American Idol's after Idol... (1 Viewer)

[todd s]

I was watching the show the other night. And it got me wondering. What makes an Idol successful after the show ends? We have seen winners go nowhere (ie-Taylor Hicks & Ruben Studdard) and then seen Idol losers gain huge success (ie-Daughtry who came in 5th and Jennifer Hudson).
So I am just curious. I know charm and charisma play a big role. But, is it that Daughtry was luckier and got hooked up with better songwriters than the say Hicks or any other contestant who goes on to make an album??

 

[Brian^K]

The industry, itself, is highly luck-dependent. In a way, exposure on AI, itself, is just one manifestation of luck, for the contestants but there are no guarantees. Therefore, the main differentiator between contestants who do well after AI and those who don't is often a matter of whether or not they get yet-even-more luck.

For example, Jennifer Hudson was cast in what for her could very well be the role of a lifetime (Effie White). Without it, she may be nowhere, today. By the same token, without AI, it is possible (but far less likely) that Hudson still could have gotten lucky, and gotten that part, and made her career. Or she might have hit it big in a completely different way. Or she could have had some bit of misfortune that derailed everything for her. That's not to say she isn't talented -- she is -- but many people equally talented never make it big, because of luck.

I do suspect that some people simply have so much talent that they'd do well, somehow. Chris Daughtry probably qualifies. He might not have been a lead singer for a top rock band, but his talents are so strong that perhaps even without luck he'd have made it big. However, that's really rare. David Cook, for example, a contestant in the same vein as Chris Daughtry, did better than Chris Daughtry on AI, but his talent probably isn't big enough to overcome a lack of luck, should that come to pass for him.

Just a clarification: Chris Daughtry didn't get hooked up with better songwriters. He is that better songwriter that perhaps could have made the difference for some of the other contestants. He wrote or co-wrote ten of the cuts off his first album, including three songs he wrote solo, including one of the biggest hits, "Home", which peaked at #5 on the Hot 100 and at #1 on the UK singles chart.

Contrast that with Taylor Hicks, who got "hooked up" with songwriters such as Rob Thomas ("Smooth", "Lonely No More"), Corey Rooney ("I'm Real", "If You Had My Love"), Kara DioGuardi ("Sober", "Bella Tracion"), etc. That didn't seem to make a difference.

 

[todd s]

Brian,

Thanks for the info. You actually answered one of my other questions. Do any of these idols who make it big actually write any of their songs and are they songs that become hits? And you answered it with Daughtry. I wonder if Clarkson or Underwood write any of their own material?

 

[Patrick Sun]

Some are just singers (like Faith Hill), others are songwriters/singers. Most people don't care who wrote the song, just how good the song is, and how well it's sung.

If you're that curious, check out Carrie Underwood's album for who wrote the hit songs, the same with Kelly Clarkson, who had a handful of hits from her first 2 albums (the 3rd one was too personal, and she didn't listen to Clive and was too stubborn in getting it released).

The rest of the winners (Ruben, Fantasia, Taylor, Jordin) haven't really made a huge dent in the music landscape. Time will tell for David Cook.

But the good thing about making it to the top 12 each season is that the contestants get a lot of exposure that they would never get anywhere else.

 

[Brian^K]

Kelly Clarkson wrote a few of the songs on her first album, but more on her second album, and practically her entire third album (though with lots of help from songwriters like Avril Lavigne, Kara DioGuardi, and her producers, along the way). Carrie Underwood is not as much of a songwriter, writing only one (semi-autobiographical) song on her first album, and just contributing to a few songs on her second album. David Cook is a songwriter, writing all but two of the songs on his debut album (same as Chris Daughtry), and actually getting top billing as songwriter on almost all of the tracks (same as Chris Daughtry).

I don't know much about the rest of the winners. I don't think Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino or Jordan Sparks are songwriters.

 

[todd s]

Fantasia can't even pay her debts. She got celeb in the head. Started living the high life and when her career couldn't keep up with her spending. She got in trouble.

 

[Hanson]

It's a common refrain in the audition rounds to hear potential contestants refer to "taking care of their family" and other such references to untold riches. And yet, competing AI (or even winning in AI) is not really that proven a path to success, especially if you consider the number of contestants who have been fed through the machine compared to the precious few who have achieved real success. These contestants really need to get in touch with reality.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I have this image in my head of Weird Al spoofing his own "Nature Trail to Hell" as "Soul Patrol to Hell."

 

[Mikah Cerucco]

Without discounting "luck" I think vision, motivation, determination, and plain old-fashioned hard word shouldn't be overlooked. AI gives you exposure and opportunity, but it doesn't guarantee what you're going to do with those things.

 

[Brian^K]

Those are necessary but not sufficient conditions.

 

[EricSchulz]

While Jordin Sparks is nowhere near the success of Kelly or Carrie, she did have two (or possibly three) Top Ten Billboard hits and two Top Ten UK hits...something that only Kelly Clarkson achieved (the UK hits, I mean). I don't recall Daughty going Top Ten in the UK, but there is a reference to "Home" being in the UK Top Rock Downloads Chart.
Personally, I think that Kimberley Locke's music has been tragically overlooked (some great pure pop music and some INCREDIBLE dance remixes). Something that I PRAY is tragically overlooked? Amazon.com: Dancing to the Music In My Head - EP (Amazon Exclusive): MP3 Downloads: Sanjaya Malakar

 

[Greg_S_H]

There's also the chance that someone will have to overcome the AI label, and I think the show acknowledges that. They'll sometimes get a guy who wants to be a hard rocker, and they'll say, "Are you sure the audience you're looking for is going to respect the AI route?"

 

[Brian^K]

The album DAUGHTRY peaked at #1 in the US and #13 on the UK album chart. The single "Home" peaked at #5 in the US and at #1 on the UK Singles chart. For some reason, the rest of the singles weren't released in the UK, but reached #4, #18, and #18 in the US.

Jordan Sparks' album reached #10 in the US and #17 in the UK, and its singles reached #8, #3, and #17 in the US, and #24, #3, and #56 in the UK.

 

[Mikah Cerucco]

What's she doing to make sure it isn't overlooked?

 

[Aaron Silverman]

IIRC Jordin Sparks was sidelined for a while with throat issues, which held back her career to some extent.

She sang the national anthem at one of the recent NFL playoff games -- I think it was Eagles/ Cards. She sounded fine.