Awful premiere ratings: 1st hour 3.258 mio viewers, in 2nd hour it dropped massive to 2.526 viewers. Last place in timeslot among four big networks in total viewers and in demos.

Edited March 22, 20223 yr by Monzo

Whoops, I didn't think it was bad. Some decent songs and performances, I thought Kelly and Snoop were both likeable hosts, and I liked the VTs showing more about the artist and the state they were from, they were quite educational.

 

Hopefully it will be given a chance to grow and won't immediately be cancelled after one year. I'm not sure what more they could have done with it personally.

WYOMING *.*

 

I don't know if I'll bother listening to most of these but that's bloody hilarious

I'm still wondering who came up with the idea of restricting the Eurovision Song Contest, which is about different countries, cultures and languages, to the USA as the so-called American Song Contest. Everything that defines Eurovision is gone. A contest called American Song Contest should include countries from Canada to Argentina, but I suppose even that concept wouldn't have worked as the Spanish language would have been too heavily represented.

what you mean there are other countries on the American continent?

 

Yeah, Eurovision works as a concept in part because the states of Europe are "natural" ethnic groupings and so every entry is an opportunity to show off the culture of a people.

 

For similar reasons, a potential Asiavision or Africavision would in theory work as a way of uniting the continent - in practice, attempts to make these have faltered because the states on those continents are more commonly autocracies who care not for things like continental unity and diversity being exposed to their populations, and it's not an inbuilt idea so they can't even use it for state propaganda purposes like Belarus, Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan (list not exhaustive) have used Eurovision from time to time. And also Asia is possibly too big and something like Turkvizyon (but less ethnonationalist) would be better to cover the western half.

 

Americavision can't really work in the same way. The size differences between the states are too great; already it's kinda egregious that Germany or Italy gets one entry to represent their population of many millions and then tiny San Marino, Malta, Cyprus stand on an equal stage. In some ways that's great but it's also a limiting factor in the contest's fairness, sub-national regions in big countries with independent streaks and culture rarely get to show off their own unless they're lucky like Brittany was this year and Galicia wasn't. Imagine USA finishing below a Caribbean island - any Caribbean island. And then of course, all American states are products of colonialism and therefore too culturally similar and you get the same problem that I imagine this current American Song Contest is running into, it's more like a talent show than the uniqueness of very different states.

 

The one thing working to this contest's advantage is that because the USA is very rich, there's potential for musical diversity if not cultural diversity and with the two entries I've heard, Oklahoma and Wyoming, there's at least an attempt by some to work that in. Will that stop it from just feeling like another talent show rather than the institution Eurovision is? Not certain, I'll have to see how the final is received and if there's any attempt by state-patriotic Americans to cheer on their own state in a Superbowl-esque fashion.

 

also as admirable as it is to include the territories, they might be making it unwieldy for a casual audience. I could see, if this survives, potential for 'guest entries' from Canada, Mexico and maybe some Caribbean countries in a similar way to how Copa America sometimes includes non-South American football teams to pad it out. But with those ratings, it does look like an if.

Watching this right now. It has some great qualities but still feels a bit like every other talent show. It doesn’t help that with only NBC showing this it limits the part where the broadcaster of each country can kind of promote the contest in said country. I think this could have worked perfectly as a national final precursor to the US competing in something like Eurovision or a Pan-American contest, but I’m not sure if this can work in the current format.

 

Also, did Alexa perform live? Felt like she was lip syncing. The song was good though but I’m a bit too used to the ESC rules that it’s hard to fully enjoy it. Twenty people on stage? Lip syncing? Ad breaks after every damn song? No thanx.

 

So far, based on the “live” performances:

1. Oklahoma (8/10)

2. Arkansas (6/10)

3. Minnesota (4/10)

(Havent gotten further than this)

I'd watch a version of this in which metropolitan areas rather than states compete tbh. that would be a true measure of musical diversity as each big metro area has at least one homegrown style of music, or at least one it excels in. that way we can account for the diversity of a big state like California where you have many different "scenes" in as many genres

WYOMING!!!! 11/10 Now THAT is how you do a USA Eurovision entry! He has a hit on his hands.

The buzz around this is so minimal. The second episode was as good as the first, which is to say 'pretty good but not great'.

