Zakk brought to that stage more talent than all of the people in the history of american idol combined.

99.9% of that crowd has no idea who Zakk Wylde is.

Zakk's like, "I'm gonna show you fuckers what REAL music sounds like." And then commences to shredding

Zakk Wylde guest appears on a time constrained singing competition and rips an extended guitar solo. Yes!!

I like how steven tyler is like "zakk great performance, AS USUAL". He knows zakk always delivers

I love Zakk's playing because he shreds, but it actually goes somewhere. Most people shred just to shred, but Zakk gives you so much melody and memorable riffs!

Zakk is literally carrying the whole show

I’m still pissed James didn’t win this season. Say what you want but he’s a great musician in my opinion. He’s trying his best to bring 80s-style metal back and I really appreciate that.

lulz the best thing was Zakk's interview after this, something like "I'M SOMEONE NOW! people greet me at the street now, my wife and kids talk to me and my dogs don't bite me anymore! it's amazing, 20 something years with Ozzy, 14 with Black Label...then 3 minutes on American Idol and now people like me and know who I am!" ...amazing how people don't go see or hear music that isn't spoon fed to them by the media =_=

Shout out to James Durbin for rocking out one of my favorite Sammy Hagar tunes heavy-metal. Zach Wylde killed it! 🤟🏻🤟🏻🤟🏻👏

Like it or not, Zakk IS a guitar god!!

Zakk Wylde has some of the sickest pinch harmonics I've ever heard. shit! that's talent

Zakk is a God. He is to good for this.

I just love Zakk Wylde. Man, that is just some talent show, he could do some simple stuff, do the background... But hey, it's Zakk Wylde! He took it very seriously! Awesome, great job Zakk \m/

It's amazing how a big,leather bound,no bullshit,biker guitarist can be so freaking awesome in glam rock.He owned this one,like he always does...

''i can see you on stage with avenged sevenfold'' no man, no

This guy was on stage performing with a guitar legend to another rock legend. I mean this had to be huge for him regardless of the American Idol.

Could zakk be any quieter, someone shoot the sound man

This got to be the best American Idol performance ever.

I love James for actually bringing some metal to this pop/country dominated show

Watch Wylde's right hand pushing away James' at 0:20 XD "Don't touch the f@cking guitar!"

The hand hit at 0:20 was Zakk's subtle hint; "get the fuck away from me." haha

You all understand this is the BEST PERFORMANCE EVER on this show right? Not an opinion, a fact! 🤘🤘

I wouldn't get that close to Zakk when he's shreddin'. You might lose a limb.

I have tourette's syndrome and it is tough to just make it day to day with this condition.....I am super proud of James Durbin and what he has accomplished!!!! Keep rockin' James..... God bless you!!!!! Phil Baker

Zakk owned them all:D Glorious!

Love it. Zakk just kicks ass, and James is a star too.

The only person that's ever been good on American Idol. How did he not win?

I could listen to them giving Zakk props all day.. Makes me feel all warm inside

Steven Tyler is like : "HOLY CRAP !!! all these years i thought Joe Perry was a good guitar player but what the hell was that !!! that solo was beyond AWESOME !"

Zakk is such a good dude he's genuine. He wants people to make it.... He fuckin shredded idol up into little pieces. GI/FD!! \m/

The sound was amazing!! Jesus Christ!!! Very good drumming too!!

"Pure Heavy Metal"

I love this performance, James is amazing as always. It's crazy what he can do with his voice. Most people can't carry a damn tune and are tone deaf. Most wouldn't know good music, even if it punched them in their pee brains. James on the other hand, has such power in his voice. Great song choices in every performance. The high notes he can hit are truly amazing and unbelievable. I watched this season in full and it was so messed up. He should have won. People complain about stupid shit and act hypocritical. When they should just appreciate this music still being on TV. Introducing a younger generation to GOOD MUSIC!! No auto-tune, no fakeness and actual talent. If we supported this more, we would hear more of this music today. We could weed out all the fakeness and start a rock revolution. Oh.. It was cool seeing Zakk there too.

I had the privilege of meeting Zakk on the no more tears tour with OZZY. Great guy.

zakk's presence is too great for this.

Easy paycheck for Zakk, but I bet he hated acting like a pack of mild Taco Bell sauce rather than his usual Diablo sauce-like stage presence.

The greatest guitarist ever!

All these years later, and Durbin is still one of my favorite contestants. He was an inspiration to kids with disabilities everywhere. It still blows my mind, the tremendous healing powers of music.

oh....my....god. What an amazing voice. James, you're the best

That was definitely a Zakk Wylde's talent demonstration:)

Love that he picked a Sammy Hagar song Sammy Hagar has a very high range If he picked Van Halen’s dreams Then he would have won it

Holy Shit, Idol just got interesting! This shows what power metal and rock music has, it is THE best live music there is. America needs to remeber that.

That felt really really real I really loved that.

