Good on American Idol!

[SaharaTea]

I almost had a heart attack when I saw “Hallelujah” as the most downloaded song. I may have to start watching Idol again. Is this year’s crop better than last season?

[Liberal]

Yes, especially the guys. And a couple of the girls.

[Biggirl]

@Justin_Bailey

Please don’t take this the wrong way, but saying that makes it obvious you’re old. Or at least, you obviously don’t have any connection with today’s high school/college kids.

The Beatles are huge with “the younger set” and have been for some time. I don’t think I knew anyone in high school/college who didn’t love The Beatles, and a lot of them owned at least one CD. Not one they stole from their parents, but one they themselves owned.

You know what made it obvious that I’m old? The part you snipped where I said I was in high school when John Lennon was killed— 30 YEARS AGO.

It’s good to hear that today’s high schoolers have a leg up on the classics of pop.

[Sam_Stone]

@Hal Briston

In other words, prepare for harmonic hell. I loate the AI backup singers…they regularly destroy what would have been a good performance. It amazes me that with the resources that 19 and Fox have at their disposal, they think those three are the best they can find? Eesh…

Same with the band. The American Idol band generally sucks. Rock Star Supernova was a cheap knock-off of AI, but they had one of the best stage bands I’ve ever seen. Just fantastic. Worth watching the show just to watch the house band.

Given that AI is a huge moneymaking powerhouse, you’d think they might put a good backing band behind the singers. In fact, I’d like to see a presentation more like Rock Star Supernova, where the band was right behind the singer and the singer could interact with them. It would make it more interesting to watch, and it would really help distinguish the singers who can lead a band and stand out vs the ones that can’t.

[Liberal]

I gotta disagree with that. I have great respect for Ricky Minor. I’m not saying his band is better than the RSS band, but it is more versatile and benefits from his leadership. I also don’t see the need for band interaction, since the AI winner is generally marketed as a solo singer, rather than as a lead singer for a band.

[Mister_Rik]

@Liberal

I also don’t see the need for band interaction, since the AI winner is generally marketed as a solo singer, rather than as a lead singer for a band.

Aside from some “diva” type singers, lots of solo performers interact heavily with their band members.

[Liberal]

Sure. And some who are not divas don’t.

[Sam_Stone]

Maybe the band members themselves are talented, and it’s just the mix on the show that blows. Or the arrangements. Either way, I find that the music tends to suck the life out of the song - it’s got little energy. This really shows up in rock songs as opposed to the latest Whitney or Mariah blowfest.

[ouryL]

@jayjay

Buckley was not the original artist to record “Hallelujah”. While I think Buckley’s version is better than just about any other version, period, including the original, it was Leonard Cohen, the songwriter, who first recorded it.

I did like the Rufus Wainwright version with his sister singing harmony.

[ouryL]

I hope a certain someone sings, “Revolution”.

[Sampiro]

I had Cohen’s version, but downloaded Buckley’s and k.d. lang’s. Hard to say which is better, but I recommend both. (Castro’s wasn’t bad either, though I wouldn’t agree with Simon’s brilliant assessment.)

[OpalCat]

If you haven’t heard the Rufus Wainwright one, get it. The piano part will make you cry.

Regarding the one linked on YouTube earlier in the thread with the Norwegian guys… the one who sounds like Garth Brooks could fit a whole extra tooth in that gap. Wow.