Don't be fooled in the Name of American Idol

Budding musicians who have been hooked on to the popular show American Idol in the hope of making their mark in the world of music are in for a surprise. No doubt the show is engrossing in the eyes of the American public. However, in the name of the show, the aspiring musicians need not hope for a much needed boost in their careers as might be a notion spread widely around.

Ok, maybe the show may have had the objective of jumpstarting new musicians' career initially. However, market realities are harsh and this has also been proved in the world of music. Today this reality needs to be brought to the notice of in-the-making music artistes.

There have been several misconceptions floating around in respect of American Idol in the above regard. One such misconception is that the show is a launch pad for unknown faces in the music industry. Even if it may have been true earlier, it is no longer true now. Today the music industry spawns self-developed artistes and the music houses of stature do not have the money to risk on artistes whose talents may not be really be up to the mark.

Another misconception is that music scouters are forever on the lookout to groom new blue-eyed boys and girls, who have the wherewithal to make it in the industry. It is better to dispel such a notion. No such support from the established music industry is today available to naïve artists. In fact the music industry is itself in dire financial straits so how can anybody look up to it for financial and other support from it.

The music industry cannot even support its own development. With the downturn in the American economy and the rampant music piracy, the music industry is reeling from the onslaught. There have been layoffs of music support staff in massive numbers. So the bottom line is there for every one of us to see on the wall. Although this might be surprising and disappointing news for fledgling music aspirants, those in the know have already started concentrated on relying on self and family help in developing their own talent.

The adage that God helps those who help themselves is very true today as far as the American music industry today. It has been observed for quite some time now that self-developed music artistes who cut their own CDs are selling like hot cakes. In contrast, those inadvertently relying on American Idol to make a name for themselves, surely have disillusionment in store.

An illusion that American Idol is the platform that can make music geniuses out of strugglers and unsupported musicians in the making through its auditions is grossly incorrect. A statistic that busts this notion is that in 2003, a Portland, Oregon, based self-developed online portal sold $4.6 million worth of music CDs. That is not so much for music industry support of new artistes.