The fourth season of American Idol premiered on January 18, 2005 and continued until May 25, 2005. It was hosted by Ryan Seacrest. Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell also returned to judge.
This season was won by Oklahoma native Carrie Underwood, who has gone on to become a seven-time Grammy Award-winning country music megastar.
This is the last season to be aired in standard definition.
Auditions[]
Auditions were held in Seven cities
- Washington, DC,
- St. Louis, Missouri,
- New Orleans, Louisiana,
- Las Vegas, Nevada,
- Cleveland, Ohio,
- Orlando, Florida
- San Francisco, California.
There was originally supposed to be an audition held in Anchorage, Alaska, but that was changed about a month before so they could go to Orlando, Florida. Auditions were held from August to October 2004. While in the past seasons celebrity guest judges have been invited to participate during the competition, this was the first season where guest judges were invited to participate in the auditions. The music celebrities featured were:
- January 18, Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray
- January 25, Gene Simmons of KISS
- January 26, Kenny Loggins
- February 1, LL Cool J
- February 2, Brandy
It is also the first season in which the age limit was raised to 28, in order to increase variety. Among those who benefited from this new rule were Constantine Maroulis and Bo Bice, considered to be the eldest (and most experienced) of Idol contestants. They were also constantly mentioned by Ryan Seacrest and in the media as "the two rockers", since their long hair and choice of songs made them stand out from conventional Idol standards.
Hollywood[]
There were 193 contestants in the Hollywood rounds. They were split into two groups to perform on separate day at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. The contestants first chose from a list of 12 songs selected by the producers. They were separated into groups of boys and girls but they performed solo with piano accompaniment and back-up singers. Those who failed were eliminated after all in the group performed. 95 contestants were eliminated after this round but one, Marlea Stroman, left on her own free will and became the first ever contestants to choose to leave the American Idol competition. The remaining 97 contestants competed in the second round which featured group performances. The songs for the groups were Four Tops's "I Can't Help Myself", The Temptations' Get Ready, Barry Manilow's "Jump Shout Boogie", The Marvelettes's "Please Mr. Postman" and The Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go". 75 remained after this round. In the last round they performed a capella. After their performance, the contestants were divided into 4 groups in separate rooms. Two groups eliminated and the number of contestant cut to 44. After further deliberation by the judges, 24 semi-finalists, 12 women and 12 men, were then selected. At Pasadena Civic Center, each contestant took the elevator from their holding room to the floor above, and in a walk that would later be dubbed the "green mile", to see the judges who would then reveal their fate to them.
Semifinals[]
Because of the highly unbalanced finals in Season 3 where female contestants took a clear supermajority (8 to 4) of the Final 12, rules were changed to prevent a similar incident from happening again. This season also implemented new rules for the final portion of the contest. Instead of competing in semifinal heats in which the top vote-getters are promoted to the final round, 24 semifinalists were named -- 12 men and 12 women, who competed separately, with 2 of each gender being voted off each week until 12 finalists were left.
Males:
| Nikko Smith | Scott Savol | Anthony Fedorov | Bo Bice | Travis Tucker | Constantine Maroulis |
| David Brown | Jared Yates | Anwar Robinson | Judd Harris | Joseph Murena | Mario Vazquez |
Females:
| Vonzell Solomon | Amanda Avila | Janay Castine | Carrie Underwood | Sarah Mather | Melinda Lira |
| Nadia Turner | Celena Rae | Mikalah Gordon | Lindsey Cardinale | Jessica Sierra | Aloha Mischeaux |
Top 12[]
The following contestants were Season 4's Top 12
Finals[]
Top 12 perform[]
During the first round of the finals, the Top 12 performed a song from the year 1960 for a spot in the Top 11.
Eliminated Contestant[]
Lindsey Cardinale was the first contestant to be eliminated on March 16, 2005 bringing the total down to 11 remaining contestants.
