As this years X Factor rumbles towards its no doubt thrilling conclusion, I ask myself once again what is the point?
From an entertainment point of view there is no argument; it is an incredibly effective piece of mainstream entertainment. A vast wedge of our society derive a great deal of pleasure from it. So on those terms fine, yes, it does what it says on the tin: it makes people happy. Who am I to criticise? What do I do to bring light into the lives of others? Nothing probably, what a dick.
Stick with me though, I am going to be radical and ask what on earth the show has to do with music. The show aims to discover and promote an indefinable star quality known as ‘The X Factor’, anyone who has watched the show will have to admit this unknown quantity has more to do with the marketability of the individual’s image, personality and back story than it ever has to do with other such nonsense as their talent. Of course some of the contestants have ‘good voices’, but throw a brick into your average open mic night and you will maim several people with equally acceptable vocal ability (acceptable until the brick incident obviously).
The point is that a passable voice is not everything, in fact it is near irrelevant. Some of the best artists of all times could not sing in a conventional sense at all; see Johnny Cash, Joe Strummer, Bob Dylan etc. So what does matter? I agree with Cowell’s lot, there is an X factor; a series of hard-to-define qualities which link all good artists. But where Simon’s stands for marketability, Return On Investment and the broadest possible appeal (read least challenging), the real X factor should include: innovation, personality, a range of talents, independence and most importantly integrity.
These thoughts all came into my brain when I watched a video of Adele performing ‘Someone Like You’ live (also check out 'Rolling in the Deep' Live). It occurred to me that an artist like Adele effectively renders the X Factor meaningless. As far as performance goes she blows any X Factor contestant or special guest out of the water. Not only is she able to sing with an immense power, but she has genuine character, strength, songwriting talent and attitude. In other words all the things the X Factor should be looking for.
But then, would someone like Adele ever appear on X Factor? On a show where ‘alternative’ or ‘innovative’ translate as Katie Weissell or Wagner there is clearly a lack of the sort of artists I have identified. This is no doubt due to some of the alternative X factors I laid out, in particular that of integrity; the very qualities which make a great artist are incompatible with appearance on the show. So then musically the X Factor is flawed, we can not expect genuinely important artists from it. So what should we expect from it musically? As I see it, what really matters in mainstream popular music is sheer entertainment value, which is why those artists who prove different and fun do so well. So rather than pitching the same old sludge of adequate singers or groups, take more risks. Not to say the sort of risk that Wagner or John and Edward would represent, but champion some artist who are somewhat more about fun and less about a shiny image and technically competent vocals. Champion artists who are entertaining to listen to.
So The X Factor as cheap entertainment, fine. But can we please start demanding more of the mainstream music industry? It is a fallacy that the mainstream audience is resistant to change, look at Lady Ga Ga’s success (Lady Ga Ga is here invoked as an e.g. of mainstream innovation, not innovation in a more genuine sense). Major labels just need to be braver in the artists they champion, put more trust in their A & R and not live and die by what some focus group of morons says they would like to hear more of. And Simon, stop pitching artists who are made pre-emptively irrelevant by the Adeles of this world; instead, hit us up with something which is not just an entertaining spectacle, but also an entertaining listen.
So enjoy the show by all means, but please do not humour it by buying the records they produce. That is unless you have had Joe McElderry’s ‘Wide Awake’ album on repeat for the last month, in which case you are beyond help my friend.