American Idol’s Best Male Vocalists

This past weekend, I revealed American Idol’s best female vocalists of all-time! If you missed that article, click here to read it: https://www.jakes-take.com/2014/01/american-idols-best-female-vocalists/

By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com

American Idol returns for its thirteenth season tonight!

Longtime host Ryan Seacrest and returning judge Keith Urban will welcome newcomer Harry Connick, Jr. and Idol veteran Jennifer Lopez to the panel!

But before Keith, Harry and Jennifer give out the first Golden Ticket of 2014, here are some of the best male vocalists that have ever hit the Idol stage!

Justin Guarini

He may have lost to Kelly Clarkson, but Justin remains the founding father of the show’s Crooner Club.  Justin brilliantly interpreted a diverse selection of songs that ranged from Oleta Adams’s jazzy “Get Here” to a soulful take on the Eagles’ “Desperado.”

Clay Aiken

Before Susan Boyle, Terry Fator and Jonathan Antoine stopped doubters in their tracks, a then-gawky Clay Aiken blew the world away with his first audition.  Later, his astonishing vocals on “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” “Solitaire” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water” helped him gain a place in the Idol pantheon and over 5,000,000 albums!

 

Bo Bice

During the first three seasons of American Idol, crooners and country artists dominated the show.  Things began to change when Alabama rocker Bo Bice auditioned during the fourth season. He took risks by covering unconventional songs such as “Drift Away,” “Spinning Wheel” and “In A Dream.” Despite Bo not winning Idol, he inspired rockers to appear on the show!

Chris Daughtry

Season Five’s resident rock god expanded on Bo’s legacy by putting his own twists on some of the show’s theme weeks.  He honored Bon Jovi with his cover of “Wanted Dead or Alive,” injected alternative rock into Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground” and impressed Barry Manilow with his take on “I Walk the Line.” While his surprising elimination still remains one of the shocking moments in the show’s history, Chris has soared as one of the show’s highest grossing male alums with his band, Daughtry.

Elliott Yamin

While Idol was still in its rock revolution, Elliott Yamin proved that crooners should not be overlooked.  His velvet vocals gave viewers chills with his covers of “Heaven” and  “Knocks Me Off My Feet,” but his master class vocal performance of “A Song For You” cemented his place in the music industry.

David Archuleta

The American Idol: Season Seven Runner-Up ushered in a new era for the singing talent show: the era of the heartthrob! His outstanding vocals not only impressed the guest mentors with his takes on their hits “When You Believe” (Mariah Carey) and “Think of Me” (Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber), but also breathed new life into a timeless John Lennon hit.  David’s appearances on the show also lead to a lot of younger talent in front of the judges.

 

Adam Lambert

Adam Lambert will go down as one of the most powerful and unique figures in American Idol history.  His undeniable omnipotent vocals on “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction,” “Black or White” and “Mad Word” help him glide to the Season Eight finale.  While Adam became a global superstar, many male singers who auditioned and have been on the show were either average or abysmal.

 

Joshua Ledet

Joshua Ledet  (Mantasia) is the only male artist in the show’s post-Cowell & Abdul era to have ever made an impact with the audience.  His R&B-gospel voice took everyone to church with commanding performances such as “You Pulled Me Through,” “When A Man Loves A Woman” and an Idol Hall of Fame-worthy cover of “It’s A Man’s World.”   I hope that this batch of male contestants looks at Joshua’s videos if they get to the Live Rounds because they can learn how to “SAAANG!” from him.