Toronto Star's 10 most important works of the decade: No. 4, American Idol

We asked our critics and our readers to vote for the 10 most important works of the decade. We count down to No. 1 as we approach Dec. 31.

I asked Kris Allen, the 2009 American Idol, why people like the show so much.

"I think the beauty about American Idol is that it takes people that they can relate to, that maybe acts like a friend of theirs, or has the same job or something like that, and makes them into rock stars or country stars or pop stars," said the 24-year-old from Conway, Ark.

The man's bang on. The rags-to-riches story, after all, is a persistent cultural cliché. But instead of commoners rising to royalty, we have a farm girl from Oklahoma becoming a country mega-star (Carrie Underwood), or the girl from a small Texas town who used to sing in bars and now sells millions of pop records (Kelly Clarkson), or the Arkansas church music director who got to play on the same New York stage The Beatles once rocked (Allen).

You don't even have to win the reality singing competition to become famous: think Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson, rocker Chris Daughtry, Broadway lead Constantine Maroulis or glam pop-rock sensation Adam Lambert.

Idol contestants come in all shapes, sizes, races, sexual orientations, ages (from 16 to 30), abilities (contestant Scott MacIntyre was blind); they're from small towns and big cities; they're a little bit country or a little bit rock 'n' roll, and everything in between.

Of course, the same could be said of plenty of U.S. reality shows that don't pull anywhere near Idol's viewership.

Its ratings are down, as are most network TV shows', but Idol still beats the competition every Tuesday and Wednesday that it airs. Just under 29 million watched Allen win over Lambert on the May finale.

But Idol's not just about numbers. It has become part of the zeitgeist since it debuted in June 2002 as a spinoff of the British show Pop Idol.

Idol's genius, in an era in which we simultaneously adulate and denigrate our celebrities, lies in combining the mythology of the American dream with a healthy dose of schadenfreude.

It starts with the audition shows, when just enough delusional, tone-deaf applicants are mixed in with the true talents to give the viewers something to laugh at.

As some are knocked down, others get built up.

By the time contestants have made it through the pressure cooker of Hollywood Week, when a couple of hundred wannabes are cut to 36 semi-finalists or less, viewers are finding their favourites: the people they'll cheer on and vote for.

And therein lies one of Idol's main attractions: viewers' ability not only to watch stars being born but to take an active part in the transition.

Throw renditions of hit songs into the mix, and the interplay between contestants, judges and host Ryan Seacrest, and you've got a hit.

Challenges lie ahead, however. The show has already lost popular judge Paula Abdul although replacement Ellen DeGeneres should maintain viewers' interest.

But will it survive the reputed departure of the most popular judge, bitingly honest Brit Simon Cowell?

Kris Allen won't be eclipsed by Adam Lambert, Fans Insist

Sometimes, good guys do finish first. That's what supporters of "American Idol" winner Kris Allen believe on the eve of the debut release from last season's soft-spoken champion.

With Allen's album due Tuesday, the long journey from surprise winner to young man on the cusp of superstardom is just beginning. Though, in typical Allen fashion, the buildup to his musical debut has been much more subtle than the fireworks and silver lip-gloss barrage of news and images from runner-up Adam Lambert.

In fact, until the leak of Allen's album last month, the premature release of snippets of his songs two weeks ago and the recent debut of his big budget-looking first video, news about Lambert appeared to be vastly overshadowing updates on the guy who actually took the "Idol" crown all those many months ago.

"Absolutely, I've noticed the discrepancy in coverage," said Josh Jenkins, a friend of Allen's and webmaster of a fan site. "Am I surprised? Not at all. The media deals in extremes, in controversy, and Adam is certainly that. Kris' boy-next-door image isn't extraordinary. In fact, I'm sure we all know plenty of nice guys who resemble Kris. But one could argue, of course, the fact that Kris is ordinary is what makes his success more remarkable than Adam's."

Jenkins said he was not bothered by the seeming media bias leading up to the release of Allen's debut, because he believes the married Arkansas, native with the quiet, polite demeanor has the chops to release multiple albums and build up a solid fanbase. "If his music is any good, then the coverage, the fanbase and the critical acclaim will take care of itself," he said.

Those sentiments were echoed by MJ Santilli, the founder of a popular "Idol" blog, who said she'd noticed the coverage discrepancy, along with Allen's fans. "The media seems to be in love with Adam, as they were all through the competition," she said of the musical-theater belter whose flashy goth/ club-kid style and coy reveal of his sexuality has earned him practically nonstop coverage since "Idol" wrapped at the beginning of summer. "He's a big, colorful personality with an interesting backstory. He's mad talented. It will be interesting to see if he'll live up to the hype and become the superstar some in the media are predicting."

Allen, on the other hand, is the low-key type who appears to shy from the limelight almost as much as Lambert is drawn to it, even as he has begun doing more interviews and appearances to promote the album over the past few weeks. "His project, on the surface, seems more conventional than Adam's, and his collaborators aren't quite as sexy," she said of such Lambert ringers as Lady Gaga, Muse and Rivers Cuomo of Weezer. Allen, on the other hand, has written with less splashy collaborators such as the Fray's Joe King, Switchfoot's Jon Foreman and former "Idol" finalist Chris Daughtry, whose song "Send Me Down an Angel" will be a bonus track on the Wal-Mart version of Allen's album. "However, I still think it's going to all come down to the records Adam and Kris put out. In Adam's case, the hype surrounding him will help him, but it won't guarantee success."

