Could it be his sparkling hazel eyes or is it the sly grin? Maybe it’s the scruffy look. No matter what it was, the edgy-but-mainstream appeal of this Midwest former bartender has definitely won America to deserve the title of ‘American Idol.’

David Cook broke down in tears after his final performance to beat the other David, 17-year old Archuleta from Murray, Utah. The face-off between the two Davids brought an estimated 31.7 million viewers to the Fox finale of "American Idol," a million more viewers that last year's showdown between Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis, Nielsen Media Research reported Thursday.

While Archuleta always received the most praises from the judges and live studio fans, Cook’s victory was an overwhelming landslide. Host Ryan Seacrest announced that he'd won by a margin of 12 million votes out of the record 97.5 million cast by viewers.

From the outset, both Cook and Archuleta never got a low vote. The ex-bartender kept dishing out soaring vocals while the younger crooner had been declared by judge Simon Cowell to have scored a knocked out performance time and time again.

While it seems that criticism may have made Cook's win a sweet revenge,it can’t be called an upset victory. A number of online outfits had already predicted that he would take home the top prize: a record contract and an SUV.

According to some show analysts, Cook's winning appeal may be found in a rustling in the show's recent ratings: Viewership for teenagers 12-to-17 for "Idol" was down this season, and the median age of an "Idol" viewer, once in the mid-30s, is now up to 42, according to Nielsen Media Research.

 

Since Cook was the first ‘rocker’ to take the title from a steady stream of pop- and R&B-type singers, maybe an older contingent helped push Cook way over the edge. Now that the upper age limit was raised from 24 to 28 in season four, many are wondering if another increase could be on the way soon.

Another reason could be that Cook was so genuinely humble, which is a contrast to Archuleta’s quietness, throughout the competition, even until the very end. Cook even told reporters that it was an honor to share the stage with the teenage singer whom he described to have more talent at  17 "than I know what to do with at 25."

Cook once more broke down on stage. His eyes were filled with tears when he stood back up.

Surprisingly, the biggest viewer erosion in season seven was right in Archuleta's voting bloc. Ratings fell 18 percent among women aged 18-34; and 12 percent among teenagers 12-17. Also apparently in Cook's favor: Viewership has risen among people aged 50 and over, and the median age of an ‘Idol’ viewer, once in the mid-30s, is now up to 42.

According to Cook: “I actually walked into this with no expectations, and I'm walking out of it with no expectations. This show is a springboard, but it's still a crapshoot.”