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Idol series
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The British talent search television series Pop Idol has spawned spin-offs in 42 territories, in what is now referred to as the "Idols" format, as described by FremantleMedia. As part of an out-of-court settlement between the Pop Idol producers and the creators of Popstars, international sales contracts of the format contain a clause preventing the local broadcaster from using the word pop in the local title.
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The British talent search television series Pop Idol has spawned spin-offs in 42 territories, in what is now referred to as the "Idols" format, as described by FremantleMedia. As part of an out-of-court settlement between the Pop Idol producers and the creators of Popstars, international sales contracts of the format contain a clause preventing the local broadcaster from using the word pop in the local title. The Idol television series is managed by 19 Entertainment, a CKX, Inc. company.
The Idol franchise is the third most popular international franchise, behind only the The Weakest Link (number two) and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (number one) franchises, both of which also originated in the United Kingdom.
Format
Hosts
Each show has at least one host that directs the show, introduces the singers and delivers the results of the show. While some countries have one host, most shows have two co-hosts. As well as judges, some countries have adopted new members to the hosting/jury party.
Judges/Jury
A preselected panel of music industry representatives tour some, if not all audition cities (depending on which show) to observe and advance those auditioning throughout the show up to and including the Grand Finale. The judges offer critiques and/or advice after each contestant performance, which can be positive or negative; Nouvelle Star 4 for the first time in any country introduced a red and blue "score card" type system where the jury award a blue "positive" or red "negative" rating.
As many as 5 stable jury members have appeared in any one Idol season (Idol Poland 3), though some versions offer "guest judges" or special musical guests on the program to also offer advice.
The judges of some shows gain a lot of popularity outside of the show as well as the contestants, due to them being collectively known to have a "caustic" or raw & blunt attitude towards contestants' performances, notably Simon Cowell , Kuba Wojewódzki, Dieter Bohlen, Ian "Dicko" Dickson, Paul Moss, Zack Werner, Anu Malik & Wyngard Tracy amongst others.
Performance stages
Auditions are held in numerous places in any particular region or country that gives most people (audition entry is bound by certain legal requirements such as age and citizenship for example) the chance to sing in front of musical/television producers and if successful, they advance to a recorded televised audition where the show "judges" advance up to 300 people in some countries to the next round.
The Theatre round is where a specially selected group of auditioners from all regional auditions converge (always in the host city) to perform in three sub stages: a chorus line in groups of 10 where free song choices are allowed, a trio (or less commonly a duo or quartet) where contestants must memorize a preselected song to perform and choreograph together, and finally a solo A cappella round where contestants sing a song of their own choice without musical backing in front of friends, family, judges & fellow contestants.
Each stage of the theatre round, a number of contestants are eliminated and sent home by the judges, though in some countries there have been very few contestants brought back during the Wildcards show or by the disqualification or resignation of another contestant.
The Semi final occurs usually live or pre-recorded (in some countries) where contestants sing in a television studio fully televised; again judges give critiques but beginning at this stage, home viewers vote via telephone and SMS (and in some countries other voting mechanisms including via Internet or via Red Button) who they want to stay in the competition. During the "semi final" week, contestants receive a workshop tuition with a vocal coach to prepare their song of choice. The format started out with contestants only singing along to a piano, though other instruments & even a live band have been introduced to some versions.
An average semi final usually consists of 18 to 50 contestants where they either perform in an even group of contestants (three groups of ten for example) or in a "heat" type semi final where the contestants sing every week until all finalists have been chosen. During the format, a Wildcards feature was introduced which re-introduced past semi finalists to receive a second chance to become a finalist, in some shows - the judges sometimes pick one or more contestants to advance as well as the viewers' vote. As of late, live audiences have been incorporated into the semi final round.
A results show of the semi final usually airs either a few hours after the performance show or the night after where the results are given. Three or four contestants are told that they may have received highest votes, though only a selected two or three are put through to the finals.
