By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
In the Summer of 2006, NBC aired America’s Got Talent (AGT), a small talent show. Following hundreds of auditions in front of then-judges Piers Morgan, Brandy, and David Hasselhoff, fans chose singer Bianca Ryan to win the show’s inaugural season. Little did everyone know how big of a phenomenon this show has become.
Thousands of acts have auditioned in front of 12 judges and countless audience members. Singers, ventriloquists, magicians, comedians, choirs, dance troupes, and hand balancers have graced the AGT stage. However, as someone who has watched the series since its inception and covered the show since 2012, only 100 acts stood out.
Here are the most outstanding 100 acts:
#100 – Nightbirde* (Music; Season 16 Participant; Simon Cowell’s Golden Buzzer)
#99 – Freckled Sky (Dance; Season 10 Quarterfinalist; Howard Stern’s Golden Buzzer)
#98- The CraigLewis Band* (Music; Season 10 GRAND FINALISTS; Michael Bublé’s Golden Buzzer)
#97 – Deadly Games (Danger; Season 11 Semifinalists)
#96- Bello Nock (Danger; Season 12 Quarterfinalist – WILD CARD)
#95- Samuel J. Comroe (Comedy; Season 13 FOURTH PLACE)
#94- Carmen Carter (Singer; Season 14 Quarterfinalist)
#93 – Archie Williams (Singer; Season 15 TOP 10 FINALIST)
#92 – Brett Loudermilk (Sword Swallower; Season 15 SEMIFINALIST)
#91 – Max Major (Mentalist; Season 15 SEMIFINALIST)
#90 – 1aChord (Vocal trio; Season 16 SEMIFINALIST)
#89 – Resound (Vocal trio; Season 15 Quarterfinalists)
#88 – Neal E. Boyd (Opera singer; Season Three WINNER)*
#87 – Alice Tan Ridley (Singer; Season Five SEMIFINALIST)*
#86- Aaron Crow (Danger Act; Season 13 SEMIFINALIST)
#85 – Richard Goodall (Singer; Season 19 WINNER; Heidi Klum’s Golden Buzzer)
#84 – Greg Morton (Comedian / Impressionist; Season 14 SEMIFINALIST)
#83 – Michael Winslow (Comedian / Impressionist; Season 16 SEMIFINALIST)
#82 – Liv Warfield (Singer; Season 19 Quarterfinalist; Simon Cowell’s Golden Buzzer)
#81 – KriStef Brothers (Acrobat Duo; Season Eight FINALISTS)
#80 – Dustin Tavella (Magician; Season 16 WINNER)
#79 – BAD Salsa (Salsa duo; Season 15 FINALISTS)
#76 – Eric Chien (Magician; Season 14 SEMIFINALIST)
#75 – Christina Wells (Singer; Season 13 SEMIFINALIST)
#74 – Duo Transcend (Trapeze duo; Season 13 FINALISTS)
#73 – Diavolo (Acrobatic group; Season 12 FINALISTS)
#72 – Colin Cloud (Mentalist; Season 12 SEMIFINALIST)
#71 – Joe Castillo (Sand Artist; Season Seven FIFTH PLACE)
#70 – SideSwipe (Martial Arts group; Season 1 Participants (WD due to member injury)+ Season 2 Final Eight)
#69 – Musicality (Vocal group; Season 11 SEMIFINALISTS)
#68 – Bianca Ryan (Singer; Season One WINNER)
#67 – Malevo (Malambo dance group; Season 11 SEMIFINALIST; George Lopez’s Golden Buzzer)
#66 – Gina Brillon (Comedian; Season 16 FINALIST)
#65 – Samantha Johnson (Singer; Season 10 SEMIFINALIST)
#64 – Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. (Singer; Season Six WINNER)
#63 – Siro-A (Dance group; Season 10 SEMIFINALIST; Piers Morgan’s Golden Buzzer)
#62 – Christian Stoinev (Hand Balancer; Season Two Auditionee / Season Nine FINALIST)
#61 – Aidan Bryant (Aerialist; Season 16 RUNNER-UP)
#60 – Collins Key (Magician; Season Eight FIFTH PLACE)
#59 – Andrew De Leon (Singer; Season Seven SEMIFINALIST)
#58 – Olate Dogs (Animal Act; Season Seven WINNERS)
#57 – Miami All-Stars (Dance group; Season Six FINALISTS)
#56 – Melissa Villasenor (Impressionist; Season Six SEMIFINALIST)
#55 – Piff the Magic Dragon (Magician; Season 10 FINALIST; Neil Patrick Harris’s Golden Buzzer)
#54 – Recycled Percussion (Percussion Group; Season Four THIRD PLACE)
