And just for the record, i thought Kris Allen's Kanye West cover was the best performance of the night, and i reiterate, i would not mind it at all if he won.

<div><object width="512" height="322"><param name="movie" value="http://d.yimg.com/static.video.yahoo.com/yep/YV_YEP.swf?ver=2.2.40" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="AllowScriptAccess" VALUE="always" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><param name="flashVars" value="id=13441495&vid=5058940&lang=en-us&intl=us&thumbUrl=http%3A//l.yimg.com/a/p/i/bcst/videosearch/8859/85428468.jpeg&embed=1" /><embed src="http://d.yimg.com/static.video.yahoo.com/yep/YV_YEP.swf?ver=2.2.40" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="512" height="322" allowFullScreen="true" AllowScriptAccess="always" bgcolor="#000000" flashVars="id=13441495&vid=5058940&lang=en-us&intl=us&thumbUrl=http%3A//l.yimg.com/a/p/i/bcst/videosearch/8859/85428468.jpeg&embed=1" ></embed></object><br /><a href="http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5058940/13441495">Cold Blooded</a> @ <a href="http://video.yahoo.com" >Yahoo! Video</a></div>
Heartless

Lambert is going to sell a gazillion records regardless.

<div><object width="512" height="322"><param name="movie" value="http://d.yimg.com/static.video.yahoo.com/yep/YV_YEP.swf?ver=2.2.40" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="AllowScriptAccess" VALUE="always" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><param name="flashVars" value="id=13441211&vid=5058863&lang=en-us&intl=us&thumbUrl=http%3A//l.yimg.com/a/p/i/bcst/videosearch/8859/85427829.jpeg&embed=1" /><embed src="http://d.yimg.com/static.video.yahoo.com/yep/YV_YEP.swf?ver=2.2.40" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="512" height="322" allowFullScreen="true" AllowScriptAccess="always" bgcolor="#000000" flashVars="id=13441211&vid=5058863&lang=en-us&intl=us&thumbUrl=http%3A//l.yimg.com/a/p/i/bcst/videosearch/8859/85427829.jpeg&embed=1" ></embed></object><br /><a href="http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5058863/13441211">World Unity</a> @ <a href="http://video.yahoo.com" >Yahoo! Video</a></div>
One

<div><object width="512" height="322"><param name="movie" value="http://d.yimg.com/static.video.yahoo.com/yep/YV_YEP.swf?ver=2.2.40" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="AllowScriptAccess" VALUE="always" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><param name="flashVars" value="id=13441558&vid=5058963&lang=en-us&intl=us&thumbUrl=http%3A//l.yimg.com/a/p/i/bcst/videosearch/8859/85428710.jpeg&embed=1" /><embed src="http://d.yimg.com/static.video.yahoo.com/yep/YV_YEP.swf?ver=2.2.40" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="512" height="322" allowFullScreen="true" AllowScriptAccess="always" bgcolor="#000000" flashVars="id=13441558&vid=5058963&lang=en-us&intl=us&thumbUrl=http%3A//l.yimg.com/a/p/i/bcst/videosearch/8859/85428710.jpeg&embed=1" ></embed></object><br /><a href="http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5058963/13441558">sobbing</a> @ <a href="http://video.yahoo.com" >Yahoo! Video</a></div>
Cryin'

BTW, MJ's idol blog(where these videos all come from) ranks outgoing links by popularity.

Lambert is 3rd most popular(One) and 5th most popular(Cryin)

Chris allen was 4th most popular (Heartless) and 7th most popular (Apologize).

Gokey is a distant 3rd with the 10th and 11th most popular outgoing rating.

If you follow these links back to the site, Lambert has dozens of comments on his videos, Gokey has none. Zero. And 1/3 the views as lambert. The little guy has 2 comments on one video, none in the other, and has about 1/2 the views as lambert.

When Itunes accidentally released the download counts for AI performances, Lambert was actually #29 on the charts (that's all artists available, all genres, current and past), and also had the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th most downloaded songs of any contestant on AI this season. The only one that was even remotely close was Kris Allen, who managed to rank like 75th or something in 6th place. Then 7th-10th, again, were Adam Lambert. Gokey's best was around #200. (this is going from memory from an article i read last week, so the actual numbers may be a bit off but the overall gist is correct)

So while some do not get him, again, his following is huge, this competition is not even close.

