Is American Idol Bad?

pearljam4512pearljam4512 Posts: 4
edited May 2008 in Other Music
I have to admit I've been watching. At first I didn't like the thought of "making it by winning a game" but my wife has me hooked. Here is how I see it. This David Cook guy is amazing and if it takes this game to get someone like this out in the music world go for it. I might never watch this show after he gets the boot but I'm hooked on this guy. Here is a song from his band that broke up a couple of years a go. This is truely an awesome song. What would Ed and the boys think of someone like this? A game show winner or a musician?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfsdygQ1laA
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  • DeLukinDeLukin Posts: 2,757
    Yes. It's bad. Don't get sucked in, it'll take your soul.
    I smile, but who am I kidding...
  • intodeepintodeep Posts: 7,228
    I have not watched it. So it is hard for me to say. I usually get a good feel from it from teh water cooler talk.

    don't all they do is covers?

    To me I'm usually more interested in the individuals uniqueness and creativity. They don't need a good voice.

    Neil young would never make it on american idol, but he is sensational with his lyrics and writing catchy tunes.


    For me i don't care if they can hit all the notes of a whitney houston song can they hit the right "chords" in me with lyrics and melody that get me excited.
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  • g under pg under p Posts: 18,184
    I've never watched it and I never will.

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  • Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    Of course it's bad and it has fuck all to do with music. It's still good TV though.
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  • eyedclaareyedclaar Posts: 6,980
    Without hyperbole I can say that yes, it is worse than Hitler, AIDS, toxic waste, hurricane Katria, and Keannu Reeves' acting combined.
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  • mookeywrenchmookeywrench Posts: 5,870
    I have to admit I've been watching. At first I didn't like the thought of "making it by winning a game" but my wife has me hooked. Here is how I see it. This David Cook guy is amazing and if it takes this game to get someone like this out in the music world go for it. I might never watch this show after he gets the boot but I'm hooked on this guy. Here is a song from his band that broke up a couple of years a go. This is truely an awesome song. What would Ed and the boys think of someone like this? A game show winner or a musician?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfsdygQ1laA

    That axiom song sounds very cliched/derivative/dull
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  • restlesssoulrestlesssoul Posts: 6,951
    That axiom song sounds very cliched/derivative/dull


    i just listened to it too. sounds like Theory of a Nickelfault to me.

    i did like the build of the music at that one point though, nothing great.
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  • Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    I have to admit I've been watching. At first I didn't like the thought of "making it by winning a game" but my wife has me hooked. Here is how I see it. This David Cook guy is amazing and if it takes this game to get someone like this out in the music world go for it. I might never watch this show after he gets the boot but I'm hooked on this guy. Here is a song from his band that broke up a couple of years a go. This is truely an awesome song. What would Ed and the boys think of someone like this? A game show winner or a musician?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfsdygQ1laA
    Are you related to him by any chance? If so, disregard the follow statement because you won't like it. That guy is not amazing. How many more fucking nu-grunge derivative shitpiles do we need?
    "I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
  • Jeremy1012 wrote:
    Are you related to him by any chance? If so, disregard the follow statement because you won't like it. That guy is not amazing. How many more fucking nu-grunge derivative shitpiles do we need?

    nu-grunge derivative shitpiles

    That's SO what I'll name my next band
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  • AnonAnon Posts: 11,175
    show is lame, the singers are lame, their costumes are lame, their haircuts are lame, the songs are lame. only caught the last two minutes last night because i watch Hell's Kitchen, which follows Idol, and man...... those people SUCK!
  • No I am not kin to him. I guess I just long for some new, fresh rock. KOL andMMJ are awesome can't wait to see KOL in Tampa. But Nickleback, Daughtery, 3 Doors Down just will not lead rock after Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters leave. To me this guy is unique. Its way better than Artic Monkeys, RATM or Death Cab for Cutie. I would buy his CD. Maybe just wishful thinking.
  • DiRtyFranK38DiRtyFranK38 Posts: 3,131
    american idol is a joke. sure they all can sing, but they just become puppets to the music industry and don't write shit themselves.

    dave cook will be another fuckin daughtry .. without a doubt. and what is daughtry? a complete millionare because he makes unoriginal radio pop/rock that girls between age 12 - 25 love. another nickleback. unoriginal .. boring .. annoying .. taking over the media. wtf has the world come to?