#53 – Vivian Smallwood* – Rapping Granny (Rapper; Season One FINALIST)
#52 – NDLOVU Youth Choir (Youth Choir; Season 14 FINALISTS)
#51 – Viktor Kee (Contortionist; Season 11 FINALIST)
#50 – William Close (Instrumentalist; Season Seven THIRD PLACE)
#49 – Linkin’ Bridge (Vocal group; Season 11 FINALISTS)
#48 – Brandon Leake (Spoken Word Artist; Season 15 WINNER; Howie Mandel’s Golden Buzzer)
#47 – Hans (Entertainer; Season 13 Quarterfinalist)
#46 – Sharon Irving (Singer; Season 10 SEMIFINALIST; Mel B’s Golden Buzzer)
#45 – Sofie Dossi (Contortionist; Season 11 FINALIST; Reba McEntire’s Golden Buzzer)
#44 – Tape Face (Mime; Season 11 FINALIST)
#43 – Light Balance (Light Up Dance Crew; Season 12 THIRD PLACE; Tyra Banks’s Golden Buzzer)
#42 – Preacher Lawson (Comedian; Season 12 FINALIST)
#41 – Léa Kyle (Quick Change Artist; Season 16 FIFTH PLACE; Heidi Klum’s Golden Buzzer)
#40 – Avantgardey (Dance group; Season 18 FINALISTS)
#39 – Anna DeGuzman (Magician; Season 18 RUNNER-UP)
#38 – Mzansi Youth Choir (Choir; Season 18 FINALISTS; Audience Golden Buzzer)
#37 – The Messoudi Brothers (Acrobat Trio; Season 14 SEMIFINALISTS)
#36 – Drake Milligan (Singer; Season 17 THIRD PLACE)
#35 – Eli Mattison (Singer; Season Three RUNNER-UP)
#34 – Jimmie Herrod (Singer; Season 16 FINALIST; Sofia Vergara’s Golden Buzzer)
#33 – Nuttin But Stringz (Violin Duo; Season Three THIRD PLACE)
#32 – Prince Poppycock (Singer; Season Five FOURTH PLACE)
#31 – Vicki Barbolak (Comedian; Season 13 FINALIST)
#30 – Mat Franco (Magician; Season Nine WINNER)
#29 – Emily West (Singer; Season Nine RUNNER-UP)
#28 – Emil & Dariel (Cello duo; Season Nine TOP 12)
#25 – Forte Tenors (Opera trio; Season Eight FOURTH PLACE)
#24 – World Taekwondo Demonstration Team (Taekwondo Stunt Team; Season 16 FINALIST; Terry Crews’s Golden Buzzer)
#23 – Branden James (Classical Crossover singer; Season Eight; Top 12 FINALIST)
#22 – Chapel Hart (Country music trio; Season 17; GRAND FINALISTS; Group Golden Buzzer)
#21- Taylor Williamson (Comedian; Season Eight RUNNER-UP)
#20 – Darci Lynne (Singer/Ventriloquist; Season 12 WINNER; Mel B’s Golden Buzzer)
#19– Mayyas (Dance troupe; Season 17 WINNERS; Sofia Vergara’s Golden Buzzer)
#18 – Cristina Rae (Singer; Season 15 THIRD PLACE; Heidi Klum’s Golden Buzzer)
#17 – Kenichi Ebina (Dancer; Season Eight WINNER)
#16 – Team iLuminate (Light Up Dance Crew; Season Six Third Place)
#15 – Grandma Lee (Comedian; Season Four Seventh Place)*
#14 – AcroArmy (Acrobatic group; Season Nine THIRD PLACE)
#13 – Drew Lynch (Comedian; Season 10 Runner-Up; Howie Mandel’s Golden Buzzer)
#12 – Oz Pearlman (Mentalist; Season 10 THIRD PLACE)
#11 – Voices of Service (Vocal quartet; Season 14 FIFTH PLACE)
#10 – Sons of Serendip (Music quartet; Season Nine FOURTH PLACE)
#9 – Fighting Gravity (Blacklight dance group; Season Five THIRD PLACE)
#8 – Ramadhani Brothers (Acrobat duo; Season 18 FIFTH PLACE)
#7 – Kodi Lee (Singer; Season 14 WINNER; Gabrielle Union’s Golden Buzzer)
#6 – Angel City Chorale (Choir; Season 13 Semifinalists; Olivia Munn’s Golden Buzzer)
#5 – The Clairvoyants (Mentalists; Season 11 RUNNER-UPS)
#4 – Barbara Padilla (Singer; Season Four RUNNER-UP)
#3 – V.Unbeatable (Acrobats / Dance; Season 14 THIRD PLACE; Dwayne Wade’s Golden Buzzer)
#2 – Shin Lim (Magic; Season 13 WINNER)
#1- Terry Fator (Ventriloquist/Singer; Season Two WINNER)
Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Sofia Vergara, returning judge Mel B, & Terry Crews’s search for new talent begins May 27 when AGT starts its 20th season on NBC.
Who are some of your favorite AGT acts of all time? Comment below!
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