Who Will Win American Idol Ten?

[PeterG]

I decided to put in order how I think this year's contestants will do. This list is not in order of who I like best (or least) but in order of who I think America will vote off first (sorry Ashthon, you're not even making the poll...)

Here are my predictions...what are yours?

1. Pia Toscano
2. James Durbin
3. Scott McCreery
4. Lauren Alaina
5. Casey Abrams
6. Thia Megia
7. Paul McDonald
8. Jacob Lusk
9. Haley Reinhart
10. Karen Rodriquez
11. Naima Adedapo
12. Stefano Langone
13. Ashthon Jones

P.S. I am setting this poll to close five days from today, the day of the top 13's first performances.

[nubka]

Where's the poll?

[BigB08822]

I am torn on this one. I think Lauren Alaina will feel some backlash from being over pimped and could have one of the shock eliminations around the top 6 or so. Thia is very good but being so young will she handle the pressure? I don't think Pia has the same range as some other contestants so she could have some off nights. Scott would be the first male country winner so he may have an advantage but he is so one note that I think he will bore audiences by the time the final 5 comes around. If I have to narrow it down to 3 I would say:

Lauren Alaina
Thia Megia
Scott McCreery

The other option is James Durbin but he isn't nearly as good as Lambert and being on only a couple of years after him probably wont help, he should have waited another year or two if he could.

[Jenny]

So AI fans, is this a good year for the top ten? Do we have another Kelly or Carrie or Adam or David C in the making?

[taf2002]

Right now Naima is my favorite. I love how she handles herself on stage & I love her voice. She is very professional. I don't think she is lounge-acty, I think she is a throwback to the amazing torch singers of the past like Lena Horne & Dinah Washington. I'm not sure there is a market for her, but consider how Norah Jones MADE a market for herself. So did Diana Krall. That said, I'm not going to predict that she will win (even though I voted for her) but I love her kind of music. I can definitely see her at a place like House of Blues.

[rfisher]

I am torn on this one. I think Lauren Alaina will feel some backlash from being over pimped and could have one of the shock eliminations around the top 6 or so. Thia is very good but being so young will she handle the pressure? I don't think Pia has the same range as some other contestants so she could have some off nights. Scott would be the first male country winner so he may have an advantage but he is so one note that I think he will bore audiences by the time the final 5 comes around. If I have to narrow it down to 3 I would say:

Lauren Alaina
Thia Megia
Scott McCreery

The other option is James Durbin but he isn't nearly as good as Lambert and being on only a couple of years after him probably wont help, he should have waited another year or two if he could.

I agree and think Scott will walk away with the win. Durbin isn't even close to Lambert vocally and doesn't have the stage presence. I figure he's mid pack at best. Thia can sing and is really cute and Lauren has an appeal that I think could take her as far as 3rd place.

To round out the top 5, I'd add Casey and Paul.

[Allskate]

So AI fans, is this a good year for the top ten? Do we have another Kelly or Carrie or Adam or David C in the making?

I think the general level of talent is very good. But, I don't think there's going to be a standout coming out of the finale. Scott may be the closest, in terms to become a very popular country singer, but I don't think he'll have the crossover appeal that Carrie has. This year may end the WGWG run because Paul is too quirky and I can't see him suppressing his personality the way that Lee did. I also think a lot of people won't appreciate Casey's sense of humor. James doesn't seem as talented, creative, or smart and engaging as Adam. And Jacob's singing style doesn't have broad enough appeal.

Lauren, whom the judges have deemed a cross between Carrie and Kelly, doesn't have their vocal talent or poise and is far more annoying. I think that Pia is a good singer and pretty, but I'm not sure that, as a New Yorker, she can appeal to a broad AI audience like Carrie and Kelly did. Thia seems too young and boring. The other girls will be out of the competition within the first five weeks.

So, I don't see a breakout star coming out of this season and I'm having a very hard time predicting who will win.

[Aceon6]

I voted Casey. I think vote splitting will leave him as last man standing.

[taf2002]

I really hope Scotty doesn't win. I can't stand country music unless it's crossover. His kind of voice & country is the type I dislike the most. Plus he makes funny faces when he sings & he's kind of nerdy. Of course, girls went for icky Lee so no telling what girls find hot these days. Of all the men, I like Casey the most & think Stephano is the cutest.

[rfisher]

The thing is, country is a big money maker. Big. While Kelly has done well, there's no denial that Carrie Underwood has done much better. I think Scott has the potential to do so also if he gets a hot song writer and makes a good video. He's very young, but he's got the looks and the voice to do very well down in Nashville.

Since they are supposed to really be working with vocal coaches this season, it'll be interesting to see who improves as the season progresses.

