# American Idol



## Turangalîla (Jan 29, 2012)

Hello everyone,

I am a very serious classical musician but one non-classical thing that I enjoy is watching the TV show _American Idol_. I do *not* enjoy pop and rock music, but I like the show for the variety of musicianship it offers, and I am always intrigued by what the judges have to say (whether I agree with it or not). Since we are in a forum of classical musicians, I would love to hear anyone's opinion that has been following the show (my non-classical friends and I cannot even discuss it with each other; we are looking for _entirely_ different things).

In my opinion, I think that Joshua Ledet and Jessica Sanchez are untouchable; these two are _by far_ the most superior musicians. I think that Phillip Phillips should have been eliminated _long_ ago (though I can understand why he hasn't been: the Teenage Girl Voting Factor), and I think that the judges have been dishing out praise to contestants that don't deserve it for pretty much the whole year.

What do you think?


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## Turangalîla (Jan 29, 2012)

Oh, this _is_ a shame, isn't it? Does nobody watch the show (it's the most popular reality show in the USA)? Will I have nobody to discuss it with? Do comment, if you will!


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## regressivetransphobe (May 16, 2011)

I'm sorry, I hate it and everything it stands for. No offense, just weighin' in


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## Iforgotmypassword (May 16, 2011)

Can't say that I'm much of a fan either. Sorry.


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## Moira (Apr 1, 2012)

It is only available on pay TV here in South Africa so I have never seen it.


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## reffohelgnid (Mar 12, 2012)




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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

None of them deserve to be an Idol but at least Holly made a lot of guys happy with that little dress the other night! She's got a good voice but something weird about it. Sanchez' voice upsets. The soul dude sings extremely well and at least should win. And Phllip(s) should have not even made it to the top 24....can't hit the notes!


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## itywltmt (May 29, 2011)

Related -

*Canada's Got Talent* finished its first season. Of note for uss Classical Music folks, Canadian soprano *Measha Brueggergosman* was one of the judges (along with Hamilton's own *Martin Short*) and two of the contestants that made the final show were *opera singers *a soprano and a tenor (one is a mother of 4 who put a singing carrer on ice to raise her kids, the other works on the tarmac at Winnipeg Airport). Neither of them made the top three, thougfh both (esp. the soprano) did a great job in their performances. I won't spoil the winning act, but we all were shocked, as that act wasn't as impressive IMHO as the others. Keep in mind there "Got Talent" shows crown their winners based on popular vote - which explains how a *dog act *woin _Britain's Got Talent_ this year! More @ www.canadasgottalent.com/


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## Turangalîla (Jan 29, 2012)

kv466 said:


> None of them deserve to be an Idol but at least Holly made a lot of guys happy with that little dress the other night! She's got a good voice but something weird about it. Sanchez' voice upsets. The soul dude sings extremely well and at least should win. And Phllip(s) should have not even made it to the top 24....can't hit the notes!


Why does Sanchez's voice "upset? From a strictly musical perspective, the others cannot compare to her. She has never been off pitch _even once_ and her control is immpecable. Joshua is also a good singer, and a very good performer.
I agree with what you said about Phillip; he has a range of about one octave!


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

CarterJohnsonPiano said:


> Why does Sanchez's voice "upset? From a strictly musical perspective, the others cannot compare to her. She has never been off pitch _even once_ and her control is immpecable. Joshua is also a good singer, and a very good performer.
> I agree with what you said about Phillip; he has a range of about one octave!


It's just a voice I've never liked,...on anyone...but I can't disagree that she is always on pitch and a good singer,...just not what I like. Haha,...'one octave'...IF that!


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

This thread got bumped to prominence lately, so I'll add my opinion to the heap.

I think it has almost nothing to do with musicality, decent musical performance, and I find it intolerable. The general taste and expectations of "what is good singing and decent interpretation" are antithetical to any kind of real musicianship or good taste, for the pop genre song literature, and any other sort of music.

A very popular now lower / lowest standard on or about music which has come our way.

Did I already say I can't stand it, and that it makes me, as a musician, despair for the lives of all musical genres?


