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, 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.

Kris Allen and Adam Lambert talk "No Boundaries"

Los Angeles – Cutting Kara DioGuardi's "No Boundaries" from the American Idol tour was a no-brainer for Kris Allen.

"Taking that out is kind of helping my set a little bit," Allen explained to us this morning as he and Adam Lambert picked up their new Ford vehicles at Galpin Ford just outside of Los Angeles. "It gave it a little bit more energy … It just felt like a better fit to put something else in."

Critics and fans have pretty much trashed "No Boundaries," which DioGuardi cowrote, ever since it debuted as the American Idol victory song during the finale in May. Allen has replaced it with The Killers' "All These Things That I've Done." "Everyone knows that song," Lambert said. "It's really great."

Our favorite singing bromancers also talked about which Idol alums they'd like to work with... "I love Kelly Clarkson," Allen said. "She's incredible, so that's who I'd want to work with."

Lambert is a big fan, too. "The album Kelly just came out with is fantastic," he said. "Great writers, great producers. She wrote a bunch of songs on there, and Katy Perry—my girl—wrote songs on there, too. It's great." But then Lambert added, "I want to work with Fantasia, just hollerin' back and forth."

On a more serious note, the openly gay Lambert said he's trying not to think too much about protesters who showed up at one of the recent Idol tour stops. "I don't think I'm going to change their minds," he said. "I respect their opinion, but they didn't need to come to a concert and spread negativity...Go use your energy for something productive."

 Source: E! Online

Kris Allen Working With Fray Frontman, “Idol” Vets On Debut

Kris Allen is talking with Billboard.com about the producers and songwriters he’s recruiting for his debut disc, due out in the fall. So far, Allen has nailed down collaborations with songwriter Claude Kelly (Kelly Clarkson’s “My Life Would Suck Without You,” Britney Spears’ “Circus”), producer Salaam Remi (Amy Winehouse, Nas) and former Evanescence keyboardist David Hodges, who previously worked with Idol alumni Kelly Clarkson, Daughtry and David Archuleta.

“I’ve been writing a lot with a lot of different people, and it’s going well,” Allen told Billboard. “Each writing session has been a learning experience. I think that we are trying to figure it out and that it’s going the right way and I’m really excited about it. I can’t wait.”

Rolling Stone Link