AI judge "pop quiz"

[lucassmith]

By Ken Barnes and Bill Keveney, USA TODAY
American Idol is growing up.

That doesn't mean it's maturing, by any means. When TV's No. 1 show launches its seventh season Tuesday (Fox, 8 p.m. ET/PT), you can expect sniping judges, petulant contestants and delusional, off-key auditions.

But by now, Idol has a history and a heritage. Clay and Ruben, Kelly and Carrie, Taylor and Fantasia, even Sanjaya need no introduction, nor even a last name.

MORE: How big a hit will 'Idol' be this season?
QUIZ: Pop quiz, hot shot. Test your 'Idol' trivia skills
IDOL CHATTER: USA TODAY's Ken Barnes keeps you current on 'Idol' news

When Idol started in 2002, the music industry was unsure how much impact it would have. That verdict's in: Nine Idol finalists have sold more than 1 million albums in the USA, topped by Kelly Clarkson, who's approaching 10 million.

Idols also have overcome initial radio reluctance to score hits in nearly every format: pop, R&B, country, even alternative, hard rock and Christian — an impressive range for a show regarded by many as the epitome of middle-of-the-road pop pablum.

Idol success is not an automatic springboard to stardom, however. That was just made crystal-clear when in a space of weeks three top Idols — Ruben Studdard, Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee — lost the record deals they'd won on the show.

The most recent Idol winners, champ Jordin Sparks and runner-up Blake Lewis, are off to slow sales starts. There are a number of other Idols who can't get arrested on the charts. And, unfortunately, there are a few Idols who have had no problem getting arrested in real life.

Former contestants continue to struggle to establish niches in music, TV, movies and stage. But, from first-season finalist Tamyra Gray writing Fantasia's coronation song to sixth-season also-ran Phil Stacey releasing his first country single this week, Idols continue to give it a go.

So take a look back with us, with reminiscences from the judges, facts, figures and a quiz. Like the show itself, it's a fun-filled way to Idol away your time.

USA TODAY asked Idol judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul, plus host Ryan Seacrest, to identify some of the highlights and lowlights of the show to date

Best season: Simon: Season 1, 2 (because of the Clay-Ruben competition)
Paula: Seasons 4 and 5
Randy: Season 3. "I must say the season with all the 'Dreamgirls' " (Fantasia, Jennifer Hudson and La Toya London).
Ryan: "Whichever was the highest-rated one."

Worst finals singer:
Simon: Sanjaya Malakar
Paula: Sanjaya, Kevin Covais
Ryan: "Sanjaya wasn't the best singer, was he? He went the furthest without the best voice."

Singer picked on most by Simon:
Paula: Kevin Covais

Worst audition performance:
Simon picked Keith Beukelaer, whose version of Like a Virgin is still involuntarily imprinted in many viewers' memories.
Ryan agrees, saying, "I'll never forget good old Keith."
Paula picked William Hung's She Bangs, although she says he was on pitch.
Randy chose both Keith and William.

Singer with most disappointingcareer:
Simon & Ryan: Tamyra Gray
Paula: Katharine McPhee

Singer with most surprising level of success:
Simon & Ryan: Chris Daughtry

Best performance by a finalist:
Simon: Fantasia, Summertime
Randy: "Hands down, Summertime by Fantasia Barrino. She raised the roof."
Paula: Fantasia, Summertime; Carrie Underwood, Alone by Heart; Blake Lewis, beatboxing to Bon Jovi's You Give Love a Bad Name; Clay Aiken, Bridge Over Troubled Water

Worst performance by a finalist:
Simon: Sanjaya Malakar, You Really Got Me
Paula: Clay Aiken, Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting; LaKisha Jones, Stayin' Alive.

Worst voter decision:
Simon & Randy: Elimination of Tamyra Gray.
Paula: Chris Daughtry, Tamyra Gray, Jennifer Hudson. (Simon disagrees on Hudson, saying the vote was justified because "it was a terrible performance."
Ryan: Chris Daughtry

Favorite theme night:
Simon: Queen
Ryan: Motown
Randy: '60s, '70s standards. "I do like throwing it back and seeing what they can do with the older stuff."