Top 11[]
The following contestants were safe from that round and advanced on to the Top 11.
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Performances[]
The contestants performed in the following order:
- Jessica Sierra - "Shop Around" by The Miracles
- Anwar Robinson - "A House is Not a Home" by Dionne Warwick
- Mikalah Gordon - "Son of a Preacher Man" by Dusty Springfield
- Constantine Maroulis - "You've Made Me So Very Happy" by Brenda Holloway
- Lindsey Cardinale - "Knock on Wood" by Eddie Floyd
- Anthony Fedorov - "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" by Neil Sedaka
- Nadia Turner - "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" by Dusty Springfield
- Bo Bice - "Spinning Wheel" by Blood, Sweat & Tears
- Vonzell Solomon - "Anyone Who Had Heart" by Dionne Warwick
- Scott Savol - "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" by The Temptations
- Carrie Underwood - "When Will I Be Loved" by The Everly Brothers
- Nikko Smith - "I Want You Back" by The Jackson 5
Top 11 perform[]
During the first round of the finals, the Top 10 performed a song from Billboard Number Ones for a spot in the Top 10.
Eliminated Contestant[]
Mikalah Gordon was the second contestant to be eliminated on March 24, 2005 bringing the total down to 10 remaining contestants.
Top 10[]
The following contestants were safe from that round and advanced on to the Top 10.
Performances[]
The contestants performed in the following order:
- Anthony Fedorov - "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" by Aretha Franklin & George Michael
- Carrie Underwood - "Alone" by Heart
- Scott Savol - "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" by Phil Collins
- Bo Bice - "Time in a Bottle" by Jim Croce
- Nikko Smith - "Incomplete" by Sisqó
- Vonzell Solomon - "Best of My Love" by The Emotions
- Constantine Maroulis - "I Think I Love You" by The Partridge Family
- Nadia Turner - "Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper
- Mikalah Gordon - "Love Will Lead You Back" by Taylor Dayne
- Anwar Robinson - "Ain't Nobody" by Chaka Khan
- Jessica Sierra - "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler
Top 10 perform[]
During this round of the finals, the Top 10 performed a song from the year 1990 for a spot in the Top 9.
Eliminated Contestant[]
Jessica Sierra was the eliminated contestant on March 30, 2005, bringing the total down to 9 remaining contestants.
Top 9[]
The following contestants were safe from that round and advanced on to the Top 9.
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Performances[]
The contestants performed in the following order:
- Bo Bice - "Remedy" by The Black Crowes
- Jessica Sierra - "On the Side of Angels" by LeAnn Rimes
- Anwar Robinson - "I Believe I Can Fly" by R. Kelly
- Nadia Turner - "I'm the Only One" by Melissa Etheridge
- Constantine Maroulis - "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt
- Nikko Smith - "Can We Talk" by Tevin Campbell
- Anthony Fedorov - "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" by Elton John
- Carrie Underwood - "Independence Day" by Martina McBride
- Scott Savol - "One Last Cry" by Brian McKnight
- Vonzell Solomon - "I Have Nothing" by Whitney Houston
Top 9 perform[]
During this round of the finals, the Top 9 performed a song from a Classic Musical for a spot in the Top 8.
Eliminated Contestant[]
Nikko Smith was the eliminated contestant on April 6, 2005, bringing the total down to 8 remaining contestants.
Top 8[]
The following contestants were safe from that round and advanced on to the Top 8.
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Performances[]
The contestants performed in the following order:
- Scott Savol - "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" ("Man of La Mancha")
- Constantine Maroulis - "My Funny Valentine" ("Babes in Arms")
- Carrie Underwood - "Hello, Young Lovers" ("The King and I")
- Vonzell Solomon - "People" ("Funny Girl")
- Anthony Fedorov - "Climb Every Mountain" ("The Sound of Music")
- Nikko Smith - "One Hand, One Heart" ("West Side Story")
- Anwar Robinson - "If Ever I Would Leave You" ("Camelot")
- Bo Bice - "Corner of the Sky" ("Pippin")
- Nadia Turner - "As Long As He Needs Me" ("Oliver!")
