DAM NATION: American Idol's 100 Greatest Performances (Honorable Mentions)

15 Seasons. 568 Episodes. 2,141 Live Performances. 411 Contestants. 11 Judges. 54 Grammy Nominations. 13 Grammy Awards. 1 Oscar. 7 Billboard Hot 100 Number 1s. 39 Million Viewers. That's right! That's my final - and obligatory - count for the entire run of American Idol.

True, the show aired it's final episode of the series last week, but it's impressive legacy will remain, which includes a fantastic list of top-notch performances throughout the show's 15 years. Say what you want about American Idol, but no one can deny the impeccable talent the show has produced and proof to that are the following performances.

Again, just like many other lists or countdowns on this site, this one is extremely biased as it's based on personal preferences and judgement. There will probably be performances that are nowhere to be found on your list that may be as high as 10 or something on here - actually I guarantee it. But please respond maturely, flames don't make me particularly happy.

Oh, and I decided to divide the post in groups of 10 performances to better highlight each one of them. So there!

Here are the HONORABLE MENTIONS - just before we go straight to #100..

American Idol 15: Grand Series Finale!

Another season in the books, and yes, it's the final one!

I've been watching this cheesiest show for fifteen long years. Can you believe that? It has become a part of my life in such a way that worries and concerns me. Every year, I literally plan five months of my life around a glorified karaoke competition. That's the saddest thing I have ever heard. Haha. If you really stop and think about it.. that's pretty insane.

I'm a 30-year-old man who's been blogging about American Idol for the past 9 long years with such veracity and fury that I even spend time actually defending myself to total strangers on this blog. That's some sad stuff right there. Haha.

Still, it's my passion. It's something I've been doing since Season 7 and I said this before, I will only quit when the show is off the air. That time has finally come tonight, but boy, did they went out with a bang!

American Idol, how do I love your Grand Series Finale? Let me count the ways.. (Note: I will come back to give my full review of the entire show!)

American Idol 15 Wrap-Up: 25 Best Performances

To the obligatory count: 3 months. 24 episodes. 102 live performances. Final season. That's right, another season in the history books and like old tradition I compiled a list of the most memorable live performances up to the Finale.

Season 15 was a fast one as American Idol had no plans of extending it further so we ended up with a season short by two months. That said, the season was still able to deliver showstopping performances, which made this a little hard to rank. But yes, I did my very best!

Anyway, just like many other lists or countdowns, this one is extremely biased. It's based on personal preferences. There will probably be some performances that are nowhere to be found on your list that may be as high as 10 or something on here - actually I guarantee it. But please respond maturely, flames don't make me particularly happy.

SEASON 9 Best Performances
SEASON 10 Best Performances
SEASON 11 Best Performances
SEASON 12 Best Performances
SEASON 13 Best Performances
SEASON 14 Best Performances

Honorable Mentions!

Dancing In The Dark

Dalton Rapattoni

Top 3

I Surrender

Sonika Vaid

Top 14

Hello

La'Porsha Renae

Top 3

You Are So Beautiful

MacKenzie Bourg

Top 6

Tennessee Whiskey

Trent Harmon

Top 3

Here are the TOP 25 Best Live Performances of Season 15:

American Idol 15: Final Thoughts and Prediction

IT. IS. OVER.

This season just went by so fast that I had seriously NO TIME to take a breather. Not sure why the program decided to cut this season short - the low budget? the tanking ratings? - but I wasn't really ready for American Idol to end this early. A lot of these kids needed time to get comfortable on stage. Sonika Vaid, Tristan McIntosh, MacKenzie Bourg, Avalon Young, and Olivia Rox could've been ALL outstanding if given the same amount of time as say Allison Iraheta, Kris Allen, or Jena Irene.

That's why it's no shock that the two "oldest" contestants went on to survive all the grueling weeks of American Idol. They were the most consistent throughout the season and boy did they give a superb final performance showdown.

As I've said in my last review of the series,

"Trent has been on fire for weeks now, while La'Porsha just continued her streak of consistently fantastic performances. They showed up tonight focused and ready to lay it all down. That's the finale we deserved and I think we got a really interesting fight on our hands."