    not to mention cook RUINED baba oriley and actually sung duran duran by choice.

    his own song, isn't good but at least it is the kind of music he is into. fuel type stuff. i can appreciate that. if i heard it on the radio, i wouldn't dig it necassarily, but hey i'd be cool with it. HOWEVER, he wins idol, his music will sound nothing like that. i assure you.
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  • CobbelstoneCobbelstone Posts: 35
    No, I don't think it's bad. It's about pop music, so why should any of us rock fans be concerned? If this is how the record companies want to sign pop acts, then what's the problem? There's always been pop music and there always will be. Also, I see it as a TV show, I don't focus on the actual music. I don't think that's the point of it.

    In terms of someone like David Cook, he isn't "rock," he's the American Idol or pop version of rock. Do I think he should win American Idol? Yes, I enjoy watching him in the context of the show. Will I ever buy his albums? No, because I don't like that kind of music. If I had a kid would I mind if they listened to him? Certainly not, I would much prefer it to 95% of the other pop acts out there.
  • Besides PJ,FF,MMJ and KOL who is rock today?
  • muppetmuppet Posts: 980
    As dumb entertainment, I think it's pretty good. The artists that it produces, however, I think are just bland and unoriginal.

    I don't watch it much (live in the UK) but that contestant, David Cook. Isn't he just a carbon copy off that Daughtry? Who was a carbon copy of all those stupid post-grunge bands? Who in turn were a watered down version of artists like Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains?

    But...I got to admit. I liked this cover of Baba O Reily.

    http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=67aTYnUOjBk

    I think they're good singers, it's just that none of them do anything that's fucking remotely new. I guess being original wouldn't guarantee a huge cash return.
  • IgottagoIgottago Posts: 483
    No I am not kin to him. I guess I just long for some new, fresh rock. KOL andMMJ are awesome can't wait to see KOL in Tampa. But Nickleback, Daughtery, 3 Doors Down just will not lead rock after Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters leave. To me this guy is unique. Its way better than Artic Monkeys, RATM or Death Cab for Cutie. I would buy his CD. Maybe just wishful thinking.

    You honestly think this douchebag is better than the Arctic Monkeys? That's laughable. I don't even care for RATM or Death Cab, but they are both more credible than this shit. The guy is a manufactured putz, there is nothing unique at all about him or his shitty excuse for music.
  • 12345AGNST112345AGNST1 Posts: 4,906
    the show is terrible, but I will admit that simon cowell is absolutely hilarious. I love his obnoxious rude attitude. Him along with jeremy clarkson.
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  • journeymanjourneyman Posts: 135
    Yes. Bad.
  • muppet wrote:
    As dumb entertainment, I think it's pretty good. The artists that it produces, however, I think are just bland and unoriginal.

    I don't watch it much (live in the UK) but that contestant, David Cook. Isn't he just a carbon copy off that Daughtry? Who was a carbon copy of all those stupid post-grunge bands? Who in turn were a watered down version of artists like Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains?

    But...I got to admit. I liked this cover of Baba O Reily.

    http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=67aTYnUOjBk

    I think they're good singers, it's just that none of them do anything that's fucking remotely new. I guess being original wouldn't guarantee a huge cash return.

    Ed said it best "Its about time that these corporate cocksuckers leave songs like this alone..." --MSG 1998

    I dont know if im more pissed that people like it or that Pete gave Idol the rights to the song (along with CSI). THe build up is terrible. It is generic and the original and PJ's cover piss all over it.

    American idol puts hacks into the music industry. They take average people with average talent and package them up with nice shiny bows and sell them to the masses...which eat that shit up...It makes it seem like anyone can be in the music industry, which is just flat out untrue...It does take talent, creativity and originality. It is no wonder that music sales are down with the stale crap that is pushed down consumers throats.

    Obvious exception is Carrie Underwood...She has an awesome voice and there is a fantastic version of Paradise City on youtube...

    Thank God for Pearl Jam and Radiohead and U2 and MMJ and Foo Fighters and the Black Keys and BRMC and the BOSS and others for being original. They may not put out perfect songs all the time, people may complain about stuff they do (like the people who say Avocado was a terrible record), but who cares??? They fucking rock and seeing them live gives you that feeling that you dont get when you listen to Daughtry, Nickleback or Bo Bice.

