THE pop star scrapheap is littered with reality TV runners-up – and sometimes winners – but Adam Lambert, a former American Idol contestant who finished in second place in last year's competition, is a different breed of talent show alumnus one who has featured on the cover of Rolling Stone (under the headline "Wild Idol"), who was allegedly considered for the imposing job of fronting Queen, and who was able to call on the songwriting services of Lady Gaga and Muse's Matt Bellamy, among others, when amassing material for his debut album.