American Idol 12 – A Few Thoughts On Format Twists and The Future

By On 01/29/2013 · 188 Comments · In American Idol, American Idol 12

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American Idol auditions will make three more stops–in Long Beach and San Antonio on Wednesday, and Oklahoma on Thursday.

The following week, the action shifts to Hollywood (Actually North Ridge, CA!) where boys and girls, for the first time ever, will compete separately.  By the end of the round, the field will be cut down to 20 boys and 20 girls, who will go on to compete in the Las Vegas round.

Just as a point of comparison, 70 contestants survived Hollywood last year to go on to perform in group rounds in Las Vegas. The judges whittled THAT group down to 42, who sang for one last time in a solo round to compete for the Top 24.

This year, the boys and girls will compete separately all the way through until the finals!  The Las Vegas groups are gone. Instead, there will be 4 shows- 2 for boys and 2 for girls-with 10 contestants competing. At the end of each episode, the judges will eliminate 5 contestants.

The good news is that viewers will have the opportunity to get to know each and every one one of the Top 40.  By the time the Top 20 “sudden death” performance week begins, we should know each contestant pretty well. Still, I’m sure the producers will still manage to find ways to screw canon fodder, even if every hopeful receives equal camera time.

Viewers will then have the opportunity to vote at the Top 20, which isn’t really a twist. It’s the fewest number of contestants ever to compete in a semi-final round, but viewers have ALWAYS had the opportunity to participate in choosing the finalists.

In the end, there will be 10 left standing. but many more weeks to fill with competition. Producer, Nigel Lythgoe, has said there will be no wild cards or contestants added to the finalists. He feels 10 is a nice round number. But how will the producers fulfill their commitment to FOX to deliver a certain number of episodes?  I can’t help thinking a twist is headed our way that we don’t know about yet.

As far as the changes we DO know. It seems the girl/boy split is the biggest. So what’s the point?  Despite noises to the contrary, I think the producers are dying for a female winner. We haven’t had one since season 6, while competitors, X Factor and The Voice have been able to deliver (Season 1 X Factor champ, Melanie Amaro, and The Voice’s most recent winner, Cassadee Pope).  Judging by the audition rounds, where the girls seem hella more talented than the guys so far, the plan seems to be to  stuff the female side with as much talent as possible.  If that is Nigel’s strategy, I am skeptical it will work. Promoting less talented boys, will simply mean a less talented boy will win.   Idol will have more success attacking the “problem” from a personality perspective.  If they can find and promote a talented girl with an appealing personality, they may have a chance. A girl with an all American appeal and an effervescent (but not cocky!) personality could do the trick.

But does it matter? I think the viewer attrition has much to do with the fact that American Idol is an aging show–its format not so bright and shiny any more.  The X Factor and NBC’s The Voice have offered an alternative to those looking for something different. Plus, network ratings are down across the board anyway.

It’s impressive that American Idol has managed to stay relevant for over a decade, continuing to produce alum who can sell records.  Integrating UMG and honcho, Jimmy Iovine into the competition process has had it’s drawbacks–taking away some of the contestants’ autonomy and much of the risk–but  the upside, is that by the time the competition is over, the label and 19R have a really good handle on how to market their newly-minted alums.

The fact that The Voice has nothing remotely as sophisticated in place, means it will be nearly impossible for them to compete with Idol in the post-show marketplace.  Simon Cowell has a proven track record and a better shot at matching Idol alum’s success. But so far, despite his UK successes like One Direction and Cher Lloyd, he seems to be mishandling his American counterparts.  Season 1 winner, Melanie Amaro falling off the face of the earth is exhibit a.

But I digress. The short of it is that I still love singing competitions, but their era at the forefront of popular culture is pretty much over, I think.  Any tweaking of the American Idol formula by Nigel and company, or the show’s alums continuing to produce hit records,  may keep the ratings from falling precipitously, but the glory days, I believe, are gone forever.

