10 Best American Idol Trainwreck Performances (That Actually Turned Out To Be Good)

Summary American Idol has had some trainwreck performances over the years that actually were great when looking back at them.

Some American Idol contestants forgot the words to their songs.

The American Idol finalists were able to recover from their mistakes and achieve success.

Through the years, American Idol has featured some incredible performances, but there are a few that started out as trainwrecks, but then actually became legendary. American Idol premiered on June 11, 2002, on FOX, and aired for 15 seasons on the network until its final episode on April 7, 2016. However, in 2018, ABC revived the reality singing cometition series and it's now in its seventh season on the network.

American Idol has created some of the biggest superstar singers of modern times, including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, and Adam Lambert. American Idol season 22 has been one of the greatest so far, with extraordinary singers who are heating up the competition. As America prepares to choose its next American Idol, here's a look back at ten performances that were beautiful disasters.

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1 Hunter Metts Laughs During "Falling Slowly" & Then Cries

Hunter Forgot The Words To The Song

During American Idol season 19, Hunter was known for his sensitive and powerful performances. On Oscar-Nominated Songs Night, he played the guitar and sang "Falling Slowly." With his soaring notes and beautiful falsetto, Hunter was giving one of his best performances. However, toward the end of the song, Hunter flubbed the lyrics and laughed a bit. When he finished singing, he began to cry hysterically. American Idol host Ryan Seacrest and judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan comforted him, but Hunter was distraught.

Katy told him that it was the best performance he'd ever given, and that perfection was an illusion and didn't matter. She declared that his mistake showed that he was human and vulnerable, and everybody could relate to that. Katy told Hunter that he connected with everyone. Luke said that he didn't even know or care about what happened because Hunter could do no wrong in that moment. He thought that Hunter's falsetto notes were some of the best things that he'd ever heard as a judge. Lionel said that Hunter's performance was absolutely a perfect run.

Although Hunter was very hard on himself during this performance, it was one of his best. His minor error at the end didn't change the fact that the whole beginning of the song took the audience on an emotional journey through its story. In addition, Hunter showcased his gorgeous vocals. Even though he was disappointed in himself, Hunter wowed everyone with his performance of "Falling Slowly."

2 Katharine McPhee Gets Shaken Up During "All Shook Up/Hound Dog"

Katharine Covered Her Forgotten Lyrics With A Dance

American Idol season 5 runner-up Katharine was as close to perfection as one could get. Her polished performances highlighted her stunning vocals, and she was always at the top of her game. However, on Elvis Night, Katharine sang a medley of "All Shook Up" and "Hound Dog" that almost got away from her. Katharine brought so much energy to the performance by singing and dancing, but, during "All Shook Up," she missed some of the lyrics.

Ironically, after the lyrics, "Please don't ask what's on my mind. I'm a little mixed up, but I'm feeling fine," she forgot the words to the song. However, Katharine covered up her mistake by dancing around in a circle so that her back was to the audience. She then made up for her flub by giving the rest of the performance her absolute best. Katharine continued to sing and dance as though nothing had happened, hitting her signature high notes and flashing her bright smile.

After the performance, judge Randy Jackson told her that he knew she had a good time with the sons, but he asked her what happened in the middle of it, and Katharine apologized for dropping some of the lyrics. She admitted that she turned around during it, and Paula Abdul said that it was the best part because she worked out the choreography. However, Simon Cowell said that the performance reminded him of a "desperate" and "manic" audition, but he couldn't have been more wrong. Katharine's performance was fun and energetic, and showcased not only her extraordinary voice, but her outstanding showmanship.

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3 Jason Castro Loses Track Of "Mr. Tambourine Man"

Jason Forgot The Words & Was Eventually Eliminated

American Idol season 7 fourth place finalist Jason won America's heart with his immense talent. He was known for making songs his own with his signature style. However, during the Top 4 performances on Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night, Jason got flustered and forgot the lyrics to the first chorus of "Mr. Tambourine Man" by Bob Dylan. He substituted the words with some scatting, and then recovered nicely and finished the song, remembering the lyrics in the final chorus.

However, the damage was done. Randy asked Jason how he thought his performance went, and Jason admitted that he lost some lines. Randy said that Jason wasn't in the zone that night. However, Paula told him that, although the performance didn't blow them away, he blew them away. In true Simon fashion, he told Jason that he'd pack his suitcase if he were him. His prediction came true, and Jason was eliminated before the Top 3.

