American Idol winner Lee DeWyze, runner up Crystal Bowersox and fellow AI contestants Casey James, Katie Stevens, Michael Lynche, Siobhan Magnus, and Andrew Garcia attended a press conference and a gave a short performance at Herald Square in New York this morning to launch the American Idol – Live Tour 2010. For a complete list of tour dates you can go here.

Lee DeWyze entered Billboard’s digital song chart at number 12 this week with U2′s Beautfiul Day (selling 95,000 copies) and Crystal Bowersox’s version of Patty Griffin’s “Up to the Mountain” ranked number 32 and was downloaded 49,000 times. Those numbers are down from last year’s American Idol winner and runner up Kris Allen and Adam Lambert’s downloads.

In addition to that American Idol ratings overall were down this year from previous years.  Combined with it being Simon Cowell’s last year do you think American Idol is losing its lustre?

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Although I didn’t watch American Idol from the beginning of the show last night, I was super happy that I was watching when Bret Michaels walked out on stage singing Every Rose Has Its Thorn with former American Idol contestant Casey James. And of course he needed no introduction!

I really hope that Bret is not pushing it with his recent health challenges.  He seems to have not slowed down at all. It was a great performance and Bret looked really good.  Usually long haired rocker types that go after skanky looking babes don’t appeal to me, but I just may have to make an exception.

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Photos:  Nikki Nelson/WENN

American Idol’s Casey James,Michael Lynche, Siobhan Magnus, Crystal Bowersox, Aaron Kelly, Lee Dewyze and Ryan Seacrest can be seen making their way through The Grove in Los Angeles for the launch of Shrek Forever After in 3D.

Have you been watching American Idol? Who is your favourite?  Who do you hope wins?

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It just feels like yesterday when auditions were taking place for American Idol and already they are down to their top 12:

• Didi Benami
• Aaron Kelly
• Paige Miles
• Crystal Bowersox
• Andrew Garcia
• Lacey Brown
• Michael Lynche
• Katie Stevens
• Lee Dewyze
• Casey James
• Siobhan Magnus
• Tim Urban

They celebrated last night at the Industry Club in Los Angeles where they were joined by:  Justin Guarini, Hayley McFarland, John Francis Daley, Terri Seymour, Mark Salling, and Cory Monteith.

Who is your favourite of the Top 12? Did someone get voted off that should have been included in this Top 12?

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