[PrincessLeppard]

I still don't know who 3/4 of these people are.

[Allskate]

The thing is, country is a big money maker. Big. While Kelly has done well, there's no denial that Carrie Underwood has done much better.

I don't think Carrie has done better than Kelly when you look at the total internationally. Plus, I think Carrie has much more crossover appeal than Scotty. But, I can see Scotty having a great country career regardless of whether he wins. Casey James starts his gig opening for Sugarland tonight. I'll be really curious to hear about his new music.

I really don't know who is going to win. I'm going to go with Pia. My predictions:

1. Pia Toscano
2. Scott McCreery
3. Lauren Alaina
4. Casey Abrams
5. Stefano Langone
6. Paul McDonald
7. James Durbin
8. Thia Megia
9. Jacob Lusk
10. Naima Adedapo
11. Haley Reinhart
12. Karen Rodriguez
13. Ashthon Jones

[chipso1]

I can see Pia, Karen and Lauren being the top 3. They stand out the most to me...

[BigB08822]

I am a huge Kelly fan so I am biased but Kelly has probably sold as many albums just internationally as Carrie has sold in the US. Carrie has sold very little outside of the US because country isn't a viable market outside of the US. Carrie also benefits from being on country radio which gives almost everyone a turn at #1 so her #1 count is really skewed because of that.

[Kruss]

It's way too early for me to pick a winner.

[PeterG]

So AI fans, is this a good year for the top ten? Do we have another Kelly or Carrie or Adam or David C in the making?

I'm quite happy with the final group, with a few exceptions. Jovany is the only one I'm truly miffed about not being in the top 13. It's possible we have a number of people who could do as well as Kelly or Carrie. Not sure if David Cook deserves to be in the same group as these ladies, guess we'll find out this year whether he sinks or swims...

I think Lauren Alaina will feel some backlash from being over pimped and could have one of the shock eliminations around the top 6 or so.

I think if she continues to knock it out of the park, the general public will forget about the pimping and vote, vote, vote for her.

Scott would be the first male country winner so he may have an advantage but he is so one note that I think he will bore audiences by the time the final 5 comes around.

I wouldn't be surprised if we start hearing the judges comment on how they are not seeing anything new from him. My guess is he'll keep doing the same kind of thing week after week and will go home somewhere in the middle of the pack. (Why did I put him as high as #3??? )

Lauren Alaina
Thia Megia
Scott McCreery

I'm wondering if Lauren and Scott will split votes amongst the country fans??

The other option is James Durbin but he isn't nearly as good as Lambert and being on only a couple of years after him probably wont help, he should have waited another year or two if he could.

I'm wondering how the voting audience will deal with James' facial tics...seeing him live without editing, I'm seeing a lot of scrunching of his face as he squeezes his eyes shut. He is turning away from the camera often, I think the people behind the scenes have directed him to look away when he feels that coming on. Will the public feel uncomfortable with this (and vote less for him)? Or will they only care about his talent?

Where's the poll?

Polls are located at, or near, the top of the page.

[Satellitegirl]

Pia.

[shuilee]

Wow I guess I'm in the minority that thinks this year's top 13 finalists are just okay.

It's so obvious that we'll have 3 girls eliminated in the next 3 weeks....Haley, Karen and the black divas are clearly the bottom feeders. I have to say I'm disappointed because the girl finalists are pretty weak for a "girl's year". Only Pia and Lauren have winner's potential. It's eerily similar to Season 9 (the wrong girls got cut in the semifinals, so we're left with a bunch of girls that are destined for 10th-13th place finishes.) We'll end up with 6 boys in the top 9 once again.

Overall, this year's finalists are totally middle-heavy (we have 9 finalists who are all pretty good and would make excellent 4th place finishers, but I don't see ANY superstars like Kelly, Carrie or even David Cook/Adam Lambert level).

[rfisher]

TV Guide has a poll which has Pia winning with 21% then Scott and Casey with 17 and 16% gap James and Lauren with 10% each huge gap everybody else with 4% or less. I think the top 5 on that poll are correct except I think Thia will do better. It will really depend on what she sings.

James is planning on doing a lot of heavy metal if they get it approved: Black Sabbath, Ozzie, ACDC etc. So, lots of screaming from him.

[Jenny]

I'm quite happy with the final group, with a few exceptions. Jovany is the only one I'm truly miffed about not being in the top 13. It's possible we have a number of people who could do as well as Kelly or Carrie. Not sure if David Cook deserves to be in the same group as these ladies, guess we'll find out this year whether he sinks or swims...

I put David C in there as someone who had a really exciting run through the top ten, as did Adam.

In both of those seasons, excitement here prompted me to check them out.