American Idol (season 4)
The fourth season of American Idol premiered on January 18, 2005 and continued until May 25, 2005. It was hosted by Ryan Seacrest. Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell also returned to judge. Carrie Underwood won the season with approximately 500 million votes cast in the season and 37 million for the finale. Underwood has since gone on to become a seven-time Grammy-winning country megastar. It was also the first season of the series to be aired in high definition.
Changes
While in the past seasons celebrity guest judges have been invited to participate during the competition, this was the first season where guest judges were invited to participate in the auditions. The music celebrities featured were:- January 18, Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray
- January 25, Gene Simmons of KISS
- January 26, Kenny Loggins
- February 1, LL Cool J
- February 2, Brandy
It is also the first season in which the age limit was raised to 28, in order to increase variety. Among those who benefited from this new rule were Constantine Maroulis, Bo Bice, Scott Savol and Nadia Turner.
Regional auditions
Auditions for Season 4 started on August 4, 2004 in Cleveland, Ohio. An audition was originally planned for Anchorage, Alaska, but that was cancelled about a month before due to possible schedule conflict as a result of hurricanes affecting the Orlando auditions. Auditions were held from August to October 2004, and over 100,000 people attended the auditions for the first time.- The audition venue was originally advertised to be Las Vegas Convention Center, but changed to Orleans Arena at the last minute.
- The contestants from the Orlando audition were moved to Las Vegas for the final round of the audition due to the impending Hurricane Ivan. It was originally scheduled for September 6–7, 2004, but rescheduled to September 14, 2004 to coincide with the Las Vegas audition.
Hollywood week
There were 193 contestants in the Hollywood rounds. They were split into two groups to perform on separate day at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. The contestants first chose from a list of 12 songs selected by the producers. They were separated into groups of boys and girls but they performed solo with piano accompaniment and back-up singers. Those who failed were eliminated after all in the group performed. 95 contestants were eliminated after this round but one, Marlea Stroman, left on her own free will and became the first contestant ever to choose to leave the American Idol competition. The remaining 97 contestants competed in the second round which featured group performances. The songs for the groups were Four Tops's "I Can't Help Myself", The Temptations' Get Ready, Barry Manilow's "Jump Shout Boogie", The Marvelettes's "Please Mr. Postman" and The Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go". 75 remained after this round.In the last round they performed a capella. After their performance, the contestants were divided into 4 groups in separate rooms. Two groups eliminated and the number of contestant cut to 44.
Green mile
After further deliberation by the judges, 24 semi-finalists, 12 women and 12 men, were then selected. At Pasadena Civic Center, each contestant took the elevator from their holding room to the floor above, and in a walk that would later be dubbed the "green mile", to see the judges who would then reveal their fate to them.Semi-finals
Because of the highly unbalanced finals in Season 3 where female contestants formed the clear majority of the Final 12, rules for the semifinals were changed so as to give an equal number of male and female finalists. From this season to season seven, and again for season nine, 12 men and 12 women competed separately on consecutive nights, with 2 of each gender being voted off each week in the result shows until 12 finalists were left, 6 men and 6 women.Semi-finalists
Top 24
Males
Females
Top 20
Males
Females
Top 16
Males
- Smith was originally eliminated during the results show. However, Vazquez withdrew from the competition and Smith was called back to replace him for the final 12.
Females
Finals
Finalists
- Carrie Underwood is a farm girl from Checotah, Oklahoma and she auditioned in St. Louis, Missouri with Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me". She performed Candi Staton's "Young Hearts Run Free" in Hollywood week but forgot part of the lyrics.
- Bo Bice is from Helena, Alabama, and auditioned in Orlando, Florida with The Allman Brothers Band's "Whipping Post". He performed The Box Tops's "The Letter", The Temptations' "Get Ready" for the group round in the Hollywood week. He wanted to introduce rock to American Idol. Prior to Idol he performed professionally and released an album with his band Purge.
- Vonzell Solomon is from Fort Myers, Florida and auditioned in Orlando, Florida with Aretha Franklin's "Chain of Fools". She is proficient in the martial arts. She performed Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know" in the Hollywood round. She performed as a guest singer for Postmodern Jukebox.