It was neck to neck through out the night and that made this seriously hard to predict. To be perfectly honest, La'Porsha and Trent Finale reminds me so much of Crystal and Lee Finale back in Season 9 and to some extent Phillip and Jessica smackdown in Season 10. It's that ongoing debate about MOMENTUM and CONSISTENCY.

On American Idol though, more often than not, MOMENTUM trumps CONSISTENCY. We saw that with Phillip Phillips and Lee DeWyze when they started surging at the right time and eventually clinched the title from the most formidable vocalists of their respective seasons. That's not to say they were the wrong winners though. In the end, the winner of American Idol has always been the right winner. There's no way for the wrong person to win. That's what democracy is. One contestant got more votes than the other. We can have our favorites, but the right winner is always chosen.

So in this final season of American Idol, who will the public rally behind? The frontrunner who's been rock solid the entire season? Or the underdog who peaked at the right moment?

Again, my record on predicting the winner has been awful since Season 11 - besides the correct prediction of Nick Fradiani from last year - but I'll give it a try again. Yes, La'Porsha's body of work throughout the season was flawless, but Trent Harmon had the momentum and he has been glorious the past few weeks.

I will once again root for the "underdog" like what I did with with Jessica Sanchez, Jena Irene, Kree Harrison, and Nick Fradiani, and say that Trent Harmon is the last American Idol Winner.

American Idol 14: Final Thoughts and Prediction
American Idol 13: Final Thoughts and Prediction
American Idol 12: Final Thoughts and Prediction
American Idol 11: Final Thoughts and Prediction
American Idol 10: Final Thoughts and Prediction
American Idol 9: Final Thoughts and Prediction

American Idol 15: Top 2

.. and yes, we're at the homestretch - THE FINAL PERFORMANCE EPISODE EVER! It's quite surreal, but what a Finale it was!

Both contestants came out swinging tonight. Trent has been on fire for weeks now, while La'Porsha just continued her streak of consistently fantastic performances. They showed up tonight focused and ready to lay it all down. That's the finale we deserved and I think we got a really interesting fight on our hands. So, who will the public rally behind? The frontrunner who had been rock solid the entire season? Or the underdog who peaked at the right moment?

Let’s get to the last and final showdown of American Idol! Shall we?

American Idol 15: Top 3

And just like that, American Idol aired it's last episode in the studio where everything started. Just like Ryan Seacrest at the end of the episode, I was also clearly chocked up that we're at the homestretch and American Idol is about to end by next week. What will my life be? Haha. Ok. I don't want to be over dramatic, but you know what I mean. 

As for the episode, it was a pretty even night.  I think that every single one of the Top 3 managed to land a punch at some point in the evening. Dalton, La'Porsha, and Trent all delivered a performance that made a case as to why they should win the crown this season, and that's exactly what a Top 3 night should be! I honestly have no idea what's going to happen next week at the Finale. One of them will be eliminated right off the bat, but who?

We shall see..

On with the show!

American Idol 15: Top 4

We have our Top 4!

This is why I love American Idol. I was almost resigned to the idea that La'Porsha Renae will win the title with absolutely no competition. I genuinely thought she had this in the bag, but after tonight, I'm not so sure. Trent Harmon is coming in strong - like a storm hitting another storm - and I'm not mad. The fact that I'm now entertaining the fact that the remaining guys could take this thing is testament to them trying to steal away with the title. Yes, even with MacKenzie Bourg and Dalton Rapattoni. Heck, I'm even scared that La'Porsha might end up in 4th place the same way Chris Daughtry, LaToya London, and Tamyra Gray ended their journey on the show. 

This is what a race looks like people, and thank you to Steven Van Zandt and the dementedly delightful Sia for pushing these kids to their full potential. 

On with the show!

American Idol 15: Top 5

This was an odd show. The first part seemed like an appetizer before the main course.. and that main course was glorious! Not sure if it was the fact that the remaining five (5) didn't need to worry since someone got eliminated in the middle of the show or that they were just really fighting to be the next and final American Idol. I'm not complaining though as it made for some fantastic performances.