 

I haven't found any song I've got on repeat so far - from the second episode I liked the songs by Macy Gray, Enisa, Almira Zaky and Jocelyn (not the live vocals though). Jordan Smith, the winner of the heat, has a great voice but the song is corny. My issue is that most of the songs so far have sounded like unremarkable playlist filler.

My votes this week were Chloe Fredericks (North Dakota), Almira Zaky (Virginia) and Broderick Jones (Kansas), the latter was basically an earlier-era Justin Bieber song but I liked it. I was disappointed with Macy's song and her performance. :(

 

Can't say I'm surprised with any of the songs that went through from last week's public vote, but they were all solid. Both jury choices have been predictable so far, although I much preferred 'Sparrow' over the song they picked last week!

My ratings:

 

1. Wonderland (Oklahoma) (7.5/10)

2. Green Light (New York) (7/10)

3. Sparrow (Kentucky) (7/10)

4. Ready to Go (Minnesota) (7/10)

5. Tell Me (Kansas) (7/10)

6. Beautiful World (Connecticut) (7/10)

7. LOKO (Puerto Rico) (6/10)

8. Can't Make You Love Me (North Dakota) (6/10)

9. Wonder (Iowa) (6/10)

10. Never Alone (Nebraska) (5/10)

11. Fire (Mississippi) (5/10)

12. Million Dollar Smoothies (Oregon) (5/10)

13. Held On Too Long (Rhode Island) (5/10)

14. Celebrando (U.S. Virgin Islands) (5/10)

15. Every Night (Ohio) (5/10)

16. Over You (Virginia) (5/10)

17. Never Like This (Arkansas) (4/10)

18. Fire It Up (Montana) (4/10)

19. Feel Your Love (Wisconsin) (4/10)

20. Get Out Alive (Maine) (4/10)

21. New Boot Goofin' (Wyoming) (2/10)

22. Love In My City (Indiana) (0/10)

 

This heat is slightly better but there is yet to be a song that really grabs me.

Jewel's song!

 

It's like she watched a compilation of old Swedish entries. I have loved this woman's music for nearly 25 years (Down So Long was the first EVER No.1 in my personal chart) and she does surprise sometimes (like with the brilliant 'big pop girl' style 0304 album), but I can't say I ever expcted her to go schlager, and with a key change *.* It was way better than every other song, so of course the jury tanked it. Maybe too European sounding?

Jewel ROBBED

Overall I thought the third show was the best, some of the acts had interesting staging and the songs were a little better on the whole. It was also good to see the jury ranking revealed gradually during the show to at least add some level of interest with the voting.

 

The jury winner, Seventeen by Tyler Braden, was quite a good country track - although the jury winners are all getting stuck a bit in the same 'authentic male' lane now. Jewel's song The Story is my favourite of the whole three semi-finals so far, but I also liked Mr Independent by Grant Knoche and Flirt by Ale Zabala.

I agree, not to be a broken record but the pattern with these jury selections is too obvious, they need to do something about that. I'm not sure what they wanted from Jewel, unless they wanted something more like her 90s output? Thankfully that's not what she did.

 

I'm voting Texas and South Carolina this week. Very excited to see North Dakota and Kansas through from last week!

Can't believe how bad the playcounts for the entries are on Spotify, most are averaging just over 1,000 plays the day after the contest, none are impacting iTunes. Even with the low viewing figures you'd think there would be a tiny bit of interest from some people in hearing the songs again.

 

Oh well, if all else fails this endeavour has been worth it for the best Jewel song in 15 years or more.

Edited April 6, 20223 yr by gooddelta

Can't believe how bad the playcounts for the entries are on Spotify, most are averaging just over 1,000 plays the day after the contest, none are impacting iTunes. Even with the low viewing figures you'd think there would be a tiny bit of interest from some people in hearing the songs again.

