These are their thoughs on who are the four frontrunners:

Our 24 Party People
We size up the ''American Idol'' semifinalists: Some front-runners and some also-rans are already starting to emerge

By Michael Slezak

Twenty-four is an awfully lucky number for the folks at Fox. Think about it: Not only is it the title of the network's hit Monday drama, but it's also the magic number that begins the second (and most compelling) half of American Idol's season. (I'd better get some credit if the name of Fox's next big hit is something like 24 Main Street or Fourth and Twenty. Just saying.)

Still, while tonight's Idol episode revealed this season's final 24 contestants — the folks we'll (finally!) be able to vote for starting next week — let's be honest: Not all of 'em are beginning the race toward potential superstardom from the same starting point. Based on the brief glimpses of the two dozen singers who still have a chance at inheriting Taylor Hicks' crown (and maybe even Chris Daughtry's record sales figures), here's where they're currently positioned in the season 6 pack.

The Front-running Four I sure hope all of you are enjoying what you've seen so far from Chris Sligh, Sanjaya Malakar, Melinda Doolittle, and Lakisha Jones, because I've got a feeling they're going to be regular guests in our living rooms for the next six to eight weeks, minimum. Yeah, okay, so Simon told Chris he wasn't one of the contest's best singers, but get real! The cranky Brit is trying to create compelling TV here. He's not going to just give the curly-haired dude a free ticket to the final five! To my ears, Chris' Hollywood rendition of ''Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?'' was the night's best performance clip; unlike so many of his rivals, who attack musical notes as if they were hunters going after Bambi's mom, Chris knows the power of holding back. And how could you not love the way he began his sitdown with the judges by asking, ''You guys want to know why I called this meeting?''

Of course, if Chris is the wittiest guy in the room, then Sanjaya appears to be the sweetest, and if he keeps flashing that million-dollar smile, he's going to have the all-important Mom Bloc of voters sewn up long before the theme weeks and guest coaches ever arrive on the scene. What's more, his ''Some Kind of Wonderful'' actually lived up to its name.

Diva aficionados, on the other hand, may need to install second phone lines in their homes, as Melinda and Lakisha appear to have plus-size personalities to match their gloriously big voices. There's something disarming about watching Melinda's confidence bloom — not even Simon could hold back a genuine smile, or a little kiss on Melinda's cheek, after he declared, ''Unanimous — you are no longer a backup singer.'' Lakisha also won over the judges by keeping it humble, especially with the way she calmly told them she'd have ''no regrets'' about returning to her bank job if they didn't let her advance to the semifinals. How is it that a woman with Lakisha's talent seems almost hesitant to let herself dream she could win this thing? The way she kicked and growled on the ''back'' during ''Until You Come Back to Me'' has me believing! Of course, if one of the four aforementioned singers doesn't go all the way, then you've still got...

Check out the full story for their thoughs on the others. Is anyone else not impressed with the beatboxing guy's singing skills? That group version of How Deep Is Your Love with the "repeating fade" was pure cornball.

I haven't watched American Idol this season
Since Taylor won I lost interest. I'm like
American Idol

theodore said:

I know what you mean..I actually tuned in last night for the first time...I gotta say..it's a mixed bag again but that Melinda Doolittle stands out for sure...she's my early favorite.

peace

VANITYSprisonBYTCH said:

She's a great vocalist

http://vids.myspace.com/i...1805994701

RipHer2Shreds said:

But she's not going 2 win
Some1 like Katharine McPhee or Taylor Hicks or Carrie Underwood is going 2 win

theodore said:

I made no predictions on her winning. She's my favorite which means she'll likely be one of the first to go.

RipHer2Shreds said:

Anyways, I'm tired of American Idol.
It's a complete joke.

Melinda Doolittle is definitely the best female, but I believe Phil Stacey to be a much more compelling vocalist than any of the others.

I know Phil and they have only shown a very small tip of the iceberg there.