[NEWS] THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER UNVEILS 2013'S REALITY TV HEAT LIST

The $10 Million+ Music Mentor Club

This story first appeared in the April 12 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. The specialized skill of judging talent is not one every megastar can manage, but for those who succeed, the pay is handsome. Just ask Simon Cowell, who pockets north of $35 million a year as judge and co-creator of The X Factor, or radio jock Howard Stern, who brings in a reported $15 million salary for America's Got Talent. It's a good gig for guys who, unlike the other club members, don't have music talent to fall back on.

Mariah Carey, American Idol The diva co-wrote/co-produced dozens of songs from a catalog of 60-plus singles. Album sales: 61.5 million Most recent hit song: Her 2011 collaboration with Justin Bieber on “All I Want for Christmas Is You (SuperFestive!)” Grammys: 5 Ratings impact: Since Carey joined Idol in season 12, the Fox show has seen an 18 percent drop in ratings.

Christina Aguilera, The Voice The former Mickey Mouser-turned-vocal powerhouse sat pretty for three seasons. Album sales: 50 million Most recent hit song: Pitbull’s “Feel This Moment,” featuring her, hit No. 8 in March on Billboard’s Hot 100. Grammys: 5 Ratings impact: Aguilera helped viewership jump in 2010, from 12.3 million in season one to 15.6 million in season two.

Adam Levine, The Voice He’s the full-time frontman for rock-pop band Maroon 5 and an actor/heartthrob. Album sales: 9.5 million Most recent hit song: The platinum-selling “Daylight,” released in November, is No. 12 on Billboard’s Hot 100. Grammys: 3 Ratings impact: One of two original coaches, he’s kept a loyal legion of viewers (even while touring!) and hosted SNL.

Source: THR

[VIDEO] PAUL JOLLEY OF 'AMERICAN IDOL' PERFORMS 'JUST A FOOL'

Paul Jolley, Top 10 Male Perform ~ American... by HumanSlinky

[VIDEO] 'TODAY SHOW' MENTION 'YOUR BODY' SINGLE + MUSIC VIDEO

SKIP TO 2:20

Source: The Today Show

[NEWS] CARSON DALY SPEAKS OUT ABOUT 'THE VOICE' VS. 'X FACTOR' & SHUTS DOWN SIMON

If you’ve been keeping tabs on Simon Cowell lately, then you’re aware he’s none too pleased with The Voice.

The singing competition, hosted by 97.1 AMP/Los Angeles’ very own Carson Daly, decided to extend its premiere week to 3 days, which means it overlapped with last night’s premiere of the revamped X Factor.

Cowell has gone on an all-out media blitz to voice his frustration, telling TMZ, “This is a cynical, cold-hearted, unprofessional way of doing business…Britney’s not going to appreciate the fact that Christina, who has been a bit of a rival, isn’t allowing Britney to have a night of her own.”

For the most part, The Voice has chosen to stay out of the fray, but Carson felt the need to address the elephant in the room on his radio show Thursday morning.

“I wanted to watch X Factor last night. I think you can’t deny that there was some buzz on this show…I was very curious to see how my old friend Britney Spears was….what she was going to be like and when she speaks in full sentences, was it going to seem sort of medicated or was she going to spring a new personality that I haven’t seen?”

[NEWS] HOW CHRISTINA AGUILERA CHANGED JUDGING OF REALITY TV MUSIC COMPETITIONS

Be a star, then you can judge.

Years from now, Christina Aguilera will be remembered for her glamour, her scandalous take on femme-pop and her Brobdingnagian voice. But she should also be remembered as the person who almost single-handedly reshaped music-competition reality programming. Her legacy as a judge on “The Voice,” on NBC, may well turn out to be deeper and more profound than the one she’s forged in her music career.

Securing Ms. Aguilera in 2011 was a coup for a show that needed to differentiate itself from Fox’s “American Idol,” which had just signed Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez as judges. But for all their fame, Mr. Tyler and Ms. Lopez were past their fertile period as hitmakers. Ms. Aguilera, though not quite in her prime, had been in the Billboard Top 10 as recently as 2008. Of the four mentor-judges of “The Voice,” she was the one most obviously slumming it on this television gig, even though she was coming off a bumpy professional period: a flop album, “Bionic”; an awkward and sloppy rendition of the national anthem at the 2011 Super Bowl; and an arrest on a charge of public intoxication.

