An American Idol future

 I just had a crazy thought. The fact is that American Idol (AI) is now moving towards its ninth season and shows no intention of getting off the air. This means that aside from the eight Idol winners from the past years plus the also talented 11 and in last season’s case 12 finalists, there will be more added every year. My thought was this. If this keeps up the future of American pop music will be dominated and heavily influenced by Idols, finalists and people associated with it, like judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul plus host Ryan Seacrest, who by the way hosts the weekly American Top Forty radio show.

This is now starting to happen. Charts in the USA and other countries now list hits by David Cook and David Archuleta, Idol and runner-up from Season 7 and Kelly Clarkson Idol from Season 1. From time to time there are hits by top country diva Carrie Underwood of Season 4, Academy Award and Grammy winner Jennifer Hudson, finalist from Season 3 or by Ruben Studdard, Clay Aikin, Idol and runner-up from Season 2.

They are also everywhere. Idol from Season 3 Fantasia and Season 4 finalist Constantin Maroulis are on Broadway. Kellie Pickler from Season 5 is in country. Bo Bice, Season 4 runner-up rocks. I recently saw Season 5’s Idol Taylor Hicks on Ellen and he is looking good and singing great. Then two of the best new CDs in the stores these days are Battlefield by Idol 6th Season winner Jordin Sparks and Leave This Town by the band Daughtry, which is led by finalist Chris Daughtry from Season 5.

Jordin is one of the most likable Idols. This girl seems to be so good-natured that she literally glows and I am glad she has a good sophomore release in Battlefield. Although her singing here is more mature, this one is more pop than her self-titled debut. The songs are catchy, Walking on Snow and Emergency 911; danceable S.O.S (Let The Music Play) and Watch You Go; powerful It Takes More and Don’t Let It Go To Your Head; soulful Let It Rain and Was I The Only One; and worthy of an emerging pop diva, Battlefield and Faith. Jordin does all of them well and she even co-wrote some of the cuts. She is only 20 years old so you can just imagine how much she will still grow in talent and stature in the future.

Chris showed Idol, whom they booted out when his first CD, Daughtry became one of the biggest selling releases of the past two years. This guy really has the chops as singer, songwriter and producer. So is there another multi-platinum seller in his second album Leave This Town? I say there is. This one is a better, more cohesive production. He also shows off his creativity and daring by staying in a strong rock mode throughout. September, a powerful ballad comes off as the single choice. Watch this one grow into an enduring rock standard. Every Time You Turn Around is good time rock ’n roll. Tennessee Line is the cutest with its country feel, thanks to fiddles and the voice of country star Vince Gill in the background. And he can also go all sweet and quietlike as in Life After You.

Soon there will be solo albums from American Idol Season 8 winner Kris Allen and given how much attention he has been getting, also from runner-up Adam Lambert. But they didn’t have to wait for those CDs to notch their first hits. The hits from the Idol Season 8 collection album are by Lambert, Mad World and Allen’s version of this year’s Idol theme, No Boundaries. Allen also sings She Works Hard For The Money in the CD. There are also Stand By Me by Danny Gokey; I Can’t Make You Love Me by Allison Iraheta; Human Nature by Matt Giraud; No Boundaries by Lambert; Surrender by Lil Rounds; Just The Way You Are by Scott Macintyre; You Are Not Alone by Michael Sarver; Walkin’ After Midnight by Megan Corkey; and Always On My Mind by Anoop Desai.

Then just in case you have been wondering if the Idol stardust failed to rub off on him, Sanjaya Malakar from Season 6 is also doing well. I saw him in the TV show I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. He has written a book, Chicken Soup for the Idol Soul and has another one coming out, Dancing to the Music in My Head, the release of which will coincide with that of his first CD of the same title. Not bad.