It’s true. American Idol is a huge hit every season. It has been running the same way since it started, and has only changed a few faces at the judges table. Ok ok. Before I go any further I will comfort you, the reader, and let you know: this is not a post critiquing or reviewing anything that has recently happened on American Idol. Rather, this is a post suggesting a way to make American Idol not just a hit, but cool as well.

I think American Idol should have:

• An all celebrity American Idol. Not just regular celebrities, either. They should all be singers or former singers from popular bands.
• An American Idol where a couple music industry celebrities are mixed in with the competitors.

Battle of the Band’s…lead singer.

In an all celebrity American Idol we would see former and established musical stars compete to find out who is the favorite or best. The voting should be a mixture of both viewer voting and the judges. This would cancel out the possibility of the younger artists when based on current popularity. Basically we turn American Idol into America. The viewers are the House of Representatives, which no one really respects, and the judges are like the Senate: more established and recognized as important.

The most important part are the celebrities singers. I don’t care who is thrown in the mix. Saline Dion, Harry Conick Jr., one of the Boys to Men guys. I don’t care. I just want three specific singers in the mix.

1. Spike Lawson of Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. The band plays nothing but covers! They will make you love old classics once again. Granted everything is fast and often has a punk beat, but if you don’t mind some classic song played fast and loud, you will love Spike Lawson and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes.

2. Rivers Cuomo of Weezer. He has the geek-chic thing going on which America loves and he can belt out notes with the best of them. If you need an “ohhhhh” in the middle of a song, he’s your man.

3. Matt Pryor of The Get Up Kids. My all time favorite singer, Pryor has the ability to hit a note, sing it load and long, and make it his own. His voice has a bit of a raspy sound to it which gives it just the right amount of distinction. Different yet recognizably amazing.

   
   
   

The bottom line is American Idol needs a makeover. Just because a person can sing does not make them entertaining. We need people we can connect to because we already know them. We need some Celebrity Idol.

2. Something to Write Home About – The Get Up Kids

The Get Up Kids are my favorite band. I first heard the song “10 Minutes” while searching Napster for new music. I liked it enough so I started finding more Get Up Kids music. They had just released their first wide release album Something to Write Home About through Vagrant Records when I heard them. This album became so popular it gave Vagrant credibility as a indie label which could find quality bands (Jimmy Eat World, Dashboard Confessional, Alkaline Trio, etc.) and produce albums for the bands to break into main stream.

The Get Up Kids music became the launching pad for the term “emo”. Matt Pryor’s lyrics mixed with keyboards and driving beats make boys cry and girls melt. TGUK’s are able to produce upbeat fun songs as well as songs that make you want to lay in your bed and think about lost loves and beautiful dreams. This album doesn’t have my favorite song “Anne Arbour” on it, but it still represents everything I love about The Get Up Kids.

Without a doubt, my favorite concert ever was a Get Up Kids/Weezer concert in San Fransico with my buddy Joe. When TGUK came on stage: I sang the songs, I had my eyes fixed on that stage, and I prayed to God that they would never stop playing.