We were reminded it has been five years since a female won American Idol, and judging by the collective debut of the final 12 girls in this year’s competition that streak may reach reach six. (It should be noted, however, if it had not been for the dreadful Lee Dwyze upsetting Crystal Bowersox two years ago that string would have ended.)

There were a couple of bright spots Wednesday night, but as a group the girls were far and away the weaker of the two genders this week. Erika Van Pelt is a genuine talent. Jen Hirsh and Jessica Sanchez have real potential, but after that … ?? Wow, the pickin’s seem mighty thin.

Here are my thoughts:

1. ERIKA VAN PELT

Song: “What About Love.”
Comment: I have loved Erika since her audition. She may be the only legitimate threat to about a half dozen of the guys for the overall title. This particular Heart song was a perfect choice for her power voice. With this, she has already set the standard for the girls. Steven Tyler noted her confidence on stage, which was a great point. Randy even dropped an “Adele” compliment, talking about her “restrained power.” Aside from Erika and a couple of others, this is an incredibly weak collection of girls. America cannot possibly screw this up. This is Erika’s kingdom and the rest of the girls should simply be honored to sing for second.

Jen Hirsh

2. JEN HIRSH

Song: “One And Only.”
Comment: Jen’s another one of my favorites, but this Adele song (why do I think we’re going to be hearing a lot of Adele this season?!) left me a little flat. Jen probably has the best chance to challenge Erika over the long haul, but right now I don’t think she connects quite as well with the audience. She’s No. 2, but right now it’s a distant No. 2.

3. JESSICA SANCHEZ

Song: “I Do.”
Comment: She was another of my faves coming out of Las Vegas. Once she got going she was her usual dominant self. I hope voters don’t hold the first 15 seconds against her. With the right song choice, she has the potential to challenge Erika. I just hope she makes it to the round of 13.

4. HALEY JOHNSEN

Song: “Sweet Dreams.”
Comment: Probably the surprise of the night. Haley definitely raised her game with a great rendition of this Annie Lennox  masterpiece. I think she will be safe.

Haley Johnsen

5. SHANNON MAGRANE

Song: “There Is A Candle in Every Soul.”
Comment: I’m rooting for Shannon. She has that “it” factor. Hopefully, she can hang around long enough to build a following.

6. HOLLIE CAVANAGH

Song: “Reflection.”
Comment: She overcame a ragged beginning and finished strong. But she’s still miles behind the top two.

7. BAYLIE BROWN

Song: “Amazed.”
Comment: The girl is beautiful, but watching her perform is like watching a Barbie doll sing karaoke.

8. HALLIE DAY

Song: “Feeling Good.”
Comment: Beautiful voice, but Hallie, come on. Sing something a little more relevant than this dreadful, tired song.

9. ELISE TESTONE

Song: “One And Only.”
Comment: This was … uhh… brutal.

10. SKYLER LAINE

Song: “Stay With Me.”
Comment: Thank heaven Brielle Von Hugel was on the show or Skyler would have been the worst of the night. Why would a girl who resembles Reba McIntire try and do a Rod Stewart (and Faces) song? Why? Why? Why? It was horrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrible.

11. CHELSEA SORRELL

Song: “Cowboy Casanova.”
Comment: At best, this tribute to Carrie Underwood was pedestrian. No chance of Chelsea doing anything in this contest except returning home much sooner than she wants.

12. BRIELLE VON HUGEL

Song: “(Sittin’ On The) Dock Of The Bay.”
Comment: OMG, what a disaster. Over the top, off key and even laughable. She needs to go, if for no other reason than because of her stage mom.

IDOL THOUGHTS

– The judges seemed to make an effort to actually critique more of the acts following Tuesday night’s lovefest. Not everyone can be wonderful and brilliant. Some of the performances actually stink. Honest. Even Randy admitted he and his two compadres were a bit “soft” on some of the boys.

