The Top 12 of season 2 of American Idol started on March 12th, 2003 and finished on May 21st, 2003.
Contestants[]
| Clay Aiken | Kimberly Caldwell |
| Corey Clark | Julia DeMato |
| Joshua Gracin | Charles Grigsby |
| Kimberley Locke | Vanessa Olivarez |
| Carmen Rasmusen | Rickey Smith |
| Ruben Studdard | Trenyce |
Top 12[]
The theme this week was "Motown"
| Kimberley Locke | "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave" (Martha and the Vandellas) | Bottom 3 |
| Joshua Gracin | "Baby I Need Your Loving" (The Four Tops) | Safe |
| Charles Grigsby | "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" (Marvin Gaye) | Safe |
| Kimberly Caldwell | "Nowhere to Run" (Martha and the Vandellas) | Safe |
| Rickey Smith | "1-2-3" (Len Barry) | Safe |
| Julia DeMato | "Where Did Our Love Go" (The Supremes) | Bottom 3 |
| Clay Aiken | "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" (The Four Tops) | Safe |
| Vanessa Olivarez | "You Keep Me Hangin'" (The Supremes) | Eliminated |
| Corey Clark | "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)" (The Isley Brothers) | Safe |
| Carmen Rasmusen | "You Can't Hurry Love" (The Supremes) | Safe |
| Trenyce | "Come See About Me" (The Supremes) | Safe |
| Ruben Studdard | "Baby I Need Your Loving" (The Four Tops) | Safe |
Bottom Three: Kimberley Locke, Julia DeMato, Vanessa Olivarez
Top 11[]
The theme this week was "Music from the Movies"
| Corey Clark | "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" (Phil Collins) | Bottom 2 |
| Ruben Studdard | "A Whole New World" (Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle) | Safe |
| Trenyce | "I Have Nothing" (Whitney Houston) | Safe |
| Clay Aiken | "Somewhere Out There" (Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram) | Safe |
| Kimberly Caldwell | "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)" (Betty Everett) | Safe |
| Joshua Gracin | "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" (Aerosmith) | Safe |
| Carmen Rasmusen | "Hopelessly Devoted to You" (Olivia Newton-John) | Safe |
| Charles Grigsby | "You Can't Win" (Michael Jackson) | Eliminated |
| Rickey Smith | "It Might Be You" (Stephen Bishop) | Safe |
| Julia DeMato | "Flashdance... What a Feeling" (Irene Cara) | Bottom 3 |
| Kimberley Locke | "Home" (Stephanie Mills) | Safe |
Bottom Three: Corey Clark, Charles Grigsby, Julia DeMato
Top 10[]
The theme this week was "Country Rock"
| Joshua Gracin | "Ain't Goin' Down (Til the Sun Comes Up)" (Garth Brooks) | Safe |
| Trenyce | "I Need You" (LeAnn Rimes) | Safe |
| Kimberley Locke | "I Can't Make You Love Me" (Bonnie Raitt) | Safe |
| Corey Clark | "Drift Away" (John Henry Kurtz) | Safe |
| Carmen Rasmussen | "Wild Angels" (Martina McBride) | Safe |
| Rickey Smith | "I've Done Enough Dyin' Today" (Larry Gatlin) | Bottom 3 |
| Kimberly Caldwell | "Anymore" (Travis Tritt) | Bottom 2 |
| Ruben Studdard | "Sweet Home Alabama" (Lynyrd Skynyrd) | Safe |
| Julia DeMato | "Breathe" (Faith Hill) | Eliminated |
| Clay Aiken | "Someone Else's Star" (Davis Daniel) | Safe |
Bottom Three: Rickey Smith, Kimberly Caldwell, Julia DeMato
Although he was declared "safe" from the voting this week, Corey Clark was disqualified from the competition following this week due to his controversy.
