News

X Factor Hopefuls Keep Winning With Without You

• 5th Nov 2010

Ever wondered what the key to success is on X Factor? An amazing voice? A good look? Or, in the case of Diva Fever, a couple of skin tight neon t-shirts? Sure, those are pretty important – even the neon t-shirts – but there’s nowt better than having a decent song to help you keep the scathing judges comments at bay. Now, thanks to Muzu – who’ve done a bit of digging and found the most used songs on the live shows.

And, according to our sifting, we can now officially say X Factor hopefuls stand the best chance of winning if they perform Badfinger’s classic Without You. The power ballad – perhaps now best known for Mariah Carey’s 1994 cover, and recorded by as many as 180 artists over the years – has been sung by no fewer than five contestants since the show began, including winners Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke.

Also popular choices are Smile by Nat King Cole, Feeling Good by Cy Grant (Rebecca Ferguson must have got this memo a few weeks ago) and A Million Love Songs by Take That. In fact, Smile has nearly proved as successful as Without You, with no contestant to have sung it ever being eliminated before the semi final stage.

I know – it’s like all your Christmases have come at once. These ten songs – all classics, I think you’ll agree – are available in one handy place. The list features versions of Cy Grant, Aerosmith, Whitney, Dolly Parton, to name but a few.

So, having done this research, don’t blame us if Katie Waissel starts blasting out Without You, in one last throw of the dice to win the public over. Apologies in advance if she does.

The list of the top ten most performed songs on X Factor is as follows:
1. Without You – Badfinger (performed five times)
2. Smile – Nat King Cole (performed five times)
3. Feeling Good – Cy Grant (performed five times)
4. A Million Love Songs – Take That (performed four times)
5. Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon and Garfunkel (performed four times)
6. I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing – Aerosmith (performed four times)
7. I Have Nothing – Whitney Houston (performed four times)
8. I Will Always Love You – Dolly Parton (performed four times)
9. Over the Rainbow – Judy Garland (performed four times)
10. Somebody to Love – Queen (performed four times)