One thing Americans seem to do exceptionally well is watch TV... especially when it comes to American Idol. We can't get enough of it. The show has never been more popular than it is in its sixth season. Interestingly, when I talk to people about American Idol, it never ceases to amaze me how they go about selecting their choice for a winner.
Often, people tell me they like a particular participant because the person's backstory is so interesting. Maybe the singer had a tough childhood, or "really seems to want it." One friend told me he liked a particular girl singer because she "had the look." So what? To me, none of that seems relevant to what the contest is really about - finding a phenomenal voice talent. But, hey, relevance is in the eye of the viewer, isn't it?
Producers have the formidable task of keeping the show relevant year after year while honoring their original purpose of discovering great singers. This season they promise a mid-season "surprise." Already, they've gone to unexpected cities, like Seattle and Minneapolis, looking for talent (and largely failed, based on what we've seen so far). They seem to be focusing even more (at least initially) on the remarkably bad candidates. Nothing makes viewers feel more superior than watching some really weird people sing very badly. Now, THAT's entertainment!
So, for better or worse, highlighting the most bizarre singers is one way to keep the show relevant to voyeurs (oops, I mean viewers). By the way, I confess I fall solidly into this category. I think Simon is especially entertaining and I usually agree with his assessment. I have no sympathy for the singers who get ridiculed. It's not like they didn't know what they were risking when they signed up.
Another way American Idol producers are making the show more relevant is finding new ways to involve the viewers. Now, for instance, you can go onto the AI web site and vote on which singer made the biggest impression (usually a negative one),and who made the most interesting fashion statement. There are multiple ways to get involved in the show and get friends in on the action as well. Find out what's happening with past AI candidates. Go behind the scenes to see what it's like to get on the show. Even the ubiquitous Coke cup that we always see in front of the judges is up for redesign by the viewers. What a great way to get people to pay attention to every little detail and stay tuned to see if their design makes the final cut!
And let's not forget the mobile component. Not only can fans vote for their favorite singer, they can download AI ringtones.
What started as an entertaining TV show has, in fact, become a cult of sorts. The show attracts kids and older adults alike and when it gets into the final stages, it becomes the focus of viewing parties, much like the Super Bowl.
Frankly, I believe the biggest challenge now will be to resist extending the brand so much that it becomes overexposed, people OD on it and decide to tune out. This season will be a pivotal one. It's the show to watch, not just because of the water cooler talk it generates, but because of the lessons we can learn as it embraces new ways to remain relevant.
IMHO, American Idol should be teaching us how NOT to get ahead. You don't have any sympathy for the ridiculed contestants? Look at it this way: those people waiting in that room all go through a pre-screening process before they even see the 3 judges (on a side note: please tell me how Paula Abdul and Tubby "Dawg" Jackson remain relevant). That means that the people that are about to get shutdown and humiliated on national TV are first told that they deserve a chance. That's not funny. That's manipulation at its worst. It's practically scripted, and I wouldn't be surprised if some of those horrible performers are paid by Fox just to come on the show and be horrible. Also, where is the real talent amongst any of these people? Can they write a song? Can they play an instrument? Can they even read music? I'll never find out by watching them on AI. All I'll find out is how they need to dress better, sing louder (oh god please let someone sing a song without screaming their head off), and put 20 more notes into one syllable than were there in the original recording of the song. And speaking of the original recordings, who really cares if these people can sing songs from the 60s and 70s? Is that supposed to show versatility? When they get their record contract, is it going to be as a cover artist? They should be singing the style of music that they want to make a career out of. American Idol embodies everything that is wrong with the music industry today... grooming artists to fit into a narrow idea of "popular" music that is only made popular by payola radio. Its relevance is only maintained because of the dumbing down of the arts in America and its ratings are an embarrassment to real musicians everywhere.
Posted by: Ben | January 23, 2007 at 02:18 PM