The finale of Season 5 of American Idol took place on May 23rd and 24th 2006. It featured Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee competing for the title of winner of American Idol.
Taylor Hicks was declared the winner after 63.4 million votes cast.
Contestants' Performances[]
The final two contestants performed three times.
| Katharine McPhee | "Black Horse and a Cherry Tree" (KT Tunstall) | Runner-Up |
| Taylor Hicks | "Living for the City" (Stevie Wonder) | Winner |
| Katharine McPhee | "Over the Rainbow" (Judy Garland) | Runner-Up |
| Taylor Hicks | "Levon" (Elton John) | Winner |
| Katharine McPhee | "My Destiny" (Katharine McPhee) | Runner-Up |
| Taylor Hicks | "Do I Make You Proud" (Taylor Hicks) | Winner |
Guest Performances[]
| Carrie Underwood and the Top 12 (Paris Bennett, Kevin Covais, Bucky Covington, Chris Daughtry, Taylor Hicks, Mandisa, Melissa McGhee, Katharine McPhee, Kellie Pickler, Lisa Tucker, Elliott Yamin, Ace Young) | "Don't Forget to Remember Me" and "Through the Rain" (Carrie Underwood) |
| Paris Bennett and Al Jarreau | "We're in This Love Together" (Al Jarreau) |
| Chris Daughtry and Live | "Mystery" (Live) |
| Katharine McPhee and Meat Loaf | "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" (Celine Dion) |
| Taylor Hicks, Elliott Yamin, Chris Daughtry, Ace Young, Bucky Covington and Kevin Covais | "Taking Care of Business" (Bachman-Turner Overdrive)
"Tobacco Road" (David Lee Roth) "Don't Stop (Fleetwood Mac) |
| Elliott Yamin and Mary J. Blige | "One" (U2) |
| Carrie Underwood | "Don't Forget to Remember Me" (Carrie Underwood) |
| Taylor Hicks and Toni Braxton | "In the Ghetto" (Elvis Presley) |
| Katharine McPhee, Paris Bennett, Kellie Pickler, Mandisa, Lisa Tucker and Melissa McGhee | "Man! I Feel Like a Woman" (Shania Twain)
"Trouble" (Elvis Presley) "I'm a Woman" (Peggy Lee) "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (Aretha Franklin) "I'm Every Woman" (Chaka Khan) |
| Michael Sandecki and Clay Aiken | "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (Elton John) |
| Burt Bacharach, Taylor Hicks, Katharine McPhee, Elliott Yamin, Chris Daughtry, Paris Bennett, Kellie Pickler, Ace Young, Bucky Covington, Mandisa, Lisa Tucker, Kevin Covais, Melissa McGhee and Dionne Warwick | "What the World Needs Now is Love" (Jackie DeShannon)
"The Look of Love" (Dusty Springfield) "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" (Dionne Warwick) "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" (B.J. Thomas) "I Say a Little Prayer" (Aretha Franklin) "Alfie" (Dionne Warwick) "A House is Not a Home" (Dionne Warwick) "What's New, Pussycat?" (Tom Jones) "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" (Christopher Cross) "Close to You" (The Carpenters) "Walk on By" (Dionne Warwick) "That's What Friends Are For" (Stevie Wonder and Dionne Warwick) |
| "The Brokenote Cowboys" (Garet Layne Johnson, Michael Evans, Matthew Buckstein) | "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys" (Ed Bruce) |
| Prince | "Lolita" and "Satisfied" (Prince) |
| Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee | "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" (Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes) |
Trivia[]
- Daniel Powter sang "Bad Day" at the end of the Performance Show.
- Ryan Seacrest presented a mock awards show during the Finale called "The Golden Idols". Such awards handed out, including winners and nominees were as follows:
- Outstanding Female Vocal: Cierra Johnson, Crystal Parizanski, Princess Brewer
- Outstanding Male Vocal: Marlows Davis Jr., Derek Dupree, David Hoover
- The telecast misspelled Marlows' first name as "Marlowes".
- Proudest Family Moment: Elliott Yamin's Mom During His Hometown Visit, Katharine McPhee's Dad Watching His Daughter Sing, Chris Daughtry's Wife During His Audition
- Randy Jackson Special Award For Public Speaking: Rhonetta Johnson
- Best Impersonation: Kenneth Maccarone (Cher),Seth Strickland (Michael Jackson), Michael Sandecki (Clay Aiken)
- Best Male Bonding: Ace Young and Chris Daughtry, Ryan Seacrest and Taylor Hicks, The Brokenote Cowboys
- Ben Stiller, Heather Locklear, Becky O'Donohue, Jessie O'Donohue, Tamyra Gray, Emily Deschanel, Wolfgang Puck, David Boreanaz, Kermit the Frog and David Hasselhoff made appearances during the Finale, with Don LaFontaine providing narration.