But Ms. Aguilera was an undeniable contemporary pop star, and her presence elevated those around her: Blake Shelton, a country star largely unknown outside that world; Adam Levine, the frontman of a popular but ineffectual band, Maroon 5; and Cee Lo Green, accidentally, and briefly, a pop star as part of Gnarls Barkley.

Broadly speaking, it’s because of Ms. Aguilera that on Sunday, after weeks of speculation, it was announced that Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban, contemporary hitmakers both, would become part of the “Idol” judge panel. (They effectively replace Mr. Tyler and Ms. Lopez.) They join Mariah Carey, who signed on in July and is now the panel’s unlikely éminence grise, and Randy Jackson, the lone holdover from “Idol” 1.0.

Ms. Aguilera’s shadow also extends over “The X Factor,” the Fox competition that last week gave its new judge-mentor panel its debut: the two older male executives, L. A. Reid and Simon Cowell, remain from Season 1, but the two women, Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger, have been replaced by more current names: the former Disney star Demi Lovato and the former Aguilera nemesis Britney Spears. Ms. Spears had a No. 1 album last year, and Ms. Lovato has had two Top 20 singles in the last 14 months.

[NEWS] BILLBOARD: 'THE OPPOSITIONAL VOICE'

[NEWS] CHRISTINA AGUILERA VS. MARIAH CAREY: WHO IS THE BETTER SINGER?

When it comes to music competitions, The Voice’s Christina Aguilera — who is currently preparing for her third season on NBC's hit show — can easily claim seniority. But does she reign supreme as the queen of pop music?

Newly appointed American Idol judge Mariah Carey certainly gives Xtina a run for her money, but is she a better singer? She might have 10 years' experience on Christina, but their accolades are quite similar — Mimi has five Grammys to Christina’s four five, and both ladies have a slew of No. 1 hit singles.

Our girl Christina knows how to belt out the powerful notes, but Mariah has one of the widest ranges in vocal history. Both ladies clearly know how to break it down on impressive pop ballads, as evidenced by the videos below.

Check out these examples of the reality judges’ most impressive songs and tell us which singer has the better voice!

Sound off on the comments at the source!

Source: Wetpaint

[VIDEO] THE CURRENT TREND OF SUPERSTAR JUDGES JOINING SINGING COMPETITIONS

[SMART-PHONE FRIENDLY]

[NEWS] CHRISTINA AGUILERA HASN'T ANY TIME FOR CAT FIGHTS WITH ANY DIVAS

The legendary 'Genie In a Bottle' singer has been a success on the singing talent contest so far, and will be joining fellow judges Cee-Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton for the show's third season.

Speaking to USA Today, Christina said that she is looking forward to "Welcom[ing] these very talented women."

She also took questions on the politics of working as a female singer in the pop industry, saying "You know this business, especially in my genre of pop, [people] pit us against one another and women against women and this and that."

"I'm not down for that. At this point in my life, I have no patience for it. So, I'm like, come in, the more the merrier."

Source: EntertainmentWise

[NEWS] 'THE VOICE' COACHES EXCITED FOR CHANGES

Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton, Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera – all four coaches of The Voice – joined producer Mark Burnett, host Carson Daly and the show's social media maven Christina Milian for a press conference last night at Burnett's Malibu home. Looking out at the panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean, Levine quipped, "So this is what reality TV buys you."

That, or maybe just knowing what makes for good TV. And Burnett and his team have demonstrated a knack for spotting opportunities. Last season there was shock among fans when singer Jesse Campbell, one of the favorites to win the title, was eliminated by coach Christina Aguilera. Even her fellow coaches expressed their disbelief.

This season, which starts September 10th, they'd be able to do something about it, thanks to a new element called "the Steal," which allows judges to pick up a contestant who's been ousted by another coach. Journalists got a sneak peak at a recently taped battle round between two of Green's competitors, who each delivered a smoking rendition of Mariah Carey's "Vision of Love." As soon as Green carried out the unenviable task of choosing just one, the other coaches hammered on their buttons and made their pitches to bring the loser onto one of their teams, just like they do in the battle rounds. Judges can only pick two additional team members, which will lead to a new cycle of the show called "Knockout Rounds," where the teams will pare down before beginning the live episodes.