Dial Idol, which tracks the busy signals has the voting for last night at: 1) Lambert, 2) Allen, 3) Gokey

Why do you even try calling? It's so easy to do the text voting and I've never had trouble voting.

Sounded like that backup singer was really eff'n up during Cryin'. Maybe that's why Lambert pulled out one of his earpieces in the middle.

Also, interesting choice to do Aerosmith/Tyler after Gokey's debacle last week. I wonder if there's a bit of "this is how it's done, son" in that selection.

I totally agree about the backup singer....she was horrible and they had her mic mixed in to high.

Just a dinosaur i guess. I am a clumsy texter on the best of days. I guess i can give it a shot for the finale.

If it's Lambert vs Allen or Gokey i'm voting lambert. If it's Allen vs Gokey i will vote til my fingers bleed for the little guy. No way Gokey deserves to win after the abortion that was Dream on.

Agreed- the back up singer sounded too loud, out of sync, and 'pitchy'. And i agree, she really screwed up the first half of the song.

Isn't there an engineer monitoring that stuff that can make on the spot adjustments to her mic output level, if not cutting it off outright? One would think there would be. But apparently not.

Texting is so easy....as soon as Ryan says, "The lines are open" my wife and I send out our choices.

You would think that, seeing it's the number one show on TV, that they would have the creme de la creme of stage people. I know it's tough live, but maybe the should simulate the audience noise during the dress rehearsal.

I thought maybe nobody else noticed this.

Lambert actually pulled out his ear piece so he could hear himself over her.

Lambert vs the little guy.

David vs Goliath.

Should be a great final, and i honestly don't care who wins. I think Adam is better(actually i think he is light years better), but the little guy's journey is what storybooks are made of, no way i could root against him.

Whatever happens, i'm happy.

I think the little guy has more marketability.

I'll make you a gentleman's bet of $1 that lamberts debut album outsells the little guys by 2:1. (i wouldnt be surprised if he outsold him 5:1, to be honest)

BTW: kudos to Lambert for visiting our troops at Mirimar on his homecoming to sing them the national anthem. As far as i know he is the only AI finalist to ever do so.

Make it 3 to 1 and you are on!!!! CASH BABY!! :)

The mixing has been much better lately. In the past every time they used backup singers and often with the band the mixing was terrible.

I would never pay to hear either of them but i wouldn't leave a bar if the little guy stepped to the mic. Not so with 'the scream'.

BUT i think Snipe is going to win himself a bet Dave.

Just remember that there are people on the West Coast that don't see it as early as you.

So its 'live' from California but not 'live' in California? :)

Yep - we do not get to watch it live - it is usually a couple of hours later for is...

When the show first starts, on the bottom of the screen it says "Recorded from an earlier broadcast".

OK, 3:1 in the first year of release for a $1.00 gentleman's bet.

Damn, sorry man. I wish someone had said something earlier in the season.
Well, i'll make sure i dont post anything about a winner next week until after its aired in Ca.

Sorry if i spoiled it for ya Kim.

Not a big deal as I usually see posts when they come in on my Blackberry. I shows that you (or anyone) has posted and all I have to do is to scroll down to see what was written. I just learned to to read the post until after the results. SmileWavy

Go Adam!

I always wondered what everyone with Blackberrys were reading while driving busses......

Good finale, but i felt like Adam was clearly superior tonight. The little guy was just ok on song 2, and really was not good at all on song 3. He nailed song 1 though.

I felt like Adam was very good on all 3, particularly song 2.

He should win by merit, but who knows if the whole gay thing or the "anti adam" element will come into play.

Its now 11:30est and ive only been able to get through 3 times to vote.

ADAM SONG 1:
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KRIS SONG 1:
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ADAM SONG 2:
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KRIS SONG 2:
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ADAM SONG 3:
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KRIS SONG 3:
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The creators song choices and the coronation songs definitely did not wow me for either contestant. I felt the creators songs were totally uninspired selections (though the judges LOVED adams Sam Cooke song), and honestly- i thought the coronation song co-written by one of the judges sucked.(worse than usual)

Both contestants phone lines are still all but impossible to get through on. Whoever's phone lines clear out first will be your loser.

I'm not sure if it's the gay thing that makes me sick or the fact that the judges had already crowned him AI very early on.

