Beyond J.Lo: Our Top 'American Idol' Judge Picks

By Michael Lopez

She’s in? She’s out? Whatever is going on behind the scenes at “American Idol,” it’s stirring up tons of buzz. That’s definitely a good thing; even if J.Lo and Steven Tyler (the rumored-yet not confirmed new judges) don’t commit, just getting their names out there as contenders is great “A.I.” publicity.

Yesterday (August 2), the Hollywood Reporter confirmed that “no deals have been signed” and Ms. Jenny From The Block's reps are keeping their mouths shut too.

So let’s go to a worst-case-scenario here: What if Jennifer doesn’t do it? We still need to fill that Latin “A.I.” void, right?

That’s why Blogamole’s chiming in, with a few judge options we think would be perfect!

Marc Anthony
Whether or not they get J.Lo, Marc Anthony would be a great back up. If she does sign on however, how awesome would it be to see this music power couple interact? The cuddly exchanges, the bickering over talent, hey we’ve all been there. It could even work as a separate reality show entirely.

Gloria Estefan
We all remember how heavily Gloria’s music was featured on “A.I.’s” Latin episode. She’s been in the business for over 25 years and definitely knows a thing or two about musical talent. Perhaps if J.Lo and Marc Anthony don’t make the cut, she could bring along her counterpart spouse, Latin uber-producer Emilio!

Jon Secada
Another vintage Latin artist. We all remember Jon for his ‘90s crooning, but believe it or not he’s got an awesome ear for vocal chops. For the past five years, he’s been a judge on “Latin American Idol” and wouldn’t need any learning curve to sit comfortably in Simon’s seat.

David Archuleta
Yes, we know he’s in the middle of a red-hot solo career, but David’s also one of the show’s most beloved contestants. How awesome would it be to see him channel the skills he learned from Simon and company into a new crop of eager contenders?

Thalia
No lie, we think Thalia's super cute and does great with appearances on live television. She’s funny, bubbly, and another hugely popular singer with over 20 million albums sold worldwide. Plus she’s married to music honcho Tommy Mottola, who knows a thing or two about discovering talent, himself!

Who do you think will make the next great “American Idol” judge? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags American Idol, David Archuleta, Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez, Reality, Television, Thalía