Top 3
Scotty McCreery
Haley Rinehart
Laura Alaina

Another tough cut as the remaining contestants all had good performances.

my take on the three songs...

Scotty B+, A-, B+
Laura B, A-, A-
Haley A, B+, A-

Laura should have gone home 3 weeks ago...but a case could be made that Haley shouln't have even made the top 10. Scotty is just Scotty and been solid throughout. Haley has figured it out and is making a charge...but is it enough and does it appeal to the right demographic. The dominant demographic this season seems to be the under 18 and country set. I would have figured long ago that Laura and Scott would have split the country vote...but there appears to be enough love for the both of them. One by one, the great voices and the rockers have been eliminated....leaving the question "can Haley survive"? Either way the winner will be a "country Idol".

I thought Scotty had the best overall night. Haley killed the first round but Scotty through all three rounds was very strong. I believe he is a lock for the final and the other spot is up for grabs. Haley and Lauren were both strong. But I will go out and say it will be an all country final. Just the way I like it. But wouldn't be sad to see Haley in the finals either.

Won't see it until tonight (8:00 a.m. tomorrow eastern time), but watching last week Haley's first song was so awful I can't believe she made it into this week. I don't see how she has any career at all going forward, but I could be wrong. The other two will have country careers, Scott probably more so than Lauren. Wouldn't be surprised if Pia or James end up much more successful.

I'm following the money maker... Scotty


Haley is coming on and is getting better via good songs plus she looking very nice
Lauren has not done anything really great, she a very good singer but is losing her apeal to the audence
Scotty is just a likeable guy, and he picks good songs that fit is style, he showed last night he can do more...



This is a good group of kids..
Pia will make movie, commerial and do some singing
James will have his band and do very well
Haley will get some offers for commerical and recording
Lauren will end up on the country charts
Scotty will be the next big country recording star for the next few years...

Haley looked incredible last night. Even Steven Tyler commented after the last song "Haley, you killed me tonight..... (muted) God Damn!". I think she has a future in pop music with the gravely voice of hers. She will be a Bonnie Tyler-esque type singer.

Scotty and Lauren (who I have been saying for weeks will be the finalist) will be on the country circuit. Scotty will have a monster career whereas Lauren will put out an album or two and then get lost in the shuffle of the other 1,500 blond haired blue eyed females singing country music.

Scotty's gone, with Haley winning it all

After listening to various people's take on last nite...I don't know what to think.

I think Scotty is the logical choice to be gone tonight but the demographic whichever votes for him might just keep him around.

I will be sad to see any one of these three go home.

THE4RINGZ;774263 wrote:I think Scotty is the logical choice to be gone tonight but the demographic whichever votes for him might just keep him around.

I will be sad to see any one of these three go home.

This.

I would vote to keep Scotty and Haley tonight. This would leave Lauren as the one to go.

I want to motorboat Haley.

Any results yet?

Bye Bye Haley!!!! All Country.

THE4RINGZ;774325 wrote:I want to motorboat Haley.

THIS

Tiger, step outside the box. Country ain't all there is. The best overall singer/entertainer is gone. This will be a very boring finale, possibly the most boring one ever.

tuskytuffguy;774400 wrote:Tiger, step outside the box. Country ain't all there is. The best overall singer/entertainer is gone. This will be a very boring finale, possibly the most boring one ever.

Did I say county is the only kinda music? No I didnt. Is it my favorite? Yes it is. Do I listen to other types of music? Yes I do.

If you think it is going to be a boring finale then don't watch it.

^^^^probably will be the case here, despite being a loyal Idol fan for many years. This probably can't bode well for the show...that is, that the best vocalists, and that all the rockers get voted off, in favor of a couple of kids who aren't old enough to vote. I don't really have a problem with 17 year old "Idols"...just that it shows how badly the voting demographics are skewed.

I have to think the ratings for the finale are going to be poor. First, not everyone enjoys country music. In fact many young people (the demographic who watches this show) detest it.* Second, Scotty and Lauren are boring. They bring nothing unique to the table. Both are simple cover artists. To use the phrase the judges used to threw out in seasons past, they do not make the song their own. Third, since both performers are of the same genre many people really don't care anymore who wins. For these reasons, I think many people will tune out next week.

I realize these contestants won the popular vote. As we all now, this does not necessarily equate to viewers. These performers get a fan base and their fans vote for their guy/girl 1,000 times. I just feel this is the worst and most unjust finale the show has had since the year Taylor Hicks won it (the year Christ Daughery was ousted wayyy too soon).

* For full disclosure, I grew up listening to country music. I still enjoy it.

Will there be an "X-Factor" thread?

Christ Daugherty????(?

THE4RINGZ;774595 wrote:Christ Daugherty????(?

Nice catch--- Daughtry. I actually went to school with a Chris Daugherty, hence the misspelling.

Did you also go to school with Jesus Christ?

Haley got screwed by the song choices she had to sing this week.

dave;774639 wrote: Haley got screwed by the song choices she had to sing this week.

How so?

You have to ask that ? Really...Singing an old Stevie Nix song to a demographic of peri- pubescent voters? Nice pick Jimmy.
Her own song, a Led Zepplin classic which was incredibly well done, probably did not help her either with the under 18 set.

Second, Scotty and Lauren are boring. They bring nothing unique to the table. Both are simple cover artists. To use the phrase the judges used to threw out in seasons past, they do not make the song their own.

Probably a bit of an understatement. The thing that made the show really interesting this year was seeing what some of the eliminated artists did with their songs. Don't get me wrong, both the finalists can sing....but there is nothing original in what they do.

vball10set;773796 wrote:Scotty's gone, with Haley winning it all

damn, I feel like Gibby/Ty Webb this morning--I suck at predictions.....anyway, IMO this shows how country music has grown among the younger demo, especially in the last five or so years