32 Best American Idol Performances of All Time (Including Candice Glover's "Lovesong")

ML- Since the atrocious season 9 I've tried to kick my Idol addiction, to no avail. This week, AI 12 contestant Candice Glover performed The Cure's "Lovesong" and reminded me why staying up-to-date with the reality showcase can be oh so rewarding. Randy proclaims it as one of the best performances of all time, and I agree. 

I scoured YouTube to find the other "best performances of all time" and drafted a list of 32. Someone, somewhere should make a bracket of these -- we're still processing the results from our March Madness bracket competition! For now, enjoy this unranked video playlist of the top Idol vocals from the past 12 years.

Note: Contestants were limited to just one performance in the list, to prevent every single Kris Allen / Kelly Clarkson number from sneaking in. I also tried fitting each winner in there, even though Lee DeWyze's spot should have gone to Andrew Garcia's "Straight Up" cover. 

1. Candice Glover, "Lovesong" (Season 12)

2. Carrie Underwood, "Alone" (Season 4)

3. Kris Allen, "Heartless" (Season 8)

4. Jennifer Hudson, "Circle of Life" (Season 3)

5. David Cook, "Billie Jean" (Season 7)

6. Haley Reinhart, "Bennie and the Jets" (Season 10)

7. Elliott Yamin, "A Song For You" (Season 5)

8. Jordin Sparks, "I Who Have Nothing" (Season 6)

9. Joshua Ledet, "This Is A Man's World" (Season 11)

10. Allison Iraheta, "Cry Baby" (Season 8)

11. Clay Aiken, "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (Season 2)

12. Crystal Bowersox, "Me and Bobby McGee" (Season 9)

13. Bo Bice, "In a Dream" (Season 4)

14. Melinda Doolittle, "My Funny Valentine"(Season 6)

15. Adam Lambert, "Mad World" (Season 8)

16. Fantasia Barrino, "Summertime" (Season 3)

17. David Archuleta, "Imagine" (Season 7)

18. Tamyra Gray, "A House Is Not A Home" (Season 1)

19. Taylor Hicks, "Trouble" (Season 5)

20. Carly Smithson, "Here You Come Again" (Season 7)

21. Ruben Studdard, "Superstar" (Season 2)

22. Jessica Sanchez, "And I Am Telling You" (Season 11)

23. Jason Castro, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (Season 7)

24. Katharine McPhee, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (Season 5)

25. Scotty McCreery, "Gone" (Season 10)

26. Kimberly Locke & Frenchie Davis, "Band of Gold" (Season 2)

27. Chris Daughtry, "Renegade" (Season 5)

28. Pia Toscano, "All By Myself" (Season 10)

29. Lee DeWyze, "The Boxer" (Season 9)

30. Phillip Phillips, "U Got It Bad" (Season 11)

31. Blake Lewis, "You Give Love a Bad Name" (Season 6)

32. Kelly Clarkson, "Natural Woman" (Season 1)

Who did I miss? Or did I pick the wrong song for somebody? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to watch American Idol Wednesdays/Thursdays on FOX to catch some of the show's best talent in years.

Top 12 of '12: Mike's 12 Musical Moments of the Year

ML- 2012 had some pretty great musical moments, from songs on TV and movies to those that racked up plays on the radio and views on YouTube. Add some of these gems to your playlist tonight, or just sit back and remember the year that was.

12. Kris Allen's Epic Mash-Up of Girl Pop Anthems 

11. Another Idol alum, 16-year old Jessica Sanchez, TEARING UP "And I Am Telling You" with Jennifer Holliday

10. Anne Hathaway's "I Dreamed a Dream" for Les Mis. It's SO much better in the movie, but can't be overlooked here. 

9. The song that made the 1 episode of Glee I watched this season worth it, "Give Your Heart a Break"

8. Taylor Swift's "All Too Well" 

7. Ke$ha's stripped-down "Deconstructed" version of Die Young

6. A capella sensations Pentatonix performing one of 2012's top hits, "Somebody That I Used to Know"

5. Macklemore had a breakthrough year, but the song "Cowboy Boots" from The Heist really got to me

4. Damien Rice. Live. "The Professor and La Fille Danse." I was there. AMAZING.

3. Megan's "Zou Bisou Bisou" performance on Mad Men. Instant classic TV moment.

2. Frank Ocean's performance of "Bad Religion" on Jimmy Fallon. No words.

1. "Call Me Maybe", as made mega-popular by Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez and co.

ADDED BONUS! Daniel Kim's mash-up of 55 hot 2012 tracks! Happy New Year!