After one of the most dominant runs in television history, American Idol will not return after its 15th season this January.

Posted by Rolling Stone on Monday, May 11, 2015

In 2002 a few months before the birth of my daughter a new show using an old format debuted on FOX. I only mention my daughter because I often joked with her that perhaps the show would stay on the air long enough for her to take her “shot” at stardom. I really was joking because truth be told I never thought too highly of the whole plucked from obscurity to renown all within the few months of a television series narrative.

Will I miss Idol? No, I haven’t tuned in for years. Do I think it gave a platform to some deserving and talented artists who otherwise may have toiled in obscurity for years before being “discovered”? Perhaps. Not a hater, but what I don’t like is the notion that anything but hardwork will get you to the head of the line. Oh I know that the weeks and months contestants spend on the show can be brutal because of the hectic pace of production but… what has been the overall Idol Effect on music? Three things I believe and here they listed below in no particular order.

The focus solely on the solo artist

Truth be told the net effect of this has been a whole lot of (I won’t name, names) folks who should be singing 2nd or 3rd parts in a group as opposed trying to “Run The World”.

The focus on money over music

This is a horse I would really like to put back in the barn. Yes we need money to survive, but this whole “You’re great we’re gonna give you millions because well, you won!” So somehow what has happened is the focus has shifted to the payment and not the process. Trust the process…

The viewing public as tastemakers

If you are not an expert in a particular field, I’m not saying that your… oh nevermind.

Let’s hope this is the beginning of a renaissance that will be the antithesis of all things Idol.