X-Factor

So now we know. After 18 weeks of tears, broken dreams and pantomime, Alexandra Burke is the winner of X-Factor 2008. We also know that her first single will be a cover of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah and we know that in all probability that it will be Christmas number 1.

But not if a plucky band of Facebook users can help it. The 60,000 members, at time of publication and rising, of Facebook group Jeff Buckley for Xmas no 1 are standing up to the mighty X-Factor machine and hoping to prevent its customary festive chart-topper. The group is urging the Great British public to download Jeff Buckley’s version of Hallelujah and in the words of the group’s manifesto; “make a huge statement against the barrage of cynical manufactured pop dirtying up our charts.”

The group are hoping to prevent what is fast becoming an inevitable Yuletide event; the last three Christmas numbers ones have all been performed by X-Factor winners. What makes this year different is that the winner’s single is a cover. For all the criticism of X-Factor’s supposed karaoke singers, the previous festive number ones have all been original hits. It is now the norm for the X-Factor winner to only release an album months after winning, to ensure that their album consists mainly of strong, original material. So why choose a cover this year?

It would be nice to think that Simon Cowell was inspired by Leonard Cohen’s spectacular return to the touring circuit this year. It would be nice to think he was moved to help the Canadian songwriter with a big fat royalty cheque to compensate for the millions Cohen lost to his former manager. It would also be nice to think that there will be peace on Earth this Christmas and that a big jolly fellow in red will pop down my chimney and give me a tonne of presents.

The fact is that Cowell is not one to act upon sentiment or bow down to musical reputation. He once famously claimed he would rather listen to American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson than muso’s muso Bob Dylan. And in some ways, his honesty is refreshing. He doesn’t romanticise the music industry, it’s a business where to be successful you have to sell as many units of your product as possible. To him, the kind words of pompous critics are not a mark of quality, sales are. Most in the industry share his ruthless opinions but few would broadcast them. Cowell does with relish. Take for example what he said to CBS News show 60 Minutes; “I’d rather be McDonald’s than the three-star Michelin chef.”

At the risk of sounding paranoid and making Cowell out to be an evil genius, the choice of Hallelujah is a dash cunning business strategy and one that the Facebook dissenters are inadvertently helping. As we know from the heady days of Blur v Oasis, nothing shifts units quite like a good old chart battle and Cowell would have known that choosing Hallelujah would create a backlash. In the face of highs in both TV viewers of the show and downloads of the single, it may seem a little foolish to talk of X-Factor fatigue. But remember last year’s winner Leon Jackson’s latest single only reached number 3. With no competition for the Christmas number 1, Cowell may have feared that there would be a lack of buzz surrounding the X-Factor single. What better way to avoid this then stoke up a little healthy debate by releasing the single decision a few weeks early? What better way than to draw up battle lines between ‘real’ music fans gathered around Buckley and ‘manufactured’ music fans supporting Alexandra? It’s probably only a happy coincidence that Cohen and Buckley are both on the Sony label that has a multi-million pound agreement with Cowell for X-Factor releases.

By releasing the single choice early, Cowell did nothing to dispel long-standing criticism that argues X-Factor is a cynical assembly line of music. Hallelujah was chosen even before the semi-final and so could have been released by any one of four very different voices left in the competition at that point. No thought was given as to whether Hallelujah would suit the winner’s voice, no chance of an artist having a say in their first release. We should thank our lucky stars that Alexandra won, judging by the way JLS, thanks to the mercurial talents of Louie Walsh, transformed Hallelujah into anodyne boy band syrup. One shudders at the prospect of what Diana Vickers would have done with it.

Defenders of the show will say that this year’s winner is proof that the show is capable of unearthing great talent. Certainly Alexandra has a very impressive voice and her performance alongside Beyonce in the final showed that she could mix it with even the top divas. Not that Cowell seemingly cares if talent wins out judging by comments he made to the New York Times about American Idol; “I don’t think I’m a music expert. I haven’t got a clue whether I’ve got good or bad pitch, and I couldn’t care less. I don’t like that kind of criticism. This competition is not about who’s singing in tune.”

Cowell’s supposed indifference to music is what makes millions of music fans angry. Smart alecs have noted that the Hallelujah lyric ‘But you don’t really care for music do you’, is most apt for the high-trousered one. Not that Cowell will care a jot for the criticism. The millions of people who tune in to X-Factor every week, who text in in their millions, who download the single in their millions and the millions in Cowell’s bank account all prove that he’s doing something right. In fact Cowell, welcomes the hostility. He has moulded himself into the ultimate pantomime villain. It’s almost as if he has taken a leaf out of former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho’s book. If you hate me and focus the controversy on me, you’ll leave my players alone. The X-Factor finalists were all so bland it was impossible to truly hate them. Instead the interest in the show and the controversy all comes from the judges. Hate me, Cowell says. Hate that sentimental fool Louis Walsh. Hate that talentless Barbie doll Danii Minogue. Buy the single.

And buy the single Britain does. The fact that Burke’s Hallelujah is set to become the fastest selling download single ever seems to indicate that the X-Factor fascination is not set to die anytime soon. Good news for Simon Cowell, Bad news for 60,000 Facebook users.

Check out the live versions of both Alexandra Burkes and Jeff Buckleys ‘Hallelujah’ below. Which one do you think is better?

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Comment

1. I must argue with a few statements

   “What makes this year different is that the winner’s single is a cover.”

   Shane Ward didn’t write That’s My Goal. Leona covered Kelly Clarksons A Moment Like This (written by one of the same guys who wrote That’s My Goal.) As you may have guessed, Leon did a cover of When You Believe, which was originally performed by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.

   “Hallelujah is a dash cunning business strategy and one that the Facebook dissenters are inadvertently helping.”

   That point has been made many times over on the group. We are well aware where the money is going. What we are trying to do is make a statement. If they get more money through an artist like Buckley then they are more likely to plug such artists instead of music which is effectively just merchandise for a TV show.

   An interesting read though.

   — Andy Vale · Dec 17, 02:06 PM · #

2. Jeff’s version you can actually hear the emotion!

   Jeff’s for no1 rather than alex!

   — Kat · Dec 17, 01:27 PM · #

3. WOW, Jeff Buckleys version of hallelujah is much better. Everyone download his song and make it xmas no. 1.

   — Sarah · Dec 16, 06:22 PM · #