Due to the display of incorrect phone numbers at the end of last night’s (March 22) “American Idol” performance episode, the entire public vote will be scrapped and redone tonight. To accommodate the fix, Fox will broadcast a live one-hour show that combines new elements with footage from Tuesday’s performances at 9 p.m. ET/PT tonight, and add a live half-hour results show to its Thursday night schedule in the same time slot.
Of the 11 remaining contestants, the one who receives the lowest number of votes cast tonight will leave the competition. None of the original votes will be used in the final tally, according to Fox.
Last night’s performance episode of “American Idol” turned to the Billboard charts once again, as the contestants chose “Billboard’s Number One Hits” for their performances. The finalists found out what the theme would be when host Ryan Seacrest introduced them to Billboard Chart Beat columnist Fred Bronson.
In a segment seen at the top of the episode, the contestants unwrapped presents that turned out to be copies of Bronson’s “The Billboard Book of Number One Hits.”
Seacrest asked Bronson to explain the connection between his book and “American Idol,” and Bronson told the finalists they could choose any of the 933 No. 1 hits in his book to sing, or any No. 1 from any Billboard chart.
Off camera, Seacrest also asked how many songs from “American Idol” contestants have reached No. 1 in Billboard. Bronson said that counting album and singles charts across all genres, there have been 36 No. 1s from the “Idol” franchise to date.
Seacrest then told the contestants one of them could have the 37th “Idol” No. 1. They will have to settle for No. 38. This week, Kelly Clarkson moves to No. 1 on the Mainstream Top 40 chart with “Since U Been Gone” (RCA).
This is the second time “American Idol” has chosen “Billboard’s Number One Hits” as a theme. During the series’ second season, when Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard were among the finalists, the top eight contestants sang chart-toppers from the magazine.
Ten of the fourth season competitors chose songs from Bronson’s book, based on the Billboard Hot 100, while one made a selection from Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. The songs performed on last night’s show were from a 30-year period, 1970-2000.
There was no celebrity judge, but there was an artist with No. 1 hits on the Hot 100 in the audience. Donny Osmond, a fan of “American Idol,” was singled out by Seacrest during the one-hour broadcast.
One of the 11 finalists will leave the show tomorrow when Seacrest reveals the result of America’s second “Idol” vote this week.
Here is a list of finalists and the No. 1 hits they performed, including the original artist and original year:
Nikko Smith: “Incomplete,” Sisqo (2000)
Constantine Maroulis: “I Think I Love You,” the Partridge Family (1970)
Anthony Federov: “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me),” Aretha Franklin &
George Michael (1987)
Jessica Sierra: “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” Bonnie Tyler (1983)
Carrie Underwood: “Alone,” Heart (1987)
Bo Bice: “Time in a Bottle,” Jim Croce (1973)
Scott Savol: “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now),” Phil Collins (1984)
Anwar Robinson: “Ain’t Nobody,” Rufus (1983)
Mikalah Gordon: “Love Will Lead You Back,” Taylor Dayne (1990)
Vonzell Solomon: “Best of My Love,” Emotions (1977)
Nadia Turner: “Time After Time,” Cyndi Lauper (1984)
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