THIS IS....OF MARGINAL RELEVANCE:I've never been much for any of the talent shows that have proliferated on television, but
American Idol returns for a 13th season tonight. Do we care about a show that hasn't produced a "Superstar" since Carrie Underwood?
Well, Philip Phillips did have a pretty big hit with "Home," but they will continue to regret Kris Allen's win over Adam Lambert for a long time. That was their last chance to launch a unique superstar, and they blew it.
ReplyDeletePhillips has had two reasonably sized hits with "Home" and "Gone, Gone, Gone," but the average American couldn't pick him out of a lineup. Wiki's list of album sales for Idol alums is interesting--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_Idol_alumni_album_sales--Kellie Pickler is #8, out selling Jennifer Hudson? (That's a little misleading, since it doesn't include sales of the Dreamgirls soundtrack.)
ReplyDeleteI haven't been interested in several years, but given Linda Holmes' column on how the show looks with the new producers and with Harry Connick Jr., I'm interested.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2014/01/15/262489030/idol-takes-a-hugely-unexpected-step-toward-being-much-less-terrible
I'm sure I said this last year, but: No Simon Cowell + No Jacob Clifton = No Paul Tabachneck.
ReplyDeleteI've never understood the "superstar" benchmark. How many other reality shows have produced a superstar? Or a star? I think a show that can list Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson and Chris Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson and Phil Phillips among its alumni is actually doing pretty well. Who remembers who won ANY season on "The Voice?"
ReplyDeleteTrue--though Cassadee Pope has had some substantial Country chart success, she's the only name out of The Voice. The other person who deserves to be part of the conversation for "top talent show alum?" Miranda Lambert, who was 3rd place the first season of Nashville Star.
ReplyDeleteKelly Clarkson was on my TV with a terrible, (Star Wars Christmas Special Bad) Christmas Extravaganza. She must be one hell of a star to have pulled that off. Didn't even sing the standards so far as I could stand to tell.
ReplyDeleteIf you broaden to worldwide, you have to include One Direction and Leona Lewis as part of the conversation.
ReplyDeleteI quit watching Idol a few seasons ago and then tuned back in for the latter part of Phil Phllips' season. Couldn't have paid me to watch it last year. Even without watching it I heard about the fighting between the judges, and I can't stand that stuff. Between losing Simon Cowell and then the time commitment to watch it, I thought I was done with Idol. But... Harry Connick Jr. I was intrigued enough by the addition of him as a judge to tune in on Wednesday night and I was immediately sucked back into the show because of him. Like Simon, he's knowledgeable, honest and witty (minus Simon's occasional mean streak), and at this point I'm really watching as much to hear what he'll say as I am for the actual contestants. Also, I never realized Keith Urban is so cute. Between him and Harry, who even needs the contestants? Kidding... sort of.
ReplyDeleteBTW, whatever happened to David Cook? I really liked him but haven't heard anything about him in awhile, I suppose I should google him...