– What happens to Steven Tyler once the finals start? This is two years in a row now that he almost seems intimidated to say something negative.

– Thursday night’s results show will be two hours long. Two hours. Need I say more?

– Nice to have longtime Idol blog follower Kelly Wilson back again this year. Ms. Wilson recently return from a trip to Nicaragua.

Joshua Ledet

We were told by Ryan Seacrest that only five guys and five girls will survive Tuesday and Wednesday’s combined round of 25 — plus a wild card pick from each of the three judges: Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson. I like that concept.

Let’s face it, America’s vote is bound to screw up at least one of the top five in each category. The judges’ wild card will salvage three worthy candidates. Besides, it seems a bit brutal to lop off 14 of 25 contestants in one fell swoop. The wild card picks will help soften that blow.

So by late Thursday night we will have our 13 finalists. I’m ready.

Here’s how I ranked the guys’ opening-night performances.

1. JOSHUA LEDET

Song: “You Pulled Me Through.”
Comment: He was my favorite, my No. 1, coming into this week and did nothing to change my mind. Joshua is so far above the rest of the competition it’s not fair. Every hair on my arms and back of my neck was standing on end by the time he was done. Singers like Joshua are the reason this show brings me back every year. This is an amazing talent. An amazing, amazing talent.

2. JEREMY ROSADO

Song: “Gravity”
Comment: The Jer’ Bear has so-o-o much potential, and he showed us a glimpse of that talent with this Sara Bareilles song. I was a little worried going in because Sara is one of my favorite artists and I didn’t want the big lug screwing up this song — and he didn’t. Great job. I don’t think he’s in any danger. (Come on, America. We don’t want to send him back to work in that infectious disease clinic.)

3. HEEJUN HAN

Song: “Angels”
Comment:I love this guy, absolutely love him. He works with kids with special needs, has a great sense of humor and can belt out a song. He’s a Pacific Rim version of Michael Bolton. Heejun is the new Asian Sensation. I really think America will embrace Heejun. He could be this year’s dark horse.

Heejun Han

4. COLTON DIXON

Song: “Decode.”
Comment: He reminds me quite a bit of David Cook, but I’m not sure yet he can reach those kind of heights. But this performance was definitely promising. I sincerely hope he makes the cut. J-Lo says he is “relevant.” I think she’s right.

5. PHILLIP PHILLIPS

Song: “In The Air Tonight.”
Comment: There should be no question he should be a finalist. This was a tremendous rendering of the Phil Collins’ Classic, with his own personal spin on this song, especially the melody. Randy compares him to Dave Matthews.  Phillip and Colton are both great interpreters of songs.

6. JERMAINE JONES

Song: “Dance With My Father.”
Comment:  Jermaine was the 13th singer, the wild card the judges brought back, a move I was totally against. I was wrong. Jermaine deserved this spot and this ballad was truly an exciting moment. I think the Big Man will make the cut, either through the top five or a judge’s wild card pick.

7. AARON MARCELLUS

Song: “Never Can Say Good-Bye.”
Comment: Aaron may have been the night’s biggest overall surprise, at least to me. I was not expecting that much and was not even sure he was worthy of a spot in the final 25. I was wrong. A solid performance. But this is a tough crowd.

8. CREIGHTON FRAKER

Song: “True Colors.”
Comment: He connects better with the camera than any of the contestants — and he has my favorite name in the competition. Creighton has been gaining momentum since Hollywood Week. Has it been enough to keep him from exiting the show? It’s going to be close.

9. REED GRIMM

Song: “Moves Like Jagger.”
Comment: Reed is entertaining and full of energy, but I’m just not convinced he is American Idol finals material. He’s more Harry Connick Jr.-meets-Michael Buble, and there’s nothing wrong with that, except in this competition I would rather see Mick Jagger-meets-Steven Tyler.

