# Is it just me or has American Idol lost its mass appeal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 24, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590 "2009-03-24T15:25:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/1 "2009-03-24T15:25:10Z")
Maybe I just haven’t seen that many of them, but I don’t remember a recent AI thread. I think it’s wonderful! Now if Fox would just quit littering up every other show they have with those annoying promos. As soon as one of those things pops up, I hit MUTE! ---
**Author:** ![mariposalabrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@mariposalabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mariposalabrown)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/2 "2009-03-24T16:23:13Z")
There is a 5 page thread for last week’s American Idol, and there should be one for tonight starting up any second. If anything, I think it’s just getting bigger and bigger. I don’t know how to link to threads, but last week’s thread is on page 2. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/3 "2009-03-24T16:43:49Z")
I guess they just passed before my eyes and I didn’t see them. Or maybe I just wished that were true. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/4 "2009-03-24T16:55:07Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > I guess they just passed before my eyes and I didn’t see them. Or maybe I just wished that were true. 😉 We’ve just conditioned ourselves to ignore all things American Idol 😃 ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/5 "2009-03-24T17:26:13Z")
> [@mariposalabrown](#): > > There is a 5 page thread for last week’s American Idol, and there should be one for tonight starting up any second. If anything, I think it’s just getting bigger and bigger. > > I don’t know how to link to threads, but last week’s thread is on page 2. FYI: Idol is on [Wed/Thurs](http://www.americanidol.com/) this week, due to the President’s Press Conference tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/6 "2009-03-24T17:34:03Z")
> [@](#): > > **[Since] Season Six, the show has shown a steady decline in viewership**. On the season finale of the sixth season, the ratings of American Idol saw a drop of 19% from last year, when Taylor Hicks was crowned as the 2006 Idol. **Ratings of the season finale peaked at 34.9 million viewers at 10 pm, just five minutes before Jordin Sparks was declared the winner of Idol**. > > \*\*Season Seven coincided with the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, which, according to early predictions would help the show’s ratings by eliminating scripted competition (Idol, being unscripted, was unaffected by the strike). However, the ratings decline continued into season seven, starting with the premiere which was down 11% among total viewers and 13% among adults ages 18 to 49 from last year. \*\*The performance show featuring the top seven finalist was the lowest-rated Tuesday American Idol show in five years among adults ages 18 to 49. The subsequent results show, in which Kristy Lee Cook was eliminated, delivered American Idol’s lowest-rated Wednesday among adults ages 18 to 34 since its first season back in 2002. \*\*Overall, ratings for the seventh season were down 10% from last season. \*\*General attrition of television audiences was the primary reason cited for this ratings decline. > > **Initial numbers for season 8 show further erosion, as numbers have fallen approximately 15% compared to similar episodes from season 7**. From its Wikipedia page. All numbers were cited; I just didn’t include them. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/7 "2009-03-24T17:37:40Z")
Besides the girl from the original AI have any of the winners actually went on to become any kind of idols? I would imagine if they haven’t actually been producing successful musicians the show my decline in popularity. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/8 "2009-03-24T17:38:33Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > From its Wikipedia page. All numbers were cited; I just didn’t include them. Beautiful. Thanks. So it’s not just me. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/9 "2009-03-24T17:44:50Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Besides the girl from the original AI have any of the winners actually went on to become any kind of idols? I would imagine if they haven’t actually been producing successful musicians the show my decline in popularity. Um, [Carrie Underwood](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie_underwood)? > [@Wikipedia](#): > > Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983 in Muskogee, Oklahoma) is an American country pop singer and songwriter. She rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, and has become a multi-platinum selling recording artist and a multiple Grammy Award winner. Her debut album, Some Hearts, was certified seven times platinum and is the fastest selling debut country album in Nielsen SoundScan history.[1] Some Hearts yielded three number one hits on the Billboard Country charts in the United States and Canada: “Jesus, Take the Wheel”, “Wasted”, and her biggest hit to date, “Before He Cheats”, and the #2 hit “Don’t Forget To Remember Me”. Her debut album is also the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history.