I lasted 3.7 minutes

[the_siobhan]

OK, somebody out there explain to me, using very small words if necessary, why ANYBODY who wants a career in music thinks that American Idol is the way to achieve that goal?

Comments

[otheronetruegod.livejournal.com]

I've a friend who worked in talent management, and we used to watch AmI together. One of the things she said to me really resonated: there is no dearth of amazing singers in the world. There are far too many very talented singers, and not nearly enough very talented songwriters in the world. So, in most cases, unless you're both an amazing singer AND an amazing songwriter, or an amazing singer paired with a band which includes amazing songwriters, changes are you're going to be a very talented singing waiter or secretary or computer programmer or whatever.

AmI gives talented singers some modicum of chance that they'll get to sing on cruise ships and at special events in Bumblefuck, USA and otherwise make a living singing.

Yes, there are exceptions, but by and large, singers are not the commodity in the music industry.

[emzebel.livejournal.com]

That is a really excellent point.

Plus, if you actually do get on the show, it is a lot easier than trying to put a really good band together and get gigs and work your way up for 12 years eating ramen before you actually have a hit single.

This has been brought to you by a very talented singing lawyer. Or, so I've been told.

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

But first they have to publically humiliated and probably rejected. It seems like such a slim hope to me.

I would think that if one wants to sing, actually doing it, with a band of one's own and performing one's own music, would be better than standing up in such a sterile environment and being told, "Piss off. Not good enough."

I'm hopelessly naive, aren't I?

[emzebel.livejournal.com]

Fair point. In theory, it would be better and more rewarding. For most mature, thinking people, it would be better and more rewarding.

But these are 16-24 year olds who in theory actually like the pablum they are singing.

This is a fast easy dream ticket to *something*. Playing in a band is a long hard slog. The people who take it *really* seriously do sort of scare me, but in all honestey, if I were 10 years younger, I would probably audition, just to have done it. Just for that minute chance of not playing in the back room of tiny bars for years for nothing but exposure. ;)