'American Idol': The 11 Most Shocking Flameouts

They started out strong in the competition, but wonky song choices, fashion missteps, and vocal deficiencies ended these front-runners' 'Idol' aspirations

By Michael Slezak Updated February 20, 2009 at 10:00 PM EST

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Credit: Fox

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Credit: Frank Micelotta/Fox

Anything from the Stevie Wonder songbook
Over the past nine seasons of Idol, close to 40 atrocities have been committed against the music of Stevie Wonder — and we're not even counting the audition rounds. There was A.J. Gil bludgeoning ''My Cherie Amour'' with a vibrato baton in season 1. There was Camile Velasco smothering ''For Once in My Life'' with her nasal whine in season 3. And let us not even speak of the crime perpetrated against ''Knocks Me Off My Feet'' by season 6's Sanjaya Malakar (pictured). In light of the evidence, it's a wonder that Wonder hasn't sought a restraining order.

Click here if you're brave enough to watch the aforementioned Sanjaya performance.