AMERICAS GOT MAGIC

For British readers, thiis article may contain spoilers

In America, Americas got Talent has reached the liveshows and when (According to rumours I have heard) Landon Swank performs in and for America on Tuesday evening (In America), it will get the magic in the liveshows underway, and for the next two months, we hope against all hope that a magic act (We have four magic acts in the liveshows this year (Counting Frank Miles) and more may be on the way in the youtube and wildcard heats) may win this year. But the previous five seasons have seen some impressive standard setters for the art. Who are the best illusionists Americas got Talent has seen so far?

Honourable mentions before we start (i.e excellent magic acts who didn't make the cut): Shimshi (Series 3), Antonio Restivio (Series 5), Dan Sperry (Series 5)

10. The Pendragons (Series 3)

These magic legends rank low on the list, because, whilst their audition was amazing, they vanished without trace and were not seen again in that series. However, their spin on the metamorphosis trick was amazing enough to make the list

9. Eliot Zimet (Series 1)

A dove magician from the Bronx, Eliot impressed viewers far and wide with his exciting audition and stage presence. He made the liveshows, but didn't made much of an impact there. However, he had already secured a place as one of Americas Got Talent's star magicians

8. Jay Mattioli (Series 4)

Mattioli, Like Zimet wowed with a fresh, exciting audition. But like Zimet, he underwhelmed with a conventional performance in the liveshows, (unlike Zimet, he had been brought back as a wildcard after being initially eliminated). But, also like Zimet, his audition was one of the best pieces of magic that year.
I couldn't find a video of his performance, but I can tell you that his  floating microphone trick was legendary

7.Anthony Reed (Series 2)

Unlike Mattioli and Zimet, Anthony Reed didn't make the liveshows. However, unlike those two, his second performance was not as disappointing. Whilst not the best of the many versions of the Aquarian Illusion I have seen on Got Talents around the world, his was impressive enough to give his competitor and former mentor Kevin James a run for his money

6. Drew Thomas (Series 4)

Drew Thomas became the first magician since Series 1 to get beyond the first round of liveshows with an elaborate illusion involving changing female assistants in a box into male ones. Although he flopped in the semi finals with a set of simplistic tricks with an overly sentimental theme, he had cleared the way for magicians to get far in the liveshows

5. David and Dania-Quick Change (Series 1)

David and Dania became infamous on Americas got Talent for repeating almost the same trick every time, and somehow making the final almost entirely because of their feud with judge Piers Morgan. So why are they so high up on this list? Because, first time we saw their routine, it was solid gold. The many videos of their audition on youtube have altogether over 20 million hits, and the duo have performed on Americas got Talent twice more as guests. They may not have been the best magic act on the show, but they are the most famous

4. Murray Sawchuck (Series 5)

Series 5 was an excellent year for magic acts, with all four magicians in the live shows making it past the first round. Probably the most spectacular of these however, was Murray Sawchuck. With an explosion of blond hair and Armani Sunglasses, Murray stood out the most out of any of that years magic acts. So did his magic. In his time on the show, Murray made a car appear, a train vanish, and a lady turn into a tiger. In his semifinal, he duelled with Michael Grasso and came out the loser, but there is no doubt that he left a huge impression on the show

3. Kevin James (Series 2)

Kevin James was magic's sole representative in the liveshows of series 2. However, his first live performance was a disappointment. So why is he so high up on the list? Well, like David and Dania, Kevin James owes his high placing to a pair of wonderful audition performances, with his Vegas performance in particular going viral. Anthony Reed never stood a chance.

2. Nathan Burton (Series 1)

David and Dania got the furthest of all of series 1's magic acts, but the best was undoubtedly Nathan Burton. From his audition to the wildcard show, Burton wowed the judges and viewers with his slick, original illusions, giving viewers a new trick every time, including at the results show. All in all, Burton performed six times that year, including as a guest at the series finale. He appeared in Series 4 but didn't make the live shows. However, by then, he had already earned his own Vegas show and cemented himself as an Americas Got Talent Legend

1. Michael Grasso (Series 5)

There is no doubt about it, Michael Grasso was an inspiration for every magician who watches Americas Got Talent.

Initially eliminated at the Vegas round, Grasso was brought back as a wildcard, and capitalized on this second chance like there was no tomorrow, making the top 10 and only narrowly missing out on the final four. All of the tricks Grasso performed were clever and exciting, from his version of the suspended animation trick in the auditions right down to his transposition trick with swords in the top 10. For the first time ever, Americas got Talent had a magician who could genuinely compete with the best

Congratulations, Michael, you have earned your place on the top of this list.