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David Cook

David Cook's Genre:

Post-Grunge, Pop, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop Idol, Alternative/Indie Rock, Contemporary Pop/Rock

Biography

The winner of the seventh season of Fox's American Idol competition, David Cook is a rock-oriented vocalist with a bent toward a commercial post-grunge sound. Although born in Houston, Texas in 1982, Cook grew up in Blue Springs, Missouri, where he first began singing in various elementary-school concerts. The budding musician then participated in his high-school drama program and appeared in many musical productions. During his junior year of high school, Cook formed the band Axium along with a classmate and performed with the group throughout his college years, even releasing two independently produced albums that garnered some national recognition. Although he attended the University of Central Missouri on a theater scholarship, Cook switched degree programs after two years and studied graphic design instead. After graduating in 2006, he parted ways with Axium and moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to pursue his musical interests. While there, he worked as a bartender and performed with the band the Midwest Kings.

Cook released an independently produced solo album, 2006's Analog Heart, before auditioning for the 2008 season of the Fox vocal competition American Idol. (Not surprisingly, Analog Heart began to sell online during Cook's time on American Idol; it was ultimately pulled from Amazon.com not long after being listed as the website's number one seller.) Initially, Cook came to the Idol auditions to support his younger brother Andrew, who did not make the cut. However, after gaining encouragement from his brother, Cook sang Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" for the show's judging panel and was accepted into the competition's Hollywood round. A guitar player since age 12, Cook took advantage of the show's new rule allowing vocalists to play instruments on-stage, and for many of his subsequent performances accompanied himself on guitar.

Although he did not receive much attention during American Idol's early stages, his third week's performance of Lionel Ritchie's "Hello" drew rave reviews from the judges, who praised him for transforming an R&B song into a post-grunge power ballad. It was a formula that Cook would repeat with much success a few weeks later, when he performed a rock arrangement of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" borrowed directly from a recording by former Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell. Also bringing some extra attention to Cook was the revelation that his older brother was battling cancer. Sensationally, Cook was taken to the hospital during the competition for treatment for high blood pressure and heart palpitations, purportedly caused by stress over his brother's situation. However, he quickly returned to the show and dismissed the event as a minor precaution.

Often referred to as "the Battle of the Davids," the 2008 finale of American Idol pitted Cook against 17-year-old wunderkind David Archuleta, who many critics and fans predicted would beat the elder Cook. However, on May 21, 2008, Cook ultimately received 56 percent of the final vote and was crowned the winner. Two weeks later, 11 songs by Cook entered the Billboard Hot 100, an unprecedented feat that nearly doubled the chart's previous record.

His full-length major-label debut was released six months later, featuring collaborations with artists like Chris Cornell, Collective Soul's Ed Roland, and Our Lady Peace's Raine Maida. The album was certified platinum in early 2009, just as the new season of American Idol was starting up. Cook toured for much of the year and began working on material for his second album, This Loud Morning, after the show wrapped up in December. As before, he called upon a number of co-writers for help, working with everyone from Ryan Tedder (who helped write the lead single, "The Last Goodbye") to Johnny Rzeznik. Recording sessions began in June 2010, with the album hitting stores one year later. ~ Matt Collar

AOL Radio Stations David Cook is Featured on (4)

Soft Hits

Soft Hits on Slacker Radio is the best blend of softer current and classic hits. You’ll hear Kelly Clarkson, Rob Thomas and Gwen Stefani along with Sheryl Crow, Goo Goo Dolls, Mariah Carey, Prince and more.

Love Songs

Love Songs on Slacker Radio has just the right blend of sentimental favorites. Set the mood with artists like Rod Stewart, Celine Dion, Elton John, Mariah Carey, The Beatles, and Stevie Wonder plus classic romantic favorites. Listen and fall in love with Slacker Love Songs.

