American Idol

- Season 7

(2008)

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Song choices: David Hernandez -- "In the Midnight Hour" Chikezie Eze -- "I Love You More Today Than Yesterday" David Cook -- "Happy Together" Jason Yeager -- "Moon River" Robbie Carrico -- "One" David Archuleta -- "Shop Around" Danny Noriega -- "Jailhouse Rock" Luke Menard -- "Everybody's Talkin'" Colton Berry -- "Suspicious Minds" Garrett Haley -- "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" Jason Castro -- "What a Day For a Daydream" Michael Johns -- "Light My Fire"

Songs performed: Kristy Lee Cook -- "Rescue Me" Joanne Borgella -- "I Say a Little Prayer" Alaina Whitaker -- "More Today Than Yesterday" Amanda Overmyer -- "Baby Please Don't Go" Amy Davis -- "Where the Boys Are" Brooke White -- "Happy Together" Alexandrea Lushington -- "Spinning Wheel" Kady Malloy -- "A Groovy Kind of Love" Asia'h Epperson -- "Piece of My Heart" Ramiele Malubay -- "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" Syesha Mercado -- "Tobacco Road" Carly Smithson -- "The Shadow of Your Smile"

After more than 28 million votes were tallied, Colton Berry, Joanne Borgella, Amy Davis and Garrett Haley were sent home.

Songs performed: Michael Johns -- "Go Your Own Way" Jason Castro -- "I Just Want To Be Your Everything" Luke Menard -- "Killer Queen" Robbie Carrico -- "Hot Blooded" Danny Noriega -- "Superstar" David Hernandez -- "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" Jason Yeager -- "Long Train Running" Chikezie Eze -- "I Believe" David Cook -- "All Right Now" David Archuleta -- "Imagine"

Songs performed: Carly Smithson -- "Crazy on You"; Syesha Mercado -- "Me and Mrs. Jones"; Brooke White -- "You're So Vain"; Ramiele Malubay -- "Don't Leave Me This Way"; Kristy Lee Cook -- "You're No Good"; Amanda Overmyer -- "Carry On My Wayward Son"; Alaina Whitaker -- "Hopelessly Devoted"; Alexandrea Lushington -- "If You Leave Me Now"; Kady Malloy -- "Magic Man"; and Asia'h Epperson -- "All By Myself"

After nearly 31 million votes are tallied, Robbie Carrico, Alexandrea Lushington, Alaina Whitaker and Jason Yeager are sent home.

Theme: The '80s. Songs performed: Luke Menard -- "Wake Me Up [Before You Go-Go]"; David Archuleta -- "Another Day in Paradise"; Danny Noriega -- "Tainted Love"; David Hernandez -- "It's All Coming Back to Me Now"; Michael Johns -- "Don't You Forget About Me"; David Cook -- "Hello"; Jason Castro -- "Hallelujah"; Chikezie Eze -- "All the Woman That I Need"

Theme: The 80s. Songs performed: Asia'h Epperson -- "I Wanna Dance With Somebody"; Kady Malloy -- "Who Wants to Live Forever"; Amanda Overmyer -- "Hate Myself For Loving You"; Carly Smithson -- "I Drove All Night"; Kristy Lee Cook -- "Faithfully"; Ramiele Malubay -- "Against All Odds"; Brooke White -- "Love Is a Battlefield"; Syesha Mercado -- "Saving All My Love For You."

After more than 36 million votes were cast, Kady Malloy, Luke Menard, Asia'h Epperson and Danny Noriega were eliminated.

Theme: Selections from the John Lennon-Paul McCartney songbook. Songs performed: Syesha Mercado -- "Got To Get You Into My Life"; Chikezie Eze -- "She's a Woman"; Ramiele Malubay -- "In My Life"; Jason Castro -- "If I Fell"; Carly Smithson -- "Come Together"; David Cook -- "Eleanor Rigby"; Brooke White -- "Let It Be"; David Hernandez -- "I Saw Her Standing There"; Amanda Overmyer -- "You Can't Do That"; Michael Johns -- "Across the Universe"; Kristy Lee Cook -- "Eight Days a Week"; David Archuleta -- "We Can Work It Out."

After approximately 29 million votes were cast, David Hernandez was eliminated.

