The unofficial "Reasons Why 'Rock Star' kicks Idol's butt" topic

[Krom]

Isn't it sort of American Idol on Testosterone? The performers on Rock Star seemed to have lived a life, and their more polished, but the show needs a Simon Cowell. The band members seem to like almost everything, or maybe their just stoned sort of like hairier, tatooed versions of Paula. I was bored after the first 6 last night, and I only watch A.I. for Simon.

If this show was just a "rock AI" I wouldn't watch. I'll admit to watching AI, but I'd think this a rip off if that's all it could reach for.

And no. Please no Simon-alike. Ever.

[Trynity]

Trynity, where the hell have you been? Looking forward to hearing your input and opinions on the show and the talent.

I too am a huge fan of this format, and the fact that the band is involved in the final choice. I also appreciate that we as an audience are not subjected to the painful experience of witnessing the humiliation of the general untalented public. Rockstar does us real music fans the favor of weeding out the crap and letting us enjoy some true and diverse talent, while enjoying the fun of betting which real talent the band will choose.

That said, I still wonder where Jordas Unga, Mig, and Marty are professionally right now. No, they were not right for INXS, but I would buy all of their records if they were out there.

The only AI performer I will pay to see on his own is Chris Daughtry. There are quite a few Rockstar performers who I would pay to see. The new ones included.

Hi Snoopy! I've been following INXS's Switch tour around Canada and the US in the past couple of months and also patiently waiting for RS SN to start! This year's RS SN doesn't have the same excitement and passion for me as last year's Rockstar.....at least not yet....but I'm still a big fan and it still beats AI, hands down, no contest.

As for where are Jordis, Mig and Marty....Mig is in LA in the process of recording his first record and it should be released sometime in the fall. I'm sure you already know that the Lovehammers had a cd out in February and they are touring in the US right now although they are playing 1 show in Toronto in August.....which coincidentally, I will happen to be in Toronto at that time...hmmm.... I'm not sure what's going on with Jordis, I heard she was recording a record as well.

[blackflip]

I agree--the last edition of the show blew AI off the planet! These performers are way better and the song selection is WAY more to the point,since it is for a specific band. AI has all these stupid theme shows, and none of that crap is on the charts NOW,which is why a nothing like Taylor Hicks can win...that Ford commercial is the pits! AI has nothing to do with real talent,real ability to sell records in the current industry...if it really reflected the industry,the AI winner would have CD sales to match Thriller's but the best they have done is double platinum. And you are right,I would have purchased the CD of at least 6 of the people on last year's Rock star version,had they had one out...and I am originally a hard core R&B fan from my youth,but I appreciate rock too,especially through performers like those on this show. AI is a joke,a poor one on the lines of, "why did the chicken cross the road" variety,IMO!

[razorbacker]

I agree--the last edition of the show blew AI off the planet! These performers are way better and the song selection is WAY more to the point,since it is for a specific band. AI has all these stupid theme shows, and none of that crap is on the charts NOW,which is why a nothing like Taylor Hicks can win...that Ford commercial is the pits! AI has nothing to do with real talent,real ability to sell records in the current industry...if it really reflected the industry,the AI winner would have CD sales to match Thriller's but the best they have done is double platinum. And you are right,I would have purchased the CD of at least 6 of the people on last year's Rock star version,had they had one out...and I am originally a hard core R&B fan from my youth,but I appreciate rock too,especially through performers like those on this show. AI is a joke,a poor one on the lines of, "why did the chicken cross the road" variety,IMO!

Even highly established acts haven't matched the success of Thriller, & evidently you haven't kept up with the successes that some of the former Idols have had. Kelly Clarksons Breakaway is now approaching 8 Million copies on a worldwide basis. Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts is well over 3 million US sales alone. Kelly, Carrie & Fantasia have all 3 been nominated for various awards & Kelly has 2 Grammies, Carries has, among her awards 2 ACM's & 3 Billboard awards. Maybe Rockstar is more up your alley, but AI & the former AI winners are having a rather big impact on the music industry.