Also, can we talk about how emotional that last part of the show was? Other than their video packages showcasing their "life struggles", the performances were also pretty intense. No, the episode has some mediocre performances, but the rest made me feel sad that the show is ending.

I don't know. It was just too raw and real - and some of it was because Jennifer Lopez had me bawling with her "I'm going to miss American Idol" speech. Look, I may not agree with most of her comments and sometimes I feel like she's more of a cheerleader than a judge, but I really felt like she made some genuine connection with the show and I love her for that. Thank you, JLo.

On with the show!

American Idol 15: Top 6

I. AM. SCARED. Somehow, I can't get into the competition this season especially with how fast everything's happening. Seriously. In less than a month, we're crowning the final American Idol and this beloved - or maybe not? - show is done and yes, I still can't wrap my head around that idea. We're down to six and I can't seem to put my finger as to who will win the season. It's exciting, but stressful, nonetheless.

Enough of that though. This week, the theme was "Most Overdone". Haha. No kidding. Everyone tackled songs that were covered over and over again in the last fourteen (14) seasons for their solos. Just for fun reference - before I go on with my usual rating - let me enumerate the most covered songs on American Idol History! Are you ready?

• I Don't Want To Miss A Thing and I Have Nothing both covered 9 times
• When A Man Loves A Woman covered 8 times
• Against All Odds, Come Together, Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me, I Heard It Through The Grapevine, I'll Be, Piece of My Heart, and Superstition were all covered 7 times

Interesting that three (3) songs were actually covered this week alone and another one was picked as Trent's song last week. Just fantastic! Haha. Do you want me to post a "Who sang it better?" blog soon?

On with the show!

American Idol 15: Top 8

The one exciting part of this farewell season has been the unpredictability of each and every week. I mean, they just sent Oliva Rox home - probably one of the most marketable finalists this season, but apparently has NEVER gained enough fanbase to support her as soon as the producers allowed America to vote for her. What was the point of giving her a fast pass to the Top 10 by the judges and then gets eliminated the next week also by the judges' decision?

At this point, no one is a frontrunner. No, seriously, absolutely no one. Maybe La'Porsha, but I'm not quite sold yet. It's a very odd season to watch.

On with the show!

American Idol 15: Top 10

It’s American Idol Farewell Season Top 10 with Kelly Clarkson as  a judge and the verdict is in.. what a night! Yes, I'm still terribly upset that we lost Jenn Blosil this week, but I can't deny the fact that I'm also absolutely flabbergasted at how solid this season's Top 10 has become! Sure, we still have a couple of outliers in this mix, but for the most part, every one delivered some great moments on that stage.

Tonight's real winner? Kelly Clarkson. She became that judge this week and she was awesome. She was hysterical and honest, but at the same time, she allowed herself to really give detailed instructions to the contestants on how exactly they could improve their performance if they were around for another week. Yes, these critiques might not be as entertaining as Simon Cowell bringing contestants to tears, or Harry Connick Jr. and his constant effort to be the center of attention, but it is infinitely more useful to the artist. Oh, and she was outstanding in her Piece by Piece performance.

Let's move on to the rankings!

American Idol 15: Top 14

Welcome to American Idol 15’s Top 14 night where the theme is "Favorite Moments From The Season So Far" which is just a fancy way of saying, "Sing a song you've done before since we don't have enough time to prepare for another song because Top 10 will be tomorrow".

Oh, and four (4) people did not have to sing since the judges gave them a "fast pass" and advanced directly to this season's Top 10.

- Dalton Rapattoni
- Olivia Rox
- Trent Harmon
- La'Porsha Renae

The others get to sing a reprise of their previous performances, and while some did disappoint, a lot of them actually delivered some pretty stellar performances.

Let's get on with the show shall we?