One reason Allen's first single, "Live Like We're Dying," might not have gotten as much breathless hype as Lambert's first two songs — the "2012" super-ballad "Time for Miracles" and the glitter-sprinkled, dance-remix-ready title track "For Your Entertainment" — is because Allen's song is yet another cover. That's the theory espoused by Derrius Lockett, webmaster of an Allen-centric website, who likes Allen's do-over of the tune by Irish pop band the Script but was hoping for an original for the first single. "Live Like We're Dying" has gotten a solid, if slow, start on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, resting at #92 at press time after hitting #89 following its release and settling in at #38 on the current top 40 chart. By contrast, Lambert's "Miracles" debuted at #50 on the Hot 100 two weeks ago before falling out of the running, while "For Your Entertainment" has not yet charted.

"We, the fans, just wanted something new," he said. "As for Adam, I think it's just because he has all these star friends like Katy Perry, Ferras and many others. He even went to the Michael Jackson premiere in London with Katy Perry, where he could talk about his new song — which I do love — and CD, [and] before that he did the announcement for the American Music Awards, which I think Kris should have done."

Lockett lamented that the only places he's seen Allen are at a recent Miami Dolphins football game and some other scattered appearances that don't add up to the blitz from Lambert. That said, "Kris has the star potential, too, and I think his CD will be #1 on the charts," Lockett predicted.

Kris Allen, Adam Lambert and Susan Boyle vie for Peoples Choice Award

American Idol’s Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, Daughtry and Carrie Underwood, plus Britain’s Got Talent’s Susan Boyle are all eligible for a 2010 People’s Choice Award. The first round of voting for is now open for fans of their favorite music stars, many of whom got their big break on a reality TV show. There are currently 12 nominees in each category. After the list is whittled down to five, fans will once again have the opportunity to vote for their favorites. The People’s Choice Awards will be held at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles on January 6, 2010.

So, how many of the People’s Choice initial nominees actually got their big break from a reality TV show? You’d be surprised! In the “Favorite Breakout Artist” category, Adam Lambert, Kris Allen and Susan Boyle are all up for a potential People’s Choice Award. “Favorite Country Artist” includes Carrie Underwood. This talented country/pop artist is also included in the “Favorite Female Artist” category. Kelly Clarkson’s name shows up as a “Favorite Pop Artist” and Jennifer Hudson falls under the “Favorite R&B Artist.” Finally Chris Daughtry is included as “Favorite Rock Band.”

Just in case you’re not counting, eight alumni from reality TV shows American Idol and Britain’s Got Talent are represented. That’s a pretty good validation that reality TV produces quality stars.

American Idols Adam Lambert, Chris Daughtry, Carrie Underwod, and Kelly Clarkson to perform at AMAs

"American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert is scheduled to perform at the American Music Awards on November 22 (the day before his debut release, "For Your Entertainment," hits stores). Thanks to a new report by People Magazine, it also looks like Lambert will be joined by several alumni from the former reality show.

Grammy-winner Carrie Underwood has signed on to perform at the awards, and she will be joined by Kelly Clarkson and Daughtry. According to AMA producer Larry Klein, "'American Idol' continually produces great talent, and we are looking forward to hosting Kelly, Carrie, Daughtry and Adam."

Also performing at the awards are Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, and The Black Eyed Peas. Who are the leaders in terms of nominations? Both Taylor Swift and the late Michael Jackson each have five.

American Idols Kris Allen and Chris Daughtry working together

"American Idol" winner Kris Allen is releasing his debut album on November 17, so suffice it to say that the pressure is mounting on him to deliver a successful debut.

Thankfully, he's not putting too much weight on his own shoulders. A new interview by Kris with Entertainment Weekly reveals that the singer is working with a variety of people on the new record, including for "Idol" contestant Chris Daughtry. Here's what Allen told EW about the now very-successful rocker:

"[Chris] reached out to me early on, during the show, I think during top-4 week. He gave me his number and was telling me if I needed anything to just give him a call. He was a really, really nice guy,"

Other people Allen is working with include Kevin Rudolf and Joe King from The Fray. His first single, "Live Like We're Dying," is currently making the rounds on the radio and is also available for download.
- From Examiner.com

American Idol winner Kris Allen is mastering the fame game

And you think you've had a crazy year.

Give this whirlwind a whirl: In six months you've gone from unknown college dropout to ubiquitous music star, headlining arenas across the United States. Americans by the tens of millions handed you a first-place finish on the country's most popular television program, and more than 20,000 lined the streets to help you celebrate with a hometown victory parade.

Last fall you were another anonymous dude playing bar gigs, just hoping somebody would notice; today you phone up Chris Daughtry for career advice.

If 2009 has been a big, surreal blur for "American Idol" champ Kris Allen, surely you can forgive him. Point out to Allen that his upcoming concert will mark his second Detroit-area visit of the year, and he pauses, silent. Nudge him with a reminder that he was here in March, when "American Idol" filmed a dedicated Motown episode, and he pipes back up:

"Yeah, that's right!"

The 24-year-old singer-guitarist will lead the 2009 finalists, including runner-up Adam Lambert, as the latest "American Idols Live!" tour winds its way into the Palace on Wednesday. Allen spent the first half of the year learning what it was like to star on a major television show. This summer is now a crash course in the one-of-a-kind grind of concert touring.

"It's not the easiest thing in the world," concedes Allen, who married his longtime girlfriend in September, just months before life abruptly veered down the "Idol" track. "There's not a whole lot of sleep, and you're not on any kind of schedule. You arrive in some places at 5 or 6 in the morning, then some places at 1 or 2 -- it's always different. But every night is totally worth it. The shows are what we do this for."

Read the full Free Press article