Sudah 5 besar, biasanya dalam tahapan ini para juri menaikkan standar penilaian mereka dengan tidak menolerir lagi penampilan yang boring, vokal yang enggak bisa dikendalikan, juga hal-hal lain yang mereka sudah kerjakan sedari 13 besar. Dan seharusnya dalam tahap ini juga kita disuguhkan penampilan yang memang meningkat dari masing-masing peserta. Dibantu oleh Jimmy Iovine dan Sheryl Crow, penampilan 5 besar berjalan sedemikian rupa:
James Durbin “Closer to the Edge” by 30 Seconds to Mars
ST: James man, I think you kicked that songs ass. You’re ready for Freddy.
JL: You’ve been showing us that you want it… Grab it take it. It’s yours to take. Now you’re showing us where you could go as an artist.
RJ: JAMES IS IN IT TO WIN IT. HE WANTS IT RYAN HE WANTS IT.
AI: Aku suka enerjinya di atas panggung, tapi aku benci enerjinya mengambil alih James dan kehilangan kontrol pada vokalnya. Yes he moved the crowd, but then the crowd moved his voice. (7/10)
Jacob Lusk – “No Air” by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown
JL: One of the best voices that’s ever been on this stage. It’s going to be important that you pick songs that reflect who you are as an artist.
RJ: I don’t think that’s the direction for you. Most of it was sharp. I don’t see you as Chris Brown or Jordin Sparks. You’re the church kid, I see you as Luther. It doesn’t wear well.
ST: We’re waiting for you to find a niche. I love your voice, but I’m looking for that thing that’s 100% you. Great job tonight.
AI: Lihat bagaimana Jacob bisa menghancurkan hidup kita dengan penampilan ini. Pertama, dia mengambil cara Jordin untuk menyanyikannya dan menganggap bahwa berteriak sepanjang lagu adalah cara Jordin. Kedua, dia tidak faham bahwa timbre suaranya enggak matching untuk semua lagu. Ketiga, aksi panggungnya jauh lebih buruk dari apa yang biasa aku berikan odong-odong awards. Penampilan ini bukan hanya buruk, tapi menjijikkan! (1/10)
Lauren Alaina – “Flat on the Floor” by Carrie Underwood
RJ: That is the direction for you. I love you showing the fun side.
ST: Lauren is in it y’all. As good as it gets. You know where you’re going.
JL: I think you’re it. You ate that up. I saw you. You want it. Do it just like that every time.
AI: That song is not for her, it's just too karaoke for me. I know she can do better than that. Next time pick song which she can totally sing. I'm still thinking she's good, but not that good. Enggak semua lagu bisa diakomodir dengan vokalnya yang cenderung santai. Ini penampilan karoke. Dan kalau kalian dengar versi aslinya, Carrie Underwood, penampilan ini enggak ada apa-apanya. (5/10)
Scotty McCreery – “Gone” by Montgomery Gentry
ST: Up til now you’ve been like a puritan. Tonight I saw you dance with the devil. That was really beautiful.
JL: I lost it there for a second, I was so excited. I liked it! That’s some American Idol stuff right there.
RJ: I felt like we were sitting at a concert Scotty. It don’t matter what age you are. THIS GUY’S IN IT TO WIN IT TOO
AI: It's fun, it's cute, it's refreshing. Aman, enggak boring, sedikit odong-odong. Tapi gpp, dia punya banyak penggemar. (6/10)
Haley Reinhart – “You and I” by Lady Gaga
JL: I love the way you sounded. I’m just not sure it was a cool idea to do an unreleased Lady Gaga track.
RJ: I’m not sure it’s that great of a song. It’s so risky to do a song nobody knows. I don’t know if this whole thing did you any favors.
ST: His usual garbage. OK, so maybe that wasn’t the greatest thing in the world, but she took a risk, and she sang the crap out of it. I just don’t get it.
