It was a “good and bad” week on American Idol 2012 for ratings, or rather make that “bad and good.” The Top 5 finalists had one up night and one down night as the performances continued and another elimination cut was made.
In the past three rounds we’ve gone from 17 million viewers to 16.8 million and now down to 16.6 million on Wednesday night. Some viewers could be bailing with the elimination of their favorite, but we’re also getting closer to the end which I would think would pique at least a small increase rather than a steady decrease.
The good news for American Idol came on Thursday when ratings actually moved up a notch. After falling from 15 million to 14.8 million last week there was a healthy boost when this week’s results show reached out to 15.5 million viewers. Not too shabby.
So if results are climbing while performances are dropping in ratings then maybe we need some tinkering. My first suggestion would be reducing the run time from a full two hours each week. Four singers each doing two songs with a duration of just two minutes each gives us 16 minutes of song with 120 minutes of airtime. Yikes.
What would you like to see happen on performance nights to make American Idol 2012 more enticing to watch each week?
Source: TV By The Numbers
I agree. Longer songs and have like someone pick a song for each contestant. Either thru fans or someone well-known. Song choice has never been this crucial
Hmmm… Yeah. I’d love to hear and see a longer performance from each of them. At this stage, everyone should be picking the right song choices with a bull’s eye!
Full version of the song, not limited to 2 minutes each.
Really bad idea. Think about songs like Hallelujah, American Pie, Paradise By the Dashboard Light, Bohemian Rhapsody, etc. Impossible.
I truly believe that people are just not into the voting system AI uses , when the best, and most talented get voted off first, what reason do we have to watch ? ????
None ! Top 4 , most viewers would have sent them home already , , , just saying
bitter because your fav was eliminated ? ha ha ha
This is a contest to find the best singer. The best singers are still there.
Bumping song duration up to 3 minutes instead of 1:30-2 would be great.
Not necessarily. If it’s good, 3 minutes would be fine. If it’s dreadful, 3 minutes can seem to take forever. IMO most of the guest performances on results night [except the past Idol guests] are way too long [Katy Perry, Coldplay etc.]
eliminate the judges comments!!! lol
perhaps the reason for the decline of their ratings:
1.probably the audience certain favorites were already gone.
2.probably don’t like the judges anymore due to their standing ovations and commentaries.they’ve skipped the whole thing and maybe just watched individual performances on youtube since it is already edited without those three around.
3.maybe, add the tough competition of other singing shows out there.
i still like AI.
i tried to enjoy the show.
its been a habit every year.
good luck.
how do you watch the show on You Tube? Do you google the show and get to see the whole show or so you just google the person?
My shot at this week theme….California Dreaming. I don’t think it is limited to just the “summer of love” era, what I have seen is “songs about California” with no mention of time period. The “summer of love” era would be way too restricting. So these are sample of songs that seem to qualify. Do I know, NO, I’m just guessing. This was a potential list of songs for my Pacific Coast Highway trip. Yes, there is an official list of Songs for driving the PCH and this is it.
“All I wannna do” (Santa Monica Boulevard) by Sheryl Crow
“Antennas” by Rancid
“Atomic” by Tiger Army
“Away From California” by Radio Racer
“Back to California” by Carole King
“Back to California” by Sugarcult
“Back to California” by The Wallflowers
“Back Home” by Yellowcard
“Beautiful Place” by Good Charlotte
“Beverly Hills”- Weezer
“Beverly Hills Hotel” by Whitestarr
“Big Sur” by Mason Jennings
“Big Sur” by The Thrills
“Burning Hot In Cali” by Latyrx
“Cali Iz Active” by Tha Dogg Pound
“Cali Livin'” by Homeless Nation featuring Toopic
“California” by AB O’neill
“California” by Akia
“California” by Atherton
“California” by Belinda Carlisle
“California” by Blatz