10. EBEN FRANCKEWITZ

Song: “Set Fire to the Rain.”
Comment: Eben has a tremendous voice, but I think nerves bit this 15-year-old bigtime. He seemed timid much of the time and way off key much of the song. He rallied the last half of the number, but I think the damage had been done. I’m afraid he’ll be back in high school next week.

11. ADAM BROCK

Song: “Think.”
Comment: Adam showed so much potential in the early going, but this was a rather safe pick and it did not allow him to show the range — and grit — we saw in the auditions, Hollywood and Las Vegas. Adam laid a colossal egg. I see no chance for him to survive Thursday’s results show.

12. DEANDRE BRACKENSICK

Song: “Reasons.”
Comment: This song was a mess from the start. Deandre tried to give us some Earth, Wind and Fire and we ended up with Earth, Wind and Boring. But he does have great hair.

13. CHASE LIKENS

Song: “Storm Warning.”
Comment: See ya.

IDOL THOUGHTS

– The new Idol set is a nice touch, although I miss the blue theme from the first 10 years.

– It took me more than a month, but I also like the new logo the show has been throwing at us.

– How many times will Randy Jackson tell us it is season “One-One.”

– The girls are going to have come out with guns blazin’ to match what the guys did Tuesday night. This was one of the top opening nights ever. Did I say how much I loved Joshua Ledet’s performance?

We endured the auditions.

We worked our way through the heartbreak of Hollywood Week.

And finally, we watched the unveiling of the final 24 — 12 guys, 12 girls — after the last-gasp efforts in Las Vegas.

American Idol returned in mid-January, but the show really starts next week when the live competition gets under way and the nation starts to vote.

Thursday night the remainder of the top 24 was given to us. Here’s my take on the top 10 going into the first live round.

AMERICAN IDOL TOP 10 GOING INTO THE ROUND OF 24

1. Joshua Ledet: Qualified on Wednesday.

2. Erika Van Pelt: Qualified on Wednesday.

3. Jessica Sanchez: Qualified on Wednesday.

4. Jeremy Rosado: Talk about smooth … big Jeremy has done nothing but get better as this year;s competition has advanced. I’ll be shocked if he is in the round of 12.

5. Jen Hirsch: Qualified on Wednesday.

6. Heejun Han: Qualified on Wednesday.

7. Shannon Magrane: I have a new admiration for the 16-year-old daughter of former Cardinals pitcher Joe Magrane. Her version of “What A Wonderful World” in Hollywood Week remains memorable.

8. Baylie Brown: Qualified on Wednesday.

9. Reed Grimm: Qualified on Wednesday.

10. Eben Franckewitz: He’s the Justin Bieber of this year’s competition.

The rest of who made it Thursday night: Adam Brock, Skylar Laine, Hallie Day, Chase Likens, Aaron Marcellus, Hollie Cavanagh.

BEST OF THOSE WHO DID NOT MAKE IT: Jermaine Jones, the big baritone who sang with the annoying Richie Law in Las Vegas. I thought he deserved a spot in the last 24, but realistically would have never won. Still, it was sad to see him go.

I thought Ariel Sprague also may have deserved a spot. She kept improving as the early rounds moved on and simply lit up the stage in LasVegas.

The elimination of David Leathers Jr. was also a surprise, although …. (see below).

WILD CARD: At the end of Thursday’s show it was revealed the judges will reinstate one of four ousted guys. The announcement will come live on Tuesday night’s program. One of David Leathers Jr., Jermaine Jones, Johnny Keyser and Richie Law (oh no, not him) will be reinstated and make it a top 13 for the boys. Bad idea. I hate this kind of stuff. If you get booted — right or wrong — you’re gone. This smells of X Factor when Simon Cowell and the other three judges agreed to let Melanie Amaro back in the contest and she wound up winning the whole thing. I don’t like it.

LOOKING BACK: One year ago at this time I had Lauren Alaina ranked No. 1 going into the round of 24. Lauren, of course, finished runner-up to Scotty McCreery. And where did I have Scotty ranked at the outset? Would you believe … No. 17? That shows two things — 1. I will never be hired as a talent scout; 2. These contestants will improve — and crumble — before our very eyes on a week-to-week basis.