The new opportunity for poaching has added a lot to the show, the coaches told Rolling Stone. "It’s nice to throw those elements in to kind of spice things up," Levine said. "Those things definitely help keep it fresh for us."

It also adds more pressure, Shelton said. "There’s nothing that’s more nervewracking than knowing, 'Okay, both these singers did really good and I gotta pick one and I know damn good and well one of these other three are gonna steal the person I don’t pick,'" he said. "There’s a chance that person may go on and win this and that’s gonna make me look really stupid. That definitely goes on in your mind. As an artist and somebody on television I have enough of an ego that I don’t want to look that stupid. I want to look brilliant."

Ultimately, though, he recognizes it's great for the show and viewers. "It’s going to be so exciting for people watching at home," Shelton said. "Here’s the truth, as much as we want to sit up here and talk about how different this show is, and it is, what people love the most is those damn buttons. People love to see us hit those buttons and somebody’s life is changed at that moment. This is another way of changing somebody‘s life later on in the show, where they think all hope is lost, they’re going home, the next thing you know the button gets pushed and they’re right back in the game again. That’s pretty exciting."

The new components add another element to what Levine, Aguilera and Shelton call "the best season yet." Only Green holds out on that, saying, "A few memorable things have happened thus far, but season three isn’t completed yet, so I don’t know if this is the favorite season yet."

For the four coaches, though, the biggest strength of this season is their bond. In the first clip shown at the junket, the four are seen performing the Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up," and they resembled a band, much more than they did in the combined performances of the first two seasons.

What helped meld them into a tight, family-like unit is the way all four work with contestants, Aguilera said. "Over time we see how each of us react as coaches, giving such heartfelt advice and attention to these up-and-coming young fresh talents and it’s so nice to see," she said. "It’s refreshing because we came into it not wanting to knock anybody down and I think we all respect that. We might take shots at each other, but never the talent. So there’s just a magic, there’s a bond there that’s unbreakable at this point."

Shelton concurred, recognizing the quartet is now joined together by the success of the series. "We’re always going to be connected to each other through this show," he says.

He admitted there have been some rough moments, like any family. "We’ve been through a lot of shit with each other, no doubt," he said. "We’ve had fights, ups and downs and weird moments and fuck-offs and all that stuff. But all friends go through that I think and you either go through it and you never speak to each other again or you go through it and your relationship is even stronger. We didn’t have to come back together, but we did, and our relationships are stronger."

Levine agreed that the coaches have left the rockiest moments behind them. "We are getting along better than we ever have and I guess our energies have all congealed and we’re very, very close at this point," he said.

The show will run this year in both the fall and spring seasons, which could result in one or more of the coaches having to take a sabbatical to go on tour. Although Burnett said the coaches have their "chairs for live," the assembled journalists were keen to speculate on who the replacement coaches might be. Green shut down the speculation while nicely summing up the bond among the current four.

"For me, there’s nobody comes to mind that can replace my Blake, my Adam and my Christina," he said.

Source: Rolling Stone

[NEWS] 9 THINGS WE LEARNED FROM 'THE VOICE: SEASON 3' JUNKET

NBC invited reporters to the beachside Malibu estate of executive producer Mark Burnett Sunday night to unveil the creative twists coming to the third season of The Voice, which premieres on September 10. Coaches Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine, and Blake Shelton were on hand to talk up the show’s new “knockout rounds,” and share their thoughts on Britney Spears and why The Voice has yet to launch a pop star. We also got a sneak peek of the latest coaches’ medley (hint: it moves like Jagger). Here’s what we learned:

• Coaches will now be able to steal contestants from one another. To “reignite the energy of the chair” during the battle rounds, producers have added more button pushing! Coaches will be able to twice rescue a losing battle round contestant from another’s reject pile. In a clip NBC previewed for reporters, Adam, Christina, and Blake all hit their buttons to jockey for the singer Green chose not to move forward.
  
• … but some contestants won’t be worth saving. So, ouch, some will be rejected twice.
  
• Knockout round is just a fancy way of saying “More solos!” After the battle rounds, coaches will again pair their remaining contestants to sing for their lives — only this time they’ll sing solos back to back. (And only after the blind auditions and battle knockout rounds will we get to the live shows. Get ready for the longest season of The Voice yet, America.)
  