Top 8 [Week one][]
The theme this week was "Disco"
| Rickey Smith | "Let's Groove" (Earth, Wind & Fire) | Safe |
| Carmen Rasmusen | "Turn the Beat Around" (Vicki Sue Robinson) | Bottom 2 |
| Kimberly Caldwell | "Knock on Wood" (Eddie Floyd) | Safe |
| Clay Aiken | "Everlasting Love" (Robert Knight) | Safe |
| Trenyce | "I'm Every Woman" (Chaka Khan) | Bottom 2 |
| Ruben Studdard | "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" (Barry White) | Safe |
| Kimberley Locke | "It's Raining Men" (The Weather Girls) | Bottom 3 |
| Joshua Gracin | "Celebration" (Kool and the Gang) | Safe |
Bottom Three: Carmen Rasmusen, Trenyce, Kimberley Locke
Because of Corey Clark's dismissal, nobody was eliminated this week. Additionally, the voting from this week would be carried over into the following week.
Top 8 [Week two][]
The theme this week was "Billboard Number Ones"
| Clay Aiken | "At This Moment" (Billy Vera) | Safe |
| Kimberley Locke | "My Heart Will Go On" (Celine Dion) | Bottom 3 |
| Rickey Smith | "Endless Love" (Lionel Richie & Diana Ross) | Eliminated |
| Kimberly Caldwell | "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" (Bryan Adams) | Bottom 2 |
| Joshua Gracin | "Amazed" (Lonestar) | Safe |
| Carmen Rasmusen | "Call Me" (Blondie) | Safe |
| Trenyce | "The Power of Love" (Jennifer Rush) | Safe |
| Ruben Studdard | "Kiss and Say Goodbye" (The Manhattans) | Safe |
Bottom Three: Kimberley Locke, Rickey Smith, Kimberly Caldwell
Top 7[]
The theme this week was "Billy Joel"
| Kimberly Caldwell | "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" (Billy Joel) | Bottom 3 |
| Ruben Studdard | "Just the Way You Are" (Billy Joel) | Safe |
| Kimberley Locke | "New York State of Mind" (Billy Joel) | Safe |
| Carmen Rasmusen | "And So It Goes" (Billy Joel) | Bottom 2 |
| Joshua Gracin | "Piano Man" (Billy Joel) | Safe |
| Trenyce | "Baby Grand" (Ray Charles & Billy Joel) | Bottom 3 |
| Clay Aiken | "Tell Her About It" (Billy Joel) | Safe |
Bottom Three: Kimberly Caldwell, Carmen Rasmusen, Trenyce
Top 6[]
The theme this week was "Diane Warren"
| Kimberley Locke | "If You Asked Me To" (Patti LaBelle) | Safe |
| Clay Aiken | "I Could Not Ask For More" (Edwin McCain) | Safe |
| Trenyce | "Have You Ever?" (Brandy) | Bottom 3 |
| Joshua Gracin | "That's When I Stop Loving You" (*NSYNC) | Bottom 2 |
| Carmen Rasmusen | "Love Will Lead You Back" (Taylor Dayne) | Eliminated |
| Ruben Studdard | "Music of My Heart" (*NSYNC and Gloria Estefan) | Safe |
Bottom Three: Trenyce, Joshua Gracin, Carmen Rasmusen
Top 5[]
The theme this week was "1960s/Neil Sedaka". Each contestant performed twice.
| Ruben Studdard | "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (The Temptations) | Bottom 2 |
| Trenyce | "Proud Mary" (Creedence Clearwater Revival) | Eliminated |
| Joshua Gracin | "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye" (Don Cherry) | Safe |
| Kimberley Locke | "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" (The Miracles) | Safe |
| Clay Aiken | "Build Me Up Buttercup" (The Foundtations) | Safe |
| Ruben Studdard | "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" (Neil Sedaka) | Bottom 2 |
| Trenyce | "Love Will Keep Us Together" (Neil Sedaka) | Eliminated |
| Joshua Gracin | "Bad Blood" (Neil Sedaka) | Safe |
| Kimberley Locke | "Where the Boys Are" (Connie Francis) | Safe |
| Clay Aiken | "Solitaire" (Neil Sedaka) | Safe |
Bottom Two: Ruben Studdard, Trenyce
Top 4[]
The theme this week was "Bee Gees". The four contestants performed twice this week.