[2] > > Her second album, Carnival Ride, was released on October 23, 2007. It has so far sold over 2 million records,about 2.6 million copies,[3] and has produced four number one country hits, “So Small”, “All-American Girl”, “Last Name”, and “Just a Dream”.[4] Underwood’s Christmas single, “Do You Hear What I Hear?” peaked at number two on the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts. Her current single, released in 2009, is “I Told You So”. This is her fifth single from her number one album Carnival Ride. Aside from her vocals, Underwood’s success is attributed to what many fans recognize as her wholesome image.[5] As of February 2009, Underwood has sold over 9.3 million albums in the United States.[6] Underwood was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry on May 10, 2008. In February 2009, Carrie Underwood received her first “Entertainer of the Year” nomination for the 2009 ACM Awards. This is her first nomination for this category from any award show she’s participated and/or been nominated in. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/10 "2009-03-24T18:13:20Z")
re Digital C’s question: Yes, “American Idol” has produced Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, as well as Chris Daughtry whose album has sold (much to my surprise) well over 3 million albums. It also jump started the career of Jennifer Hudson, who went on to win an Academy Award. Others have been moderately successful, but those are the stars the show’s produced, and the reason thousands of wanna-bees still turn out for auditions. Oh and the current champion, David Cook, is extremely talented but it’s too soon to say how successful his career will be, other than his platinum record. (I can’t stand the judges & their cruelty on this show; I’ve only seen it a couple times - last year when I fell for David Cook and his music. ) ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/11 "2009-03-24T18:44:21Z")
I haven’t followed the show much at all, but I think some of the winners won purely on fan sympathy votes. I watched the finals in which Fantasia won a few years back, and I’m convinced people were voting for her because she was a young, single mother, not because she was a good performer. I thought the girl who placed 2nd was much better (speaking as a musician/singer myself). Similarly, I remember my roommate, an older man, rooting (though he never voted) for Taylor Hicks simply because of his gray hair. It’s interesting that a number of 2nd-place contestants have gone on to more success than some of the winners. Kelly Pickler, Bucky Covington, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/12 "2009-03-24T19:11:00Z")
David Cook’s first album went over [1 million sales](http://www.scribd.com/doc/9151079/David-Cook-2008-Weekly-Sales-and-Billboard-Chart-History) a couple of weeks ago. He broke the Beatle’s record for having the most singles on the Hot 100 billboard charts at the same time. I’d say so far he’s had a pretty big success. If he can follow up with a sophomore release that has a little better songwriting on it and a big hit or two, he could be easily as successful as Daughtry, and he has potential to be even bigger because unlike Daughtry, he isn’t a dick. He’s also got a much better voice. His problem so far is that he seems a little too locked into the same pattern for his music, which is actually getting a little dated now. He would have been monster in the 1990’s. Now he needs to add a little more sophistication. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/13 "2009-03-24T19:43:12Z")
I have a novel idea: _They shouldn’t have had the show every year._ It becomes too predictable, too boring, it stretches the talent, and the truth is you can’t pump out seven stars in seven years and have them all succeed on the same stage. The show began to get tired and dull, as evidenced by the unfortunate decision a few years ago to devote most of the audition shows to clowns (which they’ve scaled back on.) It’s worth noting that of those who’ve found a LOT of success - they all find some success by sheer recognition - they’re all different style of music. Two winners have been really huge, Kelly Clarkson (belting pop) and Carrie Underwood (country) and two late-round losers, Clay Aiken (adult contemporary) and Chris Daughtry (rock.) Even if you count Jen Hudson, her success has been in, of all things, acting. There’s not enough room for all the winners and popular runners-up. People get tired of it. You can only buy so many albums, and soon the Idols are competing with each other; do I buy Grey-Haired Guy’s CD, or the new Kelly Clarkson CD? Had they had the show every two years or maybe even every three, the buildup and anticipation would be frakking incredible, especially after the first winner had become a significant star. You wouldn’t see ratings down; I think they’d be off the charts, higher than the Super Bowl every week. What they’d lose not holding it every year they’d get back in spades. It’d be special and awesome for the same reason the Olympics or the World Cup are. