Hicks Reinvents Career Post-'Idol'

Terrific piece by Randy Cordova from the Arizona Republic! It's nice this writer is perceptive enough to understand how hard it is to sustain the huge momentum coming out of American Idol in the short term and more importantly in the long term - and what unbelievably high expectations are demanded. Like Taylor Hicks says, "it isn't really about how many records you sell. The key is to be able to sustain yourself and to keep having gigs, whether it's Broadway or records or TV shows."

Taylor Hicks knows the rap he gets. Once "American Idol" ended, performers like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood went on to enormous recording careers.

Hicks, to put it bluntly, didn't.

After winning "American Idol" in 2006, his first album appeared in stores that December. The disc sold more than a million copies, earning platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. Those are great figures for almost any new major-label act. But in Hicks' case, coming off the "Idol" tidal wave, it was viewed as a disappointment. He was dropped by Arista Records last year.

"When you come off of the show, it's pretty obvious that people can say whatever they want about you," Hicks says. "It isn't really about how many records you sell. The key is to be able to sustain yourself and to keep having gigs, whether it's Broadway or records or TV shows."

That's where the true level of post-"Idol" success can be measured, says Sandra Deane, AOL television editor.

"People have unfair expectations of the Idols," she says. "The bar was set really high because of Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson, and that kind of thing is lightning in a bottle."

Indeed, the Idols who have been dropped by their labels probably outnumber those who have kept their original deals.

Fantasia, Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, Katharine McPhee, Bo Bice, Blake Lewis and Diana DeGarmo all lost their post-"Idol" gigs with Clive Davis-affiliated labels.

Of course, it's not like the performers vanish. Beatboxer Lewis has landed on a new label and recently issued a disc called "Heartbreak on Vinyl." Glamour girl McPhee has turned to films and has a new disc due in January. DeGarmo is currently in the off-Broadway hit "The Toxic Avenger."

Southern rocker Bice still tours the country and releases products through his own label. He appreciates the boost "Idol" gave to his career.

"People know who Bo Bice is who didn't know me before," he says. "I can really see the blessings the show gave me."

Deane says the fan base these performers are handed from a prime-time TV showcase is one reason they can survive.

"They've had this mass exposure that gives them an automatic fan base," she says. "Then they just need to find the right thing for them to keep at it. Being a pop star who sells a lot of records is a very narrow niche. These people are finding their own markets."

It's working out nicely for Hicks, who landed at No. 10 when Forbes published its list of the top 10 earners from "American Idol" in 2008. Thanks to "Grease," record royalties and his solo gigs, he earned $300,000. It's quite a distance from David Archuleta at No. 9 ($1.3 million), but it's nothing to sniff at.

"Just because you don't have success on radio doesn't mean you don't have success anywhere else," Hicks says. "I think reinvention is the key in this business. If you don't reinvent yourself, you have a short life span."

Even more importantly: He's doing something that he wants to do.

"Taylor Hicks is still a household name," Deane says. "As long as he's making his money doing something he's really good at and something that he loves, he's certainly a success."

American Idol is Destroying The Music Industry

The initial premise of American Idol is long gone. It's not a simple singing competition anymore, it's a commercial sales contest, plain and simple. It pits winners against losers within each respective season and from season to season. It pits fan base against fan base for bragging rights. It's all about $$$$ baby! It's not about finding raw talent, a unique performer, the best musician, or even the best singer. It's about promoting who they want and who best fills the deep money grubbing pockets of the American Idol pigs (if you grew up in the 60s, you'll know the meaning of the word). Forget musical integrity. If it doesn't sell, they don't want you - even if you win the friggin' show.

Who are they looking for? Anyone who can imitate what's currently selling on the Top 40 or country charts. That's where the money is. It's about making puppets out of stary eyed still wet behind the ears singers - youngsters that won't give them any lip. They don't want performers who know who they are musically and have a musical vision. American Idol wants to MOLD YOU into their idea of a pop star.

It poors millions of dollars into promoting marginally talented unknowns and brainwashes the public into believing their choice (not the voting audience) is deserving of this musical golden spoon. Huh? Could America be so dumb and unaware to actually believe this crap? Don't answer that. I can't take the bad news.

You see, the real hardcore brainwashing really starts after each season ends. The comparisons in sales amongst the Top 10 continue on for years. You see, they want you to believe that more CDs you sell, the more talented you are. Yes, folks, it's all about CD sales - THE SOLE indicator of success and talent. *cough*. Contrary to current popular opinion, I think not. All this is an indicator of is the power of the payola to radio stations and the almighty advertising dollar. TPTB like you because they see dollar signs? You're in! They'll take you to the top, even if you're tone-deaf. You see, they get very nervous if the winner doesn't fit into the Top 40 mold. How will they make their money? Oye vey!

It's all very sad. You see, I lived through an era where musicians and singers were judged on their music, not how they could be manufactured and promoted based on their looks or marketability. They took their musical craft seriously and spent years and years refining it in small clubs earning their way up the latter of success. Nothing was handed to them. The legacy of these musicians are the standard by which all others look up to. The geniuses of the future won't be coming out of the American Idol machine, that I can assure you.

American Idol's philosophy is that you sell over 1 million copies of your album, you're great! You sell under 1 million, you suck! End of story. And heaven forbid a second, third, fourth or sixth place finisher outsells the winner. Holy cow! According the faithful non-thinking AI watchers, this could be a fate worse than death. I mean, come on, isn't it Clive Davis who shuffles out every year with his report card on how well his "kids" have done - how many CDs they've sold and how great they are because of it? The mutual ass-licking couldn't be more self-serving. Is he implying that the more CDs one sells, the more talented and deserving they are? Is he implying that America got it right, or wrong, in their choice for winner, depending on how commercially successful they are relative to everyone else? If the winner doesn't sell like losers, did we get it wrong? Do we not know what we like? It's all so confusing.

The fact of the matter is they choose to promote who they want and who they think is going to be their biggest money maker (regardless of their placement in the Top 10). Winning means nothing as it turns out. It's who can imitate what's already successful on the radio and put money in big daddy's pocket. These puppets, as I like to call them, are used and abused until they no longer serve their purpose. If you weren't their chosen one, then you're on your own. This show isn't really about finding uniquely talented individuals - real musicians, real songwriters or real pioneers. It's about finding people who can imitate the dreck that is already popular with the less than discerning music buyer.

American Idol is destroying the music industry. It's all very sad, but being the optomist I am, I know that people will come to their senses, eventually, and music will mean something again. Perhaps people like Season 5 winner, Taylor Hicks, will prove that being different and breaking the mold is something to strive for, not being a cow and following the herd.