guy was probably an underrated finalist on Idol who no one thought would even get a remote chance of advancing to the next round or even winning the whole lot. But with his modest demeanor and a flawless set of vocal pipes that was arguably the greatest male voice the competition has ever heard, he managed to prove everyone wrong. His rendition of this Donnie Hathaway's classic was sensational. As per Simon, it was a vocal masterclass. His flawless vocals had so much heart that it made Paula Abdul, again, cry. Haha.

16. I Have Nothing

Vonzell Solomon

Season: 4
Week: Top 10
Theme: 1990's

She was undeniably the queen of fun performances. She already illustrated her ability to work the crowd with her infectious energy prior to this week. But when she decided to tackle a Whitney Houston classic, she became a serious contender for the title. Well, this was probably one of the most performed songs on American Idol History. It's as if this song was already compulsory every season. But among all the renditions done on the show, I prefer Vonzell's. I like the nuances in her vocals and the control and power was spot on. Not too loud (Jennifer Hudson) but not too weak almost cracking (Katharine McPhee), not too bland and predictable (Trenyce) but not too over-the-top (Lakisha Jones) and certainly not shaky (Leah LaBelle). Her version was just right and probably the best.

15. Paint It Black

Siobhan Magnus

Season: 9
Week: Top 12
Theme: Rolling Stones

Without hesitation, this was the biggest showstopper of Season 9. Seriously. This performance was so damn interesting. The stairs, the low notes, the glory notes, the camera spinning around, the dark closeup at the end. Drama anyone? She's like the musical version of Johnny Depp. Haha. Vocally, it wasn't perfect as I thought she was slightly underpitch in some parts and the last note got a bit kind of scream-y to me. That being said, I absolutely LOVED the changes on the verses’ vocal melodies. I thought that they were delayed and haunting and the end of the song was a phenomenal moment on American Idol - though not perfect. But still.. That night, she looked every inch like a winner in everyone’s eyes and ears.

14. Let It Be

Brooke White

Season: 7
Week: Top 12
Theme: Lenon/McCartney Week

What separated her from the rest of the finalists during her season was her distinct sound coupled with her undeniable exuberance. And she unquestionably showed that through this performance. It was solid, unforgettable and very heartfelt. During this week, it gave me chills watching her perform that big song - which was definitely a tall order - in piano and giving the right emotions to provide justice to it. She definitely may not be the strongest vocalist in the group but her success in the competition was tied primarily to the passion she puts into her performances.

13. Circle of Life

Jennifer Hudson

Season: 3
Week: Top 9
Theme: Elton John

During her season, I thought that her personality and powerful vocals got her into the Final 12 - though it's all about Randy Jackson picking her during the Wild Card Round. And despite delivering vocally pleasing performances week after week, she never truly met the judges approval until she began to belt the ballads out, including this one. I thought that her big voice suited this goose bump-inducing rendition of the song. It was emotional, absolutely flawless, and perfect down to the last note. It was just heartbreaking to see her go home the week after this performance.

12. Imagine

David Archuleta

Season: 7
Week: Top 20
Theme: 70's

This was the week where this kid sealed his front-runner status and reigned supreme during that season. He was able to prove to the other contestants that he really was, indeed, the one to beat at that moment. It was ridiculously unbelievable. The vocals were right on pitch and the tone of his voice was nice. I also loved the fact that he managed to put a spin to the melody in order to give the song a new take. The runs at the end were just perfect and were flawless. The performance was heartfelt and emotional.

11. My Funny Valentine

Melinda Doolittle

Season: 6
Week: Top 20
Theme: -

Arguably, she's the most consistent finalist on American Idol EVER. I actually thought that she performed too well for the show. Every song she sang in Season 6 was unbelievably great, especially this one. She showed that she could sing any song, from any genre, and make it completely her own. Her take was on a different league. I thought that her lower register was incredibly good and so were her higher notes. Her phrasing was flawless and also her modulation. In other words, the vocals were impeccable.

10. Alone

Carrie Underwood

Season: 4
Week: Top 11
Theme: Billboard Number Ones

I was never really a fan of Carrie during her stint on American Idol. I thought that she was too safe with her performances and to some extent, stiff and almost robotic. But, I was pleasantly stunned when she broke out of her usual comfort zone - country music - and rocked it out. Although I wasn't crazy about her hair during that week, the vocals made the performance quite memorable. Her vocal control was amazing. It was actually the first time she impressed me and ultimately made her mark.

09. Mad World

Adam Lambert

Season: 8
Week: Top 8
Theme: Birth Year

He proved his versatility with this stunning, stripped down performance, eliciting Simon's first ever standing ovation on a performance night  - even Fantasia's Summertime didn't receive that kind of compliment during her season. Well, how can one NOT love this performance? Haunting. Beautiful. Ethereal. Amazing. All those words pretty much sum up his rendition of the song. His vocals were spot on and I loved that he restrained himself from over-singing and screeching. The interpretation was pretty cool and the lighting was just overwhelming - that alone enhanced the "moment".