• The coaches know they haven’t found a Kelly Clarkson yet; they don’t think it’s that important. It’s no secret we can barely remember who won either season of The Voice (or The X Factor, for that matter), but Adam said it was unrealistic to expect them to produce a star every time out. “There are a lot of elements that need to magically fall in to place in order for that to happen … we can’t micromanage everything that happens after they’re on the show,” he said. “We would love to see a star born out of this show, we’re positive it will happen, but we’re not hinging the validity or relevance of this show on that because that’s just ridiculous.”
  
• We hope Billie Joe Armstrong is the bestest, meanest mentor ever. This year’s celebrity mentors are as follows: Christina’s got Armstrong, Cee Lo has Rob Thomas, Adam has Mary J. Blige, and Blake has Michael Buble.
  
• Christina doesn’t think you need to worry about Britney. “I welcome her to this family of fun and entertainment and finding new talent,” she said when asked about her fellow former Mouseketeer joining Simon Cowell’s The X Factor. “Britney is a pro. I don’t know what she’s going to offer specifically herself as a coach, but I know she’s a pro, and she’s gonna give, I think, great advice.”
  
• Adam’s glad he could pave the way for you, too, Mariah. “When I see other people gravitating toward [doing a music competition show] or deciding it would be a good idea for them, really accomplished people, I wear it as a badge of pride. We made this cool.”
  
• It doesn’t sound like Christina will be back for the spring edition of The Voice. Why? She’s getting ready to release a new single, titled “Your Body,” from her upcoming album, and when asked if she’d be returning, she practically said “I’m outta here!”: “We’re not speaking about anybody going or leaving or the details of that,” she began, “but I just know I can only be great as a coach if I keep on re-inspiring myself, if I keep going out, making albums, recording, and gaining new stories and experiences from the road so I can share with my team.” Cee Lo, on the other hand, acted as though he’d love nothing more than to stick around in the swivel chair (!!!). “I won’t be touring. I want to keep doing the show,” he said.
  
• “Your Body” has Adam’s seal of approval. “I heard that song and I hate you because it’s so good,” he told Christina.
  
• Christina still hates pants. Because what do you wear to perform the Rolling Stones’ “Start Me Up” during a medley if not a blinged-out leotard?

Source: Vulture

[NEWS] EXTRA!: CHRISTINA AGUILERA ON REALITY TV'S DUELING DIVAS

Christina talks for the first time about the pop diva face-off on primetime with "American Idol's" Mariah Carey and "X-Factor's" Britney Spears, unlikely Team Xtina mentor Armstrong and her ongoing sparring with fellow judge Adam Levine.

How does she feel about Mariah and Britney? It's about embracing the girl power. “You know I love that. All these artists are coming together from all the experience that we've had and we're being able to take that and feed this new wave of talent coming up.”

Christina shows nothing but love and support for her fellow Mousekeeter alum. “Britney's so talented. I mean she's a pro. She's been at it for a number of years now. We did grow up together. It's actually cool that these strong women are joining the club and they're gonna have fun.” When Aguilera heard about her own idol, Carey, joining "Idol," she beamed, “I just found out about it last night, the news is fresh.”

Aguilera’s unique partnership with “The Voice” Season 3 mentor Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong is definitely something Christina is excited to bring to the show.

“He's had a tremendous amount of success in the business," she said. "I like to switch it up. This one was very intriguing because he comes from a completely different genre of music than I do. He's had tremendous obvious stage experience and touring and he would have some amazing advice and input.”

Armstrong feels the same way, telling Seymour, “I had a choice between another coach and her." He jokingly added, “You know I like singers, not drummers” -- a slight jab at Christina’s show nemesis, Adam, who plays the drums.

Christina and Armstrong hinted at doing a duet on the show. Aguilera teased, "We'll see… stranger things have happened," while Billie replied, "I'll write something."

When it comes to Christina and Adam, she said they save their sparring for the show. “Any heated, you know, kind of banter… lives in the show and then it's out the window on a personal level.”

“They're like my brothers," she said of "Voice" coaches Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green and Adam. "They keep me laughing and we like to tease each other.”

Source: ExtraTV

[NEWS] CHRISTINA AGUILERA REVEALS HER ADVISOR FOR 'THE VOICE: SEASON 3'

NBC’s “The Voice” is adding a high-powered rocker to the mix.

NBC said Thursday that Green Day vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong has joined the talent contest as a mentor to Christina Aguilera’s team this coming season.