“California” by Bob Dylan early version of “Outlaw Blues”
“California” by Casanovas
“California” by Copeland
“California” by Darren Hayes
“California” by Debby Boone
“California” by Dr. Dog
“California” by Dressy Bessy
“California” by Flash and the Pan
“California” by Gianna Nannini
“California” by Gina Villlalobos
“California” by Gomez
“California” by Hawk Nelson
“California (All the Way)” by Luna
“California” by Joey McIntyre
“California” by Joni Mitchell
“California” by Kenny Chesney
“California” by Lenny Kravitz
“California” by The Kooks
“California” by Low
“California” by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band
“California” by Metro Station
“California” by The Moffatts
“California” by Mylène Farmer
“California” by Phantom Planet
“California” by Quasi
“California” by Robert Bradley’s Blackwater Surprise
“California” by The Rentals
“California” by Rogue Wave
“California” by Rufus Wainwright
“California” by Sarah Slean
“California” by Semisonic
“California” by Sly Boogy
“California” by Something For Kate
“California” by Stroke 9
“California” by Tea Leaf Green
“California” by Toploader
“California” by Unified Theory
“California” by Unsensored
“California” by Vic Ruggiero
“California” by Wave
“California” by Wax
“California” by Rental(Not Weezer)
“California” by Wilson Phillips
“California” by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
“California Babylon” by the Transplants
“California Bloodlines” by Dave Alvin
“California Blue” by Roy Orbison
“California Blues” (Blue Yodel No. 4) by Jimmie Rodgers
“California Blur” by Swirl 360
“California Bound” by Frank Black
“California Crossing” by Fu Manchu
“California Day” by Starland Vocal Band
“California Dreamin'” by The Mamas and the Papas
“California Girls” by The Beach Boys
“California Girls” by Gretchen Wilson
“California Girls” by David Lee Roth
“California Gold” by dada (band)
“California Grace” Long Beach Shortbus
“California Here I Come” by Al Jolson, B. DeSylva, and Joe Meyer
“California Here I Come” by Sophie B. Hawkins
“California Here I Go” by Jonathan Balas
“California Jam” by Klaatu
“California Justice” by Five for Fighting
“California Livin'” by Mac Dre
“California Love” by 2Pac featuring Dr. Dre
“California’s Lonely” by smile Empty Soul
“California Man” by The Move
“California Man” by Cheap Trick
“California Nights” by Lesley Gore
“California Nights” by Sweet
“California One/Youth and Beauty Brigade” by The Decemberists
“California Paradise” by The Runaways
“California Part I” by Mason Jennings
“California Part II” by Mason Jennings
“California Promises” by Jimmy Buffett
“California Saga” by The Beach Boys
“California’s Bleeding” by Amen
“California’s Burning” by Augustana
“California Sky” by Unwritten Law
“California Songs” by Local H
“California Soul” by Edwin Starr
“California Stars” by Wilco
“California Sun” by Jem
“California Sun” By The Ramones
“California Sun” by Rancid
“California Sun” by The Rivieras
“California Sunset” by Neil Young
“California Uber Alles” by the Dead Kennedys
“California Waiting” by the Kings of Leon
“California Way” by Tim Bluhm
“Californicatin” by The J. Geils Band
“Californication” by Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Californie” by Air (band)
“Calistan” by Frank Black
“Cancer California” by Bullets and Octane
“Cemetery” by Strung Out
“Christmas in California” by The Cheetah Girls
“Come Back To Cali” by The Holdup
“Come Monday” by Jimmy Buffett
“Come to California” by Matthew Sweet
“Country Boy (You’ve Got Your Feet in LA)” by Glen Campbell
“Curbside Prophet” by Jason Mraz
“Dani California” by Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Danville Girl” by Woody Guthrie
“Do Re Mi” by Woody Guthrie
“Do You Know the Way to San Jose” by Dionne Warwick
“Earthquakes and Sharks” by Brandtson
“Estimated Prophet” Grateful Dead
“Eyeless” by Slipknot
“Everyone I Meet is From California” by America
“For Crying Out Loud” by Meat Loaf
“Freefalling” by Tom Petty
“From California” by The New Amsterdams
“**** California” by The Presidents of the United States of America
“Gene Autry” by Beulah
“Get Back” by The Beatles (Jojo left his home for some California grass)
“Going Back To Cali” by LL Cool J
“Going Back To Cali” by Sevendust
“Going Back To Cali” by The Notorious B.I.G.