Let the games begin!

Joshua Ledet

“This is the final judgment … and this is American Idol.”

Or so Ryan Seacrest told us at the start of Wednesday’s show. Normally, that kind of hype is reserved for the UFC matches, but this cutdown show possessed more drama and surprises than expected. It was boffo box office. Nice job, Idol.

The field of 42 is being reduced this week  to the final 12 boys and 12 girls, who advance to the semifinal round and, as Ryan likes to say, “America’s vote.”

Here’s who I like the most following the first night of eliminations. Fourteen of the 24 spots were filled, with the rest coming on Thursday.

WORTHY OF AMERICAN IDOL TOP 10  CONSIDERATION (a work in progress …)

1. Joshua Ledet: The more I hear him, the more I fall in love with his voice. And the more I hear him, the more he reminds of a Gospel version of Steven Tyler. “That is something that is real there,” J-Lo said. “That kid is something special.” Yeah, Joshua is special. He is the real deal — and then some.

Erika Van Pelt

2. Erika Van Pelt: She has the Dusty Springfield voice and a special kind of on-stage energy and charisma

3. Jessica Sanchez: She came out of nowhere during Las Vegas week, and just keeps climbing. She has an infectious spirit that will be a key, especially with her knee-buckling voice. I like her a lot. If I had seen a little more of her, she might have been No. 2 on this list.

4. Jen Hirsch: “This day changed my life forever.” She might have the best overall voice among the remaining females, but I think Erika Van Pelt is a little more polished and Jessica has a little more of the “it” factor.

5. Heejun Han: This is my dark horse. He’s kind of goofy, both in personality and appearance, but once he opens his mouth to sing he’s … tremendous. I think America will love this guy.

6. Baylie Brown: I’m not quite the same cheerleader for Baylie as I was following the auditions, but I think she has enough appeal to make the finals.

7. Reed Grimm: “Quirky charm.” He’s a nutball with a colorful personality who actually has some legitimate talent. He reminds me of Casey Abrams, but with more appeal.

The rest of who made it Wednesday night: Creighton Fraker, Haley Johnson, Elise Testone, Chelsea Sorrell, Phillip Phillips. Colton Dixon, Brielle Von Hugel.

BEST OF THOSE WHO DID NOT MAKE IT: Lauren Gray, Neco Starr.

I was extremely surprised Lauren did not make it. No, make that shocked. She was my No. 1-ranked singer and I can’t believe she was not considered to be among the top 24. Unbelievable. Big mistake, Idol. Big mistake.

GLAD HE’S GONE: Richie Law, the 19-year-old with black cowboy hat. He was just so annoying.

Viva Las Vegas!

The best American Idol show of the season — well, at least so far — saw the remaining 70 candidates forced to stretch their talents Thursday night in the annual trip to Las Vegas following Hollywood Week. The theme was songs from 1950s and 1960s, to be performed on the Viva Elvis Stage.

These were the contestants that elevated themselves to contender status: Jessica Sanchez, Ariel Sprague, Jermaine Jones, Heejun Han, and Wendy Taylor. (I probably should put Cowboy Richie Law in this group after that duet with Jermaine, but he just annoys the heck out of me. If he would make it to the live TV round I can’t see America embracing him.)

Jermaine Jones

These established standouts further strengthened their positions: Adam Brock, David Leathers Jr., Reed Grimm, Baylie Brown, Lauren Gray, Joshua Ledet, Shannon Magrane.

These fading wannabes made a nice comeback: Shelby Tweten and Phillip Phillips.

Highlight of the night: The “Vocal Coach from Hell, Peggy Blu, worked her magic with my No. 1 Lauren Gray and fast-riser Wendy Taylor. They just killed “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow.”

