Image Credit: Michael Becker/Fox
The theme for tonight’s Top 12 performance show on American Idol is the old chestnut, “Songs From the Year You Were Born,” first employed in season 4, back when Idol contestants were born in the 1970s. Now we have a contestant, Thia Megia, who was born the year I got my driver’s license. But more importantly, what should these 12 kids sing tonight? As luck would have it, there are plenty of Aerosmith songs potentially at their disposal, including “Dude (Looks Like a Lady),” “Janie’s Got a Gun,” “Love in an Elevator,” and “Cryin’” — but chances are only one contestant will grab that opportunity. (Unless Aerosmith week is in the cards for the near future, which we all know is almost certain to happen.) And there are also plenty of sonic landmines that could blow up their momentum before the show’s really kicked into gear. Check out my choices below, from youngest to oldest, and then weigh in yourself!
Thia Megia (1995)
DO SING: “You Gotta Be,” Des’ree
DO NOT SING: “Waterfalls,” TLC
Lauren Alaina (1994)
DO SING: “Crazy,” Aerosmith (obvs)
DO NOT SING: “Mr. Jones,” Counting Crows
Scotty McCreery (1993)
DO SING: “Heartland,” George Strait
DO NOT SING: “In the Heart of a Woman,” Billy Ray Cyrus
Casey Abrams (1991)
DO SING: “More Than Words,” Extreme (although exec producer Nigel Lythgoe spilled on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show that Casey cleared Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” and that has the potential to be epic)
DO NOT SING: “I’m Too Sexy,” Right Said Fred
Haley Reinhart (1991)
DO SING: “Wicked Game,” Chris Isaak
DO NOT SING: “When A Man Loves A Woman,” Michael Bolton
James Durbin (1989)
DO SING: “Smooth Criminal,” Michael Jackson
DO NOT SING: “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” Poison
Stefano Langone (1989)
DO SING: “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” Simply Red
DO NOT SING: “You’ve Got It (The Right Stuff),” New Kids On the Block (although Idol recapper Annie Barrett thinks Stefano should sing NKOTB, and that is why she is not writing this list, because that is just crazy)
Karen Rodriguez (1989)
DO SING: “Eternal Flame,” The Bangles
DO NOT SING: “Wind Beneath My Wings,” Bette Midler
Pia Toscano (1988)
DO SING: “Hungry Eyes,” Eric Carmen
DO NOT SING: “Never Gonna Give You Up,” Rick Astley (I had to)
Jacob Lusk (1987)
DO SING: “With or Without You,” U2
DO NOT SING: “Didn’t We Almost Have It All,” Whitney Houston
Naima Adedapo (1984)
DO SING: “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” Cyndi Lauper (it already sounds kinda reggae)
DO NOT SING: “Jump (For My Love),” The Pointer Sisters
Paul McDonald (1984)
DO SING: “When Doves Cry,” Prince
DO NOT SING: “Jump,” Van Halen
So those are my picks. What are yours?
Read more:
‘American Idol’: Top 12 Power List
I love that Pia is holding up Casey’s face in that pic.
You can also see Scotty’s trademark smirk, Paul’s blinding teeth and James mid-twitch. EW could do a whole hidden gems article on that picture alone.
I wonder what flaw you have.
Lol, omg, you’re right! That is so bizarre! He should know not to wear a shirt that is the EXACT same color as the background!
Look again.
Why would anyone watch this crap?
You might think it’s crap. Many listeners do not agree with you, neither do I. American Idol is fun, clean entertainment and discovers and supports future recording stars.
I wonder what you call good entertaining, maybe I would call that crap.
i don’t understand why people call american idol crap and a waste of time, yet they take the time to read and comment. Doesn’t make much sense to me…. I love american idol and i think it is a fun show. Not to mention it gives these up and coming artists the chance of a lifetime.
LOL! I never would have noticed that!
Actually, I think it’s James who’s extending his arm behind Pia and holding the face on a stick. But I didn’t notice it until you mentioned it. Very cute!
No, sorry. You’re absolutely right. I see James’ hands in front of him. My bad!
The fact that I’m older than all of the top 12, save for Paul and Naima, makes me sad.
The fact that Thia is only a year older than my daughter makes me sad.
The fact that I’m older than two or three of those kids added together makes me sad.
The fact that Stefano was arrested for driving drunk a year after almost being paralyzed by a drunk driver makes me sad. Or maybe it’s the fact that the producers of AI used his accident to gain sympathy for Stefano knowing about his subsequent arrest (which I am guessing they did) also makes me sad, but only because it’s so manipulative.
The fact that I was older the year they were born than they are right now (except Paul and Naima) makes me even sadder.
Alison, I was going to say the very same thing.
Well, this just made me feel old. At least the majority of the contestants were born before I started high school. However, I graduated the year Thia was born.
