Landon

I used to love them when I was younger but now they've just gone completely over the top- every contestant has some sob story that they tell us while "You Raise Me Up" plays in the background. Also they seem to sing a lot of the same songs as well. But I don't blame the people who enter them, its a way to become famous (albeit for a few weeks).

mr dave

exactly. only in this case I most definitely blame the people who enter them. what would a few weeks of 'fame' really get you? what would a few years of 'fame' really get you more?

it's easy to look at the exceptions to the exceptions and think you'd be set for life. the reality is somewhat harsher though, and until we as a society stop worshiping celebrity as some sort of modern divinity people are still going to keep trying to fool themselves into thinking that being famous will tie up all the lose end to their fairy tale and they'll get to live happily ever after.

it is entirely their fault they for being so stupid / full of themselves so as to think they won't be getting taken advantage of for commercial gain. it's the contestants, THEY are the ones begging and screaming to be creatively raped for ratings. how are they not to blame?

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i am the universe

boo boo

I have so many issues with American Idol.

Dave's points here are pretty solid. But I don't put all the blame on the contestants. I hate how people think that if you can sing very well on a technical level that's key to being a successful artist. Most of these singers have nothing unique about them and they can't write songs or find people who can. Yeah they can sing other people's songs but why should you expect them to be successful at singing original material?

I admit that American Idol can be entertaining to watch as a competitive sport but that's really all it is. Nothing artistically credible about it at all.

Think about some of the greatest musicians of all time. And how they would fair at American Idol. John Lennon would be one of those people who never pass the try outs and would get slammed by Simon and everyone would think it's a riot. The judges shun uniqueness, they want singers who meet a very strict and specific criteria, if you pay attention you realise they emphasize great importance on image also. American Idol is a glimpse at how pop gunk is actually manufactured.

But hell it's not like you even have to be able to sing to make it in pop and r&b music anymore. With autotune, record companies don't even have to worry anymore if you don't have a safe and marketable voice they can just alter it.

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It's only knock n' knowall, but I like it

http://www.last.fm/user/kingboobs

Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra

Honestly, I wouldn't doubt if pop hits in the future were done entirely with machines: Auto-tune + Text to Speech + Drum Machine. We've knocked singers and percussion out... Once they find a way to automate the producers we'll be in luck.

Hire super models of both the female/male variety to sing it to dancing which consists of fully clad simulated sex. A few lesbian kisses here and there. Plus, they'll do it to save the whales, so they'll be good for a socially conscious youth.

Problem is, since the days of Elvis, there has always been a thread of style over substance. It gets worse over time, though. Because, people who are only casual fans of music can become big fans of American Idol, and spend their hard earned dollars keeping it in focus. Which means limited air time and attention to much less profitable acts. Which, of course, will be the ones who have been focusing on creating music rather than chumming up with bureaucrats, and adapting their sound to their liking.

I honestly think shows like American Idol , even if it's tribute to a human skill, with it's showbiz over music approach, when they realize that people are just watching for the show, and not the music, will bring us closer to a day and age where pop music, and pornography are one in the same. The music will just be a sexy beat to accent.

veraIT

if the talent show was seen as a show where there are young people who have fun and make fun and excitement there would be no problems. I think these talent shows are veramenti many, if they invent all kinds and in America there are three times here in Italy. however, to "friends" there is also the category of singers ... where young people write their own songs and those are published, although I think this category is more dangerous than others, because just come in with a professor school to be crowned the next Avalon situation. is entirely in the hands of the public, only I can decide if platinum is what I know selling or silver foil. the problem, in my part, that some singers are praised to the exasperation and others, perhaps most talented of the former but with a different character totalemnte are "mistreated". Italy in the works: a singer not like a journalist then you always speak ill of him even though there are migiaia people who buy CDs and go to his concerts. there seems no freedom of thought. if prsona has a face "nasty" then it will be seen more as a singer but as "one who came from the talent" and from there other biases, prejudices but do not touch my favorites of those who govern all ... but then not is a contradiction?