American Idol just wrapped up its 21st season. Reporter Jessica Watts has more on how the enduring singing competition show has created stars for over two decades.
This story originally aired as part of our A.I. Special Broadcast.
[Ryan Seacrest] “Your next American Idol is…”
AMERICAN IDOL HAS TAKEN THE WORLD BY STORM AFTER DEBUTING IN 2002. IT HAS PRODUCED EXTREMELY FAMOUS SINGERS LIKE KELLY CLARKSON, CARRIE UNDERWOOD, AND JENNIFER HUDSON AND INCLUDED JUDGES SUCH AS PAULA ABDUL, LIONEL RICHIE, AND LUKE BRYAN. SINGING COMPETITION SHOWS HAVE BEEN MASSIVELY SUCCESSFUL. IN A 2021 STUDY, IT WAS FOUND THAT AMERICAN IDOL WAS RANKED AS THE THIRD MOST POPULAR SINGING COMPETITION SHOW WITH THE MASKED SINGER AND THE VOICE IN THE NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER TWO SPOTS.
I SPOKE WITH SINGING COMPETITION SHOW SUPERFAN MOLLY MCGEE ABOUT HER LOVE FOR AMERICAN IDOL.
[Molly McGee] “I think it is the best singing competition show of all time. There’s something about it that the other shows don’t have. It feels magical on American Idol, I don’t know. You can really tell that the whole point is to make people’s dreams come true.”
IT IS NO SECRET THAT SEVERAL SINGING COMPETITION SHOWS HAVE PRODUCED SOME MEGA STARS. X FACTOR PRODUCED ONE DIRECTION AND FIFTH HARMONY, THE VOICE PRODUCED JORDAN SMITH AND MORGAN WALLEN, AND AMERICAN IDOL PRODUCED JORDIN SPARKS AND ADAM LAMBERT IN ADDITION TO THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES I MENTIONED EARLIER. BUT, WHERE ARE THE SOME OF THE OTHER CONTESTANTS AND WINNERS NOW?
I SPOKE WITH TAYLOR HICKS, WINNER OF SEASON 5 OF AMERICAN IDOL.
[Taylor Hicks] “It was amazing because I had worked, you know, 10 years trying to create a break for myself and, you know, what a break it was. I was very blessed.”
THE BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA NATIVE WAS ON AMERICAN IDOL WHEN HE WAS 29 YEARS OLD. KNOWN FOR HIS GRAY HAIR AND INCREDIBLE COUNTRY VOICE, HICKS TACKLED NOTORIOUSLY DIFFICULT SONGS SUCH AS ODIS REDDING’S “TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS” AND STEVIE WONDER’S “LIVING FOR THE CITY’. DESPITE DOUBT FROM SIMON COWELL IN HIS AUDITION, HICKS ENDED UP NOT ONLY WINNING SEASON 5 OF AMERICAN IDOL, BUT EVEN DEFEATING SINGER CHRIS DAUGHTRY IN DOING SO.
SINCE HIS WIN, HICKS HAS HAD TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. HE WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN IDOL ALUM TO HAVE A VEGAS RESIDENCY, HE GUEST STARRED IN AN EPISODE OF “LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT”, AND OPENED A RESTAURANT IN HIS HOMETOWN CALLED ORE DRINK AND DINE, WHICH IS NOW SAW’S BBQ. BUT WHAT IS THE STAR UP TO NOW?
[Taylor Hicks] “Every day’s a challenge and every day we should be thankful that we have that day. I’m extremely happy about being a part of something that I’ve always dreamed of being a part of. I’m releasing a new single soon, and I’ve got a new single out called “Porch Swing”, which I love. And I’m excited to release a full length record towards the end of this year.
AS SINGING COMPETITION SHOWS ARE BEGINNING TO DECLINE IN POPULARITY, AMERICAN IDOL HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVING THE SAME AMOUNTS OF HIGH PRAISE AS IT USED TO. ACCORDING TO AN ARTICLE FROM BILLBOARD, THE SEASONS FOLLOWING SEASON 2 OF AMERICAN IDOL DID NOT DO NEARLY AS WELL IN THE FINALE EPISODE. THE SEASON TWO FINALE HAD OVER 38 MILLION VIEWERS, BUT OTHER SEASONS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT MILESTONE.
JUST THIS WEEK ONE OF THE MOST SHOCKING EVENTS HAPPENED ON THE SHOW. IN THE TOP 5 ELIMINATION EPISODE ON SUNDAY, SINGER WÉ ANI WAS CUT ALONG WITH ZACHARIAH SMITH. FANS OF THE SHOW TOOK TO TWITTER TO EXPRESS THEIR DISAPPOINTMENT. SOME EVEN SAY THAT THE SHOW SHOULD BE CALLED “COUNTRY IDOL”, AS IT SEEMS AS THOUGH COUNTRY ARTISTS ARE USUALLY THE ONES THAT WIN OR MAKE IT FAR IN THE COMPETITION.
[Molly McGee] “I was shocked when Wé didn’t make it through, I think that she’s incredible. Usually I can agree with who wins, but there have been some major upsets throughout the years. A lot of the time the people that don’t win their season end up being more successful than the person who does. I think that is going to be true for her.”
SOME NOTABLE AMERICAN IDOL UPSETS INCLUDE TORI KELLY, TODRICK HALL, AND DAVID ARCHULETA. ARGUABLY, THE MOST NOTABLE UPSET WAS THAT OF JENNIFER HUDSON IN SEASON 3. UNLIKE SEASON 3 WINNER FANTASIA BARRINO, JENNIFER HUDSON HAS BECOME AN EGOT WINNER. ALTHOUGH BARRINO IS ALSO A GRAMMY WINNER, MANY FANS BELIEVE THAT HUDSON DESERVED TO WIN.
THESE UPSETS HAVE LED FANS TO SPECULATE ON THE NATURE OF SINGING COMPETITION SHOWS AS A WHOLE, AND WHETHER THE WINNER IS PURELY DECIDED ON RAW VOCALS AND TALENT ALONE, OR IF COMMERCIAL ABILITY AND PHYSICAL APPEAL ALSO PLAY A ROLE.
REGARDLESS OF THE GENERAL APPEAL OF THE SHOW, IT IS AN UNDENIABLE FACT THAT IT GIVES ASPIRING MUSICIANS A CHANCE TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD. THE SUCCESS OF SINGING SHOWS MAY BE DECLINING, BUT THE NEED FOR GOOD SINGERS ISN’T GOING ANYWHERE.
FOR WNUR NEWS, I’M JESSICA WATTS.
2021 study:
https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/what-is-most-popular-singing-competition-show-tv.html/
Billboard article:
