Top 13? Seems a bit unlucky to me, but I suppose the more the merrier-especially if fan favorite, Anoop Desai, was the recipient of the judges' generosity. Looking back at an earlier edition of Banter, it's probably a good thing Las Vegas didn't use my odds to determine who would be making it to the Top 13 (formerly the Top 12).

Apparently, I grossly underestimated Anoop (40:1), Jorge Nunez (40:1), and Matt Giraud (25:1); anyone who was in the gambling mood could've made a killing on those three. But now that we've all been officially clued-in to what's going on-Kris Allen and Allison Iraheta showed up in the Top 36 out of thin air, right?-it's time to step back and reassess who the true front-runners are.

Before we get to the real talent, let's take a quick look at the contestants who won't be around for too long in the coming weeks.

- Michael Sarver: OK, OK...everyone likes Michael. I'm sure he's a nice enough guy, but nothing really sets him apart (other than his size, of course); I can't remember any of his performances.

- Jasmine Murray: First of all, how did she even get an invite to the Wild Card show after that abysmal performance a couple weeks ago? That left a terrible taste in my mouth, and it's hard to imagine her doing anything significant.

- Matt Giraud: He was a favorite of mine from the beginning, but like Jasmine, his last two performances didn't register a blip on the Potential Winner radar. Sorry, Matty...you'll be the first to go.

AMERICAN IDOL: TOP 13: BOTTOM ROW L-R: Megan Corkrey, Jasmine Murray, Danny Gokey, Alexis Grace, Kris Allen and Michael Sarver. Middle Row L-R: Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta and Jorge Nunez. Top Row L-R: Matt Giraud, Lil Rounds, Anoop Desai and Scott MacIntyre. CR: Michael Becker / FOX

Now that we're done with the unpleasantries, it's time to single out the three contestants who have what it takes to not only win "Idol" but to be successful outside the show. Keep in mind that it's not all about the actual singing. (Wait, that's not a surprise.)

So here are my official Top 3 picks, listed in reverse order...

3) ADAM LAMBERT

Much to some people's chagrin (including mine), Adam-not Danny Gokey-is the top male contestant at this point. Hey, I'm just trying to keep it real. Adam will appeal to the mass audience of 11-year-old girls and has established an identity that would make him relevant as a solo artist. Think about it for a second. What kind of albums would Gokey release? I'm not sure. For the life of me, I can't come up with a comparison.

Meanwhile, Adam belted out an extremely interesting rendition of The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction." That showed a lot. Namely, that he's capable of putting his own poppy spin on a classic rock song. Adam isn't a rocker, but he's definitely not Justin Timberlake either. Think of him more as the Jonas Brother who got away. Either that, or a male version of Miley Cyrus. Zing!

2) LIL ROUNDS

Anyone who's seen her sing this season won't question this selection. Wait, never mind. People could easily question me for not picking her to win. Lil clearly has all the talent in the world, but my only complaint is that there is already a glut of performers just like her; even the judges said so. It's hard for her to differentiate herself from other strong female crooners such as Mary J. Blige, Beyonce (kinda), and even former "Idol" contestants Jordin Sparks and Jennifer Hudson.

Lil Rounds is this season's best singer, but that's only half the battle. Speaking of which...

1) MEGAN JOY CORKREY

At some point, Megan (or one of her handlers) even realized it would be smart to add something interesting to her name-hence the "Joy" that appeared out of nowhere. And you know what? It works. In fact, "Joy" is what separates her from the two depressing singers she reminds me of: Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen. Despite being mistakenly passed over by fans in the previous round, Megan seems to have a lot of mass appeal; a lot of that probably has to do with her strange dance that she does while singing.

Megan is unique, plain and simple. She's not Kelly Clarkson and she's not Carrie Underwood. She's a pop artist who looks a little edgy but seems wholesome at the same time. There's a reason Megan stood out like a sore thumb during her first audition. She's got "It," and it would be a surprise if she doesn't go all the way.

Story by Phil McRae

Starpulse contributing writer