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## Turangalîla (Jan 29, 2012)

^ Yes, you did  . I really dislike watching it as the general public (and sometimes even the judges) have no clue as to who is actually good, but there is a very fine singer on it this year, so I'll stick around and see if she wins on Thursday...


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

I watched about 10 minutes of _American Idol_ several years ago and that was enough to determine that it's complete crap. Vocalists aren't the only musicians. The fact that it spotlights just vocalists demonstrates how ignorant the music industry is and, more importantly, those that actually watch the program for some hint of profundity.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Well,at least I can boast that I've never watched one of these wretched shows ,but you can't help seeing bits and pieces being shown for various reasons and members of my family do watch them, but I find them cringe-worthy .I would have voted for the dog !!


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

CarterJohnsonPiano said:


> ^ Yes, you did  . I really dislike watching it as the general public (and sometimes even the judges) have no clue as to who is actually good, but there is a very fine singer on it this year, so I'll stick around and see if she wins on Thursday...


http://www.nextavenue.org/blog/why-harry-connick-jr-couldnt-sit-idle-during-idol

Neither producers or public are going to buy selling, presenting and awarding good taste. It is cheap sensationalism, even better accompanied by a really tear-jerking sob story, all the way to the bottom


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

I couldn't care less about shows of that type, unless someone decides to bring one into a Wagner opera, like Katharina Wagner did with _Die Meistersinger_ a while ago. That's when I start hating them!


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## MarieTregubovich (May 13, 2013)

Since we are on the subject of American Idol at ALL, I have to say only two things, but first I will mention, I used to watch it, but now no longer do, hence the fact that I am more involved with music that is more applicable to my capabilities and likes, rather than popular things, and nor do I have time for television in general. So I stopped watching it. But here are the two things I have to say:
1. It went downhill when Paula left because Simon left after that, and no matter how good Randy is, Paula, Simon, and Randy are the trio that should always stick together as far as American Idol judging goes. 
2. I am not sure if this is still happening or not, but I have noticed that Nicki Minaj is a judge . . . ? ? ? Out of all the people that could possibly be somewhat reasonable judges that are in the pop industry (for there are a few, that actually have talent - as you can tell, I will not stand for contemporary pop music. blechh), but really, why her? I understand that she had to get famous somehowww, and it HAD to take some kind of musicality in her, but as far as judges go, they could have done better.


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## MarieTregubovich (May 13, 2013)

My friend was talking to me about this kind of stuff, and she said, "It would be nice to have shows like American Idol -where you're judged by famous people to become famous, set up the same and all- but for different genres, not just pop. Like, they could have rock judges for rock artists, classical for classical artists, or even screamo-ish judges for them metalheads that like to scream a lot."
It sounds a bit unreasonable based on the fact that everything TV based sort of has to do with pop, and whoever is popular or unique in some odd way (now a days) gets the gold, but hey, it sounds like a pretty great idea, may have some not so great parts here and there, but as a whole sounds like a pretty good idea.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

MarieTregubovich said:


> My friend was talking to me about this kind of stuff, and she said, "It would be nice to have shows like American Idol -where you're judged by famous people to become famous, set up the same and all- but for different genres, not just pop. Like, they could have rock judges for rock artists, classical for classical artists, or even screamo-ish judges for them metalheads that like to scream a lot."
> It sounds a bit unreasonable based on the fact that everything TV based sort of has to do with pop, and whoever is popular or unique in some odd way (now a days) gets the gold, but hey, it sounds like a pretty great idea, may have some not so great parts here and there, but as a whole sounds like a pretty good idea.


"Reality" television shows are the most inexpensive to produce, and therefore, the profit margins are enormous. If they strayed at all from the most popular, which lures the widest demographic and the largest number of viewers, the costs would go up.

It is all business, bottom line the profitability... so nice idea, it just ain't gonna happen.


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## Kleinzeit (May 15, 2013)

I have never watched the show or its many clones all the way through even once. But I know what it's all about, as does everybody. And that means that the 'singing elimination competition' thing is having its moment of cultural inevitability. That's when you don't have to have seen the movie read the book experienced firsthand the thing at all, and you still get it. It's just in the water. 

Cultural inevitability is different to fame. Fame will last a generation maybe two. Cultural inevitability has at most a three year lifespan.


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