Choosing the right song is key to Idol success, right up there with performing it ably. Contestants can go wrong picking a song too closely identified with a previous Idol, too old or unfamiliar, too worn-out or just plain unsuited for their voices. WhatNotToSing.com is dedicated to building a database that documents which songs work (or don't work) and will join us in determining the best and worst song choices. Inspired choices get 10 points, suitable selections get 5, damaging picks receive a minus 5 or minus 10, and indifferent choices get 0.
Studies by WhatNotToSing.com and others have established that singing first on the show is a clear handicap, while singing last is a big plus and second-to-last a lesser but still significant plus. So show-closers get 10 points, the second-to-last contestant gets 5, the opener gets minus 5, the rest 0.
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Buzz, judges' verdict and (especially) song choice are vital to a contestant's survival, but none of that would mean a thing without what we watch Idol for: the performance itself. It's worth anywhere from minus 10 to plus 10 points.
Idol is live, and the unpredictable can happen. When it does, we'll dole out anywhere from minus 10 to plus 10 points for incidents including, but not limited to, emotional shout-outs or breakdowns, sickbed performances, superstar stage lighting, forgetting lyrics, false starts, major vocal gaffes, tantrums, overt sullenness, sassing a judge, being adopted as perverse causes célèbres or anything else that might influence for vote.
Respect them or not, the judges' opinions can't help but influence voters. So positive comments from Randy, Steven and Jennifer are worth up to 6 points each, while a negative comment scores as much as minus 6. If a performance receives a unanimous, three-judge, flat-out rave, 3 bonus points will be added for a total of 21. DialIdol.com, which calculates phone-voting strength from busy signals, has had a strong record of predicting eliminations over the years, though its accuracy might suffer this year as online voting is being allowed for the first time. While we monitor the situation, contestants receiving green (or safe) ratings from Dial Idol get 5 points. The lowest-rated contestant gets minus 5; the remainder, in the yellow danger zone, score 0.
Standout performances tend to generate high volumes of post-show online searches, so contestants who spike in Google Trends, Yahoo Buzz, Twitter's popular topics or other queries get 14, 10 or 5 points.
Nothing spells danger for an Idol contestant more than showing up in the dreaded bottom three the previous week. Contestants score minus 5 points if they were in the bottom three or plus 20 points if they escaped. Contestants who elude elimination on their first trip to the bottom three get a one-week bounce worth 5 points.
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