| Joshua Gracin | "Jive Talkin'" (The Bee Gees) | Eliminated |
| Clay Aiken | "To Love Somebody" (The Bee Gees) | Safe |
| Kimberley Locke | "I Just Want To Be Your Everything" (Andy Gibb) | Bottom 2 |
| Ruben Studdard | "Nights on Broadway" (The Bee Gees) | Safe |
| Joshua Gracin | "To Love Somebody" (The Bee Gees) | Eliminated |
| Clay Aiken | "Grease" (Frankie Valli) | Safe |
| Kimberley Locke | "Emotion" (Samantha Sang) | Bottom 2 |
| Ruben Studdard | "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" (The Bee Gees) | Safe |
Bottom Two: Joshua Gracin, Kimberley Locke
Top 3[]
The theme this week was "Producers' Pick/Judges' Pick/Idol's Pick". The three contestants performed thrice this week.
| Kimberley Locke | "Band of Gold" (Freda Payne) | Eliminated |
| Ruben Studdard | "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours" (Stevie Wonder) | Safe |
| Clay Aiken | "Vincent" (Don McLean) | Safe |
| Kimberley Locke | "Anyone Who Had a Heart" (Dionne Warwick) | Eliminated |
| Ruben Studdard | "Smile" (Charlie Chaplin) | Safe |
| Clay Aiken | "Mack the Knife" (Louis Armstrong) | Safe |
| Kimberley Locke | "Inseparable" (Natalie Cole) | Eliminated |
| Ruben Studdard | "If Ever You're in My Arms Again" (Peabo Bryson) | Safe |
| Clay Aiken | "Unchained Melody" (Todd Duncan) | Safe |
Eliminated: Kimberley Locke
Note: Ryan mentioned that less than 4% separated all three contestants in voting.
Season 2 Finale[]
The final two contestants performed three times.
| Ruben Studdard | "A House is Not a Home" (Dionne Warwick) | Winner |
| Clay Aiken | "This is the Night" (Clay Aiken) | Runner-Up |
| Ruben Studdard | "Imagine" (John Lennon) | Winner |
| Clay Aiken | "Here, There and Everywhere" (The Beatles) | Runner-Up |
| Ruben Studdard | "Flying Without Wings" (Westlife) | Winner |
| Clay Aiken | "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (Simon & Garfunkel) | Runner-Up |
American Idol: Ruben Studdard
Notes[]
- Lamont Dozier served as a mentor and guest judge for the Top 12 week.
- The Top 12 sang "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave" by Martha and the Vandellas during the results show.
- Gladys Knight served as guest judge for the Top 11 week.
- Kelly Clarkson performed on the Top 11 Performance show, singing "Anytime" from the then-upcoming film From Justin to Kelly in promotion for the film.
- The Top 11 sang "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins and "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes during the results show.
- Olivia Newton-John served as guest judge for the Top 10 week.
- The Top 10 sang "When the Blacktop Ends" by Keith Urban and "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood during the Top 10 results show.
- Verdine White served as guest judge for the first Top 8 week.
- The Top 8 sang "A Night to Remember" by Shalamar and "Boogie Wonderland" by Earth, Wind & Fire during the first Top 8 results show.
- Lionel Richie served as guest judge for the second Top 8 week.
- The Top 8 sang "All Night Long (All Night) by Lionel Richie during the second Top 8 results show.
- Kelly Clarkson performed "Miss Independent" on the second Top 8 results show.
- Smokey Robinson served as guest judge for the Top 7 week.
- The Top 7 sang "The Longest Time" by Billy Joel during the Top 7 results show.
- Diane Warren served as guest judge for the Top 6 week.
- The Top 6 sang "Shine" by Ashanti during the Top 6 results show.
- Neil Sedaka served as guest judge for the Top 5 week.
- The Top 5 sang a 1960s medley during the Top 5 results show.
- Justin Guarini sang "I Saw Your Face" on the Top 5 results show.
- The Top 10 (sans Corey Clark) performed "What the World Needs Now is Love" with Burt Bacharach on the piano during the Top 5 results show.
- During the Top 5 results show, the contestants received a sneak peek of Tamyra Gray's acting debut for her guest appearances in the TV show Boston Public.
- Robin Gibb served as guest judge for the Top 4 week.
- The Top 4 sang a Bee Gees medley during the Top 4 results show.
- The Top 3 sang "Up Where We Belong" by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes, "Reunited" by Peaches & Herb, and "Solid" by Ashford & Simpson.
- Tamyra Gray sang "Over the Rainbow" by Judy Garland and Justin Guarini sang "Unchained Melody" during the Top 3 results show.