WEEK-BY-WEEK-RECAP 

DATE

Tuesday, Jan 16 American Idol Auditions (Minneapolis)

Wednesday, Jan 17 American Idol Auditions (Seattle) 

Tuesday, Jan 23 American Idol Auditions (Memphis)

Wednesday, Jan 24 American Idol Auditions (New York) 

Tuesday, Jan 30 American Idol Auditions (Birmingham)

Wednesday, Jan 31 American Idol Auditions (Los Angeles) 

Tuesday, Feb 6 American Idol Auditions (San Antonio)

Wednesday, Feb 7 Best Of The Rest Auditions 

Tuesday, Feb 13 Hollywood Day One Semifinal Auditions 

Wednesday, Feb 14 Hollywood Day Two Semifinal Auditions 

Tuesday, Feb 20 Top 12 boys perform:  Rudy Cardenas, Jared Cotter, Sundance Head, Paul Kim, Blake Lewis, Sanjaya Malakar, Nick Pedro, Chris Richardson, Brandon Rogers, Chris Sligh, Phil Stacey, A.J. Tabaldo 

Wednesday, Feb 21 Top 12 girls perform:  Alaina Alexander, Antonella Barba, Melinda Doolittle, Stephanie Edwards, Gina Glocksen, Leslie Hunt, LaKisha Jones, Amy Krebs, Haley Scarnato, Sabrina Sloan, Jordin Sparks, Nicole Tranquillo 

Thursday, Feb 22 American Idol (Season 3) Winner Fantasia Barrino sings.  First results show:  Two boys and two girls are voted off.  Paul Kim, Rudy Cardenas, Nicole Tranquillo and Amy Krebs are sent home during an hour-long results show. 

Tuesday, Feb 27 Top 10 boys perform:  A.J. Tabaldo, Blake Lewis, Brandon Rogers, Chris Richardson, Chris Sligh, Jared Cotter, Nick Pedro, Phil Stacey, Sanjaya Malakar, Sundance Head 

Wednesday, Feb 28 Top 10 girls perform:  Alaina Alexander, Antonella Barba, Melinda Doolittle, Stephanie Edwards, Gina Glocksen, Leslie Hunt, LaKisha Jones, Haley Scarnato, Sabrina Sloan, Jordin Sparks 

Thursday, Mar 1 American Idol (Season 5) Contestant Kellie Pickler sings.  Two boys and two girls are voted off.  Nick Pedro, A.J. Tabaldo, Alaina Alexander and Leslie Hunt are sent home during an hour-long results show.   

Tuesday, Mar 6 Top 8 boys perform:  Blake Lewis, Brandon Rogers, Chris Richardson, Chris Sligh, Jared Cotter, Phil Stacey, Sanjaya Malakar, Sundance Head 

Wednesday, Mar 7 Top 8 girls perform: Antonella Barba, Gina Glocksen, Haley Scarnato, Jordin Sparks, LaKisha Jones, Melinda Doolittle, Sabrina Sloan, Stephanie Edwards  

Thursday, Mar 8 American Idol (Season 4) Winner Carrie Underwood sings.  This season’s Top 12 Semifinalists are named:  Blake Lewis, Sanjaya Malakar, Chris Richardson, Brandon Rogers, Chris Sligh, Phil Stacey, Melinda Doolittle, Stephanie Edwards, Gina Glocksen, LaKisha Jones, Haley Scarnato and Jordin Sparks.

Antonella Barba, Jared Cotter, Sundance Head and Sabrina Sloan were eliminated from the competition.  

Tuesday, Mar 13 Diana Ross mentored the finalists as they performed her songs.  The finalists include:  Blake Lewis, Sanjaya Malakar, Chris Richardson, Brandon Rogers, Chris Sligh, Phil Stacey, Melinda Doolittle, Stephanie Edwards, Gina Glocksen, LaKisha Jones, Haley Scarnato and Jordin Sparks

Theme:  The Music of Diana Ross   

Wednesday, Mar 14 Brandon Rogers is eliminated from the competition.  The bottom 3 contestants were Brandon Rogers, Sanjaya Malakar and Phil Stacey

Diana Ross performed “More Today Than Yesterday” 

Tuesday, Mar 20 11 finalists competed live, performing British pop songs.  Peter Noone and Lulu mentored the finalists. 

Theme: 1960’s British Pop Invasion 

Wednesday, Mar 21 Stephanie Edwards is eliminated from the competition.  Only the bottom 2 contestants, Stephanie Edwards and Chris Richardson, were announced. 

Lulu performed “To Sir With Love”

Peter Noone performed “There’s a Kind of Hush.” 

Tuesday, Mar 27 10 finalists competed live during a Pop Theme/Songs That Inspire Gwen Stefani show.  Gwen Stefani mentored the finalists.

