EW.com: 'American Idol' coverage

Jennifer Hudson: An exclusive first look at her debut CD

08-15-2008 00:00:00

From the moment Jennifer Hudson made her Oscar-winning debut on screen as Effie White in 2006âs Dreamgirls, fans have been wondering only one thing: When is her album dropping? More than two years in the making, the golden-throated singerâs long-awaited...

Lip synching at the Olympics? What is this, reality TV?

08-14-2008 00:00:00

With all the stories about apparent fakery production enhancement at the Olympic opening ceremonies, I imagine Nigel Lythgoe reading an item like this one (about the adorable floating girl who, it seems, lip-synched her song because the real singing girl...

Nigel Lythgoe's 'American Idol' exit: Good for the show?

08-05-2008 00:00:00

From last January to May, I wrote approximately a gugillion* words about American Idol's seventh season, and not many of them were kind to executive producer Nigel Lythgoe. After all, the man introduced those hateful, front-row swaybots; chose a multitude...

David Archuleta's 'Crush' is surprisingly good!

08-04-2008 00:00:00

I was not a huge fan of David Archuleta during his tenure on American Idol's seventh season. Sure, as Randy Jackson reminded us (over and over and over), the kid could "sing the phone book," but frankly, a weekly rundown...

David Cook recording with Green Day producer

08-04-2008 00:00:00

David Cook has promised to make a rock record that's true to himself, and the American Idol winner has confirmed that the studio maestro tasked with helping him realize that goal is Rob Cavallo. The producer has already lent his...

PopWatch Quiz: Ryan Seacrest's shark attack

07-29-2008 00:00:00

Which is the most shocking detail of this "Ryan Seacrest: "I Was Bit by a Shark!" news brief? a) Bad grammar (bitten, Ryan, bitten! SJP would be horrified) b) All signs point to Ryan Seacrest probably getting his hair wet...

Melinda Doolittle signs with Hi Fi Recordings

07-29-2008 00:00:00

More than a year after her third-place departure, American Idol season 6 alum Melinda Doolittle has finally found a record deal, EW.com has learned. Doolittle will join the roster at independent label Hi Fi Recordings, the current home to Todd...

Happy birthday, Blake Lewis!

07-21-2008 00:00:00

To honor American Idol's season 6 runner-up Blake Lewis on his birthday*, I will risk the scorn and ridicule of those who have not heard his underappreciated Audio Day Dream by embedding the disc's best track, "Know My Name" (featuring...

Chris Daughtry talks about his upcoming album

07-02-2008 00:00:00

Expect an American Idol retail blitz this fall as season 7's David Cook, David Archuleta, and Kristy Lee Cook all plan to release their debut albums. Adding to the pileup, Kelly Clarkson is also hoping her fourth effort, which she's...

Hinder to David Cook: 'We'll write with you'

07-01-2008 00:00:00

David Cook's already packed schedule is about to get more demanding. With the American Idol tour kicking off tonight and booked through September 22, the season 7 champ will have to juggle concert dates with studio time in order to...

Happy birthday, Fantasia Barrino!

06-30-2008 00:00:00

Easiest way to bring tears to my eyes: Put me within 20 feet of a freshly sliced onion. A close runner-up: Show me a clip of Fantasia Barrino performing "I Believe" during American Idol's third season performance finale. I start...

Fantasia dropped by 19 Management?

06-26-2008 00:00:00

Since her 2004 American Idol win, Fantasia Barrino has weathered her fair share of music business shake-ups, surviving mergers and the recent repositioning of her mentor Clive Davis, who signed her to J Records. Though she still has her contract...

Blake Lewis talks about split with Arista

06-26-2008 00:00:00

"Leaving Arista is a positive," Lewis tells EW.com about his recent split with the label. "The industry is eating itself and I'm not trying to eat off their plate." Yesterday, the American Idol season 6 runner-up blogged about the news,...

Blake Lewis dropped from Arista

06-24-2008 00:00:00

Blake Lewis may have come in second place on season 6 of American Idol, but he won't be seeing a second release on Arista Records. A rep for the major tells EW.com that the label "will not be picking up...

Happy birthday, Randy Jackson!

06-23-2008 00:00:00

The American Idol judge turns 52 today, and while, really, he's just aiight for me, I figured I ought to give him the gift of a haiku anyway. Won't you write one, too? for me for you, dawg a molten...

Idol' winner David Cook pays homage to Dave Grohl on 'Tonight Show

06-12-2008 00:00:00

With the contest behind him, American Idol winner David Cook is now paying homage to one of his idols: Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl. On this evening's Tonight Show With Jay Leno, after performing his single, "Time of My Life,"...

David Cook on baiting cougars

06-06-2008 09:05:00

The ''American Idol'' winner chats about his signature rearrangements, and how a haircut made fans swoon

David Archuleta visits 'Idolatry'

06-05-2008 09:05:00

The ''American Idol'' runner-up on his rapid rise, and why David Cook ''deserved to win''

Syesha Mercado on 'Happy Feet' sabotage and the 'Broadway' label

05-31-2008 00:00:00

This is it, fellow Idoloonies! Our final interview series of American Idol's seventh season, featuring Syesha 'Wonder Woman' Mercado! In Part 1, Syesha discusses the weirdness of Top 3 performance night; in Part 2, she rethinks Simon and Randy's 'Broadway'...

David Cook on Idol's heinous group numbers and a very cool tour collaboration!

05-30-2008 00:00:00

In the last two parts of the American Idol champ's Idolatry interview, he discusses the "magic rainbow" lyric in his debut single, "The Time of My Life," how he felt about the judges' unrelentingly tough critiques of fellow contestant Syesha...

Switchfoot

05-30-2008 00:00:00

Among the music notables on the green carpet at Los Angeles' Greek Theater the other night (to view the final stage showdown of Battleground Earth: Ludacris vs. Tommy Lee, a month-long campaign/reality show airing on the brand new Planet Green...

David Cook leads 'American Idol' domination of music charts

05-29-2008 00:00:00

For the moment, it's David Cook's world and we just live âÂ” and download âÂ” in it. That would be the conclusion to draw, anyway, from this week's digital-songs chart, where American Idol-atry has truly reached critical mass. Cook's TV...

'Idol' finale: Live blogging!

05-27-2008 03:00:00

Read Mandi Bierly and Kate Ward's thoughts on the last show of the season -- and share your own

''Idol'' recap: A happy ending

05-22-2008 07:20:00

In the season finale, after some truly memorable performances, David Cook is announced as the winner

The 'Idol' finale: A photo album

05-22-2008 03:00:00

A look at the season ender's highs (Cook wins! Carly and Michael Johns duet!) and lows (oh, Mike Myers...)

The 'Idol' finale: A photo album

05-22-2008 00:20:00

A look at the anticipated season ender's highs (Cook wins! Carly and Michael Johns duet!) and lows (oh, Mike Myers...)

'Idol' Q&As: The Davids speak!

05-22-2008 00:20:00

Cook and Archuleta judge each other, and explain their song choices for the final performance night

'Idol' recap: The final match

05-21-2008 03:25:00

The two Davids go three rounds in the last performance episode, which Simon calls for Archuleta