Is It Better for Adam Lambert Not to Win ‘American Idol’?

An article over the weekend on the Fort Wayne, Indiana Journal Gazette's Web site poses the question as to whether or not Adam Lambert is better off not winning American Idol. The author, Angie Spencer, believes this to be the case.

“Sitting under the microscope of the producers for a year will only hurt him and his creativity,” she writes. Spencer supports her position by pointing out the success of non-winners, including Chris Daughtry, Jennifer Hudson, Kellie Pickler, Clay Aiken, and Elliott Yamin. She even invokes the name of William Hung, who despite not even making it anywhere near the finals, sold thousands of albums.

Sure, Elliot Yamin and Chris Daughtry have sold more albums than Taylor Hicks, and runner-up Clay Aiken stomped Ruben Studdard on the Billboard charts. Those are the facts. But there are plenty of Idols who have seemingly vanished or, at the least, aren't making much of a name for themselves in the industry.

Second place finishers have had a particularly difficult time post-Idol. Season 6's Blake Lewis has virtually disappeared and even last season's fan favorite, David Archuleta, has seen his star fade. Other runners-up who haven't really made a splash include Justin Guarini, Diana DeGarmo, and Katharine McPhee.

Even Bo Bice, who was wildly popular on the show, hasn't been able to hold a record deal, and ended up losing his record deal and releasing a second album, See the Light, independently. Would Bo have done better had he won or would Carrie Underwood still have outsold him?

This brings us back to Adam Lambert, who may well be the most talented and unique contestant in the history of the show. He brings something different to the stage every week and a lot of people, myself included, are tuning in faithfully just to see what Adam is going to do. He's so much better than everyone else this season that it seems almost unfair for them to have to compete with him.

No question, Adam will be signed to a record deal whether he wins or loses. He’ll be a huge draw during the summer tour and his debut CD will be the best seller of the season. He's already become this season's star. At this point, he hasn't got a lot to lose.

A finish in the top two would give Adam more time on the show, which translates into more fans and more excitement. That's a good thing. But as a finalist, Adam will be forced to sing the chosen “coronation” song on the show and then, if he wins, endlessly during post-series talk show appearances. These songs are never reflective of the artists' personalities and often impact the Idol's credibility going forward. Remember, last season's winner, David Cook, a fairly authentic rocker, found himself singing a song that had “magic rainbows” as part of the lyrics!

Winning ensures top billing on the tour and extra attention from 19 Management. The winner’s first CD will be well-promoted and he or she will be offered lucrative endorsement deals and prime performing opportunities. But the show also “owns” the winner and his or her image, a daunting prospect for someone like Adam Lambert. And therein lies the proverbial rub!

We return to the question at hand – is Adam really better off not winning? Will winning Idol cause him to compromise his performing style so much that he will lose the edge that has made him so popular? Will he be forced to tone down his personality to appease the masses? Could winning American Idol actually hamper Adam’s career and make him less credible in an industry now overrun with former Idols?

Although I'm somewhat torn and certainly would love to watch Adam Lambert singing tearfully in a shower of confetti, I actually think he's better off not winning. Why? The most compelling reason is that in not being the Idol, Adam won't be viewed as a “role model” (whatever that means) for America's youth and can be free to be whoever he is without worrying about recriminations from the Idol powers that be. The reins are much looser when it comes to runners-up.

I'm also cynical enough to want to see Adam lose and still outsell the winner, ala Daughtry. I can't imagine anyone else in this group that will be able to top Adam on the charts and it would be sweet indeed to watch his career flourish despite not having won.

And then there's the “shocker” factor. The best moments on seasons past have been those nights in which someone favored to win or at least make the finals is eliminated. What would be more shocking than for Adam Lambert to get the boot in the top three or even better, the top four, which is where some of the most shocking eliminations have occurred?

Can this happen? Realistically, it's a stretch to imagine Adam not being in the finals. At this point, his only real competition is Danny Gokey. What makes this so delicious is that the two are diametrically opposed and there seems to be absolutely no overlap in terms of fan bases.

Imagine a showdown between Danny, the goodly Christian widower who tugs at America’s heart strings with his emotional performances, and Adam, the edgy, slightly dangerous and ambiguous bad boy whose talent and performing skills cause jaws to drop. Can it get any better than that?

Adam losing in the finals would be the biggest shocker in the history of the show, a moment people would talk about for years to come. And, the truth is, Danny could win. Believe it. He’s been at the top of the Dial Idol tally three weeks in a row, and while DI is certainly not 100 percent accurate, it is a fairly reliable gauge when it comes to the top vote getters.

So what if Danny wins? In the long run, who would sell more records, Danny or Adam? Could Adam do what no runner-up has done since Season 2 when Clay outsold Ruben? I think that’s entirely possible.

All this speculation doesn't make me less inclined to vote for Adam or to cheer him on as he progresses through the final rounds. The selfish side of me really wants Adam to win. But in the end, in my opinion at least, he really is better off as the runner-up and unlike past runners-ups who have vanished, Adam Lambert could well become the biggest star the show has ever spawned!

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out these other recent articles on Foxes On Idol:

Donna Reynolds has been writing about 'American Idol' for Foxes on Idol since 2003. In addition, she covers the Central New York music scene and recently launched Music in the 'Cuse, which features a daily update of the best in CNY entertainment. While entertainment sustains her emotionally, she earns her daily bread as a technical writer for a large international company. Donna loves mail, so shoot her an email at foxydonna@earthlink.net or follow her on Twitter.

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