Idolator

These numbers should come as no surprise to anyone who watched Idol this past-season -- and I seem to remember that a certain Idolator was practicing her own brand of American Idolatry this spring. Anyway, the finalists were poorly chosen by the producers and turned out to be extremely bland and talent-challenged. Plus, while many enjoyed laughing at Sanjaya [and his hair] and how he was "ruining" AI, the VoteForTheWorst crowd is never going to buy a ticket for this concert. Sanjaya's run was very offensive to lots of people who considered themselves "real" fans -- i.e., exactly the people who would be buying tickets to these concerts.

Yeah, this year's finalists were just a weak slate and even though the show still raked in big ratings, they're starting to feel the financial sting from it. Last year's top 4 all sold a decent amount of records and a couple of them have rabid fanbases (and McPhee's appeal is so obvious that I'm not even going to bother explaining it to you). I like Jordin and was rooting for her, but I think if Melinda won, more people would have her great performances on the show fresh in their minds and would be lining up to see her live.

@GovernmentNames: No, you should explain it to me! I find her just really generic--sure, she's pretty, but the material she's been given has been abysmal for the most part.

She's just AI's best combination of pin-up girl looks and respectable singing ability to date, nothing more, nothing less. Not saying I have McPheever, but it's not a total mystery why she'd be a draw even if she's not doing Underwood numbers.

I've never really understood why someone's look can sell a crappy album. I came of age in the late 80's and early 90's and was always dismayed at the hair bands making it big entirely on their looks while playing horrible horrible music. While I didn't care for grunge at the time, I at least appreciated that they were focused on writing good music.

Are people really paying $18.99 for a CD with a 5.25x5.25 inch picture of Underwood or McPhee or whomever? And do they have to pretend to like the music just to avoid the embarrassment of having bought the CD just because "she's pretty"?

Got a little hint for you: on the internet there are lots and lots of bigger and better pictures. So go look at those and spend your hard earned money on better musicians like Del Tha Funkee Homosapien or Nina Nastasia or someone like that.

@revmatty:
If someone's actually stupid enough to pay money, like, actual cash, for essentially a digital media they can easily get for free, I don't even bother trying to figure out their logic.

I don't care how good the music is. If anything, buying pop makes more sense because the jewel case actually is pretty to look at.

@revmatty: I didn't make the world, unfair and looks-based as it may be, I'm just commenting on it, jeez. Plus you had to go and be double wrong with the implication that a) Del Tha Funkee Homosapien is the best example of good music you can think of and that b) Nina Nastasia, whoever that is, isn't easy on the eyes herself, if google image search is any indication.

@revmatty: Underwood is halfway decent music. She'll have the longest career outside of anyone AI has put out besides Clarkson, and she may last longer because of the crossover country appeal.

@femstix: See, that's a silly argument for illegal downloading. Like, why do people still buy books when they can get them from the library for free?

    Katherine is a hot chick who can sing. She's not great, but good enough. She'll sell. Not to me, though, unless she gets into a prog-rock or metal group.

    The last two years, there have been some head-scratchers in the voting. The show lost credibility when Melinda Doolittle went out early. She was head and shoulders above the rest, talent-wise.