Top 8 perform[]
During this round of the finals, the Top 8 performed a song from the year they were born for a spot in the Top 7.
Eliminated Contestant[]
Nadia Turner was the eliminated contestant on April 13, 2005, bringing the total down to 7 remaining contestants.
Top 7[]
The following contestants were safe from that round and advanced on to the Top 7.
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Performances[]
The contestants performed in the following order:
- Nadia Turner - "When I Dream" by Crystal Gayle (1977)
- Bo Bice - "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd (1975)
- Anwar Robinson - "I'll Never Love This Way Again" by Dionne Warwick (1979)
- Anthony Fedorov - "Everytime You Go Away" by Hall & Oates (1985)
- Vonzell Solomon - "Let's Hear It for the Boy" by Deniece Williams (1984)
- Scott Savol - "She's Gone" by Hall & Oates (1976)
- Carrie Underwood - "Love Is a Battlefield" by Pat Benatar (1983)
- Constantine Maroulis - "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen (1975)
Top 7 perform[]
During this round of the finals, the Top 7 performed a song from the Dance Music of the 1970s for a spot in the Top 6.
Eliminated Contestant[]
Anwar Robinson was the eliminated contestant on April 20, 2005, bringing the total down to 6 remaining contestants.
Top 6[]
The following contestants were safe from that round and advanced on to the Top 6.
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Performances[]
The contestants performed in the following order:
- Constantine Maroulis - "Nights on Broadway" by Bee Gees
- Carrie Underwood - "MacArthur Park" by Richard Harris
- Scott Savol - "Everlasting Love" by Robert Knight
- Anthony Fedorov - "Don't Take Away the Music" by Tavares
- Vonzell Solomon - "I'm Every Woman" by Chaka Khan
- Anwar Robinson - "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire
- Bo Bice - "Vehicle" by The Ides of March
Top 6 perform[]
During this round of the finals, the Top 6 performed a song from the 21st Century for a spot in the Top 5.
Eliminated Contestant[]
Constantine Maroulis was the eliminated contestant on April 27, 2005, bringing the total down to 5 remaining contestants.
Top 5[]
The following contestants were safe from that round and advanced on to the Top 5.
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Performances[]
The contestants performed in the following order:
- Carrie Underwood - "When God-Fearin' Women Get the Blues" by Martina McBride
- Bo Bice - "I Don't Want to Be" by Gavin DeGraw
- Vonzell Solomon - "I Turn to You" by All-4-One
- Anthony Fedorov - "I Surrender" by Celine Dion
- Constantine Maroulis - "How You Remind Me" by Nickelback
- Scott Savol - "Dance With My Father" by Luther Vandross
Top 5 perform[]
During this round of the Finals, the Top 5 contestants performed a song from the Leiber & Stoller songbook and a song from the current Billboard chart for a spot in the Top 4.
Eliminated Contestant[]
Scott Savol was the eliminated contestant on May 4, 2005, bringing the total down to 4 remaining contestants.
Top 4[]
The following contestants were safe from that round and advanced on to the Top 4.
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Performances[]
The contestants performed in the following order:
- Anthony Fedorov - "Poison Ivy" by The Coasters
- Scott Savol - "On Broadway" by The Crystals
- Vonzell Solomon - "Treat Me Nice" by Elvis Presley
- Bo Bice - "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King
- Carrie Underwood - "Trouble" by Elvis Presley
- Anthony Fedorov - "Incomplete" by Backstreet Boys
- Scott Savol - "Everytime You Go Away" by Brian McKnight
- Vonzell Solomon - "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" by Diana Ross
- Bo Bice - "Heaven" by Los Lonely Boys
- Carrie Underwood - "Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts
Top 4 perform[]
During this round of the finals, each contestant will perform a country song and a song from the Ganble & Huff Songbook for a spot in the Top 3.