American Idol 15: Top 24 (Group 2) All-Star Duets & Results

David Cook! Haley Reinhart! Jordin Sparks! Chris Daughtry! Kellie Pickler! Ok, there's also Constantine Maroulis. But really, this episode was awesome. Almost everyone delivered great performances, but more importantly, provided some needed nostalgia - especially when Kellie Pickler mentioned that she was on the show 10 years ago. Has it been that long?

Oh, and American Idol producers. Please stop the blatant manipulations and attempts to control the outcome of the farewell season with you playing favorites. That's what ruined the show a couple of seasons back. Please.

On with the show!

American Idol 15: Top 24 (Group 2)

I don't even.. I don't know what.. American Idol Farewell Season's second group of semifinalists were.. what's the word? Umm, present last night? Ok. Let me gather my thoughts and find the best word to describe these final twelve contestants: they were all in attendance. Haha. Seriously. What was that?

I'm praying that the next round will put my fears to rest and that this was just an aberration. We've had them before.  Every now and again the semi-finalists just freeze up and fail miserably in front of of America. So, let us all hope that things improve for these kids, but faster than usual given that the finale is less than six weeks from now (TERRIFYING!).

On with the show!

American Idol 15: Top 24 (Group 1) All-Star Duets & Results

American Idol, I get it. The show is ending and what happened tonight made that loud and clear. No, the episode wasn't fantastic - some of the finalists faltered when forced to sing with seasoned American Idol alums - but the nostalgia that these past contestants brought on that stage was both heartwarming and sad.

It's been a long journey with the show and to see the growth of each one of them since their Idol stint made me emotional. Lauren Alaina, in particular, was a scared teenage girl when she joined five years ago and looked how awesome she sounded on her duets. I'm sad, but happy sad. If that makes sense.

On with the results show!

American Idol 15: Top 24 (Group 1)

It's finally the Semifinals Round! This is always been an exciting night for American Idol because now we finally get to see what these kids can do in a "live" setting. I mean, we’ve seen them audition for weeks and weeks and now they get to sit there and compose a performance for America.

So, the verdict for this year's first group of semifinals? I'm quite happy considering that the usual first "live" show usually has full of jitters and nerves. Sure, we still had that this year, but there were actually a couple of strong performances from this group.

Not sure what to feel about the format though and the idea that the judges will be the one to whittle down the group to Top 14, but I'm hoping that the judges will do the right thing this time - although the simple fact that they eliminated Jessica Cabral for Gianna Isabella or Jordan Sasser scares me.

On with the show!

DAM NATION: American Idol Most Memorable Hollywood Week Moments

.. and the final Hollywood Week episode is done and we're almost at the homestretch (that fast?!).

How to sum up Hollywood Week of American Idol in one word? Drama! Throughout the entire fifteen (15) seasons, we've seen a lot of crying, panicking, mass elimination, and bitchery.. and I loved it. Sure, I cringed in some of the things the show did in some seasons, but that made for some good entertaining television. 

I will not be counting them down through writing like the BEST AUDITIONS, but I made a video for you to watch the most memorable moments on American Idol - Hollywood Week to the Green Mile. Enjoy!

American Idol: Most Memorable Moments of Hollywood Week #farewellseason
Posted by THE DAM NATION on Tuesday, February 9, 2016

American Idol 15: Auditions Part 1

I. AM. NOT. READY.

Today is the beginning of the end, and watching this episode was incredibly bittersweet. Quite frankly, I initially figured that it's about time to put American Idol to rest while the legacy of the show is still (sort of) strong, but this made me realize that I'm still in utter denial that my beloved reality competition show will end this year.

Good thing, the episode felt joyous and the pacing was on point with some awesomely placed nostalgic moments. It was really nice to see Kris Allen, Lee DeWyze, Taylor Hicks, Ruben Studdard, and Clay Aiken taking a part of the audition process and those short clips scattered throughout the show was a nice touch.

As for the judges, they were mostly fine and coherent, but Harry Connick Jr, this early, completely annoyed the hell out of me. Why can't he just shut up and just listen. His antics ranged from hysterical to downright stupid silly. I will not let him ruin the moment though.

Not going to take things for granted this season as I cherish this final chapter of American Idol.

Here we go folks, for the last time EVER.