The Live shows (aka Mottoshows, Spectacular shows or theme shows) are an elaborate and spectacular version of the semi final. There is a weekly theme on which contestants must base their song choices, such as "80s Hits" or "Hits Of Elton John" for example. In a bid to counter sagging ratings, contestants on Australian Idol were allowed to bring instruments on stage with them and had the oppourtunity to sing original material from the 2006 season, a world first.Since then America and Canada have followed Australia's lead. Again a results show follows the show; this time it may include group performances, musical guests or extra footage of the contestants' time on the show. The contestant/s with the lowest polled votes leaves the competition. The live shows continue until there are only two contestants left in the competition or three contestants in some cases.
The Grand Finale occurs when there are two (or, rarely, three and only once so far four) contestants left in the competition. This is the pinnacle of the entire series and often highest rated show; also for some countries, it is venued in a prestigious location (American Idol: Nokia Theatre, Australian Idol: Sydney Opera House, Philippine Idol: Araneta Coliseum, Idol Sweden: Stockholm Globe Arena Singapore Idol: Singapore Indoor Stadium). In this show a specially awarded song is sung by both remaining contestants which is ultimately slated to be released as the winner's debut single though recently in some countries this has been phased out.
During the extended results show there is usually group performances and/or special musical guests, up until the eponymous announcement of the winner of the series which is followed by an encore of the winner's single which sometimes includes pyrotechnics/fireworks.
While the show's premise is to find one winner with promises of a recording deal and other frugal benefits, the Idol series often has several contestants who go onto the same route of fame, whether they be finalists, semi-finalists, or even auditioners. Key examples of this from American Idol include Clay Aiken (second place, season 2) & Chris Daughtry (fourth place, season 5, thru his band Daughtry), who have each outsold all American Idol winners except Kelly Clarkson & Carrie Underwood; Jennifer Hudson (seventh place, season 3), who would later win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress; and William Hung, who turned his off-key season-3 audition into a recording career and has outsold some finalists.
Releases
Often, a studio compilation album and/or a CD single is made to promote the show. In some cases, DVDs of highlights of the show will be released. While these releases have sold well in countries including the United States and Australia, many countries did not release CDs after the first series.
Since season 6, American Idol has sold only promotional downloads instead of CDs. For season 6, it sold studio-recorded MP3 and performance video downloads of the finalists on its website; no CDs were sold prior to the post-Idol releases of winner Jordin Sparks and runner-up Blake Lewis. For season 7, audio and video downloads are sold exclusively through the iTunes Store, which became a sponsor in that season; the iTunes downloads have included audio of all semi-finalist performances, studio recordings and performance videos for all finalists, videos of finalist group performances, and audio and video performances from the Idol Gives Back episode.
Media/Sponsorship
Sony BMG is the general record company associated and affiilated with the Idols format in most countries, though countries like Iceland and Kazakhstan have affiliate labels as they do not have a local Sony BMG subsidiary. FremantleMedia and Sony BMG are related through common parent Bertelsmann, which owns 90.4% of FremantleMedia's immediate parent RTL Group and 50% of Sony BMG.
Idol around the world
There are currently 129 winners of the Idols format, the most recent being Sourabhee Debbarma of India.
World Idol
In 2003, a World Idol competition was held, with the winners from South Africa, United States, Belgium, Australia, Germany, Norway, Pan Arabia (Arab World), Netherlands, United Kingdom, Canada and Poland.
Kurt Nilsen from Norway was the winner.
The top five contestants on "World Idol" were:
1. Kurt Nilsen, Norway
2. Kelly Clarkson, United States
3. Peter Evrard, Belgium
4. Heinz Winckler, South Africa
5. Will Young, United Kingdom
Themes
A notable commonality among Idol-format shows is the theme logo & intro style.
Many different versions of the Idol logo and show intro have been created since Idol's inception in June 2001.
