The 10 Best Performances of American Idol 6
The sixth season of American Idol wrapped up with a poorly produced finale that summed up the season: too much focus on celebrities, not enough on contestants. The AI6 Top 12 were probably the most entertaining of any season, and yet they were showcased the worst by the producers. The season lacked the weekly video packages about the contestants that in years past have allowed the audience to really get to know them. Instead, too much focus was put on a barrage of celebrity mentors. Even the signature cheesy-yet-endearing Idol group songs only made very few appearances this year, making way for celebrities to hog the Idol stage with solo performances. The lack of air time for the Idols was unfortunate, as this group of finalists is full of interesting characters with stellar talent.

Despite the poorly produced season, these talented contestants did manage to turn in some fantastic moments onstage. Here, with the best of the best, are the It's Destiny! panelists with their choices for the 10 best performances of American Idol 6.

10 Best Performances of AI6: Liza's List
1. "My Funny Valentine" by Melinda Doolittle
(Top 20)
Far and away the best vocal of the whole season and perhaps the best vocal EVER on American Idol. The arrangement, the runs, the vocal nuances and the pitch-perfect vocals made my jaw drop.

2. "You Really Got Me" by Sanjaya Malakar
(British Invasion Week)
For pure entertainment value, this one ranks No. 2. This performance also made my jaw drop and then made me roll on the ground in laughter. There was such a hysteria to this whole thing, between Sanjaya changing his whole persona and rocking out like a superstar and Ashley Ferl bawling her eyes out.

3. "You Give Love A Bad Name" by Blake Lewis
(Bon Jovi Week)
I wasn't feeling it originally, but now that the shock has worn off, I must admit that this performance is worthy of Top 3 inclusion simply for the originality of it all within the context of American Idol. Beat boxing to an 80's hair band classic and getting rave reviews? Who'd have thunk it?!

4. "I'm A Woman" by Melinda Doolittle
(Top 16)
Meek little Melinda turned into a "little tiger" with this brassy, sassy and uber-confident performance. The strut up the catwalk and the interaction with the background vocalists was fierce!

5. "Blaze Of Glory" by Phil Stacey
(Bon Jovi Week Elimination Night)
If you're going to go out, what better way than to go out singing "Blaze of Glory"? Phil laid claim to best male vocalist honors this season with strong, rich vocals like this. His voice truly soared from start to finish here.

6. "I Who Have Nothing" by Jordin Sparks
(British Invasion Week)
It was such an unexpectedly mature performance from someone who was only 17 (did you know that she's only 17?!?!). All kidding aside, Jordin brought a strong dramatic touch to this song, on top of great vocals.

7. "This Ain't A Love Song" by LaKisha Jones
(Bon Jovi Week)
Many found LaKisha's "And I Am Telling You ..." to be her best, but I enjoyed this so much more. On a night I expected her to struggle, she came out with such fire, passion and soul and worked her way back into the competition after a pair of back-to-back clunkers.

8. "I'll Stand By You" by Gina Glocksen
(Gwen Stefani Week)
Gina delivered her best performance, choosing the perfect song for her voice, singing it extremely well and striking an emotional chord.

9. "Ooh Baby Baby" by Top 6 Guys
(Grand Finale)
The harmonies were luscious, the falsettos were lovely, and everyone sounded fantastic (even Sanjaya). After hearing performances like this, I'm angry they didn't do more group songs this year.

10. "How Deep Is Your Love" by Blake Lewis/Chris Sligh/Rudy Cardenas/Tom Lowe
(Hollywood Round)
These guys turned the Hollywood group round on its ear with this highly entertaining and original beat-boxing/singing hybrid.

10 Best Performances of AI6: Destiny's List
1. "You Give Love A Bad Name" by Blake Lewis
(Bon Jovi Week)
Hands down the most exciting performance of the season. The cool album-loading vocal scene he created at the top was genius, and the fresh arrangement of the song epitomized the ultimate Idol goal of "making it your own". Blake commanded the song, the stage and the audience. His strong vocals and new look completed the package. Shot through the heart!

2. "The Show" by Blake Lewis/Doug E. Fresh
(Grand Finale)
Thrilling. From the superstar entrance through the audience to the outrageous beatboxing showdown, this performance rocked the Kodak and millions of televisions around the world. Blake looked and sounded like a pro, giving Doug E. Fresh a run for his money. Yet again keeping the audience on the edge of their seats, this was a perfect way for Blake to end his impressive American Idol journey.

3. "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying" by Chris Richardson
(British Invasion Week)
Chris' contemporary arrangement of this song showcased his beautiful, oh-so-pleasing-to-the-ear vocals and stunning ability to convey emotion. This radio-ready version of the song soothed the soul and made it easy to envision Chris as a successful recording artist.

