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American Idol’s Impact on Culture Is More Than Just Its Winners

4 minute read

American Idol kicks off its two-part finale Wednesday night—a long spectacle whose least important part will be choosing the 15th winner of the show. After all, the lengthy broadcast will be far more about celebrating the franchise, which was for many years TV’s most successful, than about any one singer’s fortunes. And even more important, Idol‘s real impact has little to do with most of its winners.

Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, certainly, were Idol winners who converted their success on the show into real-world superstardom; other early winners, like Jordin Sparks and Fantasia Barrino, work consistently in the recording industry. But they’ve found success by moving away from Idol‘s cheesy Americana and talent-show trappings. Indeed, the show has done far more to change the television industry than it has to change music.

Consider that Idol was the first of its kind in the U.S. When it launched in 2002 as an adaptation of the U.K. Pop Idol franchise with few expectations attached, the reality genre was young. Survivor, another adaptation of European TV, had begun two years prior. And Survivor, with its focus on canny strategizing, has little in common with the flat earnestness of Idol, which promises that pure meritocracy will win out. When Survivor has a disappointing winner, it’s because the game shook out in a manner that privileged less appealing qualities. When Idol does, it’s because you—yes, you!—didn’t cast enough votes.

Five years or so ago, the question of Idol‘s winners has created an apparent death spiral; not enough people other than, it seemed, tween and teen girls were voting, and so the winners tended year after year to be inoffensively cute white male guitarists. This made viewing the show seem less urgent and further limited the voting base. Why would anyone dissatisfied with Idol watch it when all of the shows it spawned dominated the airwaves?

Idol, whose success guaranteed imitators, is the forerunner of one of the two dominant modes of contemporary reality TV, the talent-competition show (the other is Real Housewives-style candid reality, and Survivor straddles the two). Once a foreign import, reality TV is now at the very heart of original American programming. Idol‘s offspring include not only The Voice, which has stolen Idol‘s heat, but also Dancing With the Stars, Project Runway, and Top Chef. All of these shows, whether viewers are actually empowered to vote or not, are designed to feel like reassuring morality stories. The candidate with the best alchemy of winning backstory, raw talent, and hard work either takes the crown—or is cruelly denied in a manner to be resolved in the marketplace or, more likely, on an All-Stars season.

