David & David Go Head to Head - Which One Will Be the Next American Idol

American Idol season seven is down to the final two - predictably, the two Davids are the last men standing. Before saying who I think will ultimately win this year's contest, here's my analysis of how the season has gone for each contestant.

David Cook:

Singing Talent:
David Cook's voice would be perfect for a contemporary rock album. He has a solid "rocker" voice, but has shown several times that he is also capable of using that voice to emote songs from other genres.

Stage Presence:
It's obvious that David Cook is comfortable on stage. He has a way of owning the stage and drawing in the audience.

Physical Appeal:
He's not bad to look at - I think it would be a stretch to call him "hot", but he's got the sensitive, genuine "rock star" vibe, which makes him very attractive.

Record-Selling Potential:
A few weeks ago, a news report showed that David Cook's previously-released album, Analog Heart topped the Amazon.com download charts, beating Mariah Carey's E=MC2 album, released that same week. Given his already demonstrated ability to sell records, I think it's apparent that a CD release by David Cook is in demand and should be quite successful.

Career Longevity:
The phrase "rock & roll will never die" applies here. Due to his ability to be both relevant and diverse, if David Cook wins, his career is sure to be long-lasting and successful.

Intangibles:
Though David Cook leans more toward the "rocker" side of things, he is more well-rounded as an artist than his competitior, which gives him an advantage. Also, having had several years in the music industry, he's had time to hone his craft and get to know his style, which also gives him an edge.

David Archuleta:

Singing Talent:
David Archuleta is a talented balladeer. He can sing just about ballad he wants, and sing it well. There's no doubt he's talented and has what it takes to win - just a few years ago, at the age of 12, he won Star Search.

Stage Presence:
This is a big weak spot for David Archuleta. Though talented, he often comes across as uncomfortable or insecure on stage and during interviews. He doesn't seem to command attention and respect the same way that David Cook does during performances.

Physical Appeal:
He's a cute kid. Maybe once he grows out of the "cute kid" stage, he'll be an attractive adult. We'll have to wait and see in a few years.

Record-Selling Potential:
If David Archuleta's albums are the same genre that he has performed time and time again during this competition, he won't have nearly as much commercial appeal. He's shown that uptempo, modern music is very difficult for him to pull off (based on his somewhat comical, out-of-character performance of Chris Brown's With You ), so it would make sense that he would lean more toward making an album of old-fashioned ballads - which unfortunately would have limited appeal.

Career Longevity:
Though his American Idol fame will initially help him sell albums, he will eventually fall off the charts in the same way some of the lesser-known Idol winners and finalists have. If you stand him up next to Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia, or even third-place finalist Chris Daughtry, all of whom have had tremendous success following American Idol, his chances of being around for awhile are slim by comparison. He has the potential to be successful, but he needs time to mature and find his niche before he'll be truly ready for the limelight.

Intangibles:
Though he hasn't had much time to perfect his talent or find his niche, David Archuleta's youth gives him an advantage in that he can really only go up from here. Once he can break free from the restraints of youth (and an overbearing father), he is sure to come into his own.

Though this is just my speculation, another advantage that Archuleta could have over David Cook is his popularity with the younger audience, which translates to more votes. Many "older" (late twenties and up) American Idol fans likely DVR the show to watch after work, or don't have the time to commit to voting the way that the younger audience does - or maybe don't have the means. Any contestant whose fans are more likely to text message has an advantage, as their fans don't have to wait through busy signals to get a vote through.

Having analyzed both Davids, who do I think will win? Though he would likely be more successful without the American Idol contract (the way Chris Daughtry has been), given his ability to be relevant and diverse, as well as having excellent stage presence, I think the contest will go to David Cook.

Sources:
'Idol' Singer a Ringer? David Cook's Album Already Out (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,351917,00.html)