This is the point of the season when it starts to become white-knuckle time, when we start losing some of our favorites. It’s the best of times, it’s the worst of times. But that’s why we love this crazy show so much.

There are 42 contestants remaining. That number will be reduced to 24 next week.

AMERICAN IDOL TOP 10 (following Las Vegas)

1. Lauren Gray
2. Erika Van Pelt
3. Joshua Ledet
4. Baylie Brown
5. Jen Hirsch
6. Jessica Sanchez (new)
7. Jermaine Jones (new)
8. Reed Grimm
9. Ariel Sprague (new)
10. Adam Brock

Is this the week American Idol surrenders its decade-long hold as being the No. 1 singing talent show on network television? NBC’s The Voice was No. 4 in last week’s Nielsen Ratings with 17.8 million viewers, trailing No. 2 American Idol‘s Wednesday show (19.3 million) and No. 3 American Idol‘s Thursday episode (18.1 million).

Idol has never been challenged this closely, but The Voice has all the momentum right now. A better question might be, if The Voice does surpass Idol can it hold the position? Idol‘s ratings tend to sag during Hollywood Week telecasts, which is what we’re in the middle of, then start to rebound once the semifinalists are named and the week-to-week competition begins in earnest.

For those who follow such numbers, I’m sure you’re aware The Voice actually was ahead of Idol two weeks ago when it debuted following the Super Bowl. But those kind of inflated figures are normally disregarded. The same holds true when Idol ran a special following one of the earlier NFL playoff games on a Sunday night.

The real competition is when a program is in its own time slot. It should also be noted The Voice chose not to go head-to-head with Idol, instead trying to carve out its own niche this year on Mondays.

However you look at it, the fun is just beginning on more fronts than one. The Voice has just started and has that built-in enthusiasm on its side, while Idol is counting on jacking up its numbers once the Hollywood Week cuts are final.

Let the game(smanship) begin!

LAST WEEK’S TOP 10 NETWORK SHOWS

1. NCIS, 21.o million viewers
2. American Idol (Wednesday), 19.3 million
3. American Idol (Thursday), 18.1 million
4. The Voice, 17.8 million
5. NCIS: Los Angeles, 16.3 million
6. Big Bang Theory, 16.2 million
7. Person of Interest, 15.1 million
8. The Mentalist, 14.7 million
9. 60 Minutes, 14.3 million
10. Criminal Minds, 13.3 million

As you notice, Idol lost its No. 1 overall perch to NCIS, but that happens on occasion. Whjat we look for more most are definitive trends. Idol has been the nation’s No. 1 show (for the season) since 2004, but whether it can make it eight seasons in a row is a major question. All dynasties come to an end sooner or later, but falling from No. 1 to No. 2 is not exactly cataclysmic. It’s not the same was what has happened with Two and a Half Men since Charlie Sheen left town. Two and a Half Men has gone from an automatic top-five show to trying to stay in the top 20.

Idol is still the same, great show. It’s just showing a little gray around the temples. Some long-time fans have moved on, and it is not attracting as many younger viewers as it once did. The Voice is the flavor of the week, but for the NBC show to ever proclaim it has reached the same level as Idol is ridiculous. Come see me in another seven or eight years before those kind of claims are made.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT RUNDOWN

Following last Thursday’s ridiculous episode with no singing (yo, this is a singing competition, remember?), Idol bounced back with an entertaining “group” night and some final solo performances.

The Good: Three contestants I had been keeping on the fringe of my”best” list — Creighton Fraker, Aaron Marcellus and Jen Hirsch — excelled in the group round, to the point where I’m convinced they’ll provide some legitimate fun in the next round. They were all part of “Group Sauce” in the group round … Among the other group standouts were Heejun Han, David Leathers Jr., Ariel Sprague and Jairon Jackson … In the final solo performances, Joshua Ledet, Colton Dixon,  Shannon Magrane,  stepped up their game … And the contestant who may have made the biggest jump was Reed “I Think I’ll Play the Drums” Grimm. Methinks Mr. Grimm could be a play-uh.

