Saw this on the AI board, posted by OHIOGUY45780.
Said he/she found this on USA Today.
I went to USA Today's website, but couldn't find it. So I don't know who wrote this, but it's a great article!


I personally think that this was the most talented, and diverse, group of contestants ever. Certainly the finale was the best of our all five seasons; with the contestants giving the seasoned performers a run for their money.
That said, we will probably see more contestants given a recording contract this season than any other. "American Idol" has now grown so large (200 million viewers worldwide for the finale), that the focus has shifted away from just the top 2 and is pretty much split among the top 10. This is the first season that most viewers can remember the entire top 10; that's in no small part owed tho their talent, but also to their diversity and originality.

Case in point is that the #3 and #4 finalists continue to get a lot of press and accolades after the finale. Elliott Yamin and Chris Daughtry are also joining Hicks and McPhee near the top of the Internet downloads chart. All four rest comfortably in the Hot 100 of iTunes and Rhapsody. Deservedly so, since they are the standout perfomances from the Idols' "Encores" CD release.

I guess some of my favorite performances of the season would have to be Daughtry's "Walk The Line" and Taylor Hicks' "In The Ghetto" (though not his resprised duet with Toni Braxton at the finale; trying to sex up a song about poverty isn't very cool). However, my overall favorite performances belong to Elliott Yamin, who was completely underrated all season and never really appreciated until the final weeks. he wasn't called the best singer of the competition for nothing.

Yamin's standouts included "Moody's Mood", and "A Song For You" (the "moment" of the season for me), but he was good on most everything, especially Queen week, and in interpreting Elvis's "Trouble". he was a diamond in the rough, so to speak, when he started, but became more comfortable and better as the weeks progressed. It's a shame he didn't win, and after his performances in the finale of "One", and "A House Is Not A Home" (said to make the judges come to their feet), viewers may be wondering what in the world they were thinking.
As Simon said: "Vocal Masterclass".

As for guest singers and coaches, Manilow and Stewart were the best; Foster needed a happy pill; and Kenny Rogers helped prove why American Idol should stop with the country-themed weeks and choose a more challenging type of music for the competition.

Don't know where it came from - but LOVE it. It is truly a great testament to Elliott's work on the show.

:cheerleader: :cheerleader: :cheerleader:
Keeping this on page one for a day or two. I like it!!!!!!

Great article! right on point! :thumbsup:

Great post! Thank you!

Thanks for posting, I just love articles about Elliott!

Sorry to disappoint you guys about the above USA post.

It was the original poster's personal post on the USA Today comment section. It's the poster's own comments. It was a nice post, but it wasn't done by anyone in the media. He/she did say that in the original post on the main boards.

Thank you for clarifying! :) No wonder why I couldn't find the article! :lol:
Even though it's not done by media, it's still a good comment. :yes: