The fastest-growing TV program category has nothing to do with drinking/dating or backstabbing “reality” shows.
The screen is alive with the sound of singing contests.
To succeed on a music show, the players at least have to put up or shut up. There’s no lack of voices, trained and untrained, Broadway belters or rockabilly warblers, waiting for a shot at prime time.
Last week brought a hot new entry in the field, “The Voice,” on NBC, which beat out “Glee’s” Lady Gaga episode and “Dancing With the Stars” to establish itself as a serious ratings threat.
More singing shows are on the way, including J.Lo’s Latin American talent search, “Q’Viva! The Chosen” in partnership with Simon Fuller, creator of “American Idol.” Jennifer Lopez and husband Marc Anthony will go on the road in the Americas to find talent for a series to be broadcast internationally and incorporating three languages.
For now “The Voice,” airing Tuesdays (8 p.m. on KUSA- Channel 9, moving to 7 p.m. on May 10), bears listening. The Mark Burnett-produced and Carson Daly-hosted adaptation of a Dutch hit, “The Voice of Holland,” has Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton serving as coaches. Unlike “Idol,” “The Voice” cuts out the humiliation spectacle of the embarrassing rejects and focuses only on the most talented vocalists. Goofy high- backed chairs in the style of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” prevent the coaches from seeing the contestants in the audition stage, so they judge solely on vocal quality.
The chairs swivel to introduce the owner of the voice (the “big reveal” in reality-TV parlance). The coaches assemble teams, and the competition begins. Give it credit for skipping the titillation. Viewers ate up the premiere: “The Voice” scored the best ratings for a series premiere on a major network since CBS’s “Undercover Boss” bowed following the 2010 Super Bowl.
Next, “Platinum Hit,” a songwriter competition coming to Bravo on May 30, is something of a hybrid with a goal that’s more difficult to illustrate onscreen. Writing is something that goes on internally, so shots of would-be composers thinking are difficult to enliven. “Platinum Hit” combines a “Project Runway”-style dorm living situation with hitmakers and aspiring warblers in a series hosted by singer-songwriter Jewel. Former “Idol” judge Kara DioGuardi and Jewel will be joined by guest judges including Leona Lewis, “Unwritten” singer Natasha Bedingfield, Donna Summer, Jermaine Dupri, British singer/ producer Taio Cruz and singer/songwriter/producer (and Denverite!) Ryan Tedder.
Self-described “musical geniuses” gather at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles and assert their claim to be the “next King of Pop.” The winner gets $100,000, a publishing contract and a recording deal. To start, they have 30 minutes to write a hook, the catchy chorus of a song. Judging by a screening of the premiere, expect lots of noodling on electric keyboards under headphones.
“X-Factor,” due this fall on Fox, is Simon Cowell’s Americanized version of his Brit hit. The competition is open to solo artists, as well as groups, with a range of age divisions expanding the demographic targets. Names of potential judges have been bandied about, but none confirmed. Cowell himself is expected to divide his time between the U.S. and U.K. productions.
Meanwhile, the reigning king of them all, “American Idol,” continues building to the May 25 final performances and anointing of a winner May 26.
Ratings have slipped from earlier years, yet for a show in its 10th season, it’s still a monster hit, drawing more than 26 million viewers for the season premiere. “Idol’s” impact on the culture remains significant: Witness the proliferation of these TV contests, the appearance of “Idol” winners on Broadway and the sales of music by “Idol” veterans.
Will these competing shows fuel interest or cannibalize the category? Time, and tunes, will tell.
Joanne Ostrow: 303-954-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com