“Going to California” by John David & Clear Spirit
“Going to California” by Led Zeppelin
“Golden State” by John Doe (musician)
“Gone to California” by P!nk
“Goodbye California” by Jolie Holland
“Go to California” by Motorpsycho
“Go to California” by Rob Zombie
“Heads Carolina, Tails California” by Jo Dee Messina
“Here In California” by Dave Alvin
“Here In California” by Kate Wolf
“Highway Five” by American Music Club
“Holiday in the Sun” by Hot Hot Heat
“Holiday From Real” by Jack’s Mannequin
“Hollywood Nights”- Bob Seger
“Holly wants to go to California” by Funkadelic
“Home” by JamisonParker
“Home” by Switchfoot
“Homebody” by Zox
“Hotel California” by The Eagles
“House in California” by Keb Mo
“I Hate California” by Jonathan Coulton
“I Love Cali” by Roscoe
“I Love You, California” State Song [1]
“In California” by Daz Dillinger
“In California” by Lisa Marr Experiment (covered by Neko Case)
“I Remember California” by R.E.M.
“I’m Asking Her to Stay” by Sherwood (band)
“I’m Going Home” by The Kingston Trio
“Irvine” by Kelly Clarkson
“It Never Rains in Southern California” by Albert Hammond
“It Never Rains in Southern California” by Tony! Toni! Tone!
“Island in the sun” by Weezer
“Just Like California” by Old 97s
“Kali4nia” by Skandoe and Playboss
“Kalifornia” by Brand New Immortals
“Kalifornia” by Fatboy Slim
“Kalifornia” by Kashmir
“LA Woman”- The Doors
“L.A. Song” by Beth Hart
“Let It Roll” by All Time Low
“Leaving Jesusland” by NOFX
“Little surfer girl” by Beach Boys
“Little Old Lady from Pasadena” by Beach Boys
“Like a California King” by Everclear
“Long December” by Counting Crows
“Losing California” by Sloan
“Lost Angeles” by Wired All Wrong
“Marina Del Rey” by George Strait
“Midnight California” by Dave Gleason’s Wasted Days
“Miss California” by Dante Thomas
“More Bounce In California” by Soul Kid #1
“Music is the Victim” by Scissor Sisters
“Next to Highway Number 10” by John George Campbell
“Not California” by Hem (band)
“Nothing Left to Lose” by Mat Kearney
“Only in California” by Mack 10
“Playing Favorites” by The Starting Line
“Promised Land” by Chuck Berry
“Parallel Universe” by Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Race Cars And goth Rock” by Butch Walker
“Raining In California” by Human Nature
“Sittin on the Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding
“Surfin’ USA”- The Beach Boys
“Soak Up The Sun” by Sheryl Crow
“Ventura Highway”-America
Just off the top your head?
REPLY TO ED! I would like to reply to Ed.And have to put it way down here. No where else to squeeze it in. Sorry! How are you doing Ed? There is nothing wrong with Carol King Ed. I am a fan of hers. I was just trying to think of the contestants and which of her songs they could sing, I listened to her all of the time back in the day. And JT was one who I listened to also.I pretty much like all genre’s of songs. If they are good, I don’t care who sings them or when they were sang.
I wasn’t thinking her songs were too old for the kids. I was thinking of which song of hers they could sing and do it justice. There is a lot of rock going on today that is so far from Carol and James.And you know how good they were and are! And these kids are young. To sing either Carol King, or James Taylor they would need quite a bit in mentoring.Sometimes I say something and it doesn’t quite come out typed likes what My head was thinking. So I do get misunderstood ! I think Joshua could sing one of her best songs if he kept his register down a bit. His voice is really pretty if there is no screeching I Have a nice day Ed. It’s always nice to see you on here!
James,
It’s only 11:00 on Sunday morning here in the East Coast and you already came out with a long list of songs about an hour ago? You made my head spin. LOL!
BTW, is this the same James who asked to vote for Elise or just another impostor?
Oops, it’s Saturday. You see, James. You indeed made my head spin. Hahaha!
yeah is that you,,, are you the same james?
Yeah…the James with the pic & AgapeAgent twitter account is the real me.
Actually I had the list already prepared for when I did a trip down the Pacific Coast Highway…one of the greatest experiences in my life….I love the Cali Coast, it’s so beautiful. If you love music like most of us, it goes with the PCH drive. Santa Cruz is on the drive a great place to find original local bands….spent days there.
You never really know if the real James or the fake good ‘un makes a post. My advice is to ignore him. Y’now … don’t feed the trolls and all that.