I had to edit this to include the fact that the INXS album featuring JD attracted almost no attention in the market place. It opened badly on the charts & dropped off within a very few weeks.

[Krom]

Even highly established acts haven't matched the success of Thriller, & evidently you haven't kept up with the successes that some of the former Idols have had. Kelly Clarksons Breakaway is now approaching 8 Million copies on a worldwide basis. Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts is well over 3 million US sales alone. Kelly, Carrie & Fantasia have all 3 been nominated for various awards & Kelly has 2 Grammies, Carries has, among her awards 2 ACM's & 3 Billboard awards. Maybe Rockstar is more up your alley, but AI & the former AI winners are having a rather big impact on the music industry.

I had to edit this to include the fact that the INXS album featuring JD attracted almost no attention in the market place. It opened badly on the charts & dropped off within a very few weeks.

The relative successes of the show's winners has little to do with the actual quality of the music being produced. AI makes crap. Period. Artists who have been on the show have gone on to produce non-crap when they shake the chains of the show a bit, but that has little to do with what we are actually seeing on-screen during the period of the show.

Kelly Clarkson is the obvious example. A girl who was, quite frankly, too talented for the franchise. She had to dumb herself down for it.

Rockstar is a much better show. Idol is a much better MARKETING machine. And that capability includes much more than selling Fords, it also includes marketing itself and its winners. Idol is a much bigger success and ALWAYS will be. Rockstar is a much better show, producing much better music and very likely always will be, assuming it somehow gets more seasons.

[blackflip]

Um,given the HUGE audience that AI has,even 8 million is weak as water---if everyone who voted bought a CD,a new record that would eclipse Thriller would result! Clive Davis even said this in Billboard,that AI had NOT fulfilled the potential of the exposure that it gives to it's finalists because sales should be MUCH stronger. Kelly Clarkson is the exception that PROVES the rule...she had to break away from AI to get the right producers etc. Remember Justin's numbers? CLay and Ruben both sold a little over 2 million. Also,I doubt that 8 million worldwide stat for Kelly a LOT--she is a US star! If that was so,she would have been nominated for a World Music award..to my knowledge she was not. The fact remains that even having a DIAMOND (10 million)album in the US has NOT been achieved by the singers on this cheezy show that runs two nights a week to 30 million-50 million people routinely. AI is not a World beater in the overall music market. Kelly has 2 grammies....Beyonce has 9,Alicia Keys has 7,and they each have had at least one 10 million plus selling album worldwide; Beyonce's last album sold 14 million WW and counting,Alicia Keys and Xtina Aguilara both have sold 16 millionWW on their last solos,so Kelly is not close to their importance,sales and awards despite the captive audience she enjoyed. Heck,Beyonce has sold 63 million records with Destiny's child apart from her solos,and that exceeds all of AI's sales to date! ANd don't even mention Mariah Carey!
Anyway,AI is not as good a show as this--look at Taylor Hicks...please dude is weak!

[Craig147]

I like them both. I would rather have a show where they mix all kinds of performing together. I would be fun to watch how fast the rappers would be voted off. Have actual unsigned bands auditions too. R/B groups. Coffee house singers, everything and see who conquers it all

[Redondo]

There have been some great reasons why the rockstar formula has worked better.

here are a couple of new reasons to discuss.

1) the age of the performers is older.
2) the performers have real singing careers
3) that the elimation isnt the worst singer , but the one least right for the band. this creates suspense.
4) they all start as real contenders

[MagicBullet]

Hmmm ...

--No extremely nasty criticism unless absolutely warranted (ROXXXXXXXXANNNNNNNNNNNE!)

--Seasoned musicians

--Doesn't seem like a trumped up karaoke contest

I could do without Brooke (her intonation is just so predictable), but that's my only real complaint. Well, that and all the man man man right on man brother word man brother right on. Man. It's still better than all the "dawg"ing and anything out of Simon's mouth.