Top 24 Chosen
I’m hearing that today is the day the Top 40, chosen mid-November in Los Angeles, will be whittled down to the Top 24.
The eliminations will take place at the Pasadena Civic Center from 10 am to 4 PM today.
*****
In other news…
USA Today reports that American Idol producers have finally secured permission to perform songs from the Beatles catalog–a big coup for the show. Says executive producer, Ken Warwick, “We’ve got the permission. [from Sony, which owns the publishing rights] Certain songs are still off limits.” But, ”They said, ‘Tell us what songs you want and we will do our best.’ ”
They should get enough songs cleared to do a theme week. Warwick thinks the Beatles theme may be performed by the Top 12 finalists.
Ideally, Paul McCartney or George Martin would appear on the show to mentor the kids, but that’s still merely an item on the producer’s wish list.
A Beatles theme, during Top 12 week–I have mixed feelings about that. I’d rather they wait until later on in the competition, when only the best singers are left. I’m not really looking forward to hearing some of my favorite songs in the world butchered by nervous and/or inexperienced singers.
A couple more items from the USA Today article:
- The online competition to write the “coronation” song for the next Idol is in the final stages of being put into place. A group of “experts” would choose around 100 songs that fans could listen to and vote for online. During the season, Idol would hold a special in which former Idol singers would perform “10 or so” of the favorites, with viewers voting to pick two songs for the Top 2.
- During Top 6 week, according to Warwick, “…we’re going to have a big special, with lots of stars. It might be an extra day [during the week].”
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Sounds good to me.
OMG
A Beatles themed week!! Whoooooo!!
If I wasnt excited about Idol….I am nowwww!
Whoooooo!
Crap..
Great point. Thanks for the cold shower.
Oh great, I can’t wait to watch some clueless 19 year old sing Eleanor Rigby with a big smile on her face.
It would be a great theme for the Top 5 though.
Oh wow. My sister-in-law is going to be PUMPED. The Beatles are her favorite band of all time.
But, I agree. They should wait til the top 5 to do this theme. It would be murder waiting, but that would be worlds better than hearing someone completely massacre a classic Beatles song.
Also, I wonder which “former Idol singers” would come back. Seeing that they didn’t say “winners”, I bet we get lots of 12-6 place finishers… And having them perform the potential coronation songs, to me, is almost a mistake in and of itself. For people who haven’t taken the time go online and listen and thus HAVEN’T heard these songs before, it might color their perception of the songs when they hear a past favorite sing it first, and then someone else sing it later, especially if the “former Idol singer” sings it better. Or maybe not… but that’s just what I think…
All in all, it looks like it’s shaping up to be an EXCITING season! I can’t wait for tomorrow!!!
I bet we can figure out who the “big stars” are that will be on the special for week six by looking at future cd releases!
A Beatles theme night!!!!!! There IS a God!!!!!
i’m excited.
I’m wondering which “former Idol singers” they plan on using too. Are the ones who are signed to the AI record labels (Taylor, Kat, Chris, Kellie, Carrie, Bo, Fantasia, Ruben) contractually obligated to appear or will they give other fan favorites (like Elliott, Anthony, Constantine, Ace) who are still trying to break through a chance to appear again. Hmmm…..
Heather Mills Gets McCartney To Pay Her Rent
..In the meantime, the estranged couple are also set to appear on shows running at the same time. The former Beatle has been asked to be part of the jury on “American Idol” reality show for a £200,000 sum although he hasn’t confirmed his participation yet, while Mills hopes to show off her dancing skills on “Dancing With The Stars,” the US version of “Strictly Come Dancing.”
A pal told British newspaper The News Of The World: “It would put him back on the box in the US.”..
http://www.playfuls.com/news_0004533_Heather_Mills_Gets_McCartney_To_Pay_Her_Rent.html
Just a guess - of the winners and runnersup, I bet Clay will appear. He’s appeared, what 3 or 4 times since season 2? So apparently, there’s no reservation there. I think Carrie will too, especially if she is working on a new album, plus she’s never been shy about her appreciation for AI.
The definitely NOT’s? Kelly Clarkson, for sure, unless she’s contractually obligated.
The others… I have no clue.
A few thoughts regarding Beatles night.
1) I thought that would be the big surprise on top 6 week…a Beatles night with Sir Paul as guest judge. Guess that’s not it.
2) Regarding having Beatles week early or late, I don’t think it will matter. For those who has followed Australian Idol, remember the trainwreck which was season 2’s Beatles week? Casey Donovan forgot the words to Eleanor Rigby, yet she survived the week and ended up winning the entire competition. Anthony Callea who finished second to Casey…I thought had the second worst Beatles song that week in “I Saw Her Standing There.” And Rikki-Lee Coulter, the human air-raid siren who all the judges loved…well she was surprisingly voted off that week with her rendition of “We Can Work It Out.” Honestly, that was one of the few Rikki-Lee performances that I liked.
3) Wonder what songs they can sing and what songs are off-limits. Hoping we won’t have two solid hours of “Run For Your Life,” “You Know My Name, Look Up My Number” and “Revolution No.9.” Although, if someone pulls off “Revolution No.9″, I’ll vote for him or her for two hours straight.
meeeshellllll maaaiii belll
“Isn’t it good? Norwegian wood!”
Or ‘And I love her.”
or how about ‘She Loves You, yeah, yeah, yeah!’
Would have been a hoot last year to see Chris Daughtry sing “Hey Bulldog”. Beatles are my all time fav & while I hate to see some good stuff slaughtered, I am rather tired of some of the other theme nights & there is such a variety of great stuff just from this one group. They managed to get through my other favorite - Elton- and most of the kids had a hard time w/ his stuff because of his huge vocal range. Still it was a fun show. That was the season w/ George Huff doing Take Me to the Pilot.
I am the eggman
They are the eggmen
I am the walrus
Goo Goo G’joob
I love AI and I love the Beatles and Macca has always my fave. But I do not want to see a Beatles theme nite nor do I want to see Macca on the show. Not sure what I oppose, I just don’t wanna see amatuers doing the Beatles.
I kinda discovered the Beatles by accident. One day while waiting in line in a grocery store I heard a song called “You’re gonna lose that girl.” I was like–”wow–what a tune” I thought it was NEW!! Some research found it was this group that broke up a decade before I was born. I bought the HELP cd for that song–listened to all of it and was blown away!! I since bought ALL the Beatles cd’s and have become a HUGE fan! I am excited that they would choose a Beatles Nite!!!! Some other people my age might just hear what I heard (well maybe they will buy the cd and hear the real thing!) LOL!! It will be an awesome night I am sure. Fab Four Yeah Yeah Yeah!!
i agree with adingoateyobay the beatles catalog isnt for an audition it it hard music to sing well they should have waited
HAH! Remember Taylor sang “Something” by the Beatles? And then Randy said that he liked the Beatles vibe and that they should have a Beatles night? Yeah…I think I’m just going to revert a little more here and live in the past. That was my favorite performance of all time.
Maybe the top 12 shouldn’t sing the Beatles songs, but it’ll be a great way to weed the bad ones out!