    Please stop supporting unoriginal,boring artists...if you do it, they will keep making music.
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  • ii44ii44 Posts: 430
    Jeremy1012 wrote:
    Of course it's bad and it has fuck all to do with music. It's still good TV though.

    Yup.
  • Of course everyone here will say American Idol sucks, half of them without even checking out the guy. I have watched every year, except this one, just lost interest. (I saw that cute Aussie, who's name I don't remember, on there getting the boot one night though a few weeks back, what a shame. haha.) Last night though I was switching channels & caught the end of David's performance of "The first time..." & I decided to watch the rest of the show. I really think he's good. I youtubed a him a little bit ago because I wanted to see the entire "First Time" performance, & man can that boy sing. I also caught a performance he did of Mariah Carey's "Always be my Baby", come on, if you can pull that off, you have to be good. But the best one I found was "Hello" by Lionel Ritchie. Wow, I always liked that song & he put an awesome spin on it. What will happen to him after Idol, who knows?...May come out with some sucky stuff like Daughtry did (I liked him on the show) or he may put out some good stuff. We'll see. As far as Idol goes though, he's got my vote. (He's not too bad on the eyes either when he's got facial hair...& a hat coverin that mess of a "haircut.") lol.
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  • MCGMCG Posts: 780
    It is just plain bad. Absolutely unwatchable television.
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  • deadmosquitodeadmosquito Posts: 729
    No, I don't think it's bad. It's about pop music, so why should any of us rock fans be concerned? If this is how the record companies want to sign pop acts, then what's the problem? There's always been pop music and there always will be. Also, I see it as a TV show, I don't focus on the actual music. I don't think that's the point of it.

    In terms of someone like David Cook, he isn't "rock," he's the American Idol or pop version of rock. Do I think he should win American Idol? Yes, I enjoy watching him in the context of the show. Will I ever buy his albums? No, because I don't like that kind of music. If I had a kid would I mind if they listened to him? Certainly not, I would much prefer it to 95% of the other pop acts out there.


    see, you have the same belief in it i do. it's good tv. these people do pop music. and they do it pretty well. david cook is a good "rocker" for these pop-minded people. that said, i want david archuleta to win because he is what the american idol should be, young, hot, and in ownership of a great voice. he might be a little boring sometimes, but it IS pop music, not rock, so i'm glad someone like him has a chance.
  • I have to admit I've been watching. At first I didn't like the thought of "making it by winning a game" but my wife has me hooked. Here is how I see it. This David Cook guy is amazing and if it takes this game to get someone like this out in the music world go for it. I might never watch this show after he gets the boot but I'm hooked on this guy. Here is a song from his band that broke up a couple of years a go. This is truely an awesome song. What would Ed and the boys think of someone like this? A game show winner or a musician?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfsdygQ1laA

    its completely selling out and should have no merit with real artist.
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  • CosmoCosmo Posts: 12,225
    'American Idol' must have been invented by Usama Bin Laden. The more that Americans watch it... the more the terrorists win.
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  • muppetmuppet Posts: 980
    Thank God for Pearl Jam and Radiohead and U2 and MMJ and Foo Fighters and the Black Keys and BRMC and the BOSS and others for being original. They may not put out perfect songs all the time, people may complain about stuff they do (like the people who say Avocado was a terrible record), but who cares??? They fucking rock and seeing them live gives you that feeling that you dont get when you listen to Daughtry, Nickleback or Bo Bice.

    I wouldn't say that most of the artists you listed were original. Good bands yes, but they're hardly breaking new ground (except maybe Radiohead).
  • iluvcatsiluvcats Posts: 5,153
    Besides PJ,FF,MMJ and KOL who is rock today?

    brian vander ark
    glen phillips (toad the wet sprocket)
    peter frampton (yes, he still tours, he's not dead yet)
    chris cornell
    AND most important of all, it is whomever you want it to be, you do not need the approval of this board. I know I don't. I don't like that guy from AI, but I'm not going to sit here and rip him apart. That's great if you like him. I like Daughtry and everyone here hates him.
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  • CobbelstoneCobbelstone Posts: 35
    Ed said it best "Its about time that these corporate cocksuckers leave songs like this alone..." --MSG 1998

    I dont know if im more pissed that people like it or that Pete gave Idol the rights to the song (along with CSI). THe build up is terrible. It is generic and the original and PJ's cover piss all over it.