- Anthony Fedorov is from Trevose, Pennsylvania and auditioned in Cleveland, Ohio with Jon Secada's "Angel". He had difficulty breathing when he was little and had a tracheotomy about which his doctor expressed concern that he might not be able to speak again. He performed Diana Ross' "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" and reprised Jon Secada's "Angel" during Hollywood week.
- Scott Savol is from Shaker Heights, Ohio and auditioned in Cleveland with The Carpenters' "Superstar". He performed Four Tops's "I Can't Help Myself" in the group round in Hollywood week.
- Constantine Maroulis is from New York and auditioned in Washington DC with Aerosmith's "Cryin'". He wanted to bring an edgy New York City's rock and roll to American Idol. Prior to Idol he was in a band Pray for the Soul of Betty and worked in musical theatre. In the Hollywood week, he performed The Box Tops's "The Letter" and Four Tops's "I Can't Help Myself" for the group round.
- Anwar Robinson is from East Orange, New Jersey and auditioned in Washington, DC. He was a music teacher before Idol. He performed Four Tops's "I Can't Help Myself" for the group round in the Hollywood.
- Nadia Turner auditioned in San Francisco with Aretha Franklin's "Until You Come Back to Me".
- Nikko Smith is from St. Louis, Missouri and auditioned there with his birth name Osborne Smith. He performed Stevie Wonder's "All I Do". In Hollywood, he performed The Temptations' Get Ready in Bo Bice's group.
- Jessica Sierra auditioned in Orlando with Etta James' "At Last". She worked as a nanny before Idol. In the Hollywood week, she performed Diana Ross' "When You Tell Me That You Love Me"
- Mikalah Gordon auditioned in Las Vegas with Ella Fitzgerald's "Lullaby of Broadway" and Lauryn Hill's "Killing Me Softly with His Song". She performed Dusty Springfield's "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" in the Hollywood rounds.
- Lindsey Cardinale is from Ponchatoula, Louisiana and auditioned in New Orleans with Karla Bonoff's "Standing Right Next to Me". She performed The Supremes' "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" during Hollywood week.
Top 12 – 1960s
When You Tell Me That You Love Me by Diana Ross.
Top 11 – Billboard Number Ones
Result Show:He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother by Kelly Gordon.
- Note 1: This song hit number one on the R&B chart.
Top 10 – 1990s
Everything Is Beautiful by Ray Stevens
Top 9 – Classic Broadway
Top 8 – Songs from Birth Year
Result Show:When You Tell Me That You Love Me by Diana Ross.
Top 7 – 1970s Dance Music
Result Show:You Can Shine by Earth, Wind & Fire
- Note 1: Both Savol and Fedorov were in the Bottom 3 with Robinson, however it was never revealed whether they were in the Bottom 2 or not.
Top 6 – 21st Century
Emotion by Samantha Sang.
Top 5 – Leiber & Stoller/Current week Billboard chart
Result Show:Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel.
Top 4 – Country/Gamble & Huff
Result Show:Islands in the Stream by Kenny Rogers/
Dolly Parton
Top 3 – Clive's Choice, Idols' Choice, Judges' Choice
Each contestant sang three songs.| Order | Contestant | Song — Judge | Result |
| 1 | Vonzell Solomon | "I'll Never Love This Way Again" | Eliminated |
| 2 | Bo Bice | "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" | Safe |
| 3 | Carrie Underwood | "Crying" | Safe |
| 4 | Vonzell Solomon | "Chain of Fools" | Eliminated |
| 5 | Bo Bice | "In a Dream" | Safe |
| 6 | Carrie Underwood | "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" | Safe |
| 7 | Vonzell Solomon | "On the Radio" — Simon Cowell | Eliminated |
| 8 | Bo Bice | " Satisfaction" — Paula Abdul | Safe |
| 9 | Carrie Underwood | "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" — Randy Jackson | Safe |
Finale – Simon Fuller’s choice, Contestant’s choice & Winner’s single
Each contestant sang three songs.| Order | Contestant | Song | Result |
| 1 | Bo Bice | "Long, Long Road" | Runner-Up |
| 2 | Carrie Underwood | "Inside Your Heaven" | Winner |
| 3 | Bo Bice | "Vehicle" | Runner-Up |
| 4 | Carrie Underwood | "Independence Day" | Winner |
| 5 | Bo Bice | "Inside Your Heaven" | Runner-Up |
| 6 | Carrie Underwood | "Angels Brought Me Here" | Winner |
The fourth-season finale featuring Bo Bice and Carrie Underwood aired May 24 May 25. It featured appearances by former auditioners, and celebrity cameos by Kenny G, Rascal Flatts, David Hasselhoff, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, George Benson, Billy Preston, Babyface and Lynyrd Skynyrd. The winner of the competition was Carrie Underwood, who would eventually become the second "Idol" winner to sweep all three major music awards in a single season.
