Why American Idol is Ruining Our Music Industry

I remember a time, long long ago, when American Idol did not exist. The music industry was by no means perfect, with stars like Britney Spears and NSYNC topping the billboard charts and attracting swarms of fans everytime they left their houses. Music was already going downhill thanks to MTV and TRL alike. Yet today, I find myself longing for the days of choreographed dance numbers and matching outfits in exchange for these meager little nobodys that get to carry around the title of ‘American Idol’.

The title itself is insulting enough, referring to these people who showed up for an audition on a reality show as the idols of our country. These fame-hungry warblers, talent or not, get to run the talk show circuit for a couple of weeks, put out country albums, and call themselves celebrities. It’s truly embarassing for our country to have reporters chasing down the runners-up of this tacky game show, much less the contestants who didn’t even make it to Hollywood. What’s worse is that they end up on the covers with top billing. Is anyone else tired of reading about these 15-minutes-of-famers yet?

Kelly Pickler? Who cares? Sean Michel? Who is that? I’m waiting for someone to interview that guy who looked like a lemur. I’m guessing he’ll get the same undeserved 45 minutes of fame like William Hung did a few years ago, just because he was picked on.

I don’t know if anyone remembers this, but Hung actually dropped out of UC-Berkeley to pursue the “music career” that everyone was humoring. It was cute for a while and people supported him…until the next season of AI aired and everyone forgot about him. There he stood, all alone, with his costumes and unsold records, wondering why everyone lied to him for so long. That was just cruel, people. He could have been a brilliant scientist or nuclear engineer…a real American Idol.

Now the next season has started and people are already flocking to the rejects with microphones, notepads, and video cameras. It all sounds the same: “Why did you try out? Who is your ‘American Idol’? When is your record coming out?” I say we stop giving these people false hope and let them go on with their lives. Simon did his job, he opened their freakishly-large eyes, and now everyone is contradicting him. That’s like teaching a toddler not to stick his finger in the electrical socket, then having your drunk uncle tell him it’s okay. In fact, he’ll sit there and encourage him until he does it. Of course, when he hurts himself, the uncle slinks off in embarassment and pretends he had nothing to do with it. America, you are the drunk uncle.

This is a plea to the administrators of Associated Content. Stop putting the interviews with American Idol contestants on the front page of the website. Try giving attention to the real idols of America: soldiers, single mothers, inventors, experts, mountain climbers. I know your producers are writing about them. In fact, try putting this on the front page of the website. The drunk uncles of the country will have to get their fill of noncelebrities at the dinner table.