This just in from the Department of American Idol Blasphemy: Earlier today, I posted a gallery of 28 of the best songs ever recorded by the show’s alumni, and my omission of not just one, but two Idol champs, as well as three Idol runners-up, resulted in the launching of many strongly worded emails and Tweets in my general direction. “You included LaKisha Jones but not **a*a *e*a***?” “How could you leave off *a*ha**ne ***hee?” “Where the heck is **be* S****a**?” some of you demanded to know. And, to my shock, I even managed to offend myself by overlooking season 8’s tragically early evictee Deanna Brown and her bluesy little number “Sometime Ago,” from her recent indie release Traveler. (I’ve tried to make amends by embedding it below.) But hey, that’s how it goes when it comes to the graduates of American Idol U: There are former contestants out there making a whole lotta music, and when a definitive list of some sort or other gets compiled, there are gonna be inadvertent (and, yes, overt) omissions. Click here to check out our randomly ordered playlist, then head on down to the comments section below to tell us which songs and artists you think should’ve made the cut. (Yelling at your humble listmaker is both allowed and encouraged, as long as you follow me on Twitter @EWMichaelSlezak!)
Related Articles
![Kelly Clarkson, Alex Wolff, Christopher Nolan](https://ew.com/thmb/CsrIljVgENeb_iQ1cKpD8RtXi4k=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/kelly-clarkson-alex-wolff-christopher-nolan-071024-dbf8ed3b76154dea949730acd1b66fe1.jpg)
Kelly Clarkson gives Alex Wolff a new note from Christopher Nolan after his mom threw original away: 'Is this real?'
![Lady Gaga Olympics and Zizi Jeanmaire "Mon Truc En Plumes" on The Ed Sullivan Show](https://ew.com/thmb/7ObNNRr_G1BK8jvb2j5SwOxrIpE=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Lady-Gaga-olympics-072624-846aa6dec07e406d8fba720f2c8e11e5.jpg)
Lady Gaga recreates Ed Sullivan Show moment with Paris Olympics performance on Seine river
![Clay Aiken, Amy Klobuchar, Meghan McCain](https://ew.com/thmb/G4OrDMWYO-qScPgKlAtG_-9mnqo=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/clay-aiken-amy-klobuchar-meghan-mccain-072624-b11ce680711748f9b7a94b90b64c1b77.jpg)
Meghan McCain asks campaign strategist important question: Did Clay Aiken endorsement 'make any impact?'
![Donald Trump invited J.D. Vance, Republican candidate for the 2022 United States Senate election to the stage. His Save America Rally was held in Vandalia, Ohio on Monday, November 07, 2022.](https://ew.com/thmb/-SP-cNPczKjN6TRkcZ1ic7-E6IE=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/jd-vance-071524-9aa8edf1516a4822b5e9ba9ed06bdf80.jpg)
Hillbilly Elegy author J.D. Vance selected as Donald Trump's running mate
![Quentin Tarantino, Zach Braff, winner Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay](https://ew.com/thmb/elJiO-nL6_gHQMIGTUKJ-vm-_e4=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Zach-Braff-Quentin-Tarantino-072424-5d083e5e08be4baca6b0291e6ad77fc9.jpg)
Zach Braff says Quentin Tarantino joked 'you stole my f---ing Grammy' after Garden State soundtrack beat him
![Split photo of Whoopi Goldberg on The View and JD Vance](https://ew.com/thmb/GFE2SJcKHVj_CAqmHusauOkZ0Fs=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/the-view-072424-a17c98ff861c4c25afe723f501dd820d.jpg)
Whoopi Goldberg slams J.D. Vance over 'childless cat ladies' quote: 'You never had a baby; your wife had a baby'
![Amy Winehouse performing on stage in Chicago at LOLLAPALOOZA](https://ew.com/thmb/ZnyYeoHFPHd4zyoqXn49cp-AEoM=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Amy-Winehouse-051624-288132c7646c48e4aab2d628eaeec540.jpg)
Amy Winehouse remembered on anniversary of her death: 'Forever in our hearts'
![Ryan Seacrest on the set of Wheel of Fortune](https://ew.com/thmb/K4c0VSfImyxDbfTHDs4vmr90iQQ=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/ryan-seacrest-wheel-of-fortune-071624-1-fef4227e81c1456a9a276bc21ea31ec1.jpg)
Ryan Seacrest celebrates first day at Wheel of Fortune
![Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon on season 2 of 'The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon'](https://ew.com/thmb/Ye3SCqNjowoc4gw017j8Ugw7_54=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/DARYLDIXON_200_SB_1213_0124-SQ-ed59aea03ce84feeabb53ada8ac1305d.jpg)
Norman Reedus promises the 'best hour of Walking Dead ever' on season 2 of Daryl Dixon
![Oncologist Dr. Lawrence D. Piro (L) and Actress Shannen Doherty (R) attends Farrah Fawcett Foundation's "Tex-Mex Fiesta" honoring Stand Up To Cancer at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on September 9, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California](https://ew.com/thmb/NBqnvwfwWp9zuo9mF2zE0whOXxA=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/shannen-piro-071624-339c7465326e4f8ca79c46855e250752.jpg)
Shannen Doherty's doctor says she was ‘surrounded by some of her very close friends' in her last moments
![Still photo from Wayne Brady: The Family Remix](https://ew.com/thmb/LFcYOJ3q6GscJhZ-kZQlwVMH5WU=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/wayne-brady-1-071624-24b853e428064fab87010f57cba914a8.jpg)
From pandemic TikToks to reality TV: Wayne Brady previews his blended family’s journey to the screen
![ADAM, GRACIE LOU, DEDRICK, JILL, SHANE](https://ew.com/thmb/pT0lsgfaeOixYlRtvpdIHtERxT8=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/claim-to-fame-071624-5bd32a74213e41e396b12c8e5643b612.jpg)
Claim to Fame's Jill and Gracie Lou reveal shock over being tricked, dish on their famous uncles
![Wesley Snipes and Ryan Reynolds speak onstage during "Marvel Studios: The Ultimate Deadpool & Wolverine Celebration Of Life" panel during 2024 Comic-Con International at San Diego](https://ew.com/thmb/f5c_TL-o7jyeGBOmtLC7_Yj2mPA=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/wesley-snipes-ryan-reynolds-comic-con-072624-1-463ee26111234c92b54655dcf6eac5c1.jpg)
Wesley Snipes didn't think Blade return was possible until Ryan Reynolds called: 'If you're in, we're in' (exclusive)
![The Penguin Cristin Milioti and Colin Farrell](https://ew.com/thmb/s6Cuc9Mxl5343_TuaRSFY2-cq5M=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/CCSIP-Penguin-DI-FRAME_2-0e28ddff0fa54e99a9be4ddd8460d1d0.png)
The Penguin will bridge the gap between The Batman and the upcoming sequel (exclusive)
![Miguel and Jamie Lee Curtis](https://ew.com/thmb/FhQa_WTOQ8Etz-30T_HLZp8Gxtg=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Miguel-Jamie-Lee-Curtis-072324-a0972251b5244e91bed491ea8cbbe398.jpg)
Claim to Fame's chaos-maker Miguel reveals he's never even seen an Antonio Banderas movie
![Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Official 4K Video)](https://ew.com/thmb/YidqpgFl_lOpOh3ZRdK5UsCxD08=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/The-25-best-Whitney-Houston-songs-060324-daae81556fdc4994ac7a56d01d2323cb.jpg)
The 25 best Whitney Houston songs, from deep cuts to chart-toppers