Two weeks after the finale of season 8 of American Idol I cannot resist offering up my thoughts on the season one last time. The truth is that Idol plays quite a significant role in today's entertainment industry. It doesn't only touch the music industry or television but also the internet and especially the blogosphere. While the music industry is changing rapidly, Idol has become one of the few opportunities for discovery of talent. Backed by this huge financial machine 19 entertainment can actually do what record companies used to do, invest in little known talent. Some make it and some don't but the losses of the flops are still more than re-gained by the sales of the stars.
Did you notice how many actual stars perform during the results shows? I thought this last year already; apparently Idol is the place to be. Some artists are there because the show can afford them and their presence brings in more viewers. Others are likely very inclined to show up to boost their popularity.
What about the contestants? I was very pleased to see an actual singer on the show this year. A person with talent, skills and actual training. What made Adam even more attractive in my mind (and turned me on to the show to see him perform or what he would do the next time) was his experience as a performer and the knowledge of what he was capable of. He never took on a song that he couldn't do or didn't achieve the effect that he intended to. This is even more impressive than his vocal technique. No other contestant has brought a great performance and arrangement every single week no matter what style in the history of the show. I watched a few of his performances back and get chills over and over again when I hear melodies developing and being executed in perfection. Also, while watching interviews I just noticed what a genuinely nice guy and open book Adam is. There's nothing fake about him that so many people accuse him of. The guy likes to perform. He likes to sing, dress up and stand in the spotlight. He also likes music and doesn't pay any disrespect.
What about the voting? Every year there are complaints about the voting being rigged and something fishy going on. Get over it. Conspiracy theories are everywhere, in politics, sports and entertainment. I am not surprised that the majority of viewers voted for the "conservative" candidate in the finale. I think he won for that reason and that reason only. Was he original? Not really. The toned down, half acoustic style has been exploited for a while now. None of the arrangements were really original. I wish Kris good luck in his future endeavors.
Did Adam get robbed? No. Adam made the best out of his appearance on Idol. The only person getting robbed was Alexis. When she had to leave prior to the TOP 10 it became clear that no one votes on talent. She was singing the TOP 4 under the table (with the exception of Adam) but her image didn't work with the public. This girl has music running in her veins and she has the skills to express it.
Let's see what the producers come up with next year to keep the number of viewers up and the buzz about the show going. I'll bring the popcorn.
Showing posts with label American Idol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American Idol. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Idol thoughts
Watching American Idol is one of my biggest pet peeves. I admit it. If you know me you'd probably wonder why since I am extremely picky with everything I listen to or watch. Growing up in Europe I wasn't exposed to too many live shows on TV with live music, at least not at a decent time of day. After I emigrated I embraced the opportunity to watch live performances (good and bad) on a weekly basis during season 2. Also, I am fascinated with the marketing idea behind the show that is pure genius. If you look at the success of the show over 8 seasons with mostly mediocre entertainment you have to admit that someone had a bright idea leading up to this phenomenon.
What is Idol?
It is a reality TV show dressed up as a singing competition. It is also a marketing campaign to find the public's favorite before they get signed to a record deal. This idea in and of itself is probably the smartest one I've seen in a long time. You ask the public whose record they want to buy and who they want to see performing live on stage. It is so simple yet so powerful an idea, it's like getting a big bonus once the revenue from the actual show dries up.
Is this show trying to find the best singer?
No. I believe that really great singers (if they audition) are generally turned down during pre-auditions by the producer's staff. Unless they can generate a buzz that is, but more on that later. The singers on the show need to be able to carry a tune. They should also have at least some stage presence and be able to perform well. But honestly, there are thousands of singers out there that are better at both disciplines than most contestants.
Monetary considerations:
If a show is successful, the ratings go up and the advertising income grows. By season two or three Idol was established as such a big audience hog that other networks re-scheduled their best and highest rated shows at other non-conflicting times.
I don't know how much the show earns with the voting system. But let's face it, if you can generate more than 30 million phone calls in two hours, there's probably a slice of the cake for you.
