The "American Idol" Top 13 took to the stage with selections from the songbook of Michael Jackson hoping to impress both the judges and the viewers and rack up enough votes to make it one more week on the talent competition. Just before the "Idol" hopefuls began to perform, judge Simon Cowell announced the bad news: Two will go home on Wednesday night's results show. Lil Rounds kicked off the night singing "The Way You Make Me Feel." Randy Jackson raved, "This is the way we kick off season eight! What is great about you is Michael sang the whatever out of that song, you put a spin on it and you made the song new again. This is the way to start!" Kara agreed saying, "It is perfect that you came out first. Everybody has to be 'Uh-oh. I definitely need to step that up.' I hope we get to hear you on the radio, because you are great. That end note was sick. You snuck that in there." Paul complimented, "You are a force to be reckoned with. It is a great way to start this show. Your falsetto … It is like angels singing." Simon was less enthusiastic, saying, "I thought it was good. I thought it was a lazy song choice. I thought the second half was better than the first half … and I hate what you are wearing." Scott MacIntyre sang and played the piano to Jackson's "Keep The Faith." Kara ed, "I am glad we are getting to see you with the piano because it shows the other side of you. That is not the most obvious song, but what I like about you choosing it is it is your message. You were true to yourself." Paula agreed, saying, "It is really magical seeing your instrument at your fingertips. It was a lovely performance." Simon was less than thrilled, stating, "I hated the song because nobody knows it. I like you. I think you are a good singer. I just didn't like the song." Randy felt the the performance was good, but safe. "I want to see more sparks from you, because I know you got them," he said. Danny Gokey took us back to 1983 with "PYT." Paula declared, "The true mark of an artist is when you can hear somebody and even with your eyes closed, you know exactly who they are. You possess that quality. I am going to go out on a limb and say you are headed for the finals." Simon said, "I thought the vocals were brilliant. You are one heck of a singer. You remind me of Michael McDonald, a white guy with a soul, but the dancing was hideous." Randy disagreed, saying, "What is so amazing is for you to do this up-tempo thing, the dancing and the singing, I loved it all." Kara pointed out, "You have joy when you step on that stage. You should thank your parents for making you sing your homework." Michael Sarver selected the power ballad "You Are Not Alone." Simon told him, "You are not the best singer in this competition. Having said that, you made up for it with passion, heart and you gave it 110 percent." Randy added, "What I am happy about for you, you had this kind of R&B swagger [when you auditioned], you returned to it with this song. You are one of the best tonight so far." Kara said, "Tonight showed me that you really can sing. The first song you did back in Hollywood week was a crowd pleaser. This one showed you can hit those notes. You are serious. You bring your game every time you step on stage." Paula said, "There are so many things you have going for you: You are an ordinary guy with extraordinary talent. You picked a song that is instinctually right for you." "I'll Be There" was Jasmine Murray 's song choice. Randy told her, "I had the pleasure of recording that song as a remake with Mariah Carey. It is funny how you mixed the two versions together. You did a pretty good job on it. I was impressed because it is tough song to sing after Michael and Mariah." Kara, too, was surprised, saying, "I am always on the edge, is she going to do it? You hit some of these notes and I was, 'Whoa.' I am thinking a half key down would have been effortless. You sold it. You have great stage presence." Paula agreed, adding, "You have tremendous composure and poise on that stage. You had some right moments, but some moments going into the chorus, you were under at times, but then you had brilliant moments. Way to go." Simon didn't have much to add except, "You made a good attempt. Nice control at the end. You just have to lighten up a little bit. You have to start acting your age a little bit." Kris Allen, guitar in hand, performed, "Do You Remember the Time." Kara led the critiques, saying, "The girls love you. When you play your guitar, it is another whole side of you. I am happy to see that back. You should be playing and performing. I got to give you props for that, but there were a few notes off." Paula pointed out, "The reason why you help everyone is, I believe, no one knows Michael's catalog better than you. You are engaging and kind of adorable sexy." Simon ed, "I don't know if that is a song that suits the guitar, which made it, at times, clumsy." Randy said, "I think it was an interesting song choice. Very cool in a way. Very Jason Mraz-y." Allison Iraheta rocked out to "Give In To Me." Paula felt it