Idols roots are lost - and Season 19 is just more proof

[Cranberrys]

Idol became a success with a simple & pure 3 step formula: 

1. Make the show about the singers talent. 

2. Analyze the talent with Judges critiques.

3. Give the public the final vote to choose it's winners.  

 

The Voice came along with a different formula that focuses on the coaches chemistry and beat Idol in the ratings.  And Idol lost it's soul chasing The Voice formula.  Nothing has changed with American Idol Season 19.  It's still on a foreign path far from it's successful original formula.  It's still chasing The Voice - and the chemistry between the Idol Judges still smells like a WWE wrestling match.

Edited February 22, 2021 by Cranberrys

[KelseyW]

22 minutes ago, Cranberrys said:

Idol became a success with a simple & pure 3 step formula: 

1. Make the show about the singers talent. 

2. Analyze the talent with Judges critiques.

3. Give the public the final vote to choose it's winners.  

 

The Voice came along with a different formula that focuses on the coaches chemistry and beat Idol in the ratings.  And Idol lost it's soul chasing The Voice formula.  Nothing has changed with American Idol Season 19.  It's still on a foreign path far from it's successful original formula.  It's still chasing The Voice - and the chemistry between the Judges still smells like a WWE wrestling match.

UMM. K.

I disagree. 

1. WHEN HAS IDOL EVER BEEN ABOUT TALENTED SINGERS WINNING.
2. The same "judges" critiqued like they were half asleep, and/or in the later seasons (Ellen/Mariah/Nicki) didn't have anything to offer other than "You do you boo."
3. The public still determines the winner... That has never once changed. Only voting methods have changed over the years.

We are two episodes in to season 19 and The Vomit (I'm sorry The Voice.) is being thrown around the AI forum section. Smells like someone STILL doesn't like the ABC American Idol formula... Which is different than it's FOX predecessor. IMO

 

If Idol is "chasing The Voice" then where are those talented singers the Voice finds? How are those winners and runner ups doing? Does anyone still have their original record deal or are they indie?

Look. We've had 3 great Idol winners on ABC so far.

 

Hollywood Records is a sh!t label, but the judges on ABC Idol are great, and actually care about these kids after the show. IMO

 

End of rant.

 

 

Edited February 22, 2021 by KelseyW

[KelseyW]

AH. Now take it easy there partner. You don't know how much Idol this full of sh!t person has watched...

I.E. Seasons 6-18.

 

I have never once watched The Voice so I'm sorry for putting it down. You know I'm a fan of Idol when I only can spat the bad news from the Voice camp... lol  

 

Now we can agree to disagree. I mean. I think the Idol judges are supportive on and off the show, but Gabby, Maddie, Catie, and so on aren't exactly touring with Katy Perry and the others anytime soon.

 

The only season that got screwed so far is season 18 and they still carried on despite the pandemic so...

Seems this thread is pointless though if we're going to result to name calling... 

 

[Carrie_On]

This version of Idol is more about the touching backstories than Fox’s version was , but let’s not act like only the best of the best talent was put through in those seasons either. Kellie Pickler had a sob story. Danny Gokey had a sob story. Plenty of questionable people made the voting rounds over way better singers. Look at S9 for the prime example. At the end of the day, the show is still a way for talent to get noticed and the public still decides who wins. The show honestly was never the same once Simon left and I much prefer the way ABC has chosen to handle the show, rather than casting another mean judge to “tell it like it is.” The Four tried that and it bombed. 

[jazzontherocks]

The JLo/Keith Urban/Harry Connick Jr. era was also quite a positive one, and they were encouraging like the ABC judges. I agree that it's still a talent show at the end of the day mixed with personality as well. It is still a TV show, and the producers want to make it interesting for viewers so sob stories are part of the package (based on what I know as a Music and Media/TV major and what my relatives working in TV say). The show runners usually have a list of quotas every year - they're looking for specific types of contestants (like for example if this year they want two country singers, two within the soul/R&B genre and one representing reggae, they'd look for those and narrow the list down when it gets closer to the Top 24). XD

Edited February 22, 2021 by jazzontherocks

[m1key]

Ive never really seen the appeal in The Voice after Season 15/16 when they started changing their format and made their seasons faster and rushed. I think the coaches have great chemsitry on that show, but the finals are always made up of the same type of acts: power house black female singer, "shocking" teen pop vocalist, and a "hillbilly" country singer or two. It just gets really predictable and not exciting to me. The coaches also offer little to NO constructive criticism and just preach every contestant to the sky, while the Idol judges arent afraid to say what  they dislike about someones audition. 