Logo
The basic plan for the logo is an oval with the particular show's name centered in custom lettering based on a common font (Kaufmann). Mostly the name of the show is written horizontally, however occasionally part of the name is angled upwards.
The original Pop Idol logo featured an enhanced star in the logo. The star also appeared briefly on the American Idol logo, but was scrapped early in the Season 1 auditions.
The logo for some countries comes with an underline on the words SuperStar, or Idol, such as Deutschland sucht den Superstar, Hrvatski Idol, Hrvatska traži zvijezdu, Super Star, Hay Superstar, Nouvelle Star, Narodniy Artist, Super Idol, and Pinoy Idol (which also has a raised word). Turkstar has the only Idol logo to not use the common font style. As part of a relaunch after the first season, the French Nouvelle Star logo was changed to purple - the only logo to depart from the standard blue palette until Arab SuperStar season five had changed to the same color scheme also.
'Intro' sequence
The original version of the intro was created by Liquid TV Graphics in London which started with the dark blue Idol logo descending on the screen. A CGI human figure appears, with arms raised, intended to be the 'Idol' of the show's name. While the Idol figure sings, and then walks, images of guitars, microphones, cameras, and airplanes flow by, representing the life of a superstar. During this, the gender of the figure alternates between male and female. Finally, the figure is again in front of the Idol logo, raising hands in victory. The U.S. version of the intro was altered each season, including new sound effects and replacing the jet airplanes with waving flags. The flag concept was also used in the Indian Idol intro, as well as displays of famous national landmarks appearing in the first scene.
In 2005, a new version of the Idol intro was created by Aerodrome Pictures in Los Angeles which first appeared on the American Idol 4th season premiere. The intro starts with the Idol logo without the dark blue background spinning in the American and Canadian Version while the other Idol formats only glows and sparkles then the logo zooms in featuring a long section of the CGI Idol figure riding an open elevator past large vertical screens and displays and then walking down a stylized tunnel to a stage, where the figure starts to perform. On this basic template, the American and Canadian versions are customized, with past Idol winners appearing on the screens in the American version, while the Canadian version's screens feature Canadian landmarks. The American & Canadian versions last for 30 seconds; the new intro sequences for other Idol shows only last 15 seconds, with no customization and instead of the logo being 'stuck down' to the outside of the tunnel, it is pasted over the top. Also, the intro sequence for Nouvelle Star has a purple and blue color scheme instead of the standard light blue/light green.
In 2008, a new version of the Idol intro was created and introduced by BLT & Associates in Los Angeles on the American Idol 7th season finals. The intro starts with the Idol logo spinning behind spinning glass-like rings encircling it then features real male and female Idol figures passing horizontal and arc displays then walking to an arena where the two figures start to perform. Finally, only one figure raises his/her hands in victory in front of a huge arc display then zooms out to the atmosphere and to space, where the title of the show zooms out in front of planet Earth. The American, Australian, and Canadian versions are customized by featuring their past Idol winners in the horizontal and arc displays and last for 30 seconds. The Latin American, Brazilian, Georgian versions are also customized and last for 30 seconds but their past winners are not shown. The French Version is also customized and past winners are not shown but the intro last only for 15 seconds compared to other versions.
Similar shows
Similar formats produced by Fremantle Media and/or 19 Entertainment
- The Next Great American Band, a competition that follows the same format as Idol but instead of finding a solo singer the show will find the best unsigned band.
- American Juniors, a competition in the United States consisting of only pre-teen competitors.
- The X Factor, a UK programme (which has largely replaced Pop Idol) with a wider age range of contestants and allowing groups; There are 4 judges who each coach a category. The 4 categories are Boys, Girls, Groups & Over 25's. The public then vote for the contestants.
Adaptations of that have spread to:
- America's Got Talent, an American program with contestants of all ages and talents; includes singers who would otherwise be ineligible for American Idol.
- Idola Cilik, a competition in Indonesia consisting only of kids as competitors.
