"Thank God for Chris." Simon Cowell

"I want it to be Chris." Simon, on who should win AI.

"There's no doubt he's a talented performer and I hope he goes far" Ed Kowalczyk, LIVE

"This guy delivered. And he delivered like he’d written the song himself” Jeff Abercrombie, Fuel

"What a voice. He has a real rock sensibility. Fabulous." Roger Taylor, Queen

"Chris D? That boy can f-ing sing!" Rob Thomas

" I think he’s a good singer and he’s probably gonna win the thing." Brad Stewart, Shinedown

"He nailed it and it's not the easiest song to sing. Chris has got one hell of a voice." Brent Smith, Shinedown

"What is wrong with people?!" Ellen DeGeneres after Chris's Elimination.

"Boy, you are amazing." Paula Abdul

"Without a doubt, you are the most talented guy I've ever heard on that show." Rob Thomas

"The best rocker we've ever had." Randy Jackson

"I agree." Simon, in response to somebody saying Chris should have won.

"You were robbed." Ben Stiller

"People love Chris. So I think he’s gonna has no problem having a great career. So yeah, he’ll make it.” Carrie Underwood

"You have a good voice and a great stage presence and could easily become this generation's Bon Jovi." newsday.com

"He is still a class act and has handled this with the polish and seasoning everyone claimed he had all along." nationalledger.com

"He was the best...In Daughtry, America had the opportunity to choose distinctiveness, confidence and cool. Instead, it chose bland and boring. Blech and blech." Washington Post

"Hello, why would they kick him off? Voters, are you crazy?” Jessica Sierra

"That kid's got such a voice. He has so much potential on his own." Rob Thomas

"Chris is polished, and his genre of rock music is more suitable for stardom. He has the looks and the voice and if he has any songwriting ability at all should be able to perform well in the world of rock. It would have been an easy step for Idol to promote him and make him a superstar." nationalledger.com

"Rocker Chris Daughtry is still polished even after his ouster from American Idol. The rock and roll singer was often referred to as the veteran of the group, and he seemed to have the most experience and maturity voice wise and performance wise of any of the finalists." nationalledger.com

“If we had our way, we would bring him back, and then we would say to one of the inalist next week that it was a joke, you’re not in the final." Simon Cowell

"It's a bald-headed thing. We have to stick together." Ed Kowalczyk on voting for Chris.

"It was a blast to perform with him," said the singer, adding that he has a feeling that Daughtry has a depth and a lot to say that didn't come out on the show. Ed Kowalczyk

"...And Chris Daughtry, who on his rocking version of "Wanted Dead or Alive" shows why he should have stopped the Soul Patrol." People Magazine

"For the second time in three weeks, Daughtry closed the show with a performance that made everyone else look like they were singing karaoke. He took "Higher Ground," found the Red Hot Chili Peppers Version, and rocked the stage like he was a bona-fide headliner." MSNBC

"Of course, Chris, in particular, can sing rings around [Keith] Urban. Chris' voice is rich and masculine, and he proved he could step outside his hard-rock comfort zone and take a middling song (Making Memories of Us) and make it affecting. twincities.com

"As good as a band as they are, you're going to be the biggest thing about them. And if that's going to happen, maybe the best thing for you is to be Chris Daughtry." Rob Thomas on the Fuel offer

"You're really, really talented, and the doors are going to open as wide as you want them to be." Rob Thomas

"I know he's gonna do extremely well. He'ss definitely got it going on like that. For those of you who don't know on the show and didn't see, he's a bona fide true rocker...Chris can throw, man, and he's got a little soul flavor and I love that." Randy Jackson
"I really love Chris. He’s always been really fun and easy going." Katharine McPhee

"He's a very good man. He is what you want in a marriage as far as a very direct and loyal guy. Deanna is very lucky to have him." Ace Young

"Daughtry consistently has been the best musical act, week in and week out, since the competition began." MSNBC

"In anticipation, we called up Daughtry — a.k.a. The Man Who Was Robbed of His Rightful Title." Entertainment Weekly

"The real rock star and career-deserving singer from the competition is Chris Daughtry. Daughtry's got a great voice, abundant charisma and a compelling personality." timesunion.com
"Chris is a rock star already and a songwriter with skills...my money is on Daughtry becoming the superstar of American idol's 2006 finalists." nationalledger.com

"At the end of the day, Chris has got incredible chops, almost always chooses a song that showcases them (except for that Creed misstep), and possesses an unassuming charisma that makes everything he does look easy." Entertainment Weekly

"Most likely to succeed: Based on audience feedback, fourth-place finisher Chris Daughtry may be poised for the biggest post-Idol career. It doesn't hurt that the guy is sex on a stick -- parents should probably to cover the wee ones' ears and eyes during his cover of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" -- but he's also the most polished, confident performer of the bunch. His "Wanted Dead or Alive" was a tasty slice of arena rock, and his duet with Elliott Yamin on Nickelback's "Savin' Me" was the night's best (and I'm not even a fan of the original)." Entertainment Weekly