On American Idol next week, a motley cast of characters will get up close and personal with what is widely hailed as music's greatest songbook.

Idol host Ryan Seacrest and the female semifinalists.

The popular Fox singing contest whittled down its contestants to a dozen finalists Thursday night, and those 12 will be the first in Idol history to be allowed to perform the Beatles' songs. Executive producer Nigel Lythgoe announced the long-rumored deal with the Fab Four late last month on host Ryan Seacrest's Los Angeles radio show, calling it "incredible news" and something that "we've waited for [for] seven seasons now."

Four contestants--two women and two men--were eliminated from the competition Thursday night. They included 18-year-old Kady Malloy, whom judge Simon Cowell called "forgettable" after she sang Queen's "Who Wants To Live Forever," and 18-year-old Danny Noriega, whose elimination after a flamboyant rendition of "Tainted Love" left him in tears.

The 12 finalists are a diverse group, including David Hernandez, who was outed as a male stripper in Phoenix last week, and Amanda Overmyer, whose mug shot stemming from a DUI arrest made the Internet rounds last week.

The finalists also include Syesha Mercado, a 21-year-old actress who's appeared in a commercial for Ford; David Archuleta, a 17-year-old singer who won CBS' Star Search in 2003 at age 12; and Michael Johns, a 29-year-old rocker who moved from Australia to the US in 1998. Two other finalists, Carly Smithson and Kristy Lee Cook, drew attention at the show's outset last month for having pre-Idol record deals. Smithson's debut Ultimate High was released in 2001 by MCA Records.

The top 12 American Idol finalists:


David Archuleta, 17, Murray, Utah

Jason Castro, 20, Rockwall, Texas

David Cook, 25, Blue Springs, Mo.

Kristy Lee Cook, 24, Selma, Ore.

Chikezie Eze, 22, Inglewood, Calif.

David Hernandez, 24, Glendale, Ariz.

Michael Johns, 29, Los Angeles

Ramiele Malubay, 20, Miramar, Fla.

Syesha Mercado, 21, Sarasota, Fla.

Amanda Overmyer, 23, Mulberry, Ind.

Carly Smithson, 24, San Diego

Brooke White, 24, Mesa, Ariz.