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Here's a review of American Idol related videos, by Jennifer Arthur.


It's no secret that American Idol is America's top rated TV show. We all seem to love the concept of finding the hidden talent of "the next rising star," whether it comes from your favorite bartender, your child's first grade teacher, or the kid who bags groceries at your local supermarket.

While outstanding numbers prove that Idol as entertainment is a success, what about the lives of contestants after the show ends? What becomes of the winner, the runner-up, or the underdog who was most loved by the fans? As a long-time fan of American Idol, I headed to YouTube to find my four favorite music videos by Idol Alums.

Yeah, I admit, I'm a Clay Aiken fan. And I still get a thrill every time I hear the first few notes of Invisible on the radio. As much as they try to hype it, no other season ever has come close to the excitement of Season 2. There was something so thrilling about watching the premiere of Clay's first video on TRL. His phenomenal record sales led to a series of fun and mostly sold-out tours, and he just finished a run on Broadway's Spamalot as Sir Robin. I'll definitely be watching to see what is next for Clay. Until then, catch Clay singing his first hit live in his hometown of Raleigh, NC:



Another Idol star is Kelly Clarkson. She's found huge success on the radio with several number one hits. However, my favorite remains Miss Independent. There's nothing like hearing the thumping bass and cranking up the volume to sing at the top of your lungs. When I found out that Kelly's first non-AI song had been written by Christina Aguilera, I knew it was going to be a great fit—and a huge hit.



Of course, I can't neglect country sensation Carrie Underwood. Admit girls, we've all seen this video, turned up, sang along, and danced our hearts out to Before He Cheats. It's what the song was written for! You couldn't turn on a country or pop radio station a year ago without hearing this anthem for wronged and empowered females everywhere, and Carrie's success post-AI continues to build. She's a country star who has crossed over to pop, and will no doubt continue to crank out hits.



Finally, I have to mention last year's sensitive rocker, David Cook. In his video, Come Back to Me, he proves that he has the talent as a musician and singer to carry on a career after his Idol win. With his gravely rocker's voice that still manages to hit the glory notes, David is the perfect example of the reason we can't get enough of American Idol. Most of us like to know that our favorite radio and video stars can actually sing, as opposed to having their latest hit manufactured in a studio. As long as contestants like David, along with those like Clay, Kelly, and Carrie continue to appear, we'll be watching Idol for years to come.

Labels: Aiken, American, Carrie, Clarkson, Clay, cook, David, Idol, Kelly, Underwood

posted by KennyCrane at 4/18/2009 03:21:00 AM