18. American Idol
rickey.org
Launch Date October 2003
What You'll Find Throughout the season, Rickey uploads MP3 files of nearly every televised Idol performance — just hours after airtime — onto the Idol channel of his broader pop culture site. His cheerful take on the proceedings (he's a self-described Fanjaya) is more Paula than Simon, with a tireless compilation of talk show clips, tour scoops, and updates from contestants past and present that will help you survive Idol's idle period from June through December.
Why It's Essential It's an enlightening exercise to revisit the music without pesky visual cues — like those loving close-ups of Jordin — getting in the way. (Hey, Chris Richardson really did miss every third note on Latin night!)
Official Site americanidol.com
The Internet's undisputed Idol mothership, Fox's site features thousands of contestant photos and videos, song lists from all 170 semifinalists to date, millions of message-board posts, and more. But beware: Listening to Idol songwriting-competition entries could be hazardous to your ears. — Michael Slezak