Eliminated Contestant[]
Anthony Fedorov was the eliminated contestant on May 11, 2005, bringing the total down to 3 remaining contestants.
Top 3[]
The following contestants were safe from that round and advanced on to the Top 3.
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Performances[]
The contestants performed in the following order:
- Carrie Underwood - "Sin Wagon" by Dixie Chicks
- Bo Bice - "It's a Great Day to Be Alive" by Jon Randall
- Vonzell Solomon - "How Do I Live" by LeAnn Rimes
- Anthony Fedorov - "I'm Already There" by Lonestar
- Carrie Underwood - "If You Don't Know Me by Now" by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
- Bo Bice - "For the Love of Money" by The O'Jays
- Vonzell Solomon - "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston
- Anthony Fedorov - "If You Don't Know Me by Now" by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
Top 3 perform[]
During this round of the finals, the Top 3 performed a song picked by Clive Davis, a song of their choice and a song picked by the judges for a spot in the Top 2.
Eliminated Contestant[]
Vonzell Solomon was the eliminated contestant on May 18, 2006, bringing the total down to 2 remaining contestants.
Top 2[]
The following contestants were safe from that round and advanced on to the Top 2.
Performances[]
(The first round of performances was chosen by Clive Davis, the second round was the contestant's choice and the final round were chosen by the judges). The contestants performed in the following order:
- Vonzell Solomon - "I'll Never Love This Way Again" by Dionne Warwick
- Bo Bice - "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" by Elton John
- Carrie Underwood - "Crying" by Roy Orbison
- Vonzell Solomon - "Chain of Fools" by Aretha Franklin
- Bo Bice - "In a Dream" by Badlands
- Carrie Underwood - "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" by Air Supply
- Vonzell Solomon - "On the Radio" by Donna Summer (chosen by Simon Cowell)
- Bo Bice - "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones (chosen by Paula Abdul)
- Carrie Underwood - "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" by Shania Twain (chosen by Randy Jackson)
Top 2 perform[]
During the final round of the finals, the Top 2 performed a song picked by Simon Fuller, their previous song from the past round, and their first winning single for a spot as Season 4's American Idol.
Runner-up[]
Bo Bice was the runner-up of Season 4. Carrie Underwood being the winner.
Performances[]
The contestants performed in the following order:
- Bo Bice - "Long, Long Road" by Appleton
- Carrie Underwood - "Inside Your Heaven"
- Bo Bice - "Vehicle" by The Ides of March
- Carrie Underwood - "Independence Day" by Martina McBride
- Bo Bice - "Inside Your Heaven"
- Carrie Underwood - "Angels Brought Me Here" by Guy Sebastian
Winner[]
Carrie Underwood was the winner of American Idol Season 4 on May 25, 2005.
Results Performances[]
Notable past Idol contestants[]
- Melissa Lawson, who made it to this season's top 75, later auditioned for and won the sixth season of the country music talent show Nashville Star in 2008.
- JR Aquino, who made it to Hollywood week, later tried out for season 3 of The Voice in 2012 with R&B star Cee Lo Green as his mentor. He was eliminated in the Battle Rounds.
Controversy[]
| Season 4 |
| Finalists |
| Carrie Underwood · Bo Bice · Vonzell Solomon · Anthony Fedorov · Scott Savol · Constantine Maroulis · Anwar Robinson · Nadia Turner · Nikko Smith · Jessica Sierra · Mikalah Gordon · Lindsey Cardinale |
| Semifinalists |
| Mario Vazquez · Amanda Avila · Janay Castine · Travis Tucker · Joseph Murena · David Brown · Aloha Mischeaux · Celena Rae · Judd Harris · Sarah Mather · Jared Yates · Melinda Lira |