Soft Rock

Soft Rock on Slacker is a true rock station that showcases the lighter, more contemplative side of the biggest names in rock-n-roll. No sappy love ballads or lame pop songs here...just great soft rock from Coldplay, U2, Bruce Springsteen, John Mayer, Snow Patrol, Dave Matthews Band, Train, and more!

David Cook

This station plays the best music from and music from related artists like Kris Allen, Daughtry, OneRepublic, Lifehouse, Gavin DeGraw, Colbie Caillat, Jason Mraz, Train, Natasha Bedingfield, The Fray and more.

All Stations

David Cook's Selected Discography (10)

This Loud Morning

(P) 2011 19 Recordings Ltd. under exclusive license to RCA Records, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment201112 Songs

David Cook [Bonus Track]

(P) 2008 19 Recordings Limited200813 Songs

This Quiet Night

(P) 2011 19 Recordings Ltd. under exclusive license to RCA Records, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment20125 Songs

Don't You Forget About Me

(P) 2011 19 Recordings Ltd. under exclusive license to RCA Records, a unit of Sony Music EntertainmentCOLLECTION200226 Songs

Fade Into Me

(P) 2011 19 Recordings Ltd. under exclusive license to RCA Records, a unit of Sony Music EntertainmentSINGLE20111 Songs

The Last Goodbye

(P) 2011 19 Recordings Ltd. under exclusive license to RCA Records, a unit of Sony Music EntertainmentSINGLE20111 Songs

Light On

(P) 2008 19 Recordings LimitedSINGLE1 Songs

Time Of My Life

(P) 2008 19 Recordings LimitedSINGLE1 Songs

David Cook

200912 Songs

Analog Heart

200610 Songs

All Albums

Artists Related to David Cook (50)

