American Idol 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Week: What should the contestants sing?
On Sunday (April 21) , the Top 14 will tackle songs from inductees of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Keep in mind, the Top 12 had this theme last season, and since not every inductee is from the rock genre, it actually provides a wide variety of classic song choices, so even if rock music seems out of some of the contestants repertoire, they will likely make it work. For example, singers like ABBA, Stevie Wonder, and Lionel Richie were covered last season.
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Rock Hall member Gene Simmons from the iconic band KISS will mentor each of the contestants. Also, for the first time ever, the 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees will be announced during the American Idol LIVE broadcast!
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Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Luke Bryan sit on the panel.. Ryan Seacrest hosts the show. American Idol airs Sundays and Mondays at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC and next day streaming on Hulu.
American Idol 2024 Top 14 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Song Suggestions
Abi Carter
- Always by Bon Jovi
- Nothing Else Matters by Metallica
- Will You Love Me Tomorrow by The Shirelles (written by Carole King)
Abi just tackled an alternative rock song in “Welcome to The Black Parade” and showed she’s capable of rearranging to fit her style. “Always” by Bon Jovi is a gorgeous rock ballad. Abi could tackle it on the piano, allowing the bit of rasp in her upper register to shine on this song.
“Nothing Else Matters” is another great rock ballad, and Metallica is rarely covered, but this song isn’t as hard rock as some of their other music. It is a natural fit here especially considering modern singers have covered it a lot, and indie singer Phoebe Bridgers has a version that would suit Abi perfectly.
Of all the choices, “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” doesn’t necessarily scream rock, but both the Shirelles and Carole are in the Hall of Fame. There are many ways it can be rearranged and Abi’s style would be the perfect match with Carole King’s songwriting.
Emmy Russell
- The First Cut is The Deepest by Cat Stevens (Sheryl Crow version)
- Gypsy by Fleetwood Mac
- Wildflowers by Tom Petty
Emmy has a style that fits very nicely with softer rock singers who are folksy. Although the original is sung by P.P. Arnold who is not in the Hall, one choice that may suit Emmy is “The First Cut is The Deepest,”, as its writer Cat Stevens as well as two singers who covered the song and made a hit out of it (Rod Stewart and Sheryl Crow) are both in the Hall. The song is right up Emmy’s alley. She can make it her own, similar to what she did with “Beautiful Things” in Hawaii.
“Gypsy” would be a nice ballad choice for Emmy as well. Emmy could thrive on Stevie Nick’s piano version of the song, and have an emotional moment with it. “Wildflowers” by Tom Petty might be an even better choice for Emmy as it is a folk rock song that would work in Emmy’s compelling yet quiet style.
Jack Blocker
- All Along The Watchtower by Bob Dylan
- Losing My Religion by R.E.M.
- Only The Good Die Young by Billy Joel
Bob Dylan’s music is right up Jack’s style as a folk singer, so “All Along The Watchtower” could work well as a song choice for Jack. Interestingly enough, prior to the American Idol, Jack was in an indie rock duo called Rightfield that leaned more into alternative and electronic sounds than what we have heard from Jack on the show. If he wants to bridge his show style with a slightly alternative sound, R.E.M’s “Losing My Religion” could be a great choice. It also would be refreshing to get a different song than “Everybody Hurts” as that’s the more commonly covered R.E.M track. Jack is a carefree performer that has shown the ability to go uptempo this past week with “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim,” and that’s why he could totally pull off “Only The Good Die Young” by Billy Joel.
Jayna Elise
- Because The Night by Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen
- Paint It, Black by The Rolling Stones
- Purple Rain by Prince
Jayna has shown the ability to rock out in the past, and her original music has rock elements to it, so she could have a moment with this theme night. She’s a master arranger. She could thrive with how “Because The Night” starts slow, and then ramps into a more uptempo track. “Paint It, Black” is in Jayna’s wheelhouse, and is an almost too obvious pick. Ciara has a version that is dramatic, soulful, and would be a natural fit for Jayna. She could also tackle Prince. He is a tough one to pull off, but Jayna has the pipes to tackle the beloved song and do it justice.
Jordan Anthony
- Hard To Say I’m Sorry by Chicago
- One by U2 ft. Mary J. Blige
- Praying For Time by George Michael
I know Jordan went uptempo in this last round, but it seems like it’s best for him to go with a ballad for the rock round. Jordan on the piano could do a very stripped back version of “Hard To Say I’m Sorry”, and pull it off. Another ballad choice that may work is “One” by U2 ft. Mary J. Blige. Season 8 Runner-Up Adam Lambert did very well with this one in his season, but enough time has gone by that fans will probably forget that. George Michael’s soulful voice suits Jordan’s style the most out of my suggestions. “Praying For Time” is a beautiful song, and I would love to see Jordan’s take on it.
Julia Gagnon
- Crazy On You by Heart
- Dirty Diana by Michael Jackson
- You Send Me by Sam Cooke (Aretha Franklin’s Version)
“Alone” and “Barracuda” are commonly covered but “Crazy On You” would fit Julia’s voice the best as it os soulful, dynamic, and would still showcase her pipes. I believe Carly Smithson is the only one to cover it in Season 7, and she nailed it. Julia is likely one of the only singers this season to cover the crazy range that Heart’s lead singer Ann Wilson has.
Another option is “Dirty Diana” which is probably Michael Jackson’s most rock adjacent song. I’d love to hear Julia’s version of it as she has the power for it, and this would show off some of the grit in her voice.
One more option is “You Send Me” which has been a viral sound on social media, and we already know Julia has the perfect voice to tackle Aretha as her audition performance is still my favorite out of anything she has done to date. Her recapturing this magic would be smart, so if she does this one she should opt for the Aretha version.
