'American Idol': What should the Top 7 sing for 21st century week? What should they avoid?
Danger, American Idol contestants, danger! You’re about to enter “Songs from the 21st century” week, territory fraught with peril on all sides. The temptation: To sing major hit songs readily familiar to most of the viewing audience. The danger: That those songs are too readily familiar to most of the viewing audience and/or those songs are not exactly engineered as vocal showcases. That said, there are some recent hits our Idol Top 7 could hit out of the park if done right given the right guidance — i.e. our completely unsolicited advice. Two rules, though, as we dive into what the finalists should sing (and should avoid at all costs): 1) No one should sing a song from a previous Idol winner or contestant, and 2) No one should sing Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day.” Forthwith, our picks: Casey Abrams DO SING: “Chasing Cars,” Snow Patrol DO NOT SING: “Waiting On the World to Change,” John Mayer Lauren Alaina DO SING: “Love Song,” Sara Bareilles DO NOT SING: “You Belong With Me,”