In a statement, Armstrong said he and his family are fans of the show.

“The Voice” has won over viewers because “it’s not molding artists, it’s just giving them a little bit of guidance and direction without giving them a complete makeover,” he said.

Besides, Armstrong says, working with Aguilera is “a lot of fun.” He started taping Wednesday on “The Voice,” which has been in production for season three since June.

As the talent contest field grows more crowded, shows are competing for big-name music stars. “American Idol” is adding Mariah Carey as a judge, and “The X Factor” signed Britney Spears and Demi Lovato.

“The Voice” returns Sept. 10.

That’s good timing for Green Day: The band has three albums coming out in quick succession, with the first, “Uno!”, to be released Sept. 25.

In addition to Aguilera, the show’s coaches include Cee-Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. Carson Daly is the host.

Source: Washingston Post

Editors Note:

How darn excited are you guys about the news that Christina will be working with the amazingly talented Billie Joe Armstrong of 'Green Day'. I'm beyond excited about this collaboration.

Did it catch anyone else by surprise? I would have thought that Adam would have someone like Billie as his mentor.

This can only lead to greatness. 'The Voice: Season 3' could quite possibly be the best season yet.

Here's to the next couple of months being filled of nothing but greatness for our momma. 2012/2013 aren't ready.

[NEWS] CHRISTINA AGUILERA VS. MARIAH CAREY: WHICH DIVA WILL BE THE BETTER REALITY JUDGE?

Pop diva Mariah Carey surprised us this week with the announcement that she’ll be replacing Jennifer Lopez as a judge on American Idol Season 12.

And though Mariah, 42, has more than 10 years on our girl Christina Aguilera, Xtina already has two seasons of judging under her designer belt.

So who will make for the better judge? Christina has already proven herself to be the Simon Cowell of The Voice — offering the, at times, brutally honest truth and in-depth critiques.

We already know Mariah can tell it like it is, but will her sass carry over to primetime TV? Tell us who you think would make the better judge below!

Source: Wetpaint

[NEWS] WHICH POP DIVA RULES THE REALITY COMPETITION SCENE?

With the host of music competition shows out there comes a slew of ladies ready to claim their title as the ultimate pop diva.

But with the women of American Idol, The Voice, and The X Factor to choose from, who will win? Here are our rankings!

5) Nicole Scherzinger

Nicole receives the spot in last place because of her celebrity status in comparison to the other ladies on the list. As a former member of the Pussycat Dolls, she doesn’t come close to the likes of Paula Abdul or Britney Spears.

But she did a great job on both The Sing-Off and The X Factor, and is preparing to judge The X Factor UK.

4) Paula Abdul

Though Paula’s been in this business the longest, she’s far too nice to be considered a “diva.” If anything, Simon Cowell ranks way above her on the high maintenance scale. Paula was an original judge on American Idol and then followed Simon to The X Factor.

3) Jennifer Lopez

You don’t fool us JLo, we remember the Bennifer days. You are a diva in your own right even though you may have fooled American Idol contestants into thinking you’re sweet and innocent.

2) Britney Spears

Even though we haven’t seen Britney judge yet, her pop diva status proceeds her. There’s no doubt she’ll be Xtina’s biggest competition this fall on The X Factor.

1) Christina Aguilera

There’s no question that Christina is the biggest pop diva to judge a reality music competition. Not only does she have the diva status, but her constant honesty and intense critiques make her a cut above the rest.

She proves that women do rule reality TV and provide the best feedback!

Source: WetPaint
Credits: blahblah snore

Editor Note:

I'm still a little confused as to why Britney is on the list if no ones seen her "judge".

Anyways, I sure am glad that people are noticing that Christina is one of the only 'judges' that actually gives amazing feedback. :)

[NEWS] CHRISTINA AGUILERA: REALITY TV'S BEST JUDGE (SURPRISINGLY!)

Last season on The Voice, Christina Aguilera personified the Hot Mess. Joining the show shortly after divorcing husband Jordan Bratman — and amid reports of her hard-partying ways, which led to her arrest for public intoxication in March of 2011 — Aguilera was a mentor more “Dirrty” than “Beautiful." Her season 1 ill-fitting wardrobe was just the start of it — the singer also seemed bored with her new role on reality TV and not entirely committed to mentoring her eager contestants. Her comebacks to Adam Levine’s barbs were typically awkward, and her self-promotion tactics went into overdrive. Yes, Beverly McClellan’s “Beautiful” duet with Aguilera was fittingly gorgeous… but it was also a cover of “Beautiful.” Why push your music on a series you're already headlining?

