This Could Be a Nightmare
Morgan Summerfield
Simon Cowell, one of the judges for the show, stated in an interview
with Copley News Service in February of 2004, “I own the recording rights – the winners and other contestants sign with my label”. 19 Entertainment not only controls their recording contracts, but every other aspect of their careers including merchandising touring, sponsorship and movie deals (Olsen, 2004a).
The limitations placed on the contestants are great. They are locked into non-negotiable contracts with 19 Entertainment and BMG music. An actual excerpt from the contract reads:
“I hereby grant the Producer the unconditional right throughout the universe in perpetuity to use, simulate, or portray my name, likeness, voice, singing voice, personality, personal identification or personal experiences, my life story, biographical data, incidents, situations, events which heretofore occurred or hereafter occur…”
The construction of this contract may remind one of Faust. The exchange rate seems to be a bit lopsided. Beyond the “relinquishing of the soul,” the contract gives the promoters permission to tell lies about the individual signing the contract as evidenced by the following excerpt.
“Other parties…may reveal and/or relate information about me of personal, private, intimate, surprising, defamatory, disparaging, embarrassing or unfavorable nature that may be factual and/or fictional.”
If they can’t promote the signer by credible means, they will simply make things up to sell or otherwise sensationalize the “property” into a position of value”
__________________________________________________________
Or devalue…
Just how much control does Simon Cowell have on their careers? Let’s just say that he is God when it comes to who gets what, when, where, why and how.
If you can wade through the legalese in this document, you will come out knowing that they are all completely at Cowell’s mercy.
Why did Taylor Hicks fall so hard? Why is Kris Allen being under-promoted? Why was Chris Daughtry, a guy that came in fourth place, treated as the de facto winner of season 5? Why did Clay Aiken inexplicably disappear from Radio (despite enormous success with his debut album) and be forced to record covers and christmas tunes?
Ask Simon Cowell.
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From the outside looking in you get the distinct impression that Taylor Hicks is on some sort of “do not touch master list.” For his sake, I hope he’s not being blackballed by the powers to be but rather on a somewhat rocky upswing phase of his career. I have noticed, however, that Chris Daughtry is being promoted as the “the true winner” of Season 5 of AI. In the promos for the reruns, he is the shown as the main, most important, figure, larger and more significant than the others. Second, to him in importance, to his right, and almost as large, Katherine McPhee looking incredibly beautiful. To his left, and much smaller, is Kelly Pickler. Squeezed in between, is a tiny, insignificant figure, ugly, with his face all scrunched up — Taylor Hicks. How silly – why try to rewrite history. Try as they will, they cannot change the fact that Taylor won Season 5.
We tried hard, but appropriately, to get Clay’s music on the radio. After making weird excuses for a couple of years, DJs finally began to admit that they were not allowed to play Clay on the radio. Period. “Please stop calling”,
they asked. Despite Simon’s efforts, Clay had the best selling single of the year and the label shipped two million albums the first week of release. That just made Simon madder, as he had sold his interest in Clay’s career.
Clay was able to keep much more of his earnings from nine concerts and albums than he would have, by getting out of a portion of the Simon/19/RCA mega-contract.
I suggest the reader please re-read the article above about Simon. Idol is giving him a reported $144 million dollars for next season to perform the charming and magnanimous tasks he is cheered for. Personally, I think he should be fired, investigated, castigated and deported!!!!
These people are so transparent, that’s why I don’t watch anymore. Whoever they want to win will get the promo whether they win the show or not. Kris is talented and unfortunately he is being “Taylor’d.” The freak show is being hailed as the winner. It is so obvious. Taylor never stood a chance. Clay did great until he got out of his contract with the devil. He has paid a pretty price, but I think he sleeps well at night.
Taylor most certainly can sing. And he is a great live performer. 19E could of, and should of, promoted him much better than they did. Fact is that they really wanted Daughtry because he covered the chosen demographic for that year… and they made sure he got the promotion and help that Taylor should of received as the actual winner of the show.
And MJ is right, actual singing ability is not a requirement in order to get great promotion. Kris deserves much more than he is getting at the moment.
Rubbish! Miley Cyrus, Bob Dylan, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake are all below average singers with great promotion. Kris Allen is exceptionally talented and deserves as much promotion as any of them. He is a cute and charming guy with a boat load of talent. You don’t have to be a freak show (Adam) to make it in the music business. You just need to have your label (Simon) backing you.
I disagree that that Simon is Lucifer. He has given some of these Idols a chance they would never have otherwise. America does not usually get it right they vote for the person they like not the person who can sing and entertain. Taylor Hicks is not doing well because let’s face it he just can’t sing, but America used to love him. I disagree that Kris Allen is being under-promoted. I see his banners everywhere on the web and the press is constantly inserting him into every interview they can. The truth is Kris is just not that talented and he is very understated. America did not vote for him because he had a great voice and they won’t support him now that Idol is over. It is hard to promote and sell someone who is just average.