Edited February 22, 2021 by m1key

[AngelaKD]

I would say that ABC is definitely pushing wacky judge antics in a way that feels forced, rather than simply letting the judges have chemistry (or not). There is also much more emphasis on the artists’ “journey” rather than their musical appeal. While there were always sob stories, it definitely feels like having one has become almost a necessity to get air time. 
 

The singers that just came in and sang (Nia, Amanda) feel like afterthoughts. And some of them last night certainly felt like they got passed through solely because of their stories (Calvin!).

 

But they are making a tv show and they need ratings to stay on the air. When it comes down to the actual voting rounds, I feel that the ABC show is less manipulative about getting the audience to vote a certain way. Frankly, that’s because less is at stake. An Idol winner who bombs isn’t going to get any press, unlike say, back in 2005.

[blackfield]

I agree with the OP. idol lost its spark or soul or whatever you want to call it when Paula and then Simon left and they started bringing celebrity judges. season 9/10 was the beginning of the end and the attention shifted from the contestants to the judges. the talent was still there but the labels weren't invested in them like before. HR is the worst of them. what's the point winning ABC idol if there won't even try to get you an album and promote it!? 

 

P.S. does anyone knows what happened to Sam? was she even signed or did they let her go without nothing? 

 

P.S. 2 will they invite season 18 contestants to perform on the show this year? many of them have new singles out or working on new music.. 

 

[holinessss]

you do realize contestants have been auditioning with more originals than ever? or does that not fall into your "focusing on singer's talent" criteria...

[thenghreport]

 

Huh? American Idol ABC, through only three seasons, has had more success with one of their runner-ups (Gabby Barrett) than The Voice has had with their winners in like 8 years. 

[thenghreport]

Full disclosure: I don't "get" The Voice. It has failed, over 20 SEASONS, to create an actual vocal star. And yet, Idol, which is an older program by like a decade, is still having contestants with major awards and chart success. 

[m1key]

Just now, thenghreport said:

 

Huh? American Idol ABC, through only three seasons, has had more success with one of their runner-ups (Gabby Barrett) than The Voice has had with their winners in like 8 years. 

Exactly. Sure, The Voice might have the better ratings, but I cant name an artist on that show who has has had one mainstream, high charting, radio hit.

[thenghreport]

1 minute ago, m1key said:

Exactly. Sure, The Voice might have the better ratings, but I cant name an artist on that show who has has had one mainstream, high charting, radio hit.

Yep, and the better ratings thing isn't even that true anymore. The Voice Season 19 finale averaged a 0.9 in the demo, Idol averaged a 1.0. They are pretty much at parity these days, with the Voice getting a small bit more viewers.

[KelseyW]

52 minutes ago, blackfield said:

I agree with the OP. idol lost its spark or soul or whatever you want to call it when Paula and then Simon left and they started bringing celebrity judges. season 9/10 was the beginning of the end and the attention shifted from the contestants to the judges. the talent was still there but the labels weren't invested in them like before. HR is the worst of them. what's the point winning ABC idol if there won't even try to get you an album and promote it!? 

 

P.S. does anyone knows what happened to Sam? was she even signed or did they let her go without nothing? 

 

P.S. 2 will they invite season 18 contestants to perform on the show this year? many of them have new singles out or working on new music.. 

 

I have a feeling Sam will just disappear like Laine has... Although at least Laine got singles...   

 

Laine didn't even get an album out in the almost two years since he won and it's not like he wasn't popular enough to warrant one...

I hope Arthur, and Francisco come back to sing on the show. 

Edited February 22, 2021 by KelseyW

[thenghreport]

2 minutes ago, KelseyW said:

I have a feeling Sam will just disappear like Laine has... Although at least Laine got singles...   

 

Laine didn't even get an album out in the almost two years since he won and it's not like he wasn't popular enough to warrant one...

I hope Arthur, and Francisco come back to sing on the show. 

Yeah, and this isn't that unusual either. 

 

Idol is full of winners who didn't transcend the show. But, it's also full of winners and runner-ups that have. 

 

Like, Caleb never really had any success. Candice, Nick, Trent... etc 

 

This is the way. So, in an odd way, this isn't a sign of "Idol losing its spark" since Idol has always been like this. Not everyone gets the support or acclaim after the show. Some of Idol's winners were just very good and smart competitors, but didn't actually have much market interest outside of the program.