Theme: The Beatles. Songs performed: Amanda Overmyer -- "Back in the USSR"; Kristy Lee Cook -- "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away"; David Archuleta -- "The Long and Winding Road"; Michael Johns -- "A Day in the Life"; Brooke White -- "Here Comes the Sun"; David Cook -- "Daytripper"; Carly Smithson -- "Blackbird"; Jason Castro -- "Michelle"; Syesha Mercado -- "Yesterday"; Chikezie Eze -- "I've Just Seen a Face"; Ramiele Malubay -- "I Should Have Known Better."

Amanda Overmyer is sent home.

Theme: Songs From the Year In Which Contestants Were Born. Songs performed: Ramiele Malubay -- "Alone"; Jason Castro -- "Fragile"; Syesha Mercado -- "If I Were Your Woman"; Chikezie -- "If Only For One Night"; Brooke White -- "Every Breath You Take"; Michael Johns -- "We Will Rock You/ We Are the Champions"; Carly Smithson -- "Total Eclipse of the Heart"; David Archuleta -- "You're the Voice"; Kristy Lee Cook -- "God Bless the USA"; David Cook -- "Billie Jean."

Chikezie Eze is sent home.

Theme: Dolly Parton night. Songs performed: Brooke White -- "Jolene";David Cook -- "Little Sparrow"; Ramiele Malubay -- "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind"; Jason Castro -- "Travelin' Thru"; Carly Smithson -- "Here You Come Again"; David Archuleta -- "Appalachian Memories"; Kristy Lee Cook -- "Coat of Many Colors"; Syesha Mercado -- "I Will Always Love You"; Michael Johns -- "It's All Wrong, But It's All Right."

Ramiele Malubay is sent home.

Theme: Inspirational tunes. Songs performed: Michael Johns -- "Dream On"; Syesha Mercado -- "I Believe"; Jason Castro -- "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"; Kristy Lee Cook -- "Anyway"; David Cook -- "Innocent"; Carly Smithson -- "The Show Must Go On"; David Archuleta -- "Angels"; Brooke White -- "You've Got a Friend."

The show's annual star-studded event to raise funds for charity.

America voted and decided that Michael Johns is free to "Dream On" -- but he'll have to do it elsewhere.

Theme: Mariah Carey songs. Songs performed: David Archuleta - "When You Believe"; Carly Smithson - "Without You"; Syesha Mercado - "Vanishing"; Brooke White - "Hero"; Kristy Lee Cook - "Forever"; David Cook - "Always Be My Baby"; Jason Castro - "I Don't Wanna Cry."

America voted, and concluded that "Forever" was not enough to keep Kristy Lee Cook in the competition.

Theme: Andrew Lloyd Webber. Songs performed: Syesha Mercado - "One Rock & Roll Too Many" from "Starlight Express"; Jason Castro - "Memory" from "Cats"; Brooke White - "You Must Love Me" from "Evita"; David Archuleta - "Think of Me" from "Phantom of the Opera"; Carly Smithson - "Jesus Christ Superstar"; David Cook - "Music of the Night" from "Phantom."

The show must go on for everyone but Carly Smithson.

Theme: Neil Diamond Night. Songs performed: Jason Castro -- "Forever in Blue Jeans" and "September Morn"; David Cook -- "I'm Alive" and "All I Really Need Is You"; Brooke White -- "I'm a Believer" and "I Am...I Said"; David Archuleta -- "Sweet Caroline" and "America"; Syesha Mercado -- "Hello Again" and "Thank the Lord for the Nighttime."

Over 45 million votes were cast, and Brooke White goes home.

Theme: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Songs performed: David Cook -- "Hungry Like the Wolf," "Baba O'Riley"; Syesha Mercado -- "Proud Mary," "A Change is Gonna Come"; Jason Castro -- "I Shot the Sheriff," "Mr. Tambourine Man"; David Archuleta -- "Stand By Me," "Love Me Tender."

Nearly 51 million people voted, but Jason Castro received the fewest nods of the four remaining performers.

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Syesha Mercado is eliminated from the competition, leaving David Cook and David Archuleta to face off in the finale.

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After more than 97.5 million votes were tallied, America crowned David Cook the seventh American Idol with 56 percent of the vote. Celebrity performers included The Jonas Brothers, OneRepublic, Donna Summer, Seal, Graham Nash and George Michael.