In a nod to the "Diana knew she'd been eliminated by the performance order" controversy of Idol 3, neither contestant sang the winner's single, "Inside Your Heaven", before the results were announced.
Underwood's first single, "Inside Your Heaven", debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on June 14, 2005 and had first-week sales of 170,000 copies. One week later, runner-up Bo Bice released his version of the song, which debuted at number two.
Elimination chart
Note: Bottom 2 indicates that the contestant was 'saved' last. This may or may not indicate his or her actual vote rank.Contestants who appeared on other seasons/shows
- Melissa Lawson, a member of this season's top 75, was announced as the winner of the sixth season of Nashville Star on August 4, 2008.
- JR Aquino, who made it to Hollywood week, appeared on the third season of The Voice in 2012 and was eliminated during the battle rounds.
- Curtis Finch, Jr., a contestant of the twelfth season, who was originally auditioned for this season, did not make it past into the audition round.
- Vonzell Solomon previously auditioned for Making the Band 2.
- Mikalah Gordon later appeared on the second season of Gone Country.
- Jessica Sierra would later appear as a patient on first season of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.
DialIdol
Controversy
During the season, Corey Clark, a season two contestant who was disqualified for having an undisclosed arrest record, alleged in an interview on ABC's Primetime Live that he had an affair with Paula Abdul while on the show. The finale show included a parody segment spoofing the alleged scandal.Votefortheworst.com, which campaigned voting for Scott Savol, made headlines when Savol outlasted Constantine Maroulis and made it into the final five.
On the Top 11, the show had a voting error in which three of the contestants had their numbers mixed up. The Wednesday show which was supposed to be the elimination night made fans revote again as the numbers were fixed and Thursday was the elimination night.
Bo Bice was revealed to have been arrested on a felony cocaine possession charge in June 2001 at a strip club in Madison County, Ala., and was also arrested two years later for marijuana possession, public intoxication, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Scott Savol was also revealed to have been convicted of a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct for domestic violence. However, no action was taken against either of them by the show producers because they had revealed their misdemeanors in advance.
U.S. Nielsen ratings
Season 4 of American Idol had an overall average viewership of 26.8 million and was the top show for the 2004–2005 TV season. Its Tuesday episodes averaged 27.32 million while the Wednesday episodes averaged 26.07 million . It also drove Fox, for the first time ever, to become the top network in the 18-to-49 demographic for the season.Note 1: The Top 11 Wednesday night was a repeat performance night due to a mix-up in the phone numbers for the contestants. The result show was moved to Thursday.
Music releases
The compilation album for this season was performed by the top twelve finalists.| Information |
|
| Artist | Information |
| Carrie Underwood | Some Hearts
|
| Carrie Underwood | Carnival Ride |
| Carrie Underwood | Play On |
| Carrie Underwood | Blown Away |
| Carrie Underwood | Storyteller |
| Carrie Underwood | Cry Pretty |
| Bo Bice | The Real Thing |
| Mario Vazquez | Mario Vazquez |
| Artist | Information |
| Bo Bice | See the Light
|
| Constantine Maroulis | Constantine |
| Celena Rae | Invisible Woman |
| Elizabeth Pha | The Moon & the Stars |
| Jamie Paul Koehler | It's Christmas Time |
| Jared Yates | All That I Am |
| Jeff Johnson | Enter In |
| Jeff Johnson | Glorious Day |
| Jessica Sierra | Deepest Secret- EP |
| Judd Harris | Fly |
| Kurtis Parks | Something for Everyone |
| Melinda Lira | Melinda |
| Travis Tucker | Live |
| Nadia Turner | Standing On Love |
| Nikko Smith | Revolution |
| Sarah Mather | Another Day |