Willard wrote:
The entire 'Idol' process is designed to cull out any unique, singular, powerful presence (AKA TALENT) and leave only the most bland, generic, plug-in-anywhere, faceless, sounds-exactly-like-what's-already-familiar cookie cutter non-personalities.
There will never be anything worth listening to come out of that pablum because its specifically designed to cultivate whatever mind-numbing crap is already popular with the lowest common denominator crowd - the mindless mass of consumers who buy what they're programmed to buy because they can't stomach anything that hasn't been predigested and sugarcoated for them.
Its sad that there are so many who can not only be duped into buying the same old crap in a newer shinier package, but that they gleefully, actively participate in the process of selecting this season's NEW! and IMPROVED! leftovers.
Here, eat this - you'll love it! What? Why no, that's not the same old sh*t you had yesterday - see - its all wrapped up in shiny new tinfoil... 
It's beyond
American Idol, but I completely agree. The music industry flat-out sucks these days.
I don't know, but if we're on the topic of singers and it's open to mentioning names, I've discovered a new singer lately, Johnny Gioeli, and I'd put him up as one of the best current-day male vocalists, and perhaps the best vocalist in current-day rock. This guy can sing.
Pardon the cheesy fantasy lyrics. xD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSfc29RuD10
Either way, sounds different from the norm in terms of vocalists these days. That kind of powerful voice, unfortunately, won't be popular anytime soon. (Though he's been successful with his singing with Sonic's composer Jun Senoue)