Yahoo Buzz

On 'Idol'

In a season beset with complaints, "American Idol" had the last laugh by putting on a smashing finale—as well as pulling in its third-highest ratings finale ever (or did it?) and dominating iTunes. After subjecting two nice boys to bad boxing analogies and some risky business, a well-paced Wednesday show brought in oodles of searches for celebrity guests like ZZ Top (+437%), Donna Summer (+534%), and George Michael (+1,826%). The David vs. David face-off hyped up the suspense, and many (like Buddy TV) assumed an Archuleta victory. They should have paid heed to the Buzz Log projection, which was posted nine days before the winner was announced. (The projection's secret formula: geography and gender. Or as one audience placard put it, "Cougars for Cook.") Yet the producers can't rest easy, because (as New York Magazine opines) a Cook win really means restless fans want change.

Nice buzz. I am actually surprised that the show was only the third-highest finale in AI history, after those record votes.

I've been watching iTunes all season to see if the mentors or artists whose songs are performed on AI are seeing bumps, and it has pretty consistently shown that there is a correlation.

Not sure if David winning says to producers that we want change. Think it just means that we wanted the one who deserved it most to win. (No offense, Archie fans. I actually think Archie will have a nice career, too. I just want to see him grow up a little bit, experience life a little more, get comfortable just a bit more.)

anyone knows what the highest rating finale was? rueben and clay? bo and carrie?

it's funny because i've read articles or reviews all throughout the season that says it's boring and dull but i guess some people would rather watch disaster performances (aka Sanjaya) than talented people. I really think this season had a great bunch of people, give or take a few of the top 24 but the top 12 for me was a good solid bunch.

if having great talent on the show means it's boring, i'd take that any day over some over hyped mediocre singer whose only credit is how brave he is with his hairstyle choices.

Of course we want change. I respect American Idol a lot, and I think it's a great show because it helps make artists' dreams come true and we as the audience help them do so, but I've heard that the producers don't make such a good work with the Idol. That's why so many people didn't want DC to win, because they thought he had better change with a career not depending upon AI producers {like Daughtry}, because they would change his genre to pop and ruin his image. However, I don't believe so that much, so I voted because I knew that's what DC wants right now, and what he deserves {he's been the most consistent American Idol eveerrr}.

But I have this really good feeling that David Cook will be the hugest star from American Idol, because the producers know they can't change his style/genre/image, because that'll just ruin what the fans looked for on him. So that will leave DC more freedom to move on show bussiness, and will make him a star by his own, and not by a creation the producers may or may not pull off.

YAY FOR DAVID COOK! He really is a star, and he will show the world that. And the ones that think that only cheesy artists audition for American Idol

These people would rather watch funny and untalented, than talented yet boring.

But I must agree that this season's top 12 was solidly good - talented yet fun and a joy to watch.

Does anyone know what the actual ratings for the final were?

I don't find this season boring.... actually this is the season I was serious about watching.

and after this season, I don't know if I'll be watching that show again... but well... let's just see...


This is the Best Season Ever!!!

I have heard that the ratings for the finale were 1,000,000 MORE than last year's finale with Jordin and Blake, so I believe it's somewhere around 31.7 million viewers.

By the way, the season premiere had 4,000,000 LESS viewers than last year's... amazing what a little talent can do for the final ratings, huh??