WOW! James made my head spin too. I never even heard of some of the songs he put down. And yes , is this the same James who asked to vote for Elise? Theres no way that list would work. especially if they let the contestants pick the song their selfs! I mean I don’t think SOME of the song choice both by the contestants , or the mentors have suited their voices. Maybe that is why some of them are gone??? JMO. James not to tax your brain more. LOL. Can you pick about 25 more songs by well known bands?I am a fan off Carol King. But I think the contestants would think her songs are too old for them. And she was great. Still is. But I don’t think any of her songs suit the kids left. Maybe Hollie? How did you come up with all of those songs? Did you google some of it. That whole list ticked me.
To: Sherry K,
And whats wrong with Carole King Sherry? If you were at the Troubador and heard JT and her re-do “will you still love me tomorrow” it was out of this world. Did’nt know you are a JT/King fan,
great musicians, I am a big fan. And no , I don’t think her songs are too old for anyone to sing. Have a great weekend good to hear from you.
ed
i_hate_trolls
Nice to see you back “gospel truth”. Did you finally decide that using that name to hate wasn’t working out? Only cowards hide behind false identities because they don’t have the balls to say what they want to with their real names…pathetic.
ya really expect us to read all this jamie? c’mon …
Read a comment yesterday on a different AI comment site, a message from supposedly the real James. It want along the lines of he was sick of seeing a lot of posts under his name that he wasn’t posting. He seemed a bit pissed actually. He want on to say that if there were any other posts from James it wasn’t him as he was only going to post on twiter now ……… He was quite adamant that he would no longer post on AI forums. Don’t quite get what you get out of pretending your someone else.
Easy to fix! Have him put in something after James. Like I put the K after my name. Because there was another Sherry posting. Of course if someone is trolling the real James that might not work either. They might just put it down like he does.
For the record the post from the other AI site I mentioned earlier – posted by James 22 hours ago ………………………………………………..
For now on, I am logging in with my twitter account “AgapeAgent” because I’m tired of the sick person who keeps logging in as James and posting crap as me. So if it’s not the twitter account “AgapeAgent” , it’s mot me, it’s the sick devil who I will deal with if ever given the chance. I suggest other people do the same because I know this sick person is posting as other people too.
OK call me thick , just reread the post (in other words read it properly) and can see you are the real James …..
the REAL & IMPOSTOR James is just 1 person LMAO you did get their attention, didn’t you? lol
Artists from California for this week to consider:
Beach Boys, Journey, The Eagles, Mamas and the Papas, Jan and Dean, Sheryl Crow, Jackson Browne, Poco, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and many more…. should be a fun theme.
Credence Clearwater Revival is a California band.
Give them each 3 songs this week……
60’s and 70’s California
80’s and 90’s California
2000’s California
I agree 100% to the amount of song time compared to performance time. But I think many are exasperated with these judges for many reasons. I am an Idol fan from the beginning, but they should take a look at The Voice, its format, its judges, its emphasis.
Hi Matthew,
Good point! After all it is still a singing competition, but you are right. 16 minutes of songs in a span of two hours makes up for one very boring show.
Commercial breaks will be unbearable.
Suggestions:
1) Make it a 3 song competition just like the finals.
Singer’s choice , Judges choice and the theme song.
2) Duct tape the Judges in their chairs so no more standing “O’s” .
make sure they duct tape their mouths too, heh heh, LOL
Then we can have a real show!
top 3 are like that…3 songs…but the idea is nice: a singer choice, judge’s choice, and Iovine/AI choice…until they reach top 2 where they remove Judges’ song and maintain the AI/Iovine choice then put the the coronation song
If there ever was a theme that favored Phillip, it’s this week! He has so many choices that could fit him well. I hope they stay away from the older stuff, except Joshua, I would really like for him to sing “Sittin on the Dock of the Bay”
Phillip
Weezer-“Island in the sun”
smile Empty Soul-“California’s Lonely”
Switchfoot-“Home”; A very beautiful ballad
The Beach Boys-“California Girls”
Red Hot Chili Peppers-“Californication”
Phantom Planet-“California”
Eagles-“Hotel California”
Joshua
Otis Redding-“Sittin on the Dock of the Bay”
Led Zeppelin-“Going to California”
Rob Zombie-“Go to California”; YES I’M SERIOUS
Tom Petty- Free Falling
Roy Orbison-“California Blue”
Nat King Cole-“Route 66”
I think a tough week for the girls, I don’t know
Jess
Sheryl Crow “Soak Up The Sun”
The Beach Boys-“God Only Knows”
Sarah Slean-“California”
Hollie
Sheryl Crow-“All I wannna do” (Santa Monica Boulevard)
Switchfoot-“Home”; A very beautiful ballad
Sarah Slean-“California”
I hope all 4 sing, it wouldn’t sound right with just 1:
Mamas & Papas – California Dreaming
Are ya positive aboot this me man? Seems like a lot o hooeey to me. Honestly.
