Idol Fatigue

The reason American Idol had its lowest ratings ever has more to do than fatigue with the musical reality show competition.  A big reason is the show no longer has a buzz about it.  The water cooler moments are gone.  This began to occur when it shifted from spotlighting the contestants to bringing in high paid judges.  Mariah Carey, Nikki Minaj, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler is what the show was about. Introducing the judges at the beginning of each episode and having them walk from stage to their seats only enforces the point. Harry Connick Jr. and Keith Urban fall short of superstar status.  But the surprising thing about the 2014 show was that the judge, with Lopez,  were better.  Sadly, the singers weren't.

The Voice also had lower ratings, once it stopped its blind auditions, which are the only good part of the show.  Once this show was about finding a real star, now it's about finding career's for the contestants.  But it too is all about the judges.  They perform on the show, are showcased more and the contestants are treated as second class.

But it's too early to say the end is near.  Idol is coming back in 2015, and even though it's getting less air time, it will still be a weekly fixture.  The Voice could become more troubling.  After the blind auditions there's no need to watch it anymore.  It's basically a normal singing contest.  And while the judges chairs are always shifting, I wonder how much more Blake Shelton and Adam Levine the public can take.