Rambling essay brings up many questions:

How do you feel about American Idol 12′s new twists? Will they help or hurt the show? Does it matter?
Is the WGWG thing really affecting ratings? Does Idol need a girl to win?
Are you still as enthusiastic about singing competitions as you once were?

DISCUSS

 

 
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  • irockhard

    They need to cast only guys that are cocky a**holes then no one will vote for them no matter how good/cute they are.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/PVEFG2TOUIXSROKUSO2O2DOWWE Taylor

    Other than Carrie and Kelly, and Jordin

    So, you are going to exclude 50% of the winners in seasons 1-6 to make your point?
    Then you are going to make the comparison on single sales? Not album sales, or awards or the fact that five out of winners from the first six seasons didn’t get dropped by their record labels after two albums. Then, you are going to exclude coronation singles? That just excluded P2 and Scotty from the group.
    What do we have then? Cook with one platinum single and Kris with one?  

  • irockhard

    Oh quite right, not a single female AI contestant touches Lzzy Hale who lacks absolutely nothing, not even Kelly.

  • DragonFly

    Contestants:
    …….some boys, avg haircut, plaid type shirt, blue jeans (a pass & a win)
    …….girls, (the RIGHT):  outfit/dress, hairstyle, makeup, shoes, too Disney, too bubbly, too sexy (I myself judge, don’t like young teens portrayed as sex kittens).  Even judges either compliment or dis their look.  Much more of an uphill battle for the girls on the show & life in gereral I think in the glamour business.

    Don’t think if there was a girl that “SOOO WOOED” America, any judges remarks could doom them. Was thinking boys are more apt to get the poser, loser, etc. remarks online (jealousy) but it is in reality an equal opportunity for that sh*t.  That can be a tremendous setback for anyone sensitive to overcome/ignore if they even somewhat “buy into it”.  

    After Show Success:
    …..all pretty much a crap shoot
    …….. not in this climate

    In short, success/or-not status of Idols of late.   

    I facetiously think b/c the climate is so rough to Idols as it’s becoming an extreme challenge to break into radio’s favour, that a 2nd part to these shows s/b a TV challenge to see which LABEL/TEAM can actually get certain Idols success, putting THEM in the spotlight of “What can we do for them now?”.   Idols fall young into this or that label not knowing what kind of promo they’re going to get, how they might try to change them, how much $$ they are going to invest in them?, the right moves, etc.  I’m a firm believer in Who & How some of these people are handled being crucial & sometimes fatal in that crap shoot arena.  Label’s paths of execution are many times “head scratchers” for fans re. great, talented Idols (again, tv/tour audiences are real life clues to who these guys/gals can & should be even as some might want to not call that “radar”.  Talking for a bunch of them–for me it can be the difference in a semi-star status anyway vs. mediocre “where are they now candidates” b/c they aren’t showing up in headlines for the world to know.  The judge of success for many of them is compromised sometimes by Idol’s own confusion how to make it happen post Idol & what label choice is right for them.  Failure happens, they “part ways” but I hold judgement…but for some #’s will always prove who was or wasn’t good enough to make it w/o consideration to right promo.

  • fantoo1

    Before seasons 7 and 8 I remember the judges saying before the shows started that it was a “boys year.” They also actively pushed The Davids and Adam/Danny down our throats. 7 was meant to be a boys season since they just had a girl winner the year before. In 8 they always talked about how the boys were stronger. 9 was the first season since 6 that they tried pushing for a girl winner.

    And I don’t believe Lee would have won without Simon’s help. Simon tried convincing everybody that he was the best thing since sliced bread and the sheep listened.

  • Karen C

    What do we have then? Cook with one platinum single and Kris with one?

    Outside of coronation singles, yes. And Cook had a gold one too.   The point is some had accomplishments during the past 5 years that hadn’t happened before.  Cook was the first and only winner to headline a 150 city tour and for Kris, I believe had the highest pop single for a male winner.

    Excluding the obviously more successful winners (Carrie and Kelly) doesn’t diminish what they accomplished.  The point is that not all the winners had a platinum single even in early years, some not even their coronation single.