Buzz:
The buzz is what makes the show. Contrary to popular belief that this show is a singing competition it is all about controversy and the public's interaction. While I write this I realize that I am feeding right into the shows ratings.
Here is why it works:
If you want a real singing competition and find a fantastic singer, you wouldn't let the public vote. You would use a panel of real industry specialists judge the contestants week after week. The problem is that nobody would watch the show after three seasons. The public needs to have the power to vote for their favorites, and favorites don’t mean the best. By allowing the public to vote as much as they want you generate a ton of phone and text traffic. Why would you want to have a voting mechanism where anyone can vote once for or against each contestant? You would run the risk that the bad and sometimes colorful ones go home early and the buzz dies. What better marketing than millions of people fighting in forums and bulletin boards? Talking about the show day after day, everyone trying to bring their point across to non-believers? You can't get advertising like that for free.
LA, we have a problem?
What's different this year is not the judge's save that is being beat to death every week. It's a small spice compared to the one contestant that slipped by the producers. Or did he?
There is one contestant that could hold his own in a real talent competition. His consistent solid performances are way above everyone else's. And he has not only the talent but the experience and knowledge of his instrument. Yet he is a very colorful character that causes a bigger stir than a tornado in Kansas. Once again, it will be the image reigning supreme over the singing in the end. And the cash cow will be filled to the top when this season is over. Thank you for watching, voting, blogging and breathing Idol.
I have to admit that I was quite surprised this season when a most prominent judge proclaimed on the show that "this show is not artistic". That sums it up nicely.
What is Idol?
It is a reality TV show dressed up as a singing competition. It is also a marketing campaign to find the public's favorite before they get signed to a record deal. This idea in and of itself is probably the smartest one I've seen in a long time. You ask the public whose record they want to buy and who they want to see performing live on stage. It is so simple yet so powerful an idea, it's like getting a big bonus once the revenue from the actual show dries up.
Is this show trying to find the best singer?
No. I believe that really great singers (if they audition) are generally turned down during pre-auditions by the producer's staff. Unless they can generate a buzz that is, but more on that later. The singers on the show need to be able to carry a tune. They should also have at least some stage presence and be able to perform well. But honestly, there are thousands of singers out there that are better at both disciplines than most contestants.
Monetary considerations:
If a show is successful, the ratings go up and the advertising income grows. By season two or three Idol was established as such a big audience hog that other networks re-scheduled their best and highest rated shows at other non-conflicting times.
I don't know how much the show earns with the voting system. But let's face it, if you can generate more than 30 million phone calls in two hours, there's probably a slice of the cake for you.
Buzz:
The buzz is what makes the show. Contrary to popular belief that this show is a singing competition it is all about controversy and the public's interaction. While I write this I realize that I am feeding right into the shows ratings.
Here is why it works:
If you want a real singing competition and find a fantastic singer, you wouldn't let the public vote. You would use a panel of real industry specialists judge the contestants week after week. The problem is that nobody would watch the show after three seasons. The public needs to have the power to vote for their favorites, and favorites don’t mean the best. By allowing the public to vote as much as they want you generate a ton of phone and text traffic. Why would you want to have a voting mechanism where anyone can vote once for or against each contestant? You would run the risk that the bad and sometimes colorful ones go home early and the buzz dies. What better marketing than millions of people fighting in forums and bulletin boards? Talking about the show day after day, everyone trying to bring their point across to non-believers? You can't get advertising like that for free.
LA, we have a problem?
What's different this year is not the judge's save that is being beat to death every week. It's a small spice compared to the one contestant that slipped by the producers. Or did he?
There is one contestant that could hold his own in a real talent competition. His consistent solid performances are way above everyone else's. And he has not only the talent but the experience and knowledge of his instrument. Yet he is a very colorful character that causes a bigger stir than a tornado in Kansas. Once again, it will be the image reigning supreme over the singing in the end. And the cash cow will be filled to the top when this season is over. Thank you for watching, voting, blogging and breathing Idol.
I have to admit that I was quite surprised this season when a most prominent judge proclaimed on the show that "this show is not artistic". That sums it up nicely.
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