Kaibrienne
- If It Makes You Happy by Sheryl Crow
- Something To Talk About by Bonnie Raitt
- Me and Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin
Kaibrienne’s raspy voice is perfect for this round. A no-brainer would be Sheryl Crow’s “If It Makes You Happy” as Sheryl shares a bit of a twang and the same type of punchy rasp with Kaibrienne. Bonnie Raitt’s bluesy “Something To Talk About” might be more out of the box, but it would allow her to tackle something more mid-tempo. Another option would be Janis Joplin’s “Me and Bobby McGee” where Kaibrienne could really showcase that raspy tone. P!NK has a wonderful version of this song that may suit her.
Kayko
- Baba O’Riley by The Who
- Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day
- Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush
Kayko hasn’t had a cover aired on American Idol yet (he’s only sung 1 total), so it will be interesting to see his song choice this round. I believe Season 7 winner, David Cook is the only contestant to sing “Baba O’Riley” on American Idol. But Kayko could pull it off, especially since it has electronic aspects to it which some of Kayko’s songs have had.
Kayko sang “Gives You Hell” by All-American Rejects for his showstopper which wasn’t aired, so I imagine 90s and 2000s alternative pop-rock songs would work for his voice.
There aren’t many bands in the Hall in this realm, but Green Day is, and “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” could work for Kayko’s voice. You couldn’t miss “Running Up That Hill” in 2022 after its resurgence due to Stranger Things. The electronic elements in this song paired with Kayko’s musicality could lead to a captivating song choice for the singer-songwriter.
McKenna Breinholt
- Tiny Dancer by Elton John
- We Belong by Pat Benatar
- You’re So Vain by Carly Simon
McKenna has a storytelling style that would suit various Elton John songs, and the one she could do the most with is a stripped back version of “Tiny Dancer.” Pat Benatar’s songs are pretty demanding vocals, but McKenna has the technical ability to sing pretty much whatever. The little vocal cracks and punchiness of Pat Benetar’s delivery on the chorus of “We Belong” make it a natural fit for McKenna’s tone especially since she has surprising range. The best fit would be Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” as Carly has a somewhat raspy delivery similar to McKenna. The song has only been covered once on American Idol by Season 7’s Brooke White. Carly is a recent 2022 inductee, and the song has seen some resurgence since pop star Olivia Rodrigo covered it at her induction.
Mia Matthews
- Blue Bayou by Linda Ronstadt
- Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton
- Helpless by Neil Young
“Blue Bayou” has surprisingly never been done on the American Idol live shows, but it has turned in a few moments on The Voice. There’s a cry in Mia’s tone that Linda Ronstadt has in this song, and that could give Mia a moment.
Another option is “Coat of Many Colors” and that would be refreshing compared to the typical “Jolene” cover. Plus P!nk, Brandi Carlile, and the Zac Brown Band performed it for Dolly’s induction. The song could be an acoustic moment for her, as Mia has briefly showcased the yodel-like vocal in the song’s chorus in some of her performances. If Dolly is done, Mia is the best choice to cover her. “Helpless” is another good choice for Mia, as it has never been performed on Idol. There is a number of female country covers out there and it would suit Mia’s tone very well.
Nya
- Hot Stuff by Donna Summer
- I Want It All by Queen
- Together Again by Janet Jackson
“Hot Stuff” is a fun disco track, and the instrumental of the song makes it easy to rock out to it. Nya has a lot of personality. She could show off her stage presence with a song choice like this. Nya has displayed some jazziness in her arrangements with her last few performances, so Andra Day’s slowed down version of Queen’s “I Want It All” would be perfect for Nya. Janet Jackson isn’t covered often, but Nya’s voice would suit her music and would sound great on a song like Janet’s “Together Again.”
Roman Collins
- I Wish by Stevie Wonder
- Maybe by Janis Joplin
- The Thrill Is Gone by B.B. King
Roman sang a Stevie Wonder song for his audition, and his energetic presence would explode on the uptempo and funky “I Wish.” “Maybe” is a choice somewhat out of left field, but this soulful Janis Joplin track has elements of gospel in it. Roman’s raspy voice could take this song to church with a full choir behind him. Another stellar song that could show off a bluesy side to Roman is B.B. King’s classic “The Thrill is Gone.”
Triston Harper
- For What It’s Worth by Buffalo Springfield
- One Step Up by Bruce Springsteen
- Soulshine by The Allman Brothers Band
The folksy “For What It’s Worth” could easily be transported into a country song making it a good pick for Triston. “One Step Up” by Bruce Springsteen could work for Triston with its simplistic arrangement that could easily be rearranged to suit the young singer’s style. Plus, country singer Kenny Chesney has a cover of the song. The Allman Brothers could also be a good band for Triston to take on. They were covered by last season’s country finalist Colin Stough. The southern rock song “Soulshine” could be a nice fit with Triston’s soulful country sound.
Will Moseley
- Black by Pearl Jam
- Night Moves by Bob Seger
- Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones
This round has loads of options for Will. His tone would sound great on many of Pearl Jam’s hits including “Black” as his gritty voice would be a great match with lead singer Eddie Vedder’s sound. Some have made loose comparisons to Chris Stapleton with Will, and that’s why I have suggested Bob Seger’s “Night Moves.” Dolly Parton and Chris Stapleton have a cover that would be a great arrangement of the song for Will to tackle. Finally, “Wild Horses” is a classic rock ballad with grit, and a song choice like this could show off range for Will give him a moment.
Comment your Rock and Roll Hall of Fame song suggestions for the top 14 below.
