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Australian