	Kris Allen	Although not the first contestant to play his own instrument on American Idol, Kris Allen benefitted more than most from the experience, and his coffeehouse singer/songwriter vibe earned him a first place finish in 2009.
	Daughtry	Bo Bice proved that American Idol could have a rocker as a finalist, but Chris Daughtry proved that the show could generate a successful rocker outside the context of the show.
	OneRepublic	Featuring the anthemic songwriting of Ryan Tedder, OneRepublic rose to prominence in 2007, when "Apologize" began its reign as the most popular digital download in American history.
	Lifehouse	Led by singer/songwriter Jason Wade, Lifehouse emerged in the early 2000s with a commercial blend of pop/rock melody and throaty, post-grunge vocals.
	Gavin DeGraw	Years before "I Don't Want to Be" propelled him to pop/rock success, songwriter Gavin DeGraw began honing his piano skills at the age of eight, followed by his participation in several cover bands with his older brother in upstate New York.
	Colbie Caillat	By age 21, vocalist Colbie Caillat had evolved swiftly from an aspiring R&B/folk singer to a pop sensation, a feat that owed as much to the marketing assistance of MySpace as the meteoric popularity of her debut single, "Bubbly.
	Jason Mraz	Jason Mraz hails from Mechanicsville, Virginia, where the singer/songwriter grew up amidst the sounds of the Dave Matthews Band and local roots musicians the Agents of Good Roots.
	Train	Train was inescapable during the turn of the 21st century, when songs like "Calling All Angels" and "Drops of Jupiter" made the San Francisco residents some of America's most popular balladeers.
	Natasha Bedingfield	Originally from New Zealand, Natasha Bedingfield grew up in southeast London, where she and her siblings were raised around music.
	The Fray	By pitching their music somewhere between the arena-friendly style of U2 and the mature pop/rock of bands like Maroon 5 and Counting Crows, the Fray rose to commercial prominence with their 2005 debut, How to Save a Life.
	Rob Thomas	As the lead singer and principal songwriter for Matchbox Twenty, Rob Thomas found success with a blend of '70s rock influences, slick hooks, and 1990s post-grunge crunch.
	The Script	A self-described "Celtic soul" trio, the Script were founded by guitarist Mark Sheehan and vocalist Danny O'Donoghue in 2001.
	Maroon 5	A mix of polished pop/rock and neo-soul made Maroon 5 one of the most popular bands of the 2000s, with songs like "This Love," "She Will Be Loved," and "Makes Me Wonder" all topping the charts worldwide.
	Adele	When the U.K. press began dubbing Adele "the next Amy Winehouse" in late 2007, the hype didn't touch upon the heavy singer/songwriter influence found in the Londoner's music.
	Matchbox Twenty	Upon the release of their debut album, Yourself or Someone Like You, in fall 1996, Matchbox Twenty was pigeonholed as one of the legions of post-grunge guitar bands that roamed the American pop scene in the middle of that decade.
	Kelly Clarkson	The winner of Fox TV's first American Idol competition during the summer of 2002, Kelly Clarkson went from an anonymous talent to a nationally known singer in a matter of months, performing for an audience of millions.
	Adam Lambert	Before becoming a front-runner in the eighth season of American Idol, Adam Lambert made his name in the theater world, where he performed alongside Val Kilmer in the debut production of Ten Commandments: The Musical and landed an understudy role in a touring production of Wicked.
	Plain White T's	Hailing from the suburbs of Chicago, the punk-pop outfit Plain White T's began taking shape in 1997, a full ten years before the acoustic ballad "Hey There Delilah" made them Grammy-nominated stars.
	John Mayer	After making his introduction as a sensitive, acoustic-styled songwriter on 2001's Room for Squares, John Mayer steadily widened his approach over the subsequent years, encompassing everything from blues-rock to adult contemporary in the process.
	Leona Lewis	A striking young woman with a strong vocal resemblance to the young Whitney Houston and a large mop of blonde corkscrew curls, Leona Lewis won the third series of the British reality talent show The X Factor in a landslide.
	Sara Bareilles	A gifted songwriter and a versatile pianist with no formal training, Sara Bareilles burst onto the pop scene with a naturally skilled voice that ranged from powerful and soulful to sweet and gentle, earning her instant comparisons to Fiona Apple and Norah Jones.
	Avril Lavigne	Avril Lavigne first appeared in summer 2002, touting an addictive debut single (the spunky pop/rock gem "Complicated") and a skatepunk image that purposely clashed with the polished glamour of mainstream pop.
	Nelly Furtado	When Nelly Furtado appeared with her neo-hippie, multiculti debut, Whoa, Nelly!, in 2001, a dance-diva makeover seemed like an impossibility, but the singer/songwriter revived and sustained her career with the sexually charged Loose in 2006, in the process consolidating her position as one of the most unpredictable artists of her decade.
	Pink	Although initially viewed as another face in the late-'90s crowd of teen pop acts, Pink (professionally known as P!nk) quickly transcended and outgrew that label with her combination of pop songcraft and powerhouse, rock-influenced vocals.