                        Theme:  Pop/Songs That Inspire Gwen Stefani          

Wednesday, Mar 28 Chris Sligh is eliminated from the competition. The bottom 3 contestants were Chris Sligh, Phil Stacey and Haley Scarnato. 

Gwen Stefani and Akon performed “The Sweet Escape.” 

Tuesday, Apr 3 9 finalists competed live during an “American Classics” themed competition.  Tony Bennett mentored the finalists.

Theme:  American Classics 

Wednesday, Apr 4 Gina Glocksen is eliminated from the competition.  The bottom 3 contestants were Gina Glocksen, Phil Stacey and Haley Scarnato.

Michael Buble performed “Call Me Irresponsible.”  

Tuesday, Apr 10 8 finalists performed Latin-themed songs.  Jennifer Lopez mentored the finalists.

Theme:  Latin Songs 

Wednesday, Apr 11 Haley Scarnato is eliminated from the competition.  The bottom 3 contestants were Haley Scarnato, Phil Stacey and Chris Richardson.

Akon performed “Don’t Matter.”

Jennifer Lopez performed “Que Hiciste.” 

Tuesday, Apr 17 7 finalists competed live during a country themed competition.  Martina McBride mentored the finalists. 

Theme:  Country Music 

Wednesday, Apr 18 Sanjaya Malakar is eliminated from the competition.  The bottom 3 contestants were Sanjaya Malakar, LaKisha Jones and Blake Lewis. 

Fergie performed “Big Girls Don’t Cry.”

Martina McBride performed “Anyway.” 

Tuesday, Apr 24 IDOL GIVES BACK - 6 finalists competed during the live charity event in which they performed “Life Anthem” songs.

Theme:  Life Anthems 

Wednesday, Apr 25 All 6 finalists were safe as no one was eliminated due to the special charity event.  Ellen DeGeneres was a special co-host of IDOL GIVES BACK.  Celebrity participants appeared on screen included:  Bono, Madonna, Seal, Kirstie Alley, Gillian Anderson, Marc Anthony, Kevin Bacon, Jason Biggs, Jack Black, Blue Man Group, Emily Blunt, Michael Buble, Helena Bonham Carter, Tom Cruise, Matt Damon, Daughtry, Mickey Dolenz, Hugh Grant, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Teri Hatcher, Goldie Hawn, LeBron James, Chris Kattan, Keira Knightley, Lisa Kudrow, Hugh Laurie, Rob Lowe, Joel and Benji Madden, Eric McCormack, Dr. Phil McGraw, Kevin McNally, Helen Mirren, Parminder Nagra, Shaquille O’Neal, Gwyneth Paltrow, Miss Piggy, Rob Schneider, David Schwimmer, The Simpsons, Ben Stiller, Twiggy, Harvey Weinstein and Forest Whitaker.

Earth, Wind & Fire performed a compilation of songs.

The 6 finalists sang a Quincy Jones song called “Time to Care.”

IL Divo performed “Somewhere.”

Jack Black performed “Kiss From a Rose,” by Seal.

Carrie Underwood performed (taped segment) “I’ll Stand By You.”

Rascal Flatts performed “My Wish.”

Josh Groban with the African Children’s Choir performed “You Raise Me Up.”

Kelly Clarkson performed “Up to the Mountain.”

Celine Dion and Elvis (virtual) performed “If I Can Dream.”

Annie Lennox performed “Bridge Over Troubled Water”

The 6 finalists performed “American Prayer,” a specially commissioned song by Bono and Dave Stewart. 

Tuesday, May 1 The 6 finalists performed Bon Jovi songs.  Bon Jovi mentored the finalists. 

Theme:  Bon Jovi songs 

Wednesday, May 2 Chris Richardson and Phil Stacey are eliminated from the competition.  There were 2 eliminations this week due to no one being eliminated last week (IGB). 

Robin Thicke performed “Lost Without You.”

Bon Jovi performed “You Want To Make A Memory.”  

Tuesday, May 8 4 finalists competed live during a Bee Gees-themed competition.  Barry Gibb mentored the finalists.

Theme:  Bee Gees songs   

Wednesday, May 9 LaKisha Jones is eliminated from the competition.  The bottom 2 contestants were LaKisha Jones and Blake Lewis.

Pink performed “Who New.”

Barry Gibb performed “To Love Somebody.” 

Tuesday, May 15 Top 3 finalists competed live and performed 3 songs; judge’s pick, producer’s pick and their own personal favorite.  

Wednesday, May 16 Melinda Doolittle is eliminated from the competition; Top 2 revealed 

TUESDAY, MAY 22 Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks battle it out for America’s vote and the title of American Idol.