was mind-boggling for a 16-year-old. "You are a rock star up there. You look like you have been doing this since you were two. Keep doing what you are doing and stay authentic. We will be seeing a lot more of you." Simon agreed that it was a good performance. "We know who you are. You know what kind of artist you want to be," he said. Randy told her, "If you got it, you just got it, go with it. You can sing anything. I think you are one to watch in this whole thing. And Kara wrapped it up, saying, "You distinguish yourself by being the rocked-out girl with those vocals. Great job." Anoop Desai sang one of his favorite Michael Jackson songs: "Beat It," but the judges were unanimous in saying he made a bad song choice. More specifically, Paula told him, "When you pick a song, it is your gift to the world to show what you've got. I don't think that this song did that. It is untouchable. Anything else sounds karaoke to me." Simon went further than that, saying, "It was horrible. There was no aggression; it was very lightweight. It was like somebody trying to be like Michael Jackson but failing." Randy, too, felt it was the wrong choice, saying, "You've got a little bit more than that. It didn't work for me." Kara felt the biggest problem was that since Anoop can sing, he didn't take the opportunity to show off his voice by doing any riffs. "For the first time, I felt disconnected from you," she said. Jorge Nunez belted out "Never Can Say Goodbye" with unhappy results. Randy said, "The thing is this isn't a song I would have chosen for you, because it is old-fashioned. I would have chosen something else that would have challenged you more." Kara told him, "My problem is you are one of the most emotional singers. I could have seen you with 'She is Out of My Life.' It is more emotional." Paula said, "I have mad love, I don't feel that you were yourself. This was not the right song for you. Simon said it was corny, adding, "You were out of your depth and the arrangement was awful. Actually, I couldn't wait for it to end." Megan Joy Corkrey flashed back to 1958 with "Rockin' Robin." Kara said, "You have your way of putting your signature on whatever you touch. It wasn't the most overwhelming vocal performance. I hope you do things in the future that show your falsetto and range." Paula told her, "I love the quirky and unique tone to your voice. I didn't hear that sound we love until the end." Simon didn't mince workds, telling her, "We like you, but what a stupid song choice. The vocals weren't very good; the dancing was verging on ridiculous. The whole performance was clumsy. If this was the fist time the audience had seen you, they would think we were all nuts." Randy agreed that the song choice didn't allow Megan to be Megan. Adam Lambert demonstrated powerful vocals and stage presence as he prowled the stage to "Black or White." Paula declared, "Wow! I am going to say this: In my opinion, never in the history of 'American Idol' have we ever seen someone so comfortable and seasoned on that stage. Your innate ability to know who you are as an artist and marry fashion with music … you have the whole package and I believe with all my heart that we will be seeing you all the way to the end." Simon complimented, "That was, to me, in a totally different league to everything else we have seen and heard tonight. Whether it is the stage experience you have had before, to make Michael Jackson work, you have to be over the top. You are somebody people are going to talk about. Well done." Randy continued the raves, saying, "Since day one when we saw you, you were the most current. You could make a record right now. I love who you are and what you do. If you got it, you got it and, baby, you got it." Kara added, "What can I saw that they haven't already said? I hope Michael Jackson is watching this tonight. You hit notes that I didn't even know existed." Matt Giraud played the piano and sang "Human Nature." Randy kicked off the critiques, saying, "That was a really solid performance." He compared him to Robin Thicke and Justin Timberlake. Kara told him, "You are a talented guy. I hope I see you for many weeks. Paula agreed, adding, "You are talented, sexy and I am blown away." Simon thought it was good, but pointed out, "It is difficult following Adam. It was a meat-and-potatoes solid performance." Alexis Grace wrapped up the night's performances, singing, "Dirty Diana." Kara ed, "You are back. We are so happy to have you back. You are a naughty girl and I liked it." Paula cautioned Alexis to watch her over-singing. Simon told her, "Very over the top and probably not as good as you thought it was." Randy had the final word, saying, "I thought it was good. It wasn't great, but I liked the attitude." At the end of the performances, Ryan Seacrest announced that on Wednesday night's results show, there would be an announcement that would change the face of the "American Idol" competition. Tune in to find out just what that is. One hint: It involves the judges.

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