American Idol

There’s nothing like seeing the discovery of a new musical talent. Nothing. Unless you include watching the aforementioned new musical talent attempt to invent new notes in the audition while miming Britney Spears dance moves in a valiant attempt to achieve liftoff. Such was the scene set on American Idol last night and tonight.

While the bluntness of Simon Cowell, the most forthright and outspoken of the three judges always makes for good entertainment, I sensed political purpose in the discussions between the judges. In several cases, the judges appeared to be more engaged in debate over the state of the music industry than in evaluating the participants’ performances. Could there be trouble in music producers’ paradise?

At one extreme, Simon cut down participants with vitriolic panache for their lack of “the look” of an American Idol, pointing out that vocal talent alone did not a star make. At the other extreme, Randy Jackson stood true in his belief that the ability to sing was all it took. Paula Abdul was left to act as referee and remind both Simon and Randy to make a decision regarding the soon to be broken dreams of yet another victim, er, rising star.

The debates raise the question: are the cracks finally showing in the music industry’s facade of invincibility? Up to this point, the fight over the future in music has raged between those of us on the outside and the music industries. But now, with the impending departure of Hilary Rosen from the RIAA, the explosion in decentralized file-sharing networks, cheap and accessible professional sound recording capabilities in every teenager’s bedroom, it was only a matter of time.

Now, viewing the disagreements of Simon and Randy, both major insiders in the music industry, over where the future of music lies, can the end be near for the major labels? It appears it might be.