The Bad: Alisha Bernhardt, the 27-year-old female police officer from Indianapolis, was one of the most annoying contestants in recent years. And, thankfully, she totally bombed in the group round.

The Ugly: A memo to Idol producers … we have seen enough of people falling, vomiting and blowing their noses. The show has been obsessed with injury and bodily fluids this season. Enough! I want to hear more singing!

AMERICAN IDOL TOP 10 (after Hollywood)

1. Lauren Gray
2. Erika Van Pelt
3. Baylie Brown
4. Joshua Ledet
5. Jen Hirsch
6. David Leathers Jr.
7. Johnny Keyser
8. Reed Grimm
9. Adam Brock
10. Colton Dixon

UP NEXT: The Las Vegas round, which I’m sure will jumble that Top 10 you just scanned.

We had an interesting discussion Thursday afternoon in The Herald-Whig newsroom about why American Idol has a “group” competition. At no point in the finals does a “group” concept ever come into play.

Granted, the goofiness of it all adds a new dimension to the tension and overall production, but why does it exist? We came up a number of guesses, including to see how the contestants react under a different kind of pressure to how they can adapt to “working the stage.” I don’t think any of us really bought into any of the alleged theories.

I don’t dislike the group thing, but I’ve never been in love with it either. More than anything else, I’d just like to know the real reason it exists!

THURSDAY NIGHT DISAPPOINTMENTS

– The first, and arguably the biggest, surprise was the elimination of Ethan Jones before the group round even began. Jones was No. 3 on our top 10 going into Hollywood. We never had the opportunity to see him sing in Hollywood, which was disappointing. It’s hard for me to believe he didn’t deserve a chance for at least the group effort. Jones is part of a band in Pontoon beach, Ill., called the Well Hungarians that has a strong reputation in much of Illinois and Missouri. I think the judges may have blown this call.

– All of the attention paid to sickness and feinting started to real old real fast. I don’t remember any past of the past seasons devoting as much air time to this type of thing. The idea of the show is to showcase singing, not be a soap opera, or at least that much soap opera. The girl named Gabriella who we had to watch throwing up was rather unnecessary. And did we really need to know Phillip Phillips had endured four kidney stone surgeries in recent months?

– So we waded through a whole hour of drama and back stories with no singing? Are you kidding me? In past years, this kind of show was two hours, the first hour what we saw Thursday night, followed by a second hour of performances. I have to admit, I’m a bit disappointed in my favorite show of all-time.

Oh well, the singing returns next Wednesday.

Hollywood Week is notorious for showing us contestants we had either never seen before or caught just a glimpse of during the auditions. On purpose? If you don’t believe so, I have some ocean-front property in Kinderhook I’d love to sell you.

American Idol loves to play with our minds. The show’s producers relish stringing us along with deeply developed back stories through the auditions, but they also love to zap us with some incredible talent during Hollywood Week that we had not seen before. (Remember, auditions are traditionally filmed in late summer, with Hollywood Week coming together in the fall, so the show has plenty of time to decide how to tease us.)

Baylie Brown

The key, for viewers, is to approach Hollywood Week with an open mind, Expect the unexpected, and be prepared if one or more of your audition faves fall flat on his or her face(s).

That said, Hollywood Week is always great entertainment. Let’s see what Wednesday night held for Idol-aholics:

AS GOOD AS ADVERTISED

Here were a few we thought were great in auditions — and looked even stronger in Hollywood:

– Baylie Brown was our No. 5-ranked contestant entering Hollywood Week and she did nothing to hurt herself. Her confidence is almost as overpowering as her voice, but in a nice, quiet, I’m-here-to-stay way. She is definitely a contender for the finals.

-- Lauren Gray was No. 1 coming out of auditions and gave us no reason to doubt that choice.