4. "You Really Got Me" by Sanjaya Malakar
(British Invasion Week)
One of the most memorable moments in Idol history, everything about this performance was simply shocking. Sanjaya commanded the stage like we had never seen from him before, looking and sounding like a legitimate pop star. His boldness and confidence seemed to come out of nowhere, in sharp contrast to his meek and weak persona we had seen previously on the show. The hysterical crying girl in the audience capped everything off, making the performance the perfect embodiment of the British Invasion theme. Sanjaya would never be the same from this moment on, as he became the most talked about contestant of the season.

5. "Time of The Season" by Blake Lewis
(British Invasion Week)
Blake commanded the stage with this fresh update on a Zombies classic. With just the right amount of beat boxing/scratching mixed in with his smooth vocals, this cool cat performance left guys wanting to be Blake and girls wanting to proclaim him their daddy.

6. "A Broken Wing" by Jordin Sparks
(Country Week)
Jordin looked stunning from head to toe during this performance. Her piercing vocals were equally as stunning. The in-studio audience (and no doubt millions at home) went crazy for her soaring version of this song. Jordin knows how to deliver emotion, and this was her most stirring display of that skill. Beautiful.

7. "Blaze of Glory" by Phil Stacey
(Bon Jovi Week)
Phil's glorious voice soared on this song, allowing him to turn in his best performance of the season. He commanded the audience and turned in the best use in AI history of the mini stage behind the judges. The whole thing felt like we were watching a professional concert performance to an audience full of fans. When he lifted his hand over his head on the "shot down" lyrics? Totally cool.

8. "Imagine" by Blake Lewis
(Idol Gives Back Week)
Blake's delivery of this song was simple yet stunning, highlighting his rich and colorful voice. With this performance Blake proved that he didn't need his beatboxing skills to command a stage.

9. "I'm A Woman" by Melinda Doolittle
(Top 3 Week)
Melinda put her sassy side on display during this performance. The jacket toss at the top of the song and the interplay with the backup singers center stage were enchanting. And to top it all off, her voice sounded fantastic.

10. "How Come You Don't Call Me" by Stephanie Edwards
(Top 24)
Stephanie commanded the audience with this highly entertaining, original rendition of this song. She looked, sounded and performed like a superstar. When she dropped to her knees during the song, it seemed like we were surely watching one of the major players of the season. Unfortunately, she never quite lived up to the magic of this performance again on the Idol stage.

10 Best Performances of AI6: Tammy's List
1. "Blaze of Glory" by Phil Stacey
(Bon Jovi Week)
When Phil performed this song, it was so completely unexpected and unlike anything that he'd previously sung on Idol. It was as close to a perfect performance as one is going to get on this show. He was confident, he was charismatic, and he worked the crowd unlike any other. I'm not sure where this performance came from, but I'm glad that he managed to rebound from his many trainwrecks earlier in the season.

2. "You Give Love A Bad Name" by Blake Lewis
(Bon Jovi Week)
Blake took the 'make it your own' phrase and ran with it, providing one of the most riveting performances on any Idol show. It was an edge-of-your-seat performance, as I couldn't wait to see what he did next. We'll be talking about this one for years to come.

3. "I Who Have Nothing" by Jordin Sparks
(British Invasion Week)
Jordin sings this song well. If ever an artist has that 'one' song that they are known for and can nail, then this is her song. She plays up the breathy melodramatic-ness and makes it work, and her vocals had never sounded more solid.

4. "Have A Nice Day" by Melinda Doolittle
(Bon Jovi Week)
'I am so bad at rock' Melinda laments in the intro to this song. Oh Melinda. At this point in the game we weren't about to fall for that. She tore this song up, bringing the attitude that sweet little Melinda no doubt represses in real life.

5. "Virtual Insanity" by Blake Lewis
(Top 20)
Blake was the epitome of cool as he performed. The dude was both laid back and eager to introduce the world to his brand of beat boxing. It may have divided viewers, but there's no denying that the performance was all sorts of entertaining. Thankfully, he lost the hat fetish.

6. "Geek in the Pink" by Chris Richardson
(Top 20)
Chris looks to be unabashedly having fun in this performance (which we saw less and less of as the season continued...what happened, Chris?). Here he was his happy, playful, hip-hoppy self, and it was Chris at his most comfortable on the Idol stage.

7. "I'm A Woman" by Melinda Doolittle
(Top 16)
Melinda is at her best when she has the opportunity to strut. And a sassy song like this gave her all the opportunity she needed.

8. "A Broken Wing" by Jordin Sparks
(Country Week)
Let's be honest. Without that last note, this song would be nothing. Luckily, Jordin nails the note, and slowly begins to seal her fate as the next reigning Idol.

9. "Time of the Season" by Blake Lewis
(British Invasion Week)
I'd be hard pressed to dislike any song that had Blake asking me 'Who's your daddy?'.

10. "Bathwater" by Sanjaya Malakar
(Gwen Stefani Week)
I'm not going to argue the vocal merits of this song. But this is the song that introduced us to the the pony-hawk, and sparked a still-perplexing fascination with this questionably talented performer.

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