Voice vs. Idol

COMPARE & CONTRAST: Speaking of which, N.Y. Times pop critic Jon Caramanica describes what he says is a sharp contrast between the surviving contestants on Idol and The Voice in a piece headlined “This Year, It’s Idol Chasing The Voice.” According to Caramanica, Idol’s decision makers “appear to have all but abandoned their search for a general-interest pop star in favor of a set of finalists with distinctive—probably too distinctive—voices. It’s as if, unnerved by the breakaway success of The Voice, Idol has opted to import what it perceived to be its competitor’s advantage—choosing voices over people—without realizing that the decisions should go the other way… As it is, the 9 remaining finalists—the Top 10 will embark on the show’s annual summer tour—form what seems to be the most competent yet least promising group at this stage in the show’s history.” What The Voice has yet to prove, however, is whether it can throw off a viable recording artist. As Caramanica notes, last year’s Javier Colon, and runner-up, Dia Frampton, “were both middlebrow major-label refugees, and while they performed well on the show, their subsequent albums were met with lack of interest. It’s why The Voice is praying for a star, and why Idol will be doing so next season.” (3/28a)