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/14 "2009-03-24T19:48:37Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > I haven’t followed the show much at all, but I think some of the winners won purely on fan sympathy votes. I watched the finals in which Fantasia won a few years back, and I’m convinced people were voting for her because she was a young, single mother, not because she was a good performer. I thought the girl who placed 2nd was much better (speaking as a musician/singer myself). Similarly, I remember my roommate, an older man, rooting (though he never voted) for Taylor Hicks simply because of his gray hair. > > It’s interesting that a number of 2nd-place contestants have gone on to more success than some of the winners. Kelly Pickler, Bucky Covington, etc. As to this, The Pickler and Bucky did not finish second. The girl who was beaten out by Fantasia Burrino was Diana DeGarmo, whose post-Idol career has not been as successful as Fantasia’s. I’d disagree wholeheartedly with your assessment on two counts; I think Burrino was legitimately a superior performer and DeGarmo one of the weaker runners-up in the show’s history, and I doubt her being a black single mother won Burrino much in the way of votes. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/15 "2009-03-24T20:57:40Z")
A lot of why the show isn’t exciting or suspenseful anymore is simply because it’s become clear that you don’t have to win in order to have a successful career. In fact you’re probably better off _not_ winning (not sure - is everyone in the top 10 required to sign an album contract with 19?) Add to that the never-ending judging and voting shenanigans, and it gets really old. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/16 "2009-03-24T20:58:01Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > As to this, The Pickler and Bucky did not finish second. Well, like I said I don’t really follow the show. I just knew that those two hadn’t actually won, but still got record contracts. Where _did_ they place? > [@](#): > > The girl who was beaten out by Fantasia Burrino was Diana DeGarmo, whose post-Idol career has not been as successful as Fantasia’s. I’d disagree wholeheartedly with your assessment on two counts; I think Burrino was legitimately a superior performer and DeGarmo one of the weaker runners-up in the show’s history, and I doubt her being a black single mother won Burrino much in the way of votes. Fair enough. This may have been simply a stylistic preference on my part - I freely admit I’m not at all a fan of the typical R&B diva style of singing (male or female - too much of it seems — to my ears — to be the backup singers actually singing the song while the “lead singer” just adds a bunch of embellishments). Though I got to hear Fantasia sing the national anthem before a World Series game or the All-Star Game, and thought she sounded absolutely wretched. To be fair, singing in a ballpark is never ideal, but I’ve still heard plenty of amateurs give much better performances of the national anthem. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/17 "2009-03-24T22:26:22Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Maybe I just haven’t seen that many of them, but I don’t remember a recent AI thread. I think it’s wonderful! > > Now if Fox would just quit littering up every other show they have with those annoying promos. I wish were going away. Tonight’s AI episode is being preempted, but not to worry, they’ll take over Bones’ slot **yet again** on Thursday to make up for it. Grrr. Why couldn’t they show it at 9 tonight instead of a House repeat? It’s not as though AI isn’t shuffled all through their schedule anyway. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Rachel68005](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4bbf92/32.png) [@Rachel68005](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachel68005)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/18 "2009-03-25T14:47:39Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > As to this, The Pickler and Bucky did not finish second. The girl who was beaten out by Fantasia Burrino was Diana DeGarmo, whose post-Idol career has not been as successful as Fantasia’s. I’d disagree wholeheartedly with your assessment on two counts; I think Burrino was legitimately a superior performer and DeGarmo one of the weaker runners-up in the show’s history, and I doubt her being a black single mother won Burrino much in the way of votes. You are right, Bucky did not win. However, he’s gone on to have quite a bit of success. He has had 3 top ten hits from his first album. He’s got a new single coming out the first part of April called, “I Want My Life Back” and he also has a second album that is due out on September 8th. He’s doing great and has quite a following. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/19 "2009-03-25T16:36:58Z")
If you want to discuss cultural zeitgeist as reflected in SDMB threads, you have the right thesis but the wrong show. \*Survivor \*threads used to go on for pages. Now, each week’s thread barely hits page 2. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590/20 "2009-03-25T16:42:53Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > If you want to discuss cultural zeitgeist as reflected in SDMB threads, you have the right thesis but the wrong show. \*Survivor \*threads used to go on for pages. Now, each week’s thread barely hits page 2. Touche’. But I like Survivor! 😃 But you make an excellent point. The SDMB Cultural Barometer? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-american-idol-lost-its-mass-appeal/490590.md?page=2)