Show Stoppin-Danity Kane Hit me Up - Gia Farrel Caught Up-Usher Move- Jennifer Hudson Me and my Gang- Rascal Flatts Better Life-Keith Urban Tell me Somethin Good-Christina Augilera Aint no other man-Christina Augilera My Love-Justin Timberlake She's like the Wind-Patrick Swayze Get Up-Ciara Run It-Chris Brown Walk Away-Kelly Clarkson Listen-Beyonce She thinks my Tractors Sexy-Kenny Chesney Bless the Broken Road-Rascal Flatts I need to Know-Marc Antony Let's get Loud-Jo Lo Candyman-Christina Augilera You want to make a Memory-Bon Jovi Walk this Way-Aerosmith Crazy in Love-Beyonce
I believe the parts that were sung by the 4 lead singers were live vocals (some shows even had certain high and low parts recorded for the singer that wasn't able to reach a note) and the background vocals were pre-recorded. I've seen this done in other shows and production as well.
What's the length of each song? There's some obscure rule like if you use only a certain number of measures or a certain amount of time of the song then you don't have to ask for rights. That's how American Idol does the majority of their songs.
That is not true, there is no such "30 second rule" or other things I've heard it called. You must have the rights from generally one of the big 3 music companies, BMI, ASCAP, and I forget the other. Most artists don't even own the rights to their own songs.
The only time you are not required to pay copyright for something like that is when your song is a parody.
American Idol, just like Great America, pays royalties on all of the copyrighted material they use, including shows and in park music. Generally it is in the form of a blanket agreement that covers everything from the 3 major companies.