Rebecca Neumann
Entertainment Editor
With only a few days left until the final results show of “American Idol”, the few devoted “Idol” fans do not have to wait much longer for a new star to be crowned. However, with so few true fans left, and comp
etition from the new NBC show “The Voice”, some wonder if “Idol” can last more than another few seasons.
“Idol” was an original idea when it hit the small screen in 2002 on FOX. Watching a panel of judges criticize terrified, normal people somehow appealed to a wide audience. Now, with other shows that include judging panels, such as “Dancing with the Stars” and “America’s Got Talent”, part of the show’s individuality is made obsolete.
Besides that, “Idol” has also been through a recent rough patch. Last season, the ninth for the show, no finalist made any significant album sales. In short, the season was a dud.
This season, “Idol” is trying to bring some life back to the series, lowering the audition age to 15 to allow for a new generation of fans, who were only 6 when the show premiered, to be given a chance. And now, it is down to final two: 17-year-old Scotty McCreery and 16-year-old Lauren Alaina.
The two have amazing voices, but lack significant stage presence. The real stand-out contestant this year was Haley Reinhart, who was booted from the competition last week.
With these less-than-captivating finalists, some are beginning to wonder if maybe “Idol” is becoming obsolete to the music industry. Senior Ryan Hornick, who is attending Belmont University in the fall to study music production, watches “Idol” occasionally, but feels that it pales in comparison to NBC’s “The Voice”.
“[“Idol”] had become more about entertainment than music ability,” Hornick said. “On ‘The Voice’, the judges aren’t able to see the contestants in the first auditions, so it’s truly about their voice and nothing else.”
Hornick argues another advantage “The Voice” has over “Idol” is the judging. While “Idol” judges can make or break an artist depending on their criticism, judges on “The Voice” act more like coaches trying to recruit players for their team.
“The judges [on “The Voice”] are more like teachers than actual judges, and it turns out better that way because they can work with the performer and try to improve them,” Hornick said.
Junior Elizabeth Starr was an avid watcher of “Idol” until this year, when she stopped watching after nine years.
“I watched every season up to this current season,” Starr said. “I just don’t like the judges. I don’t feel like they give enough constructive criticism. The show isn’t a bad idea, but it’s flawed now.”
Starr is not the only deserter. Senior Violet Coker used to watch “Idol” too, but now she watches “The Voice”.
“I feel like after the first few seasons of “Idol”, the contestants were never as good or as well-known,” Coker said. “[“The Voice”] is much better.”