But what a difference six months make. Sure, Aguilera’s wardrobe has yet to completely redeem itself — though her high-collared shirts last night were a definite improvement over her Battle Round Barbarella-meets-Royal Wedding look — but the singer sure has. Over the course of season 2, Aguilera has managed to turn herself into the reality series’ most valuable mentor. Not only have her Levine-directed insults become sharper, but her passion during the blind auditions also allowed her to lock in some of the buzziest contestants. (See: Current frontrunner Jesse Campbell.) And she’s already proved she’s guiding her team on a successful path: The singer was spot-on when she warned contestants during the blind auditions that she would have more time to commit than busy countryman Blake Shelton — Aguilera’s song suggestions for her team last night were far fresher and more fitting for each contestant. (Seth and Amy say, really Blake Shelton? “Livin’ On a Prayer,” “Alone,” and “Living for the City” for your team? American Idol called — it wants its season 3 material back.)

Perhaps more impressively, during last night’s first live show, Aguilera officially established herself as the only useful talent judge left on popular reality TV. Following Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul’s Idol exit, the Fox singing series has been weighed down by three judges seemingly incapable of critiquing contestants, no matter how much they butcher Adele. (I know — it seems mean to shoot Eben Franckewitz when he’s down, but dear God, boy.) And, so far this season, The Voice’s panel has been guilty of the same crime — until Aguilera finally called out Naia Kete for her thin cover of Adele’s “Turning Tables.” Can we give her a round of applause for finally channeling that honest voice within?

Now, don’t get me wrong: There’s still enough mess in the much-hotter Aguilera to keep her entertaining. The aforementioned wardrobe that dangerously borders on malfunction, the hilarious stage mom instincts that lead her to mimic her contestants’ dance moves from her spinning chair, etc. But her actions on this season of The Voice have also reminded us that the girl’s damn talented — not only does she know how to bring out the best in other singers, but she allows her singers to bring out the best in her. One of my favorite moments of this season remains Aguilera’s impromptu duet with Sera Hill — there’s no doubt that Alpha Aguilera saw this as an opportunity to prove her vocal dominance, but it was a moment as sweet as it was calculated. Would Cee Lo turn away from Erin Martin’s legs long enough to be inspired by the most talented on his team? Purrfect says “No no no.”

So let’s applaud Aguilera for her work thus far on season 2 of The Voice — it was about time for her arrival. And NBC should be sending her one big fruit basket to wear on her head: Her commitment to the series makes it that much harder for TV fans to throw in the towel when it comes to The Voice. Even this dedicated Idol fan has fully embraced being blasphemous by throwing her UFO hat into the series. So, please, Aguilera: Continue delivering good TV and quality reality show judging — how refreshing it’s been to see you rub us Voice fans the right way. Wait, is that gross?

Who else is loving Aguilera this season?

Source: Hollywood

[NEWS] WHY 'THE VOICE' IS HITTING THE HIGH NOTES

The Voice is suddenly on a hot streak - the kind of streak reserved for lightning-in-a-bottle pop-cultural phenoms that elevate hope and talent over hype and humiliation. The kind of streak that suddenly threatens to cast American Idol in the shade.

How is The Voice better than American Idol? Let me count the ways.

. The Voice has coaches, not judges. Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, and country vocalist Blake Shelton have a vested interest in the success of their 12 chosen team members.

. The Voice auditions focus on performing ability; American Idol auditions focus, as often as not, on humiliation and the vocal train wreck. The Voice's contestants are chosen in advance, based on their singing ability; Idol's contestants are chosen from whoever walks in the door.

. The Voice is tailored to the individual performer's chosen field of singing. American Idol forces contestants into a box. This week, disco, next week, power ballads, the week after that, duets with Pauly Shore. The Voice simply asks: Do you have a good voice? Good. Now show us how good. And do it your way.

. The Voice's coaches are singers themselves. They're working in the industry now, and their music is contemporary, relevant and on the song charts. Shelton is on tour now, with his finalist from The Voice last season, Dia Frampton.