See American Idol's Most Successful Alumni

Carrie Underwood performs at the 2014 American Country Countdown Awards at Music City Center in Nashville on Dec. 15, 2014.
Carrie Underwood, winner of American Idol season 4, performs at the 2014 American Country Countdown Awards at Music City Center in Nashville on Dec. 15, 2014.Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Kelly Clarkson performs "Heartbeat Song" onstage during the 2015 iHeartRadio Music Awards at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on March 29, 2015.
Kelly Clarkson, season 1 winner, performs "Heartbeat Song" onstage during the 2015 iHeartRadio Music Awards at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on March 29, 2015.Kevin Mazur—Getty Images
Chris Daughtry performs at Pompano Beach Amphitheatre in Pompano Beach, Fla. on Nov. 12, 2014.
Chris Daughtry, who came in 4th on season 5, performs at Pompano Beach Amphitheatre in Pompano Beach, Fla. on Nov. 12, 2014.Larry Marano—Getty Images
Congressional Candidate Clay Aiken Casts His Vote In The Midterm Elections
Clay Aiken, Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress in North Carolina's Second District, poses for a selfie with supporters after casting his vote in the midterm elections oat Mills Park Elementary School in Cary, N.C. on Nov. 4, 2014. Aiken was runner up on the second season of American Idol.Grant Halverson—Getty Images
7th Annual Mother's Day Music Festival
Fantasia, winner of season 3, performs at the 7th Annual Music Festival at Boardwalk Hall Arena in Atlantic City, N.J. on May 9, 2015.Donald Kravitz—Getty Images
Ruben Studdard performs at When Georgia Smiled: The Robin McGraw Revelation Foundation And Verizon Unite For Second Annual Domestic Violence Summit at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, Calif. on Oct. 3, 2014.
Ruben Studdard, season 2 winner, performs at When Georgia Smiled: The Robin McGraw Revelation Foundation And Verizon Unite For Second Annual Domestic Violence Summit at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, Calif. on Oct. 3, 2014. Mathew Imaging—WireImage/Getty Images
"FOX & Friends" 2014 Holiday Special
Scotty McCreery performs during "FOX & Friends" holiday special at FOX Studios in New York City on Dec. 4, 2014. McCreery won season 10 of American Idol.Slaven Vlasic—Getty Images
2014 USO Gala: Honoring Those Who Serve
Kellie Pickler, who came in 6th on season 5, performs at 2014 USO Gala: Honoring Those Who Serve at the Washington Hilton in Washington on Oct. 17, 2014.Paul Morigi—Getty Images
Soles4Souls Presents A Sole-ful Evening, Sponsored By Barefoot Wine & Bubbly
David Cook, season 7 winner, performs at the Soles4Souls charity concert, sponsored by Barefoot Wine & Bubbly at the Bridge Building in Nashville on April 1, 2014.Jason Davis—Getty Images
Jennifer Hudson performs at We Day at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill. on April 30, 2015.
Jennifer Hudson, who came in 7th place on season 3, performs at We Day at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill. on April 30, 2015.Timothy Hiatt—Getty Images
Jordin Sparks performs at Jeffrey Sanker's White Party in Palm Springs, Calif. on April 25, 2015.
Jordin Sparks, winner of season 6 of American Idol, performs at Jeffrey Sanker's White Party in Palm Springs, Calif. on April 25, 2015.Chelsea Lauren—WireImage/Getty Images
Phillip Phillips performs at Hard Rock Live! in the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. on Nov. 15, 2014.
Phillip Phillips, season 11 winner, performs at Hard Rock Live! in the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. on Nov. 15, 2014.Larry Marano—Getty Images
KIIS FM's 10th Annual "American Idol" Finale Viewing Party
David Archuleta, season 7 runner-up, performs at the KIIS FM's 10th Annual "American Idol" Finale Viewing Party at Regal 14 at LA Live Downtown in Los Angeles on May 25, 2011.Jonathan Leibson—FilmMagic/Getty Images
Adam Lambert is seen onstage at 102.7 KIIS FM's Wango Tango at StubHub Center in Los Angeles on May 9, 2015.
Adam Lambert, season 8 runner-up, is seen onstage at 102.7 KIIS FM's Wango Tango at StubHub Center in Los Angeles on May 9, 2015.Chelsea Lauren—WireImage/Getty Images
Josh Gracin performs during the 2012 Downtown Hoedown at Comerica Park in Detroit on June 8, 2012.
Josh Gracin, who came in 4th place in season 2, performs during the 2012 Downtown Hoedown at Comerica Park in Detroit on June 8, 2012.Paul Warner—Getty Images
Taylor Hicks performs at Tony La Russa's 3rd annual Leaders &; Legends Gala at the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas on Nov. 22, 2014.
Taylor Hicks, winner of season 5, performs at Tony La Russa's 3rd annual Leaders & Legends Gala at the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas on Nov. 22, 2014.David Becker—Getty Images
Bo Bice performs in concert following the 2012 Colt Ford & Friends Celebrity Golf Classic at Legends Golf Course Club in Braselton, Ga. on Sept. 24, 2012.
Bo Bice, season 4 runner-up, performs in concert following the 2012 Colt Ford & Friends Celebrity Golf Classic at Legends Golf Course Club in Braselton, Ga. on Sept. 24, 2012.Chris McKay—Getty Images
Elliott Yamin performs at the Malaria No More Reception With American Idols To Celebrate Recent Progress In The Fight Against Malaria in Washington on March 7, 2012.
Elliott Yamin, who came in 3rd in season 5, performs at the Malaria No More Reception With American Idols To Celebrate Recent Progress In The Fight Against Malaria in Washington on March 7, 2012.Paul Morigi—Getty Images
NFC Championship - Green Bay Packers v Seattle Seahawks
Katharine McPhee, season 5 runner-up, walks out on the field to sing the national anthem before the 2015 NFC Championship game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers at CenturyLink Field in Seattle on Jan. 18, 2015.Ronald Martinez—Getty Images
Diana DeGarmo arrives at the "American Idol" XIII season premiere event held at Royce Hall, UCLA in Westwood, Calif. on Jan. 14, 2014.
Diana DeGarmo, season 3 runner-up, arrives at the "American Idol" XIII season premiere event held at Royce Hall, UCLA in Westwood, Calif. on Jan. 14, 2014.Michael Tran—FilmMagic
Kris Allen performs at the Soles4Souls charity concert, sponsored by Barefoot Wine & Bubbly at the Bridge Building in Nashville on April 1, 2014.
Kris Allen, winner of season 8, performs at the Soles4Souls charity concert, sponsored by Barefoot Wine & Bubbly at the Bridge Building in Nashville on April 1, 2014.Jason Davis—Getty Images

Without Idol, we might not have Amy Schumer; the comedian got her big break on NBC’s Idol-for-jokes Last Comic Standing. Fifth Harmony, the ascendant girl group who just notched their first Top 10 hit with “Work From Home,” was formed on The X Factor, Fox’s attempt to make an Idolesque show to run through autumn. Gwen Stefani’s career comeback on The Voice, Candice Cameron Bure’s post-Dancing With the Stars role on Fuller House, the restaurant in your city that got a little extra juice from its chef having been cut by Padma—all of them are proof of Idol‘s impact.

So too is the way we watch TV. Fifteen seasons is so long a time that the medium has changed around Idol. Never before the show had viewers been so directly allowed to influence what they want to happen; this coincided with a boundless expansion of programs available to watch. Viewers went from being able to choose which amateur singer got to continue on in a splashy Fox reality show to being able to choose which amateur singer to watch on YouTube. The technology would exist without Idol, but would the audience’s confidence that they’re empowered to be the one who chooses stars?

More than anything else, Idol made explicit the nature of stardom; it’s by consent of the governed. A movie star whose movies don’t sell tickets isn’t going to be a movie star forever. But that sort of hashing-out of star futures usually happens behind the scenes and over a slightly longer term than a TV seasons. Idol allowed fans to closely track the fortunes of their favorite and to exert direct influence over what happened to them. Now that we’re empowered to enter the narratives of stars’ lives by tweeting praise or criticism at them, it’s hard to believe just how thoroughly Idol itself won.

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