Although Jason made a mistake in the song, at a second listen, this was actually one of his best performances. The song captured what Jason was like as an artist, and stayed true to who he was. Jason also recorded a phenomenal studio version of "Mr. Tambourine Man," which proved that he chose the right song to highlight his voice and style.

4 Brooke White Starts Over "You Must Love Me"

Brooke Stopped The Song At The Beginning

On American Idol season 7 Andrew Lloyd Webber Night, Brooke sang "You Must Love Me" from Evita. The introduction of the song began, and Brooke started to sing the lyrics. However, a few lines into the song, she stopped singing, and said, "I'm sorry." The music ceased and then began again, and Brooke delivered a moving rendition of the ballad. The performance highlighted her vocal range and her ability to tell an emotional story through the lyrics.

After the song, Randy told her that it wasn't a great performance, but he did see Brooke's vulnerability. Paula told her, "You must never start and stop." However, she added that she was strong enough and great enough as an artist to pick up the pieces. Paula also said that she loved that Brooke didn't overact during the performance, and she was just her. Simon noticed that Brooke was tense after the flub, and seemed uncomfortable. He predicted that she'd be very disappointed when she watched it back.

Brooke admitted that she started over because she lost the lyric, and surprisingly, Simon agreed that he would've done exactly what she did. Shockingly, he told her that it was a very brave thing to do. Although she received some harsh criticism, a second look at Brooke's song showed that she was vulnerable and emotional during the performance. There was nothing for her to be disappointed about because she put her heart and soul into conveying the lyrics. She really captured the essence of the song's story. Brooke's studio version of "You Must Love Me" showcased this even more.

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5 Kellie Pickler "Butchers" "Bewitched, Bothered, And Bewildered"

Kellie Knew The Song Got Away From Her

American Idol season 5 featured songs from the Great American Songbook Night, and Kellie chose to sing "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered." As a country singer, singing an American standard was out of Kellie's comfort zone, but she was determined to make it her own. Guest mentor Rod Stewart thought she did a wonderful job in rehearsal, but disaster seemed to strike during the live show.

Kellie had a strong start to the song which showed her vocal ability, but toward the end, she got ahead of the music. She rushed through the end, but finished strongly with some beautiful high notes. When she was done singing, Randy asked her to guess what he was about to say, and Kellie replied, "I butchered it." However, Randy told her that it wasn't that bad, but it was a difficult song to sing. Paula told her that she began the song very vulnerable, but then got ahead of the music.

Simon told Kellie that it was a boring song that seemed as though she didn't choose it. He said that it didn't suit her. Kellie said that she was sorry, and agreed with Simon that it wasn't great. Kellie admitted that her nerves got to her, and she valued the judges' opinions. Ryan stated that there's no take two on a live show, and Kellie said that she wouldn't put the audience through the torture anyway. However, Kellie's performance was far from torture. In fact, as Paula predicted, it gave a glimpse of the vulnerability that Kellie brought to her eventual acting career. It also showed Kellie's versatility as an artist.

6 Zachariah Smith & Isaac Brown Are Barely Standing After "I’m Still Standing"

The Duo Forgot Most Of The Words & Made Up New Ones

During the American Idol season 21 Hollywood Week Duets Round, Zachariah and Isaac were paired up and sang "I'm Still Standing" by Elton John. Katy noticed that they both had their phones out to read the lyrics, which they were having trouble remembering, but she told them to trust in themselves. However, this turned out to be a mistake as they both forgot most of the lyrics. They made up their own words, including lyrics about liking Elton John, and how it was okay if mistakes were made.

Showing the difference between old school American Idol and the ABC version, the judges, Katy, Lionel, and Luke, stood up and cheered them on, rather than immediately eliminating them. Although it was hard to watch at times, it was inspiring. It showed that Zachariah and Isaac could perform well under pressure and in the face of a problem. They both advanced to the next round, but, in the end, Isaac was eliminated after his Showstoppers performance. However, Zachariah made it all the way to the Top 5. This performance could've spelled disaster for Zachariah, but it actually helped to prove why he belonged in the competition.

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7 Catie Turner Messes Up "Manic Monday"

Catie Forgot The Words To The Classic Song

During American Idol season 16 Prince Night, Catie chose to sing "Manic Monday." She'd been impressing the judges and the audience for weeks with her unique performances, but she forgot some of the lyrics to the first verse of the song and stopped singing. However, Catie recovered well and finished the song with her signature positive energy.