Other shows with a similar format
- Afghanistan, AfghanStar
- Albania, Ethet
- Argentina, Escalera A La Fama
- Austria, Starmania, talent show broadcasted by ORF
- Austria, Musical! Die Show
- Bangladesh, CloseUp1
- Bolivia, Uno Busca
- Bosnia and Herzegovina, OBN SuperNova Music Talents, OBN SuperNova Folk Talents, broadcast by OBN.
- Brazil, Fama(Globo) and Pop Star(SBT)
- Chile, Rojo Fama Contrafama
- China, Super Girl, a girls-only idol competition.
- Croatia, Story SuperNova Music Talents, SuperNova Juniors, broadcasted by Nova TV
- Croatia, Showtime, broadcasted by Nova TV
- Ethiopia, Ethiopian Idols
- Europe, Eurovision Song Contest
- France, Nouvelle Star
- Germany, Fame Academy
- Germany, Die Deutsche Stimme
- Germany, Star Search
- Germany, Popstars
- Germany, Musical ShowStar 2008
- Germany, Teenstar
- Hong Kong, Minutes to Fame the popular talent show of TVB.
- Hungary, Megasztár, a youth talent search, is a format created by SBS management member Christoph Buerge.
- India, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa
- Indonesia, Mamamia Show, broadcasted by Indosiar
- Ireland, You're A Star
- Israel, Kokhav Nolad (A Star is Born) An Israeli version of the format.
- Jamaica, Digicel's 'Rising Stars aired on TVJ
- Korea(South), is fairly similar version distributed by MBC.
- Lithuania, Kelias i žvaigždes (Way to the Stars)
- Lithuania, Dangus (The Sky)
- Malaysia, One in A Million
- Malaysia, Project SuperStar
- Morocco, Studio 2M, broadcast by 2M TV.
- Netherlands, Een Ster in 40 Dagen (A Star in 40 Days), an Idol-like show with only Shlager singers and music.
- Netherlands, So you wanna be a popstar? is fairly similar programme.[6]
- Pakistan, Pakistan Sangeet Icon
- Panama, Vive la música
- Philippines, Search for the Star in a Million, Pinoy Pop Superstar
- Romania, Megastar
- Russia, Narodny artist
- Singapore, Project SuperStar
- Spain, Gente de Primera
- Sri Lanka, Sirasa Superstar, musical talent search.
- Switzerland, MusicStar
- Taiwan,One Million Star
- Thailand,The Star Modernnine tv Ch.9
- Turkey, Popstar Türkiye(Recently known as Popstar Alaturka)
- Ukraine, Ti-Zirka
- UK, Popstars/Popstars: The Rivals
- UK, Fame Academy
- USA, Nashville Star, strictly country version
- USA, Nuevas Voces de América, a Spanish speaking talent show for the Latin market, on Telemundo.
- USA, Rock Star: INXS
- USA, Rock Star: Supernova
- USA, Superstar USA - a spoof on American Idol broadcast by the WB Network
Fictional material based on Idol
- American Dreamz - a Universal Pictures film, a satire on pop entertainment including American Idol itself
- From Justin to Kelly - a 20th Century Fox film, starring Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini, winner and runner-up of American Idol 2002
- Instant Star - a Canadian television series, following the life of a winner of a singing contest
- Realiti - a Malaysian television series, features the lives and secrets of contestants of a fictional reality TV singing competition
- Vina Bilang Cinta (Vina's Love) - an Indonesian film, starring Indonesian Idol 2004 runner-up Delon Thamrin
- Idolos de Juventud - a Telemundo television series, following the lives of the contestants and promoters of a fictional reality TV singing competition
- Rock Rivals - British drama series on ITV, based on a fictional Pop Idol style show.
- Peter Kay's Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly on Ice - British spoof of Pop Idol / X Factor by comedian Peter Kay, screened on Channel 4, featuring the original Pop Idol judging panel, minus Simon Cowell.
See also
External links
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