American Idol Contestants Have To Give Up Their Social Media Presence?

from the can't-build-your-own-damn-brand dept

Apparently, you don’t just commit to handing over your music recordings if you enter American Idol, but now you have to give up your ability to build your own brand, as well. Hypebot alerts us to the news that American Idol contestants for the latest season were all forced to shut down their Facebook, MySpace and Twitter usage, and point everyone directly to American Idol’s own website instead. In an age when having a strong social media presence is important to career success for many musicians, this seems like quite a big trade-off.

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Comments on “American Idol Contestants Have To Give Up Their Social Media Presence?”

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32 Comments
Anonymous Coward says:

Re: Re: Re:

That’s why musicians make music, right? To become superstars, you know, rich and famous. Rock and roll! Doing illegal drugs and paying for prostitutes!

Rock and roll! Breaking all the rules!

Don’t infringe on my copyright, that’s stealing, shouldn’t do that, that’s wrong.

Rock and roll! Sticking it to the man!

jxj says:

The millions the industry can afford to pour into these talentless morons have always been enough to manipulate the weak minds of the unwashed, so as long as it works they’ll keep trying to do it.

Now, with the advent of the internet, things haven’t always been so clear-cut, as we keep seeing technically unmarketed content appear on the charts simply through its virtue, the personal promotion from the creators and the amazing marketing machine that filesharing has become.

The day American Idiot contestants can’t get a foot through the door will be a good day for humanity.

Pixelation says:

Umm, let’s see. Spend the rest of your life washing dishes and hoping you’ll get discovered by singing on the street corner or give up give up being a ” Facebook twit” for a while and likely get vaulted into stardom. Let the other Twitter twits twitter on about the idol twits.
Not exactly selling their souls for a shot at fame.

Anonymous Coward says:

Or is it because on Cowell’s show ‘X Factor’ in the UK lots of information that Simon and his associates thought could be damaging? Would the public be distraught to find out that Idols are humans? Or perhaps it was because it was leaked on Twitter that two of his male contenders were dating? They quashed that tweet too…

Tek'a R (profile) says:

I think this is more about control over how publicity functions. American Idol does not want to promote someone into a success. Operating much like, well, every recording giant ever, they would much rather promote you Through themselves.

Dont encourage people to download the music you have had posted, free, on your own personal webspace. Instead guide everyone to Us, we will gladly sell them those tracks*

*you will not receive any royalties or payment.

It is just a fairly hamhanded and early attempt to make sure all success shortcircuited back into the IDOLSHOW

Paul Puri (profile) says:

Really?!

Yes. Because Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace over power American Idol when it comes to promoting ones self. Explain how being ‘social’ is a bigger benefit over, say, millions of people watching you on national television. I’m sure the contestants got over it really fast. Sob, cry. I can’t Tweet to a few non relevant people so they can complain about me trying to be famous. So I’m just gonna have to live with performing live on stage. Really?! Really?!

Robert (user link) says:

Really???

Yes. Because Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace over power American Idol when it comes to promoting ones self. Explain how being ‘social’ is a bigger benefit over, say, millions of people watching you on national television. I’m sure the contestants got over it really fast. Sob, cry. I can’t Tweet to a few non relevant people so they can complain about me trying to be famous. So I’m just gonna have to live with performing live on stage. Really?! Really?!

http://americanidoljudges.org/

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