Katy sang along in her seat, giving her usual encouragement. After the performance, Luke told Catie that she hadn't had one glitch so far in the competition, so it was okay. He said that it happens to everyone. Catie said that it just wasn't her night, but it was okay. However, Katy interrupted her and told her not to say that because words were powerful. She told her, "It IS your night." Lionel told her that nothing is ever perfect, but she had a fantastic recovery. Katy admitted that she makes mistakes too, and she told Catie that she was destined for success, and she should believe in it.

Although Catie was eliminated after this performance, looking back at it, it wasn't the disaster that it seemed to be. Lionel was right, and she really did recover well. Catie was only 17 years old, but she proved herself to be the consummate professional.

8 Nadia Turner Has A Hard Time With "Time After Time"

Nadia Flubbed The Lyrics

During American Idol season 4 Billboard Number Ones Night, Nadia Turner sang Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time." She decided to inject her signature rock style into the performance, starting it off slowly, but then speeding up the tempo. However, at the beginning of the song, Nadia flubbed the lyrics, singing, "always with spirkles" instead of "caught up in circles." Nadia then increased the tempo of the song, dancing along.

Randy told her that she was a star on the stage all the time, while Paula said that she looked like a rocker. However, it wasn't her favorite choice of song for her. In contrast, Simon told Nadia that it was over the top, and reminded him of a cruise ship performance. He said that it was her weakest performance so far. In addition, Ryan then revealed that Nadia's mic pack had fallen down during the performance, but she'd shown incredible focus.

Although there were some mistakes in the song, a second look at the performance proves that it was actually one of Nadia's best. Not only did it highlight her unique rock style, but also her ability to make a song her own. Nadia was an amazing performer, and she pushed through the confusion at the beginning of the song to give the audience something new and refreshing.

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9 David Archuleta Almost Doesn't Work Out "We Can Work It Out"

The Lyrics Escaped David's Mind

American Idol season 7 runner-up David struggled on Lennon-McCartney Night, when he forgot the lyrics to "We Can Work It Out." He wasn't familiar with their songbook, so he decided to do the Stevie Wonder version of the song, which he knew. David admitted that he was nervous before the performance, and it came across during the live show. He forgot some of the lyrics throughout the song, leaving gaps in the words. It was unusual for David to do this, since he was usually so polished.

After David finished singing, Randy told him that the performance felt forced, and it didn't work for him. Paula said not to let forgetting the lyrics show on his face, but it was okay because they loved him. Simon called the performance a "mess," and told him that he expected incredible performances at that point in the competition. Simon and Randy agreed that David shouldn't have done the Stevie Wonder version of the song. However, David said that he gave it his best shot and had fun. David redeemed himself in the studio version of "We Can Work It Out," which was excellent.

10 Sanjaya Malakar Puts His Own Spin On "Bathwater"

Sanjaya Almost Drowned In The Song

During American Idol season 6, Sanjaya sang "Bathwater" by No Doubt when lead singer Gwen Stefani was the mentor. During the rehearsal footage, Gwen noticed that he forgot some of the lyrics. She said that it was a hard song and wished him luck.

Sanjaya shocked everyone by appearing on stage with a "pony hawk" with seven ponytails. He danced along while he sang the wordy song. However, he forgot some of the words mid-song. After the performance, Randy declared that he was speechless every time Sanjaya performed, and called his hairdo interesting. Randy and Paula told Sanjaya that he needed to go for it more in his performances. Simon told him that he presumed that there was no mirror in his dressing room. Sanjaya responded by laughing and saying that Simon was just jealous that he couldn't pull the pony hawk off.

Simon, who thought that Sanjaya had long overstayed his welcome on American Idol, said that he didn't think that it mattered what the judges said anymore because Sanjaya was in his own universe, and if people liked him, then good luck. Although the judges didn't like his performance, it was actually one of Sanjaya's best. It was energetic and joyous, and showed that Sanjaya could possibly be a current artist. He certainly had fun with it. Sanjaya took a risk, and it paid off.

American Idol is known for its outstanding performances, but sometimes the ones with mistakes are perfectly imperfect. These ten performances could've ruined the reputations of the finalists, but instead they showed their human sides and their ability to overcome the odds. These trainwreck songs actually turned out to be some of the most memorable performances in American Idol history.

American Idol airs Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC.

Sources: Talent Recap/YouTube, Katharine McPhee - American Idol - HD/YouTube, JasonCastroFans/YouTube, AmericanIdolBigTv/YouTube, Domeju/YouTube, Stars Beauty Video/YouTube, Breaking Talents Showcase/YouTube, Domeju/YouTube, 1ArchAngel08/YouTube, ALADDIN22091978/YouTube