Worst theme night:
Simon: Bee Gees

Best mentor:
Paula: Barry Manilow, Rod Stewart, Jennifer Lopez, Stevie Wonder
Randy: Wonder, Andrea Bocelli

Worst mentor:
Simon: Peter Noone

Most overdone songs:
Simon: Alicia Keys' Fallin', Etta James' At Last
Randy:At Last, "a bunch of Alicia Keys' songs."
Paula:At Last; Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey songs.
Ryan: "There was the year of Etta James."

Contestant with best personality:
Simon: Fantasia, Kelly Clarkson
Randy: Kelly, Fantasia, Carrie, Clay and Ruben
Paula: Fantasia
Ryan: Fantasia

Best moment:
Paula:Idol Gives Back; any of her fights with Simon
Ryan: "When I leave Simon with something where he's speechless, when he laughs or acts like he can't hear me."

Word to banish:
Simon: "I'd like to get singers to not say 'journey.' It's not a journey. It's an opportunity."

[lucassmith]

I am extremely suprised that they didn't say that Kellie was the contestant with the best personality. Especially Simon he has always loved Kellie's personality and said it over and over again so that really suprised me.

[Pickled Pink]

Yeah, I was surprised Kellie didn't make the list here and there.

[lucassmith]

I think that Kellie's versions of "Fancy" and "I'm the only one" should have both made the list for best performances too they were both much better than any on that list.... at least in my opinion.

[lucassmith]

Of course Paula loved season 4 and 5 since they were the seasons that came out with three of most popular idols of all time lol.... Carrie, Kellie, and Chris.

[ChrisKellieFan]

Kellie has the best personality of everyone ever on AI! I guess they just like to pimp the winners and runners-up and forget about her.

[fanofkellie]

Of course Kellie had the best and most endearing personality ever on AI. So how could they not mention her?

[libbyrose]

Well, they missed the boat here....and since Kellie was not even mentioned, why is this posted?

[kelliesmostbiggestfanever]

hmm wonder why they didn't mention kellie she had the BEST personality! no doubtt!

[Smarty]

Looks like they all are huge fan of Fantasia

[north_clt]

By Season 5, the "Paula rule" was in effect for judges because of the scandal with Corey Clark. Because of that, the contestants were separated more from Season 5 contestants than in previous years, I think. I know I have heard Kellie say that the contestants never saw the judges any place other than on stage.

Notice that NONE of the answers to that question came from Season 5 or 6. We all know that the Season 5 contestants were the most popular with viewers overall.

Still, their choices are inconsistent with some statements they've made in the past, if I remember correctly.

Yet, I don't think it's that big a deal. I don't really care any more about the judges' opinions now than I did before.

And the thread really does belong in another folder. The only reason I read it was because I was expecting to see Kellie's name.

[No_Left_Turn]

Sanjaya...it's the judges fault. they were the ones that put him in the top 24 in the first place.

[KellieCrazy77]

Kellie most definitely should have made this list for best personality, and best preformance. I LOVED all of her preformances but "Walking After Mid Night" "I'm The Only One" and "Something to Talk About" my favs. And at least one of them should have made the list!

[KellieCrazy77]

Originally Posted by north_clt

By Season 5, the "Paula rule" was in effect for judges because of the scandal with Corey Clark. Because of that, the contestants were separated more from Season 5 contestants than in previous years, I think. I know I have heard Kellie say that the contestants never saw the judges any place other than on stage.

Notice that NONE of the answers to that question came from Season 5 or 6. We all know that the Season 5 contestants were the most popular with viewers overall.

Still, their choices are inconsistent with some statements they've made in the past, if I remember correctly.

Yet, I don't think it's that big a deal. I don't really care any more about the judges' opinions now than I did before.

And the thread really does belong in another folder. The only reason I read it was because I was expecting to see Kellie's name.

Me too!

[pickluh]

I don't understand how the "Worst voter decision" list didn't mention eliminating Melinda Doolittle.