Have you been overcome by excitement tingles yet? In less than 12 hours season 9 of American Idol will premiere on Fox, giving us all new contestants to love (and sometimes hate), new sharp-tongued cracks from Simon Cowell, more dawg-laden rants by Randy Jackson, more stern-yet-sweet advice from Kara DioGuardi, and a brand new judge to make us laugh in Ellen DeGeneres.
Through all of the delicious side dishes, we really tune in to hear the great voices of talented undiscovered singers. From sultry soul singers, big theatrical wailers, and angelic soothers, Idol has seen every kind of voice imaginable. Here are 12 of the best we’ve heard throughout Idol’s eight seasons:
David Archuleta
- Voices don’t get any more angelic than Archie’s. You hear the judges make comments like “For [insert tender age], this kid is great.” That was never the case for David. For ANY age he’s amazing.
Elliott Yamin
- The true test of a great vocalist is if he or she can take the most overdone songs and make them exciting still. Elliott’s a real soulman with a love for the soul standards, but his lush voice made the oldies goodies every time.
Carrie Underwood
- Rarely is it obvious Idol has founds its winner from the audition rounds, but clearly this was the case when Carrie Underwood stepped in the room. She didn’t even know how good she was or would continue to be week after week. Many have tried after her, but no one can cover Heart’s “Alone” like she can — Heart probably can’t do “Alone” like she can anymore.
Fantasia Barrino
- If you want a voice you can feel, a voice that will give you goosebumps, a voice that will make you feel like you’ve gone to church and caught some kinda holy spirit, Fantasia was your Idol.
LaToya London
- Lumped in with Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia, LaToya was the softest of the “three diva,” but what made her excellent was that softness and the control she had over her voice. It made it effortless for her to cover any genre well and with a big note to finish.
Clay Aiken
- If Clay didn’t give you chills at least once during his run on American Idol, you’re dead inside. Haul yourself off to the nearest morgue. He’s the first Idol to get hit with the “too theatrical” critique, and thankfully for those who’d follow, he made it OK.
Kelly Clarkson
- Fans of the first season of American Idol undoubtedly tuned in to see this talented Texas girl. Stunning performance after stunning performance, Kelly was clearly the best talent found during the first round.
Kris Allen
- Give Kris an acoustic guitar and watch him go! He’s all about the simple things. No bells and whistles. Besides, his luscious voice doesn’t need it!
Melinda Doolittle
- Big, amazing voices sometimes comes in teeny, tiny, humble packages. Any genre she tackled, Melinda ended up putting a soulful spin on and slaughtering with her powerful vocals.
David Cook
- Rock contestants are often given a pass. They don’t have to be as vocally gifted as long as they leave you head banging, right? David clearly didn’t get that memo. His chilling voice gives even your soul singers a run for their money.
Chris Daughtry
- Chris surprised many when what some thought would be a hardened rocker turned out to be a smooth, soulful warbler with edge.
Adam Lambert
- Adam displayed impressive skill with his magnificent voice. Dramatic highs and sultry lows, this theatre freak makes you fall in love with every note.