 

Personally, I think Taylor Hicks was one of the best competitors this show has seen. He was a very very smart contestant. But, as we all know, that didn't really continue once the show ended. 

[holinessss]

why does this fit so perfectly lollllll

[AngelaKD]

2 hours ago, m1key said:

Exactly. Sure, The Voice might have the better ratings, but I cant name an artist on that show who has has had one mainstream, high charting, radio hit.

The Voice finally had an artist with mainstream, high charting, radio hits (as well as sky high album sales), but he’s been in the news for all the wrong reasons.

[thenghreport]

7 minutes ago, AngelaKD said:

The Voice finally had an artist with mainstream, high charting, radio hits (as well as sky high album sales), but he’s been in the news for all the wrong reasons.

And who would that be?

[AngelaKD]

1 hour ago, thenghreport said:

And who would that be?

Morgan Wallen. Was on S6 of the Voice, made T20.

[Weedy_Speedy]

Idol's roots haven't been around since season 13 at the latest. That's when they brought in the new executive producers to "revitalize" the show.

 

ABC Idol is a whole other beast entirely. If people still watch and the contestants can carve some kind of niche in the music world after the fact, I think that's what matters most to them.

[thenghreport]

2 hours ago, AngelaKD said:

Morgan Wallen. Was on S6 of the Voice, made T20.

Ah! So... a guy who made Top 20 back in 2014? I mean... I guess that counts? 

 

 

[ptebwwong]

   

41 minutes ago, thenghreport said:

Ah! So... a guy who made Top 20 back in 2014? I mean... I guess that counts? 

 

 

To be fair, Idol in recent years claims Tori Kelly & Lauren Daigle as successful alums, but neither made T20 their seasons. Idol just has way more successes. But if Idol acknowledges them as successful alums I don't see why The Voice can't do the same for non-finalists.

 

[AngelaKD]

5 hours ago, thenghreport said:Ah! So... a guy who made Top 20 back in 2014? I mean... I guess that counts? 

 

 

In general, I think that’s how success post-reality shows is going to be—a slow grind that eventually pays off and/or in a niche genre, like Christian music. 
 

I have expressed in the past that the Voice will track like Star Search, where singers didn’t get famous right off the show, but looking back, the list of alumni is mighty impressive.
 

Even Gabby Barrett has expressed that she thought labels would be approaching her after Idol, but she got no interest until after her song gained traction independently. 
 

From the same season, Catie Turner has a publishing deal, but not a label contract.  She keeps putting out music, and something may break through. 

[thenghreport]

9 hours ago, AngelaKD said:

In general, I think that’s how success post-reality shows is going to be—a slow grind that eventually pays off and/or in a niche genre, like Christian music. 
 

I have expressed in the past that the Voice will track like Star Search, where singers didn’t get famous right off the show, but looking back, the list of alumni is mighty impressive.
 

Even Gabby Barrett has expressed that she thought labels would be approaching her after Idol, but she got no interest until after her song gained traction independently. 
 

From the same season, Catie Turner has a publishing deal, but not a label contract.  She keeps putting out music, and something may break through. 

Yeah, it's definitely not like they heydays where an Idol winner would release an album and be guaranteed to sell at least a half a million records.

 

But, Gabby Barrett was on Idol in 2019, only a few short years ago! It didn't really take her too long to go from Idol to a hit single. 

 

My main point, I believe, is that, for whatever reason, Idol STILL has greater success at picking singers and putting them in a position for success. Even almost 20 years after its premiere. That's wild.

[Cranberrys]

Idol isn't Idol anymore.  The show's main pitch at ABC is how much drama there is in the singers personal life.  And it's mind-numbing.g.g.g.g.g.  I recorded the first two episodes this season and zapped thru them both in less than 20 minutes - skipping several singers altogether.  All I care about is the singing - and the presentation of the singing is more staged and less spontaneous than ever.   I think they script & rehearse many of the judges reactions & critiques.  It looks, feels, and smells fake.

 

eta - About Gabby Barrett:  Her post idol success is 100% the product of "I Hope" - a song she co-wrote.  Without IH we wouldn't be talking about her at all.  Gabby isn't beautiful or charismatic - and her voice a just slightly above average - but apparently she can write her own songs and that's ALL you really need to make it in the music business.  

Edited February 24, 2021 by Cranberrys