  • Karen C

    Whereas, for the guys?? Relatively cute will do

    I don’t think that is all of it. I think it is because they showed themselves as artists, and that the voting demographic happens to prefer the kind of music they are doing. 

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/PVEFG2TOUIXSROKUSO2O2DOWWE Taylor

    The point is that not all the winners had a platinum single even in early years, some not even their coronation single.

    In the first six years, five of the six winners had at least one platinum single. The only one who didn’t, is the one who was a white male. They also had platinum albums, Grammy nominations and wins and a ton of other award nominations. Five of the six made at least three albums with their record label.

    Kris having a top 10 for a winner is not a first. Kelly, Carrie, and Jordin had multiple top 10s. Fantasia had several top 10s in the genre she was marketed in.

  • Karen C

    In the first six years, five of the six winners had at least one platinum single. The only one who didn’t, is the one who was a white male.

    The point I was trying to make is that for three of them, outside of their coronation song, they did not have a platinum single, where two in the past 5 years have.   And not that is any better than what others have achieved.  

    Kris having a top 10 for a winner is not a first. Kelly, Carrie, and Jordin had multiple top 10s. Fantasia had several top 10s in the genre she was marketed in.  multiple top 10s. Fantasia had several top 10s in the genre she was marketed in. 

    That is why I said Kris had the highest in pop for a male winner.    And he also charted on HAC and Christian charts.  David Cook is one of the only artists to have 3 songs that charted in the top 10 of HAC, also. Phillip is the first to be #1 on AAA.   So there have been some successes during the last 5 years, also.   Just about all the winners have platinum albums also.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/PVEFG2TOUIXSROKUSO2O2DOWWE Taylor

    I understand the point you were trying to make. In the process, you dismissed 50% of the winners in the first six seasons and all the coronation songs. (so now P2′s Home doesn’t “count” so P2 doesn’t have the first AAA #1) Then there is a made a special distinction for charting on Pop for males only. Why don’t the girls having top 10s in pop count? Do the pop charts only allow girls to get into the top 10? Then the Christian chart and AAA chart is for some reason super special, although the winners in the first six seasons charted on country, urban, r&b, gospel, pop, hac, and ac charts.

    No one is saying that the last five seasons don’t have winners who were successful in various ways, but when you have to exclude 50% of the winners from the first six seasons, exclude coronation songs and make distinctions between males and females charting on the pop chart to try and prove some point, that point is draped in a ton of qualifiers and special exceptions and exclusions.

    Just about all the winners have platinum albums also.

    Not in the last five years. Only two of them do, so far. In comparison, five of the first six have platinum albums.

  • Karen C

    I understand the point you were trying to make.

    No you don’t. The point of excluding coronation songs was simply that during the first 6 years, while 3 did have platinum singles outside of their coronation singles, there were also three that didn’t.  Of those in the past 5 years, 3 didn’t, and 2 did.  If Phillip has another platinum single, then it will be 3. 

    I realize that this is only one point of comparision.

    Then there is a special distinction for charting on Pop for males only. Why don’t the girls having top 10s in pop count?

    Because I was discussing what happened the past 5 years.  It goes without question that most of the major successes on the show were female.  The comparison I was making was more between the male winners. 

     

     

  • maymay

    PP`s album has Iol advantage just like Home has Olympics advantage. That means every singer and album or single all have their own specific advantages. On the other hand, they also have their own specific disadvantages. So I only simply compare A with B by their sales but not consider their advantages or disadvantages respectively. But if people want to consider their own advantages or disadvantages, that is ok. 

    Anyway, I am sure PP `s album sales will sell over 900k like The Lumineers in(or before) September this year.

    As for the tour and Grammy or world sales, time will tell.

  • girlygirltoo

    Kris was the first male winner to have a Top 10 pop single (Phillip recently becoming the 2nd). Pop radio has long been ruled by female artists, so that was considered a fairly big accomplishment back in 2010.

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