– I loved Erika Van Pelt (No. 2) in the auditions, and I love her voice even more now. She’ll be around a long time.

– I probably had Johnny Keyser(No. 6) underrated heading into Hollywood. The 23-year-old waiter won me over Wednesday night. And like, Baylie Brown, confidence is no problem.

Johnny Keyser

WHERE WERE THESE GUYS DURING AUDITIONS?

– We got to hear Adam Brock for the first time and … WOW! He sang “Walking In Memphis” by Marc Cohen and I am now a believer. He says he has been told there is a large black woman trapped inside him. Well, if there is, get her name, She’s tremendous! (And so is Adam. He’s definitely a top-five threat for our rankings later this week.)

– Another major surprise was Jen Hirsh, who overcame her fidgety fingers to deliver a knockout performance. Another pleasant, pleasant surprise.

– Elise Testone was another new face who could belt out a song, but I’m not completely sold on her staying power yet. I need to hear more.

– Others who stepped up their game from the auditions: Hallie Day, Heejun Han, David Leathers Jr., Jeremy Rosado.

DISAPPOINTMENTS

– I thought Ramiro Garcia and Jason “The Wolf” Hamlin, both in my top 10, had a real shot to get through Hollywood, but this is where the one-hit wonders are separated from the real talent. Both Ramiro and Jason exited Wednesday night.

– Others who struggled in my eyes after strong auditions, but who are still around: Phillip Phillips, Reed Grimm, Shannon Magrane.

No. 1 Lauren Gray

Hollywood Week begins Wednesday night on American Idol, which can be brutal on the contestants — but great entertainment for the rest of us. This is where we lose the one-trick ponies, those who may have wowed us in a brief audition but cannot hold up over the course of having to provide more than one song for the judges to critique.

Going into the Hollywood portion of the competition, here’s how I have the contestants ranked. You need to realize this is only from those who were exposed to during the auditions, so this is likely to take a major revision during Hollywood.

One things you’ll certainly notice about the ensuing Top 10 rankings is the St. Louis influence. Three of the top six came from the final auditions in The Loo, including No. 1 Lauren Gray.

AMERICAN IDOL TOP 10 (following auditions)

1. Lauren Gray (St. Louis): It finally dawned on me who this girl reminds me of — a young Mary Chapin Carpenter.
2. Erika Van Pelt (Pittsburgh)
3. Ethan Jones (St. Louis): The band he performs in is the Well Hungarians, a group well known to many Quincyans.
4. Ashley Robles (San Diego)
5. Baylie Brown (Galveston/Houston)
6. Johnny Keyser (St. Louis): The range — and soul — in this guy’s voice are incredible.
7. Shelby Tweten (Aspen)
8. Ramiro Garcia (Galveston/Houston)
9. Jermaine Jones (Portland)
10. Jason “The Wolf” Hamlin (San Diego)

Honorable mention:
David Leathers (Savannah)
Phillip Phillips (Savannah)

A LOOK BACK AT THE TOP SONGS OF 2011

Once we get to the semifinals, we’ll once again start compiling the weekly Top 10 songs performed by the Idols. For those who have forgotten — and that includes myself — last year’s No. 1 song was …

FINAL 2011 TOP 10 CHART

1. James Durbin (“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”), *MOMENT* Week 9 of finals
2. Paul McDonald (“Maggie May”), *MOMENT* Week 1 of finals
3. Haley Reinhart (“What Is And What Should Never Be”), *MOMENT* Week 12 of finals
4. Haley Reinhart (“House Of The Rising Sun”), *MOMENT* Week 10 of finals
5. Haley Reinhart (“I Who Have Nothing”), *MOMENT* Week 11 of finals
6. James Durbin (“Uprising”), *MOMENT* Week 8 of finals
7. Pia Toscano (“I’ll Stand By You”), *MOMENT* Week 1 of finals
8. Haley Reinhart (“Rolling in the Deep”) *MOMENT* Week 8 of finals
9. Haley Reinhart (“Piece of My Heart”), *MOMENT* Week 6 of finals
10. Scotty McCreery (“I Love You This Big”), *MOMENT* Week 13 of finals

Wow. The war between American Idol and X Factor is really beginning to heat up.

