It's just that annoying.

Unless some of these American Idol contestants double as talented producers and writers, I have this feeling that another 100 singers will saturate the music industry with crappy music.  There are even some people who are still milking the hell out of their American Idol appearances (i.e. William Hung). With the exception of Kelly Clarkson (who I think is decent but nothing to shake a stick at), all the other previous "idols" aren't reflective of the kind of talent the judges and the viewers of American Idol (AI) make them to be when they're on camera. AI is sort of a marketing machine than it is a talent show.

Well, when you are a show that...

• Does sappy quazi-musicals blending in product advertising
• Sets up tours with their rejects immediately after the show's finale
• produces half-baked movies involving their finalists...

...something is up.

Don't get me wrong. Just as history tells us, there are a ton of great singers in AI but talent alone doesn't equate to good music. If we took some of the best selling musicians and singers we have today, strip their fame, and have them audition in front of Simon, do you think they would even make it to the top 12? Highly unlikely. If Stevie Wonder was a contestant, does it make sense for him to cover a Guns N' Roses song? See, that's the other thing. The judges have such a biased and twisted view of what makes a good artist. Unfortunately, that's the problem - they're looking for a good singer, not a good artist.  Add to the fact that most of these kids don't have the experience working in the music industry and you're left with a decent singer having to make key decisions in directing their musical careers such as choosing the right producer. Less known record companies know this and they will do anything in their power to leverage the singer's AI status to sell records. Will the records sell? Yes. Will the music suck? Likely. So how do we differentiate between a good artist from a good singer? A good singer is well...a good singer. They can sing cover songs of various eras, styles, etc. In essence, AI is the epitome of the ultimate karaoke singer. Harsh? Yes. The AI judges talk about stage presence, selection of music and other less important criteria that make a good singer but what the judges don't understand is that their feedback only satisfies THEIR vision of the singer. The same goes with the viewer voting which apparently has become more of a popularity contest than being a tool to evaluate real talent.

This brings me to the next point - The good artist.

A good artist is also a good singer. A good artist already has what these judges and viewers try to instill in the artist - an identity. A good artist knows his limitations but uses them to his/her advantage but knows the kind of sound they're trying to sell to their fans. A good artist is also a good producer or knows a good producer. Why is it that some of the most obscure artists (i.e. Ciara) break into the millions of records sold and none of these equally famous Idols do the same? When you have a Missy Elliot on your side instead of Producer "X" from "Y" Record Company, you're bound to sell. A good artist is also typically a good songwriter. Comparing Kelly Clarkson to Alicia Keys is a unfair comparison but again what is the goal of American Idol? To find the ultimate music artist! With the show blurring the line between being a talent show and a marketing campaign, most critical/hardcore listeners shy away from giving any of the top AI singers a chance by first scoffing at the credibility of the show. This is why people like Gavin DeGraw or John Legend will never make AI's top 12 but will look to sell millions under any other record label willing to take a chance on them.

So why even bother? Why waste everyone's time if these artists aren't up to par? Why are trillions of lemmings drawn to this show despite its flaws? I don't know but it probably is the same reason why most of these other reality shows get their viewers. People need to understand that it's all for entertainment but if anyone who even thinks that AI is a good system for evaluating talent, they are seriously on crack. American Idol, to me, is mostly a popularized variety show to which I'll probably never understand. The same goes for other shows like the Apprentice, Contender, etc.

So how do I know all this crap about music? I used to hang around with some music producers even some well known ones. It also helps having a brother that produces and records in this very finnicky music industry.

I don't even sing but I do listen to a ton of music.