You think you feel old? Tell me about it! The oldest among them were born when I was in junior high, and the youngest were born after I graduated college! How can that be?? Depressing.
I’m old enough to be everyone’s mom, and not even in a teenage-single-mom kind of way.
Hey, Paul and Naima are the oldest and I was out of college, married, and had purchased my first home before they were born!
Although I don’t actually care that much what Karen sings, as she is one of my least favorite, but Eternal Flame? Uh, NO. I don’t have a better suggestion at the moment, but that one doesn’t sound like a good idea at all. When are they going to be allowed to play instruments?
no especially since it was just sung on Vampire Diaries which many of the demographic watching, will know.
Exactly. My only thought was “HELL no!”
On my website I write on for song selection, I also chose “Heartland” for Scotty McCreery! I actually wrote that I wanted Naima to do another Pointer Sister’s song: “Im So Excited.”
When A Man Loves A Woman? Michael Bolton? So, I guess covers count? Pia definitely needs to go up-tempo and soon! So does Jacob. Nice list–assuming your picks are all on the Cleared list.
Jacob should sing`I Wanna Dance with Somebody` (Whitney Houston)
I think Jacob could handle “Didn’t we Almost have it All”…
Also I TOTALLY think Stefano should do a NKOTB song. He’s major boyband material and the girls will go nuts over it. Plus he can dance!
YOU feel old? My youngest child is too old to audition for Idol.
I think you win! LOL.
I definitely could be everybody’s mother, though.
Please DO sing Bette Midler’s “Wind Beneath My Wings”… love that song. It was played at my Grandpa’s funeral. Always makes me think of a wonderful man.
Sometime a contestant should do Amazing Grace. I played the Baez version at my father’s funeral.
Naima should sing either `Let the Music Play`by Shannon or something from `Purple Rain` album.
agree completely
I hope James DOES sing “Every Rose” – I love that song. Also Thia is reportedly singing Colors of the Wind from Pocohontas which I think is a good pick for her
Sure, if by good you mean boring. Thia has a great voice, but “Colors of the Wind” does nothing to prove she isn’t a pageant-esque robot.
I think Pia SHOULD sing Never Gonna Give You Up. What could be better than Rick-rolling a live episode of AI?
Naima: “Love is a Battlefield” by Pat Benetar or “Thriller” by Michael Jackson
Paul: “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper OR “I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues” by Elton John
Jacob: he’ll probably sing “Somewhere Out There” from the American Tale. I wish he’d sing something more like “(I Just) Died In Your Arms” by Cutting Crew! Fun times.
Pia: “Heaven is a Place on Earth” by Belinda Carlisle or “The Way You Make Me Feel” by Michael Jackson
James: “When I See You Smile” by Bad English or “Paradise City” by Guns ‘n Roses
Karen: I can’t imaginer her singing anything besides “I Don’t Wanna Lose You” by Gloria Estefan
Stefano: I definitely agree with the pick of “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” by Simply Red OR “Patience” by Guns ‘n Roses
Casey: “Losing My Religion” by R.E.M. or “It Ain’t Over Til It’s Over” by Lenny Kravitz (I can so hear him doing all that head voice stuff).
Haley: “Something to Talk About” by Bonnie Raitt
Scotty: “Thank God For You” by Sawyer Brown. Or “Chattahoochee” by Alan Jackson
Lauren: “Stay (I Missed You)” by Lisa Loeb or “All I Wanna Do” by Sheryl Crow or “I’m the Only One” by Melissa Ethridge
Thia: “Colors of the Wind” by Vanessa Williams
Yes to Paul doing Elton and Lauren doing Etheridge! Thia doing Disney seems fitting since she seems to be a missing Disneybot.
ALSO, yes to James singing Paradise City, he would kill it.
I can see Karen doing Gloria Estefan over anyone else.
Why no Duran Duran or Depeche Mode? Someone should do “Somebody”
I don’t know if Naima should do Love is a Battlefield — Brooke White sang the heck out of it during season 7, and there might be unfortunate comparisons. Having said that, their voices are so different, it may not matter if Naima chose that song.
Not bad, you guessed 4 of the songs.
I’m thinking James should do Patience by Guns n Roses. I kind of like Wicked Game for Haley, but they will definitely compare it to Siobhan last year, and I don’t think she will live up to it. If you’re going with U2 for Jacob, I can see I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For more than With or Without You.
Also…
Paul: I Guess That’s Why they Call it the Blues – Elton John
Scotty: Looking Out for Number One – Travis Tritt
Naima: call me crazy, but maybe Let’s Hear it For the Boy?
Crap!!!!
We finally hit a year where all the contestants (except 4) are younger than me!
[thoughts going through mind] I was 13 when I started to watch idol, I feel old at 23, damn young people.[/thoughts going through my mind]