08. Stuff Like That There

Kelly Clarkson

Season: 1
Week: Top 6
Theme: Big Band

I was utterly oblivious of this reality show during the first two seasons. But I was aware of Kelly Clarkson's presence, which made me watch her performances on Idol during Season 1. Everything else considered, I thought that this was her best performance on the show. Like Carrie Underwood, she somehow went out of her comfort zone - belting out R&B and pop ballads - and proved that she could do sexy, subtle, and saucy all at once. Her performance during that Big Band Night was sassy with style and vocal control. She even transformed this dusty old song to something fresh and modern.

07. I Believe

Fantasia Barrino

Season: 3
Week: Top 2
Theme: Finale

This was the only coronation song which I thought was worthy of being part of the list. She completely owned the song during her season. Even her Finale rival, Diana DeGarmo, paled in comparison to her version. I Believe is already a property of Fantasia that the idea of tackling this booming anthem on the show - Lakisha Jones and Syesha Mercado - should not even be considered. Her rendition of then soon-to-be-released-single was pretty emotional that if this encore performance didn't make you cry or at least be affected, nothing will.

06. Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Katharine McPhee

Season: 5
Week: Top 3
Theme: Simon Cowell's Song Choice

After a series of underwhelming performances, she finally brought her A-game amidst heavy competition from Taylor Hicks and Elliot Yamin - thanks to Simon! Actually that week, she was doomed to leave the competition after Chris Daughtry got eliminated instead of her. Luckily, she pulled this one out of nowhere and clinched her way to the Finale. In this quiet, part a capella showstopper, she put an original spin on a nearly 70-year-old classic and made it sound fresh and contemporary. I thought that her vocal control was great and the restrained performance worked well for her. It actually somehow reminded me of Bo Bice's In A Dream (a cappela) and Fantasia's Summertime (sitting on the stage).

05. Heartless

Kris Allen

Season: 8
Week: Top 3
Theme: Personal Choice

This performance, I believe, was one of the biggest showstoppers of Season 8 and will probably end up on many Top 10 lists for years to come. This was actually the first time a hip-hop song has ever been done on American Idol, thus worthy to be ranked right up there with Billie Jean and You Give Love A Bad Name when it comes to taking bold risks. With this performance, he was able to prove three things: he was the most contemporary and current recording artist left in the competition during the Top 3 performance show as both Adam Lambert and Danny Gokey were obviously trying to sing their faces off with older songs during that week; he was an amazing musician, and great with rearranging songs; and that he has excellent phrasing, which was one of the things that made him the most musically gifted contestant of the season.

04. Billie Jean

David Cook

Season: 7
Week: Top 10
Theme: Year They Were Born

After a string of daring and superb performances from the Big David during that season, he clinched his way to the top ousting the Archuleta - who's been nothing but ordinary with his recent performances, including that week. This performance was brave and brilliant. The arrangement, I thought, worked well in his favor. The vocals were exceptional, the pitch was perfect and that glory note at the end caught me off guard and was fantastic. The risk he took was worth it. Unbelievable

03. You Give Love A Bad Name

Blake Lewis

Season: 6
Week: Top 5
Theme: Bon Jovi

Yes. He maybe the weakest vocalist to ever reach the Finale but he was definitely one of the best 'performers' out there. He took a huge risk by reworking Bon Jovi's hit song and including his trademark beatboxing and techno-electronica backbeats. It was thrilling, wholly original and took everyone completely by storm. This performance undeniably paid off, and was considered as possibly the bravest on American Idol's history. Arguably, this is one of the most memorable performances on the show.

02. Moody's Mood For Love

Elliott Yamin

Season: 5
Week: Top 20
Theme: -

I really thought that he was just another cannon fodder during his season. He got zero exposure during the auditions and was barely noticed during the Hollywood Week. Fortunately, he was able to showcase his phenomenal soulful vocals when he did this James Moody song. The modulation and certain key changes were just insane but he was still able to remain on pitch the whole song. He performed it exceptionally well. I actually thought that this was, by far, one of the hardest songs covered in Idol History. He was definitely the ultimate dark horse during that season.

01. Summertime

Fantasia Barrino

Season: 3
Week: Top 8
Theme: Movie Soundtracks

Magic. That's what sets this performance apart from the others. Prior to this, the eventual winner of Season 3 was actually losing steam for being all swagger and no softness or vulnerability. Then she sat down on stage singing her breathtaking version of this song with genuine emotion and rasp that reminded me of Aretha Franklin. With this performance, she eventually solidified her status as the one to beat in that season. The performance, in general, was overwhelmingly touching that Randy Jackson called it the best performance in the history of the show.. and six seasons later he's still right. It was indeed a moment of true musical magic.

#20 Son of Ozzie Smith