	Coldplay	After surfacing in 2000 with the breakthrough single "Yellow," Coldplay quickly became one of the biggest bands of the new millennium, honing a mix of introspective Brit-pop and anthemic rock that landed the British quartet a near-permanent residence on record charts worldwide.
	Christina Perri	During the summer of 2010, Christina Perri -- a 23-year-old café waitress who'd been moonlighting as an unsigned songwriter -- went from obscurity to the upper reaches of the Billboard charts in two short weeks.
	Bruno Mars	After working a string of behind-the-scenes jobs -- including writing songs for Brandy, singing backup for the Sugababes, and impersonating Elvis -- songwriter/producer Bruno Mars put his name on top of the charts in 2009 by co-writing Flo Rida's hit song "Right Round.
	Five for Fighting	Five for Fighting is the one-man band of John Ondrasik, who rose to fame in 2001 on the strength of the pop/rock ballad "Superman (It's Not Easy).
	Matt Nathanson	San Francisco-based singer/songwriter Matt Nathanson has built up a loyal fan base through extensive touring.
	Michael Bublé	Michael Bublé's introduction to the music of the swing era came to him through his grandfather, who filled his grandson's ears with the sounds of the Mills Brothers, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and others.
	James Blunt	A former British Army officer, singer/songwriter James Blunt is a thoughtful performer with a knack for crafting melodic contemporary soft rock tunes.
	Katy Perry	A former Christian artist, Katy Perry rebranded herself as a larger-than-life pop star and rose to prominence during the summer of 2008.
	Owl City	Owl City is the musical brainchild of Adam Young, who launched the project in 2007 while living at his parents' home in Owatonna, Minnesota.
	Edwin McCain	A rootsy singer/songwriter with ties to jazz and soul as well, Edwin McCain hails from Charleston, South Carolina, and it was with the support of native sons Hootie & the Blowfish that McCain signed with Atlantic Records.
	Jordin Sparks	Jordin Sparks may have been the youngest American Idol when she won the title on the reality show's sixth season, but the Glendale, AZ, resident had already packed plenty of accomplishments into 17 years.
	Daniel Powter	Daniel Powter, the Canadian who stormed the European charts in 2005 with his single "Bad Day" (from his 2005 self-titled release), was born and raised in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, picking up the violin at the age of four.
	David Archuleta	David Archuleta became one of the most recognizable figures on television in 2008, when his tenor vocals and boyish charm helped earn him a second-place finish on American Idol.
	Michelle Branch	Although she rose to fame during the teen pop era, Michelle Branch -- who was 17 years old when her debut album, The Spirit Room, began its double-platinum run in 2001 -- modeled her own songs after iconic alt-rock females like Lisa Loeb and Melissa Etheridge.
	Neon Trees	Provo, Utah's poppy dance-punk band Neon Trees features vocalist/keyboardist Tyler Glenn, guitarist Chris Allen, bassist Branden Campbell, and drummer/vocalist Elaine Bradley.
	Jewel	As a story, Jewel's origin is impossible to beat: on her way up, the singer/songwriter lived in a van on the West Coast, struggling to find an entrance to a career as a professional musician.
	Christina Aguilera	A leader in the parade of Mickey Mouse Club veterans who stormed pop at the turn of the millennium, Christina Aguilera was the sexy, brassy diva of the bunch -- the Rolling Stones to Britney Spears’ Beatles, as it were.
	Ryan Cabrera	Guitarist, songwriter, and Texas native Ryan Cabrera never planned on a career in music. His hobby turned into a passion after hearing Dave Matthews, causing him to turn his back on the noisy punk rock of his high-school band, Caine, and pick up an acoustic guitar for the newly minted Rubic's Groove.
	Sheryl Crow	Sheryl Crow's fresh, updated spin on classic roots rock made her one of the most popular mainstream rockers of the '90s.
	Alanis Morissette	Alanis Morissette was one of the most unlikely stars of the mid-'90s. A former child actress turned dance-pop diva, Morissette later transformed herself into a confessional alternative singer/songwriter in the vein of Liz Phair and Tori Amos.
	Snow Patrol	After failing to secure an international audience for nearly ten years, Snow Patrol broke into the mainstream with 2003's Final Straw, a mega-selling album that showcased the band's fondness for epic, melancholic rock.
	Howie Day	Like Patty Griffin before him, singer/songwriter Howie Day emerged from the country quietude of Bangor, Maine, and entered both Boston's coffeehouse scene and the world of folk music.
	Natalie Imbruglia	By mixing Lisa Loeb/Alanis Morissette-like singing with music that sounds similar to a more mainstream Portishead at times, Natalie Imbruglia became one of the biggest pop sensations in Europe.
	Vanessa Carlton	Along with Michelle Branch and Nelly Furtado, Vanessa Carlton helped usher in a new era of female songwriters during the early 2000s.
	Gwen Stefani	Before she discovered she could write songs, Gwen Stefani was looking forward to a life of marriage, children, and white picket fences.
	Lady Gaga	Glamorously gaudy, a self-made post-modern diva stitched together from elements of Madonna, David Bowie, and Freddie Mercury, Lady Gaga was the first true millennial superstar.