. The Voice is changeable and adaptable to shifts in musical tastes and tracking trends. American Idol is locked into more of a stiff format. The Voice bends and moves with the times; American Idol is trapped in the past. The Voice is karmic; American Idol is dogmatic.

. The Voice is inclusive. Last season, two of the four finalists were openly gay, and no one cared. American Idol appears uncomfortable with the subject, at least during the competition phase. (One theory holds that, because Idol's core fan base lies in the conservative, U.S. red states, alternative lifestyles are deliberately downplayed on the show.)

. The Voice makes no secret of the fact that many of its contestants have previous experience in the recording industry. In some cases, they've had record deals, only to be dropped by their label over time. American Idol, on the other hand, likes to pretend its contestants fell off the back of a turnip truck, even though some of them have experience, too.

. The coaches are expected to be themselves, not play TV versions of themselves. Levine is high-energy, uptempo, combative, sarcastic and outspoken. He's all about the music, not the fame. As he told me last month, "I trust this show more than I trust the business," when it comes to finding new talent. Green is soft-spoken and watchful; he listens more than he talks. Aguilera is effusive and open-hearted, but also given to moments of reflection and introspection. And Shelton, who some Voice insiders have tabbed as the standout coach, is as much about nurturing and encouragement as he is about album sales and tour dates.

TV-reality competitions are not quite the same as real-world talent contests. They're designed for TV, for one; the talent part is secondary. They have to deal with issues of pacing, suspense, empathy and old-fashioned storytelling. They work best - as TV shows - when there's an element of challenge and overcoming the odds, and self-affirmation. There has to be a rooting interest, and a reason to watch other than mild curiosity about who will win in the end. There has to be a reason for viewers to come back, week after week. And when talent alone won't do it - some Idol seasons are stronger than others - there's always engineered drama.

The Voice has its share of contrived drama. Every second contestant, it seems, is an HIV-positive recovering addict or a 50-something lifelong music devotee looking for that one last shot at fame and stardom.

On Idol, though - especially this season - the contrived drama has overwhelmed the singing, at times.

There was no need, for example, to shamelessly keep replaying the moment when a 16-year-old fell off the stage during Idol's Hollywood audition phase. Contestant Symone Black, already suffering from dehydration, took a tumble off the front edge of the stage after performing a credible rendition of Otis Redding's Sitting on the Dock of the Bay. There was no need to show the accident what seemed like 67 times - no need, that is, except ratings and the fact that, thanks to the magic of video editing in the digital age, the moment could be packaged and used as a teaser for nearly two hours, followed by an episode-ending cliffhanger. Was she hurt? Did she injure her back? Will she ever sing again? Tune in tomorrow to find out.

Idol has now reached the audience knockout phase. A dozen contestants remain, following last week's systematic mauling of Adele songs. Idol will dial back on the engineered drama, in theory, from here on in and let the singers take over.

There's an inescapable feeling, though, that this year's field is weaker than in some past seasons, despite the judges' constant crowing about how this is "the best group ever!" It didn't help Idol's cause that Interscope Geffen A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine told one contestant last week that his "shtick" was getting old and that the show is called American Idol, not American Comedian.

Iovine remarked that another contestant was screechy and annoying, and said of one performance - which got a standing ovation from judges Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez - that it was cheesy.

Meanwhile, The Voice has wrapped its sensational blind-audition phase - the search for the mystery voice - and is now in the so-called "battle rounds," where the coaches assign a pair of singers in their teams to perform a duet, and choose the singer most likely to advance. The singers will be helped in their task by guest mentors: Lionel Richie and Jewel with Aguilera's group, Kelly Clarkson and Miranda Lambert with Shelton's group, Ne-Yo and Babyface Edmonds with Green's group and, perhaps most intriguing, Alanis Morissette and Robin Thicke with Levine's group.

Levine told Anderson Cooper recently that he's angling to get Kanye West involved with his group. Not so long ago, the very suggestion would have been laughable. Now, not so much. The Voice is suddenly serious business.

And music to the ears. The Voice has risen lately in the ratings, where American Idol has dropped.

For once, though, the bottom line is not just about the bottom line.

The Voice is simply the better show, pure and simple.

The Voice is more relevant, more meaningful, more compelling and more entertaining right now, because it's good to listen to, not just fun to watch.

