Welcome to Internet Idol!

Although I've been saying that the internet will eventually clog up with low quality music for some time, even I was surprised when I realized how quickly this is going to happen.

It will most probably rear its' head first on these free relationship sites like MySpace or Facebook which have a wide wide acceptance from the public at large.

The penny finally dropped for me when I was watching the first program of the seventh season of American Idol.

American Idol is one of the most blockbusting television programs to appear on American television. Hate it, or like it, it has to be said that when a program gets more audience than the Superbowl, there must be a succesful recipe there.

Last night I watched the first auditions in season seven taken place in Filadelphia and, as normal, there were far more candidates than places to be filled to take a trip to Hollywood. There were people of all shapes, sizes, colours and tribes trying their best to impress the judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and everybodys' friend Simon Cowell.

Sadly for the majority of the candidates, the dream ends even before they get to sing one complete song in front of the three judges who decide which contestant will pass through to the next round. The reason? Simply because they just don't have the talent, mental stability, or personality to make it in the music world.

We have all seen and heard the complaints of those contestants, after

having their egos shattered by the "no" of Cowell, demonstrating their anger, knowing that they have talent and that the judges know absolutely nothing about the music industry nor about the real meaning of the word 'music'.

They could try to argue that the producers of American Idol only want commercial blonde bimbos on the show, that the music is diluted pop, that it only deals with mainstream.

Pas de tout.

We have had people from all races, musical backgrounds, genres - from jazz to blues, from rock to beatbox, ages (up to the American Idol limit), sexes and they have to work hard to make it through to the last three. They have to work with renowned superstars, sing songs from different eras, classic songs, rock songs, romantic songs, have to learn to hide their nervousness even change their appearance to be more appealing to the eye - a veritable schooling of how to become and behave as a professional performer, being taught by the very best in their field.

Out of over 20,000 people who auditioned in Filadelphia, only 70 made it to the next phase of the program because the experts thought that these people had a chance of advancing, improving, maturing and who knows, even winning the top prize that the reality show offers.

Imagine what the show would be like if they didn't have this filter of the judges!

There is a show like this. It's called "Internet Idol" and you can watch it in any free music community website.

You can put your music up for grabs and it doesn't really matter what it sounds like as long as you like it yourself.

You can enter into a whole new virtual music career on "Internet Idol" as you can determine how you will become a legend without any interference from professionals in the music business world. You'll be safe, there's no chance that Simon, Paula nor Randy will refuse you nor criticise your work.

So if you're a singer, songwriter, musician the internet world is your virtual stage. :)

I'm sure there will be response to this article and quite possibly in the same genre of those who didn't make it to Hollywood...

Steve Allen