The Train Wreck that is American Idol

[tboy]

Originally Posted by Califiddler

Baker seems to be saying that, in this era of decline of the major labels...

Majors are not actually in any serious decline. The big four now control about 80-85%+ of music sales worldwide. It's an oligopoly, not a decline. They're selling a bit less music these days overall, but that's because of attention shifting and diversion, not a result of artists threatening the majors by promoting themselves on CD Baby. Very optimistically, personal promotion might account for 10th of 1% of the current world music market.

[Califiddler]

Originally Posted by tboy

Majors are not actually in any serious decline. The big four now control about 80-85%+ of music sales worldwide. It's an oligopoly, not a decline. They're selling a bit less music these days overall, but that's because of attention shifting and diversion, not a result of artists threatening the majors by promoting themselves on CD Baby. Very optimistically, personal promotion might account for 10th of 1% of the current world music market.

Well, according to this article from Rolling Stone, entitled "The Record Industry's Decline", they are. Even if your 80-85% figure is correct, it is slice of a much smaller pie. People are not buying as many CDs, and aren't buying online to make up the difference - they're pirating instead. The article states that "Digital sales are growing -- fans bought 582 million digital singles last year, up sixty-five percent from 2005, and purchased $600 million worth of ringtones -- but the new revenue sources aren't making up for the shortfall."

Anyway, the decline of the record industry was not the main point of my post.

[Califiddler]

Forgot the link:

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/sto...trys_decline/1

[tboy]

Point taken

[emu!]

Well, the dreadlocks guy playing the uke reminded me of Tiny Tim.

Brooke looked good but I think she is going next.

[Fendrcaster]

I think Carly should go unless she starts wearing long sleeves and leaves her husband at home. I'm getting a little tired of Enchilada, too.

[odiemann]

David Cook showed his limitations.

[blue water girl]

Tonight was an odd night for song choices.

I thought Michael Johns did a very good job tonight with Dream On.

David Cook had to sing in a really low register during part of the song he chose which I did not care for too much, but I liked his white jacket that Simon said was pompous and overall I still like him very much although this wasn't a good night for him. I hope the public isn't fickle and he ends up in the bottom three because he is consistently good every week.

Carly picked a surprising song too, but as always I think she sings the heck out of anything and everything and she is my favorite followed by David Cook. I do wish she would cover the tattoo now and again, but maybe she is just putting it in everybody's face because what you see is what you get, no surprises later kind of a strategy. It would be shocking if she had covered it up all season and won and then showed up with that big face on her arm and her husband covered in tattoos after the fact! At if she wins she wins as herself with nothing to hide or be ashamed of later.

Okay Getbent - Kristie Lee looked very pretty tonight and didn't do a horrific job on her Martina song either, she flip flopped from flat at the beginning to sharp, although when she hits her high notes she does fine, it's the low notes where she is pitchy, but tonight she definitely did well enough to not find herself in the bottom three IMO.

Its hard to say who will be in the bottom three this week - I predict Brooke will be one that will be there, but Jason really has alot of fan support, hard to tell with him, Syesha will probably find herself there and the third person could really be anyone this week!

My guess is that Brooke will be voted off this time.

[StuH]

Wow some real good performances by the one's I thought were weak.

KLC was really darn good tonite and looked very very attractive. Thought her and Dreadhead stole the show tonight. Man if Dreadhead would have had the band come in in a rocking sort of way about 2 measures in that rainbow song it would have been real cool.

Man Carly really picked a terrible song way too 80ies and really unforgettable but she kinda looked hot in a weird sort of way to me. Would hate to see her go I really think she is phenominal.

Nice to see Archuletta's dad isn't picking his songs anymore, the kid has a big future and doesn't need the added stress from dad.

[Brad Miller]

I am gad you guys are giving me the recap because I fell asleep after the first 2 performances.

[Mark Davis]

KLC was the best she has ever been tonight . David Cook was the worst he has ever been so far. Wouldnt surprise me if Cook wasnt in the bottom 3 thursday night.

[FirstBassman]

David Cook and tattoo lady were horrible.
KLC was in her element.
Dreadhead (I like that) was pretty good.

[hekawi]

Prediction for tonight:

bottom three:

Syesha, Carly, and either Brooke or Michael Johns

going home:

Carly

[FirstBassman]

Speaking of which -
I read that Randy was one of the A&R guys at Sony that signed Carly to a contract.

Bit of a conflict-of-interest wouldn't you say?

Though it was a few years ago and they dumped her after one CD.

[Cheesehead]

Jason was great. He did the Israel Kamakawiwo'ole version of that song, which is pretty cool.

[mudbean]

Originally Posted by hekawi

Prediction for tonight:

going home:

Carly

No, Chief! Say it ain't so!!

mud

[Cheesehead]

Originally Posted by hekawi

Prediction for tonight:

bottom three:

Syesha, Carly, and either Brooke or Michael Johns

going home:

Carly

I agree with Syesha, Carly, and Brooke in bottom three.
Going home: Syesha

[Mark Davis]

My guess for bottom 3 are.

David Cook
Syesha
Carly

I predict a girl is going home probably Syesha or Carly.

[pchilson]

Bottom 3

Brooke
Syesha
Michael Johns

Brooke cries

[Capel]

Originally Posted by FirstBassman

Speaking of which -
I read that Randy was one of the A&R guys at Sony that signed Carly to a contract.

Bit of a conflict-of-interest wouldn't you say?

Though it was a few years ago and they dumped her after one CD.

FYI (thank you www.votefortheworst.com & www.blender.com)....

Carly Smithson, nee Hennessey has indelibly placed her stamp on pop music history. She reached #15 on Blender magazine’s list of Worst Recording Industry Blunders….

#15 MCA’s teen-pop calamity
How sure was MCA that slinky Irish teen Carly Hennessy was going to be a gargantuan pop star? So sure that in 1999 they staked the former Denny’s sausage spokesmodel with a $100,000 advance, $5,000 a month in living expenses and an apartment in Marina Del Rey, California, spending roughly $2.2 million in all on her 2001 debut, Ultimate High. How wrong were they? In its first three months in stores, Ultimate High sold a whopping 378 copies, putting the label’s investment somewhere in the order of $5,820 per copy sold. Last seen, Hennessy had resurfaced—still looking for her big break—on season seven of American Idol.

Carly was signed to MCA records during the same time period that Randy Jackson was the senior vice president of A&R. Carly was at MCA in 1999. Randy started at MCA in 1998 and was there for 4 years. Should this mean an automatic disqualification for Carly? We think so! An American Idol wikipedia entry says that Thomas Lowe was disqualified last year " because it was publicized that he had been signed to BMG while Cowell was at the label, which is against Idol rules."