Simon Cowell, the one-time face of Idol and now trying resurrect his first-year X Factor bomb, has reportedly offered Beyonce Knowles $500 million to be a judge on X Factor for the next five seasons as he looks for a ”big name” celebrity to improve the show’s disappointing ratings. Simon desperately wants X Factor to replace Idol as the No. 1 U.S. network program. That’s the reason he left idol after the 2009 season to develop X Factor for American television. It has been a major hit in England for a number of years.

According to the ContactMusic.com website, Simon is thought to be keen on acquiring the “Single Ladies” hitmaker’s services  as he searches for a “big name” celebrity to replace fired former judges Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul.

A source told MediaTakeout.com, “He wants a big name female star on the panel. Mariah [Carey] is good, but she’s not that hot today. He wants Beyonce because that would immediately give him the bounce needed to beat American Idol.”

WHO COULD BE IDOL’S SUCCESSOR?

From Entertainment Weekly: Though Idol continues to deliver huge numbers, here’s why the ratings suggest that regime change is theoretically possible: Idol ratings tend to follow a similar pattern every year, with very strong opening weeks, some sagging during the middle, then rising again for a big finish. The pattern has been so consistent that Fox insiders can generally predict Idol‘s ratings for its entire season based on the first few weeks. Whereas comedies like Big Bang Theory on CBS tend to be relatively stable during their run. So if the standard Idol trend holds, given where the show is right now, things could get intensely competitive in the coming months.

“It’s still a really strong show, it’s just not quite the Death Star anymore,” said a rival network’s executive. “From a competitive standpoint, its a good thing to see it back down to Earth.’”

Which show has the best odds of taking Idol‘s place in the weekly top spot?

Big Bang Theory or ABC’s Modern Family have the strongest claim, with an edge to Big Bang (Wednesday’s Modern Family is higher rated overall this season, but Idol is generally more vulnerable on Thursdays).

Lauren Gray

And then there’s The Voice. The second season return of NBC’s breakout hit is a wild card this season, with its season premiere fueled by the Super Bowl on Feb. 5. Though unlikely to topple Idol, here’s the key question: Will The Voice steal some thunder from Idol, or does Idol‘s dip suggest viewers are suffering singing-show fatigue in general? Between Idol, Fox’s The X Factor, NBC’s The Voice, Sing Off and America’s Got Talent, there are singing competition shows year around, more than ever before.

ST. LOUIS AUDITIONS — BEST OF THE SEASON?

Here’s who stood out in Thursday night’s Idol auditions from The Loo, which overall may have been the finest collection of above-average talent we have seen this eason:

1. Lauren Gray: This girl might be the one to beat. She sang an Adele song (“One And Only”) and sounded uncannily like her — with a bit of a southern bluesy edginess. If she survives Hollywood, watch out. I have to go over all of the auditions — again — before Hollywood Week, but my gut feeling right now says Lauren Gray, 22, will carry the No. 1 overall ranking into the next round. Eight years ago, Carrie Underwood launched her career from St. Louis. Could we see a repeat of that success?

2. Ethan Jones: Great, great voice and a natural stage presence. He gave us “I’ll Be” by Edwin McCain. A definite player in Hollywood. One of my favorites so far. Ethan is from Pontoon beach, Ill., which is home to Tri-City Speedway.

3. Johnny Keyser: A little blue-eyed soul in the form of Sam Cooke’s  “A Change Is Gonna Come.” He’s currently a server in an Italian restaurant in Pompano Beach, Fla. — but not for long.

4. Reese Kloeckner: More blue-eyed soul. His “Lean On Me” was tremendous, but he appears to be a little on the shy side.