Leadoff Performances

[back to top] Leadoff Performances

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# Episode / Theme Slot Performance Approval Rating σ Result
76
Open
1/10
Easy0003Easy
55
 
17 2Safe
Mariah Carey
1/7
When You Believe0003When You Believe
55
 
24 2Safe
Open
1/10
Tonight I Wanna Cry0003Tonight I Wanna Cry
55
 
16 3Judges' Choice
79
Open
1/8
When A Man Loves A Woman0003When A Man Loves A Woman
54
 
20 7Eliminated
Open
1/10
Alone0003Alone
54
 
17 2Safe
Finale
1/6
Boxer0003The BoxerReprise performance
54
 
19 2Safe
82
Finale
1/6
I Believe0003I BelieveOriginal Winners Song (Coronation Single) performance
53
 
15 7Eliminated
1990s
1/10
Remedy0003Remedy
53
 
17 2Safe
Finale
1/8
Home Broussard0003Home
53
 
25 2Safe
Open (online)
1/20
Leave Me Lonely0003Leave Me Lonely
53
 
21 7Eliminated
86
Finale
1/6
Black Horse And The Cherry Tree0003Black Horse And The Cherry TreeReprise performance
52
 
13 7Eliminated
Open
1/10
Missing You 10003Missing You
52
 
19 2Safe
Billboard charts
1/8
Fireflies0003Fireflies
52
 
23 2Safe
Inspirational Songs / Lieber & Stoller
1/8
Dont Stop Believin0003Don't Stop Believin'
52
 
20 7Eliminated
Personal Idol
1/9
Everything0003Everything
52
 
22 2Safe
Finale (online)
1/10
Change The World0003Change The World
52
 
21 7Eliminated
92
Queen
1/8
Fat Bottomed Girls0003Fat Bottomed Girls
51
 
24 7Eliminated
Open
1/8
Heartbreaker0003Heartbreaker
51
 
16 2Safe
Dolly Parton
1/9
Jolene0003Jolene
51
 
18 4Bottom Group
Hometown / Scott's / Judges' Choice
1/10
Hallelujah0003Hallelujah
51
 
18 7Eliminated
96
Open
1/12
Part Time Lover0003Part-Time Lover
50
 
24 2Safe
Year Born / Billboard Top 10
1/10
On Broadway0003On Broadway
50
 
19 4Bottom Group
Finale
1/6
I Have Nothing0003I Have Nothing
50
 
21 7Eliminated
Open / One-Hit Wonders
1/10
Power Of Love 20003The Power Of Love
50
 
22 4Bottom Group
100
British Invasion
1/11
Tell Him0003Tell Him
49
 
21 2Safe

[back to top] Summary

Say you're a contestant on American Idol, and you're standing backstage a few hours before show time when the producers walk up to you and say, "Congratulations, Fred, you're singing first tonight!" Assuming your name is really Fred, your response should be to (choose one):

  1. Thank them profusely for the coveted honor of leading off the show.
  2. Throw up on their shoes.
  3. Hide in the wardrobe room and don't come out until the second commercial break.

Well, we can rule out A. As we and our friends at USA Today noted, the leadoff spot hasn't been terribly friendly to contestants over the years. Just 15 (of 282) first singers have have turned in a five-star performance, while 87 have been sent home (including 54 of 190 finalists, the highest ratio of any slot by far.) Through AI6, four of the six leadoff singers in a Final 3 episode have been voted off, and five of six in the Finales (where so far only Ruben Studdard has sung first and lived to tell about it.)

The challenges of performing first are obvious. Many late-arriving viewers miss the performance entirely, and those who do see it have upwards of an hour to forget about it before the voting begins. Plus, singing in front of a "cold" audience is rarely a treat; that's why opening acts were invented. Certainly the producers are aware of this too, so if they were ever intent on getting rid of a contestant – and we are not saying we suspect them of anything (cough-cough) – the leadoff spot is the obvious place to put him or her.

So if you ever find yourself opening the show on Idol, do whatever it takes to make it as memorable of a performance as you can. And don't forget to apologize to the producers afterwards for their shoes.

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