Source: TheStarPhoenix

[VIDEO] 'AMERICAN IDOL' CONTESTANT, HOLLIE CAVANAGH, PEFORMS 'REFLECTION'

[SMART-PHONE FRIENDLY]

[NEWS] 'THE VOICE' SINGS LOUDER THAN 'AMERICAN IDOL' IN THE RATINGS

Barring a surprise with Thursday's American Idol, this week's telecast of The Voice will rate higher with adults 18-49 and total viewers than American Idol. Monday's two-hour installment of The Voice drew a 6.0 adults 18-49 rating and and a smidgen over 16 million viewers. Last night's two-hour American Idol scored a 5.1 rating with adults 18-49 and 15.88 million viewers in the preliminary ratings. It's likely Idol will be adjusted up a tenth or two in the final numbers, but there's no chance it will overtake The Voice this week with adults 18-49 (though there's a good shot it will work its way into a virtual tie).

So now 'The Voice > Idol" meme ensues, and I'd guess in one fashion or the other we'll see those comparisons for a while regardless of what happens. Some have asked me if I am surprised by American Idol's ratings. I tend to ignore the intra-week machinations but barring a turnaround it does appear that American Idol will be down for the season than the typical ~10%-15% annual year over year declines that always have happened. That's a little surprising since This has led some to opine that there is singing show saturation where adding The X Factor and having both hurts both Idol and The X Factor. That's perhaps a reasonable thing to speculate, but it's impossible to quantify. To be a contrarian I'd have to ask "if there is singing show saturation, why is The Voice doing better than The X Factor, and at least this week, even better than Idol? The easiest explanation to me is that for whatever reason, people just like The Voice more than The X Factor and at least this week more than American Idol (at least in live and same night DVR viewing).

But I'm much more surprised that The X Factor didn't perform better than I am by Idol being down. With a major overhaul underway, it will be interested to see what happens with The X Factor next season.

But what surprises me the most is the interest in ratings for The Voice. It's rare that we ever got much interest in Idol's ratings (Simon leaving did generate more interest in Idol's post-Simon ratings last season though). There's almost never much interest in unscripted show ratings, so that wasn't a surprise. But there is interest in The Voice's ratings and that's backed up by both qualitative data in the comments, and quantitative data in our site stats. I'm not sure if it's just a case where we were already around when The Voice launched where is Idol was on for years before we launched, or bewilderment that something besides the NFL is performing so well on NBC.

For and against, people are interested in The Voice. There seems to be the perfect storm where there are an equal number of anti-fans who will proclaim "See, I knew it. The Voice is doomed!' if it drops to a 5.5 adults 18-49 rating next week.

Source: TVByTheNumbers

[NEWS] ALL FOUR COACHES ARE RETURNING FOR THIS FALL'S SEASON 3 OF 'THE VOICE'

All four "Voice" judges will return to the NBC hit for a third season that will air -- for the first time -- in the fall, TheWrap has learned.

TheWrap reported previously that Christina Aguilera had agreed to return for $10 million for the season.

Now, Cee-Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton have all agreed to return as well, all with substantial pay raises, according to two individuals close to the negotiations. They have arranged their schedules for a fall debut, which NBC is preparing to announce shortly.

The individuals said that Green, Levine and Shelton will see their pay roughly doubled to $6 million.

Also read: Christina Aguilera Re-Ups for 'The Voice,' New Season May Air in the Fall

A spokeswoman for NBC said that the judges were not settled upon yet. "No final decisions have been made," she told TheWrap.

Representatives for the judges declined to comment or did not immediately return calls for comment Thursday.

But insiders told TheWrap that Levine of "Maroon 5" had been holding out because of the scheduling issue. He and his band have an album nearing completion, and tour dates and promotion of the album had to move to accommodate the show's move to the fall.

"The Voice" was a breakout midseason hit for NBC when it debuted in April 2011. This season, the show -- which has aired three episodes -- has the highest averaging ratings on television. It averages an 8.4 rating/21 share in the crucial 18-49 demographic and 21.3 million viewers overall. It owes that average largely to huge ratings for the premiere, which aired in the plum spot after the Super Bowl.

TheWrap previously reported that NBC was considering moving the show to the fall. Now, with the agreement to bring back the four-judge panel, that decision has been made, according to knowledgeable individuals.

The network is expected to announce the decision in the next two weeks.

That scheduling decision would have the show, now a midseason hit, airing at the same time of year as Fox's "X Factor."

Source: TheWrap