    American idol puts hacks into the music industry. They take average people with average talent and package them up with nice shiny bows and sell them to the masses...which eat that shit up...It makes it seem like anyone can be in the music industry, which is just flat out untrue...It does take talent, creativity and originality. It is no wonder that music sales are down with the stale crap that is pushed down consumers throats.

    Obvious exception is Carrie Underwood...She has an awesome voice and there is a fantastic version of Paradise City on youtube...

    Thank God for Pearl Jam and Radiohead and U2 and MMJ and Foo Fighters and the Black Keys and BRMC and the BOSS and others for being original. They may not put out perfect songs all the time, people may complain about stuff they do (like the people who say Avocado was a terrible record), but who cares??? They fucking rock and seeing them live gives you that feeling that you dont get when you listen to Daughtry, Nickleback or Bo Bice.

    Please stop supporting unoriginal,boring artists...if you do it, they will keep making music.

    Don't you realize that American Idol has nothing to do with the fact that there are "hacks" in the music business? For a prime example, look at Paula Abdul herself- she was terrible, but she had a record deal long long before american idol. And yes, when I was in 5th grade, I was into it. It's called mainstream pop. It doesn't matter if they canceled american idol tomorrow, it's still going to be there. Pearl Jam, Radiohead, the Foo, etc, are not part of this world, don't you get that? All of us here may value rock bands like them, but the fact remains, some people LIKE insipid pop music- children, old ladies, whathaveyou. American Idol is not trying to produce the next great rock band, they are trying to produce the next great pop star. if you can't see the different, you don't have much of an understanding of popular music! I saw an episode a few years back when that guy Daughtry was on. I think he sang a creed song or something, and Simon's comment was something like "this is american idol, what are you trying to do?" So there it is right there- a *creed* song was too rock for what they are going for. Sure, they might call some of the contestants "rockers" but they mean "for american idol." The guys that are on that show *know* that by simply being on it they are giving up all cred. they know that. American Idol isn't about cred, it's about pop stars.

    It's also partly a *singing* contest. just *singing*. would I ever listen to a mariah carey album? hells no. Is there anything original about her music? hells no. but can she sing? hell yeah.

    If we abolished mainstream pop, what will we pearl jam fans have to feel high and mighty over?
  • American Idol is VERY bad for one primary reason:

    It treats it's viewers not as music listeners, but as consumers. They feed them a new "idol" once a year, then start the contest over and crown a new one.

    And disposable bands/artists is exactly why the music industry is going down the tubes.

    American Idol is doing nothing but further bleeding the music industry dry of exposure for true art.
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  • CobbelstoneCobbelstone Posts: 35
    if you like this shit then you are part of the problem

    you think that there should only be rock music? That we should just abolish all pop singers, boy bands, pop rock acts, or anything else that we personally don't enjoy?

    and then if there were only "rock" music, where would you propose to draw the line between what is non-poppy enough to be acceptable? Who do you think should determine whether a band has enough cred? How would we determine who was causing a "problem"? Would we allow Death Cab for Cutie? I don't know...they might be part of a big "problem"....

    everyone also seems to be skipping over the fact the Idol is *tv show.* It's honestly just a "bigger" version of star search or any other talent shows that have come and gone over the years. Yes, I do like this "shit," as in I like the TV show. I like the competition aspect of it and I think the over-the-top nature is amusing (Ryan Seacrest, for some indeterminant reason, cracks me up, he seems to have a very tongue-in-cheek approach to the whole thing). Do I like the actually music that comes from it? No, but some people do. Yes the prize is a record deal but so what. What have we even heard from last year's winner? is she really corrupting the music industry? (the "music industry" is a mute point now anyway. they are going down the tubes fast, and they dug their own graves in several ways).

    It's apparent to everyone, including the people on the show, that american idol is a TV show and big business. I don't think any of them would claim that it's about the music. If you're on american idol you're either 1) a pure pop/RB/Country singer or 2) you're a rock singer who has given up on trying to be quality and have any cred.

    that being said, both Bo Bice and Fantasia had pretty good performances when they were on the show this year...personally I still wouldn't buy their music, but they seem to be doing at a good job at *what they do.* Which is different than what the bands I like do.
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