I just hoping Jessica will pick the right song this week. I’m from Canada and we do enjoy watching AI week after week. My favorite is Jessica, hopefully she and Hollie in the final.
One way to create more interest…is to let viewers think they are more interactively involved: For instance, have the contestants post a lists of say 5 songs that they are considering to sing for the next weeks show….let the audience vote via web which song to choose. I’m not saying do this every show, but maybe a couple of times.
Have a guest judge spot each week that pulls from a pool of: past AI contestants who have gone onto success, pre-qualified AI viewers (maybe via twitter), rotating guest celeb….this way we don’t hear the same old thing from Randy, JLO, & Steven.
Instead of letting the Judges have a save. Give it to the viewers. When it gets down to say 5, let the viewers vote on who to bring back that was previously eliminated (from the original live group 12 or whatever). Talk about a drama generator!!!!!!
Bad idea. That wouldn’t give them the time to rehearse, tweak the arrangement and in some cases learn the song. It’s not like they aren’t busy enough already. As for your other ideas, are you burning some funny incense?
Jeezy Creezy, James, are you a shut in or something? You run on as long and boring as Chris Ford/Petra/Jennifer C last year. Did you change your name?
huv ya tokd to nigel about ol this bloke? seems too cumplicated and booring to mee ?
what other show does have this kind of thing???
How about shortening the season. Nice weather means more people r outside! I really could care less about Idol until it gets to the competition. And get rid of Jimmy Iovine! Listening to all the dribble from the judges is enough then we have to hear it all over again and again. It drags!
Get rid of Jimmy Iovine … Are you kidding me? He is the only judge I can count on for giving a “honest” viewpoint. There are two people that I think hold the show together … Jimmy and Ryan Seacreat. They BOTH are great at what they do. Fire the rest and start from scratch next season is what I would do if I was the prodeucer..
You asked for it: )
The performances and the mentoring sessions are the meat of the show. But the rest needs a little change up.The judges are boring in their roles. There is no chemistry. If it’s going to be 2 hours, give us more insight to the contestants world behind the scenes. This year we got innuendoes and forced situations. It’s a reality show, keep it real. There was segment with Joshua and Holly being silly together was memorable. The staged rumors of Colton and Skyler..well that got them no where. A possibility of Holly and Josh doing the finale was framed in that earlier segment. America loves a love story. JL is an ego that doesn’t translate well to the nature of this audience. She doesn’t like Holly, and it shows even through the fake “positive” remarks. At the end of Hollie’s performance, the camera caught a glimpse from the back of the guys getting up to give a standing o and JL reaching up and pulling them both down. Her remarks about Middle America not being of her show biz standards didn’t help. This show belongs to Middle America. It’s about America loving some fresh new artists. Also, the voting is off base by allowing so many votes per person. It rarely matches the on line poles. It’s a limited demographic that will be voting the entire two hours by all means possible. We’ve already spent 2 hours on the show, most of us don’t want to spend another hour or so voting. I’d be happy to vote maybe 10 times in the beginning, reducing it as the number of contestants dwindle. The finale should be 1 vote per person. Use your talent. ST should be working the stage with the group from time to time. He’s useless as a judge, but amazing as a performer. Be dynamic. Just for fun,this week would be a great time to have Jennifer sing with the girls, Steven sing with the guys and Randy and Jimmy critique. Taking a risk doesn’t mean letting Jennifer strip and gyrate “Again”, it means offering us something we can’t get any where else.
Hi Mindandheart,
Most fans knows that JL does not like anyone that wears a skirt !
You got to be a guy or forget about it. LOL
I am not being mean, I think it is time to refresh the Judges and the whole format if Idol wants another successful season.
Right now this show has a little bit of singing , a lot of Jimmy talking, we might as well call it the Jimmy Iovine Show, and commercials. Thats it.
