Remember when American Idol had real star power?

It's been a while.

Having American Idol Rewind airing at the same time as this season has really driven home the point that there has been no natural combination of vocal talent and performance ability on any season that matches one Justin Guarini.

Oh, there's been what Alan Greenspan would call "irrational exuberance" about various folks. None match the "wow" that Justin brought from the first time he stepped on the stage, all the way through a finale where, even as the producers manipulated it against him, he still managed to shine.

This is how you can identify a true star.

Justin Guarini's audition singing Sittin on the Dock of the Bay


Justin's "guide you my way" in Ribbon in the Sky provided the first spontaneous "umph" moment on American Idol, one every singer has been desperate to copy ever since.

Justin Guarini's Top 30 performance of "Ribbon in the Sky."



Off with the pretenders, we want to see the king again.


updated to make the videos work better