First let me say that I have nothing personal against Jordin Sparks. She seems like a nice, young girl (she's *only* 17!) who has an above average voice - certainly better than the 2nd place finisher from last year Katharine McPhee. It's a pity that they, the AI conglomerate, insisted to pimp the hell out of her and force her to make a bland, insipid electronically maneuvered techno pop Disney sounding album only a 12 year old will enjoy. I mean, come on, really ... who in their right mind is going to sit through this lyrically vapid, machine-enhanced hand-clapping mindless music otherwise?
Not many, apparantly. Jordin will now take over the crown as having the lowest selling debut CD by an American Idol winner to date, selling a measly 119,000 in her first week and placing only 10th on the Billboard Chart. Hard to believe since it was released on Black Friday, supposedly the biggest shopping day of the year. She also has the benefit of a Top 10 single. What could have gone wrong?
In a strategic move, American Idol pimped the "anti-Taylor" this year. They wanted a teenager with no musical identity whatsoever, someone they thought would appeal to the young buyers, someone they could mold into a Top 40 princess. And although she seems to be doing fine with her single, people just aren't interesting in buying into the whole package.
The AI6 season was a total disaster from the start, starting with lower ratings from the season before. Perhaps they lost a few viewers with the total and blatant disregard to their AI5 winner Taylor Hicks? Perhaps sticking gum on Taylor's picture during the auditions was an error - losing his many fans as viewers? Perhaps the talent was subpar? Perhaps the excitment Taylor brought to Season 5 was nowhere to be seen this year? The AI6 tour was a bomb and their #1 and #2 finishers will more than likely bomb too in the retail stores. Take THAT, Nigel and Simon! That's what you get for trying to manipulate us. There is a wonderful sense of payback and satisfaction I'm getting from all of this. Call it petty, but I don't care. What goes around, comes around - in SPADES. I'm sure $Clive$ is nervously twitching in his kingdom! :)
I'll be curious to see if Miss Jordin gets same vile treatment that was spewed at Taylor for not living up to their "sales expectations". She should! Taylor sold almost 300,000 debut copies of his CD - 2 1/2 times as many as Jordin - this is the guy TPTB love to jab. Maybe they'll make nicey with him now.
According to the AI philosophy, she MUST be a failure, plain and simple. Look how they classified it last year. It's all about sales to them. But what they don't understand is that manufactured plastic doesn't last if you don't let artists develop their own style. You can't force a circle into a square peg. Why didn't they let Jordin do what she does best? She's a ballad singer - that's what she excelled at on the show. They certainly didn't let Taylor have total control on his album, I mean, geesh, forcing a Diane Warren song upon him? That's just plain wrong. One can only hope they're learning their lesson.
FYI, here is a list of the Idols’ debut CDs and their placement on the Billboard Chart:
Clay - “Measure of a Man” - 612,859 (# 1)
Ruben - “Soulful” - 416,569 (# 1) - Winner, Season 2
Carrie - “Some Hearts” - 314,549 (# 2) - Winner Season 4
Chris Daughtry - “Daughtry” - 303,677 (# 2)
Taylor - “Taylor Hicks” - 298,199 (# 2) - Winner Season 5
Kelly - “Thankful” - 297,000 (# 1)- Winner Season 1
Fantasia - “Free Yourself” - 239,389 (#8) - Winner Season 3
Bo - “The Real Thing” - 226,976 (# 4)
Jordin - "Jordin Sparks" - 121,351 (# 9) - Winner Season 6
Katharine - "Katharine Mcphee" - 115,761 (# 2)
Elliott - “Elliott Yamin” - 90,439 (# 3)
Kellie - “Small Town Girl” - 79,133 (# 9)
Bucky - “Bucky Covington” - 60,814 (# 4)
Josh - “Joshua Gracin” - 57,048 (# 11)
Justin - “Justin Guarini” - 57,000 (# 20)
Kim - “One Love” - 56,894 (# 16)
Diana - “Blue Skies” - 47,000 ( # 52)
Tamyra - “Dreamer” - 39,091 (# 23)
Mandisa - “True Beauty” - 17,140 (# 43)
LaToya - “Love and Life” - 12,546 (# 82)
Mario - “Mario Vasquez” - 11,812 (# 80)
Constantine - “Constantine” - 8,918 (# 75)
Constantine - “Pray for the Soul of Betty” - 7,467 (# 129)
Paris - “Princess P” - 6,320 (# 133)
Jasmine - “Jasmine Trias” - 4855
John Stevens - “Red” - 4349
Jim Verraros - “Rollercoster” - 1571
Corey Clark - “Corey Clark” - 557
Ayla Brown - “Forward” - 300
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7 comments:
Hey Griz!
My friend, I finally found you!!!!!
I agree that it is a total failure of AI. I don't think Jordin will get the negative press. I think it will just be really silent out there.
Last year, they flamed Taylor in order to create a war that would increase D's sales (and it worked). This year there is no point since Blake is the only other idol with a record contract and his release next week has yet to enter the top 100 on Amazon. His single has also not hit the top 100 on itunes so I'm guessing his sales will be way below 100,000.
The only question now is: what will AI do next year? Will they play nice with Asian Idol? Will they try to win back lost fans? Will they go down in flames?? I guess it all depends on how low the ratings are for the first few shows. I hope DWTS beats it next spring!
Pamela
I am not completely understanding the numbers here, Daughtry sold over 1.5 million CD's yet you have him listed as selling on 303,677.
and the low woman on the totem pole Ayla Brown, she has soundscanned over 4,200 copies of her CD, I also believe she has sold over 10,000 copies at events and concerts, soundscan doesn't register everything.
On the other hand I completely agree with your entire article.
It is sad that these AI people try to manipulate these artists into something they are not, or most of the time something the artists don't want to be.
It is time for this hand clapping BS to end. Where is the real music?
I will give Ayla one thing, her CD was done in under 9 days because of her college basketball restrictions, and it is all REAL, not over programmed and over processed stuff. Her voice is real too, no manipulation there, I am actually more impressed with her CD than most of the others.
I hope AI changes their tune this year, for the show's sake.
anon - these are only first week sales, not total to date.
i am 100 % sure american idol learn from their mistakes all the time, and they work hard to make the show better each year. season 4 and 5 were awesome imo, better than season 1-3. Season 6 focused WAY too much on the mentors. They have admitted to this mistake and will not have any mentors next year, they will focus more on the contestants. besides, the ratings next season should be awesome anyway considering there wont even be any competition for idol, because of the strike.
Actually, I think there will be lots of new shows to compete with AI because reality shows are about all they can do without writers. Singing and dancing reality shows may be all over the TV next spring.
Also, I think people are tired of all the negativity. Simon is out, Marie Osmond is in.
I like Marie Osmond. She's got a great attitude! How about a Marie/Taylor dancing combo next time! haha! Their ratings would go throught the roof, eh?
This was the "best" part: "Im sure $clive$ is nervously twitching in his kingdom"......haaaaaaaaa
And I doubt seriously that Jordin will be raked over the coals the way Taylor was. She is "only" 17 afterall. :-)
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