AI: Juri tetap enggak pernah puas dengan Haley dan itu tetap membuatnya belajar menjadi orang yang tegar. Mental baja sudah ditempahnya sejak memasuki babak 13 besar. Bagiku, lagu ini mirip lagu Gaga yang lain, 'Speechless'. Dan penampilannya kali ini dekat dengan penampilan 'Bennie & The Jets'. So you know how much I enjoy this performance. (8/10)
James Durbin – “Without You” by Harry Nilsson
RJ: This is a mark of a truly great performer. For you to give a vocal like you gave, no the performance wasn’t perfect, but it was emotionally perfect. The competition is yours to lose.
ST: That was just as beautiful as it gets. Your emotions were incredible.
JL: Everyone knows you can sing, You have the heart and soul to back it up. You are a true true artist. It takes a lot to control your emotions and deliver what you just did.
AI: Dia kehilangan kontrol vokalnya saat di lagu yang girang, dan dia juga kehilangan saat di lagu yang slow. Forget the emotion, this performance is a trainwreck. (5/10)
Jacob Lusk – “Love Hurts” by Nazareth
ST: You kinda got lost in the song, but everyone got lost in the song.
JL: I don’t know if they heard that little bobble in the middle at home but you bring out the tricks in the end. It was just amazing. It takes you to another place. Really good.
RJ: You redeemed yourself on this one. That might have been the highest note ever sung on this stage.
AI: Still thinking he can't sing anything. Tapi kenyamanannya di atas panggung tetap harus diacungi jempol. Vokalnya? Mengerikan! (6/10)
Lauren Alaina – “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers
JL: Nothing to judge. It was beautiful.
RJ: This girl can sing like a bird. Very nicely done.
ST: I loved that song. It was perfect. There was nothing to judge.
AI: Penampilan yang ini jauh lebih Lauren dibanding penampilan pertamanya. She seems effortless. Tapi, malapetaka terjadi saat dia memotong-motong lagunya menjadi bagian yang aneh, dan saat menyanyikan lirik "I need your love..." dia kehilangan moment dengan tidak berani mengambil nada tinggi. Sangat disayangkan. (7/10)
Scotty McCreery – “You Were Always On My Mind”
JL: You show us what a well rounded artist you are. So beautiful. Nothing awkward about you up there.
RJ: We call you our youngest veteran. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. You do country music so well. When you do the simplest thing, it gets the loudest reaction. I love it dude.
ST: America loves your voice man. I cannot pick that apart.
AI: Penampilannya BO to the RING. But who cares?! He probably will sell more records than anybody else in this competition. (8/10)
Haley Reinhart – “House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals
RJ: The award tonight for best performance of the night goes to Haley! You’re so good now that was amazing.
ST: Sweet and sour, raspy, that really sells a song.
JL: I don’t know if you came out angry at us…that song has never been sung like that before.
AI: Pendukung Haley mesti bangga melihat idolanya bisa bertahan sejauh ini. Dia melalui tahapan demi tahapan dengan cara yang tersulit. Dialah sasaran empuk para juri yang enggak segan-segan mengatakan hal-hal yang negatif kalau mereka enggak sreg dengan penampilannya. Dia sudah menyanyikan lagu Alicia Keys, LeAnn Rimes, Whitney Houston, hingga Lady Gaga. Dan kali ini dia memperoleh Standing O dari juri. Penampilan terbaik malam ini. (9/10)
Membaca beberapa bahasan mengenai idol malam ini, semua sepakat untuk memprediksi Jacob sebagai kontestan yang akan tersisih minggu ini. Begitu juga dengan minggu lalu, dua minggu lalu, dan tiga minggu lalu. Dan kalau kali ini dia kembali lolos dari jerat eliminasi, mungkin James yang akan tersisih dengan penampilannya yang enggak solid atau mungkin Haley yang penggemarnya enggak banyak. We never know.
RESULT: Jacob Lusk and Lauren Alaina in the bottom 2, Lauren is safe, so Jacob is eliminated.
Perform: J-Lo and Lady Antebellum
Ikutan polling yuk sapa yang bakal jadi juara American Idol 10: