The seventh season of American Idol, the annual reality show and singing competition, began on January 14, 2008, Ryan Seacrest continued to host the show with Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson returning as judges. The season’s winner was David Cook. This grown-up rocker has triumphed over smooth-voiced teen David Archuleta to become the new “American Idol.”

This year’s season finale was moved from the Kodak Theatre to the larger Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. Host Ryan Seacrest said during Wednesday’s show that 12 million votes was the difference between Cook and Archuleta eventhough Archuleta was heaped with praise by the judges the night before, the voters decided otherwise. Cook was overcome by emotion, bending toward the stage after his name was announced. “This is amazing,” he said. “This is all your fault,” he added, addressing the brother who Cook had accompanied to the “Idol” audition that started it all. Cook immediately took the microphone and began to sing “Time of my Life,” which won the annual “Idol songwriting competition.”