There are more things happening in this blog than the whole show put together. LOL
Just saying……………………………………….
yes drastic change in the voting and their format…
their not even consistent…one thing there’s one coronation song fought by two contestant, then the next year there are two singles, two coronation song…then again they go back, then they change…there are times that there are no corononation song even produced, they only show cover song…
Yeah…I would like to see more of the mentoring sessions…not just 15 seconds
i don’t think that will help. booo …
Don’t care for nitriding sessions I want to hear them sing!!
yes more reality in the mansion…
yes more reality behind the Idol stage…
yes more reality behind the Judges stage…
yes more reality behind the audience seat…
more reality please…not stage: this is good, lets show this…lets cut her out, show drama…etc.
that’s why AI haven’t got the REALITY COMPETITION AWARD at the EMMYs becuz they’re not that REAL
Big LOL.
I like the idea of having a VIEWER’s CHOICE in the finale…via their twitter, fb, or via AI Official website. isnt that cool?
Less people are watching tv generally. So except for sports, pretty much every show’s ratings are down. Add in that people who DVR the show don’t get counted in the viewing ratings. Then again, for a show to last 11 years when it’s almost 50% commercials means it has its audience hooked. What could be done to improve the Performance night? 1) longer songs 2) less commercials 3) voting- one vote per device 4) when the season starts, no need for 8 weeeks or how many ever it is, of audition rounds. Keep the audition shows to 1 or 2 & then get into Hollywood week. Let people who wanna see the auditions come online & get em.
The Results night show could be helped by not having acts like Nickyz Minaj or LMO. Those groups blew chunks & couldn’t even pass Idol’s audition round. Bring back more Idols on results nite (but not Stefano please). There’s now enough Idol talent that the alums should be coming back more often.
I think the judges from day 1 tried to push the votes to their favorites.
MY ADVICE TO THE FOUR FINALIST!
1. Phillip – take Maalox coz he looks he needs them when he is singing.
2. Jessica – Multi Vitamins to get a little fat.
3 .Joshua – Halls/ throat lozenges coz hes always screaming.
4. Hollie – she sounds pehhfek and seems like she has 9 lives/stop eating cat food.
isn’t that cool to add a VIEWER’S CHOICE on the finale…
I would like to see AI allow them to sing a full version of their songs now that there is more time. Also I would rather they sing three songs than have so much talking and filler.
Hellwo, I typical Jess fan. I hate everyone who says Jess not number one
and greatest singer of all time. Pinoy pride way over top cause we have
no pwride otherwise, Jess is our God and we going to exploit her to
fullwest. Her mother grweat pusher to take Jess childhood away frwom
her and pimp her out so much. she will be first to win AI multiple
times…you wait you see and if you say anything bad you a hater hater.
We normally so stupid we write in all caps and sticky keys, but post
keep getting killed for that.
How’s the fishing going?
Since when do Pinoys speak pidgin english like chinese immigrants? Pathetic trolling attempt.
stop that! karma/bad luck will come your way a thousand fold
Pathetic troll.
You’re fake and everyone knows it. You sound more like James pretending not to know his grammar.
Round 2 of you trying to discredit me…nice try. You need help.
This show began as a reality SINGING show so let’s hear more good singing, less commercials, less bad auditions to make fun of, and less “getting to know the performer,” Most of the performer background involves some kind of sad story designed to get viewers to vote for circumstances in the life of the contestant, rather than their singing ability. Let us judge the voice, not the history. Most of the guest performers aren’t worth watching and are times to check out other shows, go to the bathroom, or get a snack. I do like seeing former “Idol” contestants and wonder what happened to Melinda Doolittle? Why is she being ignored? Doesn’t she sing anymore? Why do former contestants have to be promoting a CD to get on the show? The “Idol” group songs are usually terrible, but I like some of the duets or trios. As many others have already said, get a grip on the voting process. When the voters get the impression that the whole thing is rigged, they stop voting because it is meaningless anyway. My voting days for this season are over, but I’ll still watch. I love music, but I’m tired of playing the game.
Why not allow all contestants to sing just one song, give it her/his own interpretation for Round 1? Then allow public voting for about 30 minutes, during intermission numbers of guest performers and the contestants themselves. Then announce partial results or ranking based on Round 1 performance, leading to Round 2 where contestants can sing a song of their own choosing based on the weekly theme. Full results for announcement the following day. Just a thought.