American Idol and singing "talent"

IronMan · February 7th, 2012, 04:23 AM

I don't watch American Idol, but my mom watches it pretty much every season. One thing I've noticed is that most contestants, especially the females, try and belt out some Aretha Franklin or Donna Summers impression during their audition and get praised for being so wonderful, as if they don't come across as a piss poor carbon copy of a thousand other singers. Is it just me or is singing from the soul/R&B era not the be all end all of singing? The mainstream music machine seems to think that it is. It's either that or some pop country twang sounding singing. Both come across as so damn phony, like the product of successful brainwashing.

**blueballsdc** · February 7th, 2012, 01:59 PM

The problem with American Idol and similar shows is exactly the same problem that pop music has. People don't go out and "sing" the songs, they "perform" the songs.

**ubu55** · February 8th, 2012, 03:12 PM

... to have a competition in which contestants performed only their own original music... or at least limit the number of cover songs?

Their target audience doesn't seem to care much though, & even in this format seldom votes for the most talented performer.

**Brecht** · February 8th, 2012, 11:23 PM

It's the post-boy/girl group concept. They've been casted, too. Media corporations have found a new way of making money by using common people and making fun of them in front of millions of people. You got clones of this show worldwide. We had Starmania in Austria and there's Deutschland sucht den Superstar in Germany, hosted by Dieter Bohlen, the sponge face you might remember from Modern Talking. What happens to the winners? They become one-hit wonders, only to dissapear soon back to where they come from. Meanwhile, new clowns try to make it and so on. And people still watch these shows. It's fake like wrestling. Looks like Sigmund Freud was right: there is no free will.

**ubu55** · February 14th, 2012, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norbert84

It's the post-boy/girl group concept. They've been casted, too. Media corporations have found a new way of making money by using common people and making fun of them in front of millions of people. You got clones of this show worldwide. We had Starmania in Austria and there's Deutschland sucht den Superstar in Germany, hosted by Dieter Bohlen, the sponge face you might remember from Modern Talking. What happens to the winners? They become one-hit wonders, only to dissapear soon back to where they come from. Meanwhile, new clowns try to make it and so on. And people still watch these shows. It's fake like wrestling. Looks like Sigmund Freud was right: there is no free will.

What you say seems right on, Norbert. What bothers me most in the American version is the unjustified cruelty shown by Simon Cowell to contestants who by performing, have too-trustuingly left themselves open & vulnerable. They deserve, at least in my opinion, some respect for their bravery... and instead get only scorn and derision, before an audience of mouth-breather millions no better, and probably far less talented than themselves.

**Brecht** · February 14th, 2012, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ubu55

What you say seems right on, Norbert. What bothers me most in the American version is the unjustified cruelty shown by Simon Cowell to contestants who by performing, have too-trustuingly left themselves open & vulnerable. They deserve, at least in my opinion, some respect for their bravery... and instead get only scorn and derision, before an audience of mouth-breather millions no better, and probably far less talented than themselves.

My words exactly. But those contestants either have no problem with such cruelty or are just plain dumb by not understanding what awaits them.

MisterOz_GatorLover · February 14th, 2012, 11:02 PM

I thought they were trying to be Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston (RIP), with their melisma and all. Melisma means vocal runs--stretching a syllable and giving it different notes.

IronMan · February 15th, 2012, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisterOz_GatorLover

I thought they were trying to be Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston (RIP), with their melisma and all. Melisma means vocal runs--stretching a syllable and giving it different notes.

Those two singers could be taken into consideration as well. And yes that whole Melisma thing is f*cking annoying.

**buttsie** · February 15th, 2012, 09:25 AM

The one thing that sums up IDOL and shows
its really all about the next money spinner and not helping real talent

William Hung- She Bangs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RrLQUN8UJg

**george anson** · February 15th, 2012, 09:44 AM

I can say with great pride I have never watched a minute of these shows and reality television.

As someone said to me 'the talentless performing, judged by the talentless and consumed by the tasteless'.

It's an insidious disease engineered by music companies across all genres where people like Alfie Bowe, Kathryn Jenkins are trumpeted as great performers when they are not and people with undue influence in the business.

Someone like Cowell. It would be great if he could disappear along with the rest of his coterie and clones across the globe.

February 7th, 2012, 04:23 AM	#1
IronMan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 485 Thanks: 514 Thanked 3,209 Times in 432 Posts	American Idol and singing "talent" I don't watch American Idol, but my mom watches it pretty much every season. One thing I've noticed is that most contestants, especially the females, try and belt out some Aretha Franklin or Donna Summers impression during their audition and get praised for being so wonderful, as if they don't come across as a piss poor carbon copy of a thousand other singers. Is it just me or is singing from the soul/R&B era not the be all end all of singing? The mainstream music machine seems to think that it is. It's either that or some pop country twang sounding singing. Both come across as so damn phony, like the product of successful brainwashing. __________________ Daydreaming keeps the misanthropy away. Love the country, hate the government. Love the planet, hate the people.

February 8th, 2012, 03:12 PM	#3
ubu55 Former Staff Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Behind the Redwood Curtain Posts: 2,800 Thanks: 122,910 Thanked 51,107 Times in 2,795 Posts	You would think it would be far more interesting ... ... to have a competition in which contestants performed only their own original music... or at least limit the number of cover songs? Their target audience doesn't seem to care much though, & even in this format seldom votes for the most talented performer.

February 15th, 2012, 09:25 AM	#9
buttsie Porn Archeologist Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: earth Posts: 12,714 Thanks: 92,252 Thanked 241,275 Times in 12,746 Posts	The one thing that sums up IDOL and shows its really all about the next money spinner and not helping real talent William Hung- She Bangs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RrLQUN8UJg Last edited by buttsie; February 15th, 2012 at 09:48 AM..

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February 7th, 2012, 01:59 PM	#2
blueballsdc Vintage Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1,721 Thanks: 112,645 Thanked 21,426 Times in 1,713 Posts	The problem with American Idol and similar shows is exactly the same problem that pop music has. People don't go out and "sing" the songs, they "perform" the songs.

February 8th, 2012, 11:23 PM	#4
Brecht Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 10,657 Thanks: 180,485 Thanked 188,132 Times in 10,453 Posts	It's the post-boy/girl group concept. They've been casted, too. Media corporations have found a new way of making money by using common people and making fun of them in front of millions of people. You got clones of this show worldwide. We had Starmania in Austria and there's Deutschland sucht den Superstar in Germany, hosted by Dieter Bohlen, the sponge face you might remember from Modern Talking. What happens to the winners? They become one-hit wonders, only to dissapear soon back to where they come from. Meanwhile, new clowns try to make it and so on. And people still watch these shows. It's fake like wrestling. Looks like Sigmund Freud was right: there is no free will.

February 14th, 2012, 11:02 PM	#7
MisterOz_GatorLover Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 173 Thanks: 428 Thanked 1,183 Times in 155 Posts	I thought they were trying to be Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston (RIP), with their melisma and all. Melisma means vocal runs--stretching a syllable and giving it different notes.

February 15th, 2012, 09:44 AM	#10
george anson Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Watford Posts: 8,746 Thanks: 21,748 Thanked 293,361 Times in 8,923 Posts	I can say with great pride I have never watched a minute of these shows and reality television. As someone said to me 'the talentless performing, judged by the talentless and consumed by the tasteless'. It's an insidious disease engineered by music companies across all genres where people like Alfie Bowe, Kathryn Jenkins are trumpeted as great performers when they are not and people with undue influence in the business. Someone like Cowell. It would be great if he could disappear along with the rest of his coterie and clones across the globe.