Tonight is the enigmatic "Top Downloads" night on American Idol. Which could mean Top Downloads of All Time Ever. Or songs from Billboard’s Hot Digital Songs Chart. Or — holy fantasyland, Batman! — maybe it means the top songs downloaded on my own personal iPod this week. (Literally, someone would have to sing a cover of Tyra Banks’ "Shake Ya Body," which I discovered during a drunken tragic, late-night Google search over the weekend.) But most likely, I’m guessing, the theme will draw from the top 100 songs on iTunes this week, and after perusing the list for a while — and begging this week’s Idolatry cohost Annie Barrett for help in understanding modern-music enigmas like Seether covering my fave Wham! song — here are my suggestions for the nine remaining contestants. Note: "If You Seek Amy," "Stanky Legg," and "Jai Ho!" were not considered acceptable Idol numbers, for obvs reasons.
Anoop Desai: Muse’s "Supermassive Black Hole" (but only if he buzzes his hair and sports a hipster t-shirt)
Scott MacIntyre: Journey’s "Don’t Stop Believin’" (it’s a crowd-pleaser, with a lovely piano line)
Allison Iraheta: The Veronicas’ "Untouched" (Allison FTMFW!)
Lil Rounds: Adele’s "Chasing Pavements" (a perfect pairing, as suggested by Annie Barrett on this week’s Idolatry)
Megan Corkrey: Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat’s "Lucky" (with just an acoustic guitar and a drummer…and no band to overwhelm her!)
Kris Allen: Beyonce’s "Halo" (acoustically, of course…dreamy!) or "I’m Yours" (another Annie Special)
Matt Giraud: Katy Perry’s "Hot and Cold" (as a stripped-down piano ballad)
Adam Lambert: Seether’s "Careless Whisper" (but maybe the superior Wham version, no?)
Danny Gokey: Miley Cyrus’ "The Climb" (weird on paper…but it might actually work!)
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My greatest fear is that they’ll sing Hey Ya by Outkast as the group number. It’s the most downloaded song of all time, and I really really cringe at the show-choir number they’ll whip up for it. Does anyone want to see Scott shake it like a polaroid picture?
love your picks – can’t wait to see what everyone sings. Let’s home this comment section doesn’t deteriorate like the other ones have! Go Idols!
let’s hope they don’t do ANY group songs. Gag, cringe, groan, hide, drink-beer.
Kari – that is hilarious. Yes, that would be awful. Thank goodness for Tivo so I don’t have to sit through that stuff. All I want to see takes about 20 minutes!
What do these people have against Danny Gokey? Honestly, the way they hate him, you would think that he murdered their favorite pet in a past life or something.
Marty – who are you talking about? There are no Danny-haters here that I can see.
I’m not liking your picks like I usually do Slezak. Lil Rounds should sing If I Were a Boy..then be cheeky and add a lyric like she did in Be Without You: If I Were a Boy…Then You Would Vote for Me! Also, Chasing Pavements should be Megans. She has the voice to carry the song. Allison should sing Pink’s Sober. Everytime I hear that song, I’m like “THAT SONG WOULD BE PERFECT FOR ALLISON!” Adam Lambert should sing Britney’s Circus, Anoop should sing Ne-Yo’s “Closer”, and Kris Allen should sing either “I’m Yours” or One Republic’s “Stop and Stare.”
I think Chasing Pavements might be a better choice for Allison. Lil, I don’t know…she’s completely snoresville.
Man, Slezak’s always on it with the song picks. I hope they did have the entire iTunes 100 to choose from and not a shortened list.
I looked the songs over earlier, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Adam take on some Lady GaGa. And me and my cousin thought it would be hilarious is Anoop took on “Stanky Legg,” even though it so wouldn’t happen.
I think “Halo” would be good for anyone. I’d put it down for Lil but Kris could rock it out, too.
There aren’t Gokey haters on the comments so far, but as far as the wider world (and Michael and Annie) goes, I think we all know the reason, and it isn’t what they’ll say it is.
I wish Adam would sing If U Seek Amy, banned or not. It’s what he wants.
I don’t know if this song is in the “top 100 downloads” but if it is I think Megan should sing “The Fear” by Lily Allen…they both have kind of quirky voices and I think it would be a good match.
Anoop singing “Supermassive Black Hole?” Brilliant!
interesting picture of the top nine: looks like they will be eliminated as they sit: starting with the right side row (scott, matt, megan), then the middle row (gokey, anoooop, lil) and on the left the top three!!
I have “Disturbia” running through my head all day…….somehow feel Adam might do it….have no idea why……what about Kings Of Leon…”Sex on Fire’…would they allow that???
Gokey would do a great “Use Somebody” by Kings Of Leon. Adam’s voice fits Supermassive Black Hole more than Anoop’s. I hope Adam sings Kanye West’s Heartless