 

Oh well, if all else fails this endeavour has been worth it for the best Jewel song in 15 years or more.

lmao AleXa has more plays on Spotify than most of the other entries combined, despite it being her least streamed title track :lol: Imagine if she wins by televote power alone

My ratings:

 

1. Wonderland (Oklahoma) (7.5/10)

2. The Difference (Alabama) (7/10)

3. Green Light (New York) (7/10)

4. Sparrow (Kentucky) (7/10)

5. Ready to Go (Minnesota) (7/10)

6. Tell Me (Kansas) (7/10)

7. Beautiful World (Connecticut) (7/10)

8. LOKO (Puerto Rico) (6/10)

9. I Don't Take Pictures Anymore (New Jersey) (6/10)

10. Can't Make You Love Me (North Dakota) (6/10)

11. Flirt (Florida) (6/10)

12. Wonder (Iowa) (6/10)

13. MR. INDEPENDENT (Texas) (6/10)

14. Feel the Love (Colorado) (6/10)

15. Never Alone (Nebraska) (5/10)

16. Fire (Mississippi) (5/10)

17. Million Dollar Smoothies (Oregon) (5/10)

18. Now You Do (Louisiana) (5/10)

19. Held On Too Long (Rhode Island) (5/10)

20. Celebrando (U.S. Virgin Islands) (5/10)

21. Seventeen (Tennessee) (5/10)

22. Train (Delaware) (5/10)

23. Every Night (Ohio) (5/10)

24. Not Alone (South Carolina) (5/10)

25. Over You (Virginia) (5/10)

26. Sunsets and Seaturtles (Northern Mariana Islands) (5/10)

27. Never Like This (Arkansas) (4/10)

28. Fire It Up (Montana) (4/10)

29. Feel Your Love (Wisconsin) (4/10)

30. The Story (Alaska) (4/10)

31. Bad Girl (South Dakota) (4/10)

32. Get Out Alive (Maine) (4/10)

33. New Boot Goofin' (Wyoming) (2/10)

34. Love In My City (Indiana) (0/10)

 

This heat has got to be the blandest one so far...

Grant's song is one of the best songs in this contest currently and it still feels like a midtable ranking in Eurovision standards...

1. Watch Me Now (Nevada) (7.5+/10)

2. DIY (Georgia) (7.5+/10)

3. Wonderland (Oklahoma) (7.5/10)

4. The Difference (Alabama) (7/10)

5. Green Light (New York) (7/10)

6. Sparrow (Kentucky) (7/10)

7. Shameless (Massachusetts) (7/10)

8. Ready to Go (Minnesota) (7/10)

9. Tell Me (Kansas) (7/10)

10. Beautiful World (Connecticut) (7/10)

11. LOKO (Puerto Rico) (6/10)

12. I Don't Take Pictures Anymore (New Jersey) (6/10)

13. Can't Make You Love Me (North Dakota) (6/10)

14. Flirt (Florida) (6/10)

15. Working On A Miracle (West Virginia) (6/10)

16. Wonder (Iowa) (6/10)

17. MR. INDEPENDENT (Texas) (6/10)

18. Feel the Love (Colorado) (6/10)

19. From La Finikera (Arizona) (6/10)

20. Never Alone (Nebraska) (5/10)

21. Fire (Mississippi) (5/10)

22. Plenty Love (Pennsylvania) (5/10)

23. Fly (New Hampshire) (5/10)

24. Million Dollar Smoothies (Oregon) (5/10)

25. Now You Do (Louisiana) (5/10)

26. Held On Too Long (Rhode Island) (5/10)

27. A Bit Of Both (Washington) (5/10)

28. Celebrando (U.S. Virgin Islands) (5/10)

29. Seventeen (Tennessee) (5/10)

30. Train (Delaware) (5/10)

31. Every Night (Ohio) (5/10)

32. Not Alone (South Carolina) (5/10)

33. Over You (Virginia) (5/10)

34. Sunsets and Seaturtles (Northern Mariana Islands) (5/10)

35. Sad Girl (Utah) (4/10)

36. Never Like This (Arkansas) (4/10)

37. Fire It Up (Montana) (4/10)

38. 4 You (Hawaii) (4/10)

39. Feel Your Love (Wisconsin) (4/10)

40. The Story (Alaska) (4/10)

41. Bad Girl (South Dakota) (4/10)

42. Get Out Alive (Maine) (4/10)

43. I Like It (Washington D.C.) (3/10)

44. New Boot Goofin' (Wyoming) (2/10)

45. Love In My City (Indiana) (0/10)

 

Finally a worthy competitor to Oklahoma/AleXa!! :o

Edited April 15, 20223 yr by uhsting