Zakk fucking Wylde

I dont think anyone in the crowd has heard of Zack Wylde.

i remember seeing this and my jaw dropping to the ground

i just kept watching wylde soloing about one hundred times

"zakk great man.... as usually" steven tyler.

Without Zakk, James' performance would not be "Heavy Metal"

now this is REAL music....!!!..\m/ rock on Wylde bro..

crazyyyyy!!!!!!!awesomee shredd n vocal!!james,you two are the best combination!!!

Just look at 1.04.. Steven Tyler doesn't even pay attention to Durbin, he just stares at real metal God Zakk :)

JENNIFER LOPEZ: "Not sure what kind of music this is, because it's so out of my element.... but why am I so moist right now??"

Zakk solo makes me chill each time I hear it. Better than ASMR! 😄

the coolest moment in American Idol. SICK!

I so wanted to hear Tyler and Wylde do dream on though!

James Durbin is the kind of guy that would turn into a nobody and do soft covers of metal songs for Karaoke CDs. I love that he's got love for metal, but he just sounds out of his element.

Zakks awesome as always 🎉

again amazing for American Idol, such a huge fan of Zak Wylde

I almost died laughing when she said "pure heavy metal"

I get that the default equalization for this show is for pop music, but come on, even the must uneducated sound engineer can tell that Zakk was WAY too quiet. They needed to hire better people back then.

This people have no idea what they just witnessed. SDMF All Mighty Father Zakk.

james is great

Haha, that shining bimbo from jury makes me laugh as always when someone claims to know something about heavy metal but in fact listens to pop shit. Anyway, this James Durbin's got some balls and great voice. And him - the one and only - Zakk Wylde! This guy's great, another amazing performance on his account. Too bad he hasn't played with the rest of Black Label Society on stage here. BTW: Is that Johnny Kelly on 2:07?

Randy listens to A7X. Hory Shet

james is a badass and performing with zakk made him an american idol god like if you agree

LMAO How did I miss this? Zakk Wylde on American Idol? Priceless

97 people wouldn't know good music if it bit em in the ass.

I love Zakk, but this is almost as bad as Slash doing the Super Bowl with Black-Eyed Peas. The only person that has ANY business being in that room with Zakk is Steven Tyler.

Oh my god, I can only imagine what doing that up there must feel like... That was just ridiculously awesome

This young man has a future ❤️❤️

I don't think that this was a good song choice..A Pantera or BLS song would be epic if he could pull it off.

Zakk is way too good to be playing with this dork

i would have dweff watched this if i knew that one of my favorite guitarist was playing!!! Zakk wylde is one of my main inspirations to play guitar!!!!

Congratulations America! Great sound and great singer! Hugs from Portugal.

only good thing about this is zakk

Zakk is the same, doesn't matter, he's a god. But seriously, this guy performance is one of the most "wannabe metal" things I've ever saw, he's just trying too hard, very very very plastic, not metal.

James Durbin ROCKS!

I like how Steve Tyler sits there and looks like, "psssh, boy..let me show you how it's done" and I think an "American Idol" audience wasn't prepared to have their faces melted with Zakk Wyldes guitar playing! Think about that scene in Back to the Future with Marty at the dance. "I guess you guys arn't ready for this yet" : D

That was badass!

James Durbin has a multi-album deal with the Italian record company Frontiers and is about to release a new heavy metal album in 2024. Ironically, the same record label the co-writer of this song, Jim Peterik, is on as a member of the group Pride of Lions. Bo Bice, who sang Peterik's song "Vehicle" on Idol, has co-written with Peterik on the Ides of March song "Love or Something Like It" from their Play On album (Bo also sings co-lead vocals with Peterik on the song). Another American Idol alum, Leslie Hunt, has a new song coming out in January 2024 on Peterik's upcoming World Stage album. She previously sang some songs on his Tigress World Stage album including the wonderful song, "Brave is Beautiful".

bout time they had someone awesome on there!

Just one word! HELL YEAH! Damn what a vocal range :D I was stund. AMAZING :D espacialy when whent into that Scream, Damn!

I like James Durbin, its about time someone tried to bring back metal.

i just got the zakk wylde sig wah pedal....every guitar player needs one. jd kills it

i came here for zakk!!! that guy singing next to him needs the legendary zakk to win this...

James rocksss,,,,,,,,

This guy definitely is a rockstar !

BRING ROCK AND HEAVY METAL BACK!!!

@wyldeyouth I can relate. I do feel alot of the style people loved is going to rock back to the world because now the musicians are listening to the people and are going to give us what we want to hear !

i dont care about the singer, i just like watching zakk wylde!!

@winrar he could be on the moon for all I care, Zakk Wylde doesn't even compromise his playing even if he is on American Idol. The more exposure the better, he is an AMAZING artist.

GOD BLESS JAMES DURBIN AND ZAKK WYLDE.

The very best moment of Idol!! Call me Heavy Metal!!!!! \m/

one of the few bright spots on this wretched show.

imma vote now

hell yeah!! BRING METAL BACK!!!!!!!

love it love it

i voted for him just cuz zakk was there and this is my fav song