There may very well be a backlash over that- the judges were at times way over the top in their praise for him.

If i can ever get through on the phone i'm gonna vote for him though. For some reason my texts dont go through at all.

I would have voted for little guy if he deserved it on merit tonight, because i like him too, but IMO he was barely even average in songs 2 and 3.

Nah, Kris can't win. I actually thought Lambert was a very good singer tonight. His Mad World is going to be a big seller on iTunes.

Looks like you're right.

12:15am EST, Lamberts line is still spotty to get through on (about 4 out of 5 calls not getting through). Getting through on the little guys line no problem now. No busy signals at all for Mr. Allen.

Not a good sign for Kris.

Dial Idol is showing Kris slightly ahead, but well within the margin of error....so who knows, it seems it's very close either way. (DI doesn't reflect text votes and has been wrong several times this year)

Zabasearch(usually quite accurate- has successfully predicted the winner in seasons 5, 6, and 7) is predicting Adam Lambert as the winner. No actual vote tally listed yet (i'll hold off on posting that here in case people don't want to know- but it should be on their site well before the show airs tonight).

May 20, 2009 Most Votes- Adam / Kris- Least Votes

May 13, 2009: Most Votes - Adam / Kris / Danny - Least Votes

May 6, 2009: Most Votes - Adam / Danny / Kris / Allison - Least Votes

April 29, 2009: Most Votes - Adam / Danny / Kris / Allison / Matt - Least Votes

http://www.zabasearch.com/ai_stats.php

Zaba's statistics indicated Lambert has never been in the bottom 3 and was in fact 1st the week the producers announced him as such. Go figure.

The comment ratio on Zaba's site is hugely in favor of Lambert to the tune of about 4.5:1. (AL- 3359, KA- 712)

On MJ's Blog the performance videos were ranked by popularity as follows. (so far this season this has been a very accurate prediction of who was going home):

Lambert: #2, #3, #5

Allen: #7,#8,#11

Lambert also again holds a large edge in video comments posted.

I'm gonna go out on a fairly sturdy limb here, and call Adam Lambert the winner. ;)

That 3rd Kara song was horrific.

The envelope was way too full. There was no room in the arrangement for vocals. Adam tried to out power the song and Kris tried the opposite approach by toning it down. Don't think either really worked. Lyrics were too wordy, did not seem either had much breathing room.

I enjoyed Adams 2nd song.

I think he wins. He is the better performer.

Agree on Kara's song, it is -not- getting good comments from any of the sites that follow AI. It was really quite hideous.

That being said, i think Adam delivered it about an order of magnitude better than Kris did...though his version of it still, well, sucked. As they say, "You can't polish a turd."

Don't forget us West Coasters!
I agree...Kara's song was lousy. It didn't make the use of either contestant's talents.
Was it me or did it seem like they had about an hour to learn the song? When Adam was done, I told my wife that that was his worst performance. Not from a singing standpoint, but from the selling standpoint. Adam always sells all his performances and it just seemed like his heart wasn't into that song....same with Kris.

The Kara song was atrocious. You know what it reminded me of? If I was watching Saved by the Bell, and the Zack Attack wrote an original song and played it. In other words, it seems like something a cheesy fake band on a sitcom would play. The lyrics were just dumb piled on dumb- like an 8th grader wrote them. Seriously, she wrote a steamer (as in steamy pile of poo) with that one.

Kris was kinda screwed by his 2nd two choices, which he had no control over.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

SPOILER:

If you want to know the projected winner of AI8, click on the below link. The final results were not even close:

http://www.zabasearch.com/ai_stats.php

Where's Price Waterhouse when you really need them...

My wife and I tried to text in our votes 3 times last night. I even tried at 11:15pmPST....I didn't get any vote confirmation. This morning I tried texting again and got a message saying that the lines were closed. Funny thing is is that an hour and 10 minutes later, I got a text message thanking me for Adam's vote.

I couldn't get in a vote via text at all.

Altogether i probably got in about 20 votes for Lambert, all via the phone. There was a little lull in the voting from about 11-11:30 EST, that's when i got all of them in.

SPOILER

This finale was worth watching just to see Lambert kick friggin' tail with KISS.

Now that's what i'm talking about...

As for the winner.....LOL....so much for my statistical breakdown, hahaha

Well thanks for that. The show starts in 20 minutes over here!