Don’t Miss…

Monday 1/14 -Â  Jordin Sparks appears on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Tuesday  1/15 – Blake Lewis appears on The View.

Wednesday 1/16 – Blake Lewis appears on The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet.  Jordin Sparks performs a mini-concert on the

I’m way behind on my blogging. Sawry!   I helped a college friend celebrate a birthday this weekend–a nice round number. Heh.   Her husband booked the famed Stone Pony for the night!   (Where Bruce Springsteen got his start.)   It was pretty awesome.   Much fun was had by all. Asbury Park rules!

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An Open Letter To this Year’s Top 24

In January of last year, I flew out to L.A. to the dreaded Long Walk down the Wooded Floor to the judges. I was so nervous. But as soon as I saw Phil come out and making it through, I was okay. I went up the elevator, [...]

‘American Idol’ returns

On Tuesday, the Fox juggernaut roars back onto the airwaves, still sending the rivals fleeing for cover (ABC moved “Lost” to Thursday nights to avoid a head-to-head battle). And proving that fortune truly favors the bold, after what many described as a shaky sixth season (with the franchise showing measurable ratings vulnerability [...]

The lengthy (and really informative–worth the read) USA Today article that leads today’s headlines thread featured a short list of tweaks to look out for in Season 7′s competition:

Letting singers play musical instruments during their performances in the first combined gathering of audition survivors, known as the Hollywood Round. Visiting finalists’ [...]

For those who love NUMBERS–I love numbers. Who doesn’t love numbers?

…check out Ken Barnes’ Ultimate SoundScan Sales/Download Checklist.

Ken has gathered Sound Scan numbers for all the Idol releases and listed them by rank. Check out the Top 10 after the jump.

‘American Idol’ tries to get its groove back in upcoming seventh season

When Season 7 of Idol premieres Tuesday (8 p.m. ET/PT), the show that has shaped pop stars, Grammy winners and even an Oscar recipient à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  and boosted sales in a sagging music industry à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  will return to [...]

TV Guide Reports an “exclusive”:

Straight up now tell me, did you ever think you’d read that headline again in your lifetime? Me, neither. But it’s true. A tipster in close proximity to Abdul’s inner circle tells me that the American Idol judge, who hasn’t released an album of new material since 1995′s Head Over [...]

MSNBC posted two commentaries today, one is from the sharp and cynical Andy Dehnart, who believes American Idol has nowhere to go but down

The signs are everywhere. Ratings for “American Idol 6″ were down (20 percent for the finale alone); RCA Records recently dropped two “Idol” winners, Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks, [...]

Joesplace has added one more contestant to the rumored Top 50 list…

Check it out after the jump

A Conversation with Carrie Underwood

With her wavy blond hair, button nose, and pearly smile, Carrie Underwood, 24, looks like she just stepped off the cover of a 1980s Sweet Valley High paperback. Raised on a farm in tiny Checotah, Oklahoma, she went to Northeastern State University, where she studied journalism and became a sorority [...]

Season 4′s 10th place finisher Jessica Sierra was supposed to be on her way to California to start a year long treatment program in a Pasedena facility, but the California Parole Board has denied her emergency transfer. It could take up to 45 days before the parole board makes a decision on whether [...]

Simon Cowell conducted a brief press conference with reporter today.   Here are two good recaps from TV Squad and Idol Chatter.   The Jist (my comments are in italics, heh)

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Ninety percent of what happened on the show last year was very good. It was a [...]

Idols are dropping left and right here! Now, it’s Katharine McPhee, according to the EW Hollywood Insider, who has lost her record contract–

Another Idol label deal bites the dust. Hollywood Insider has learned that Katharine McPhee is the latest former contestant to part ways with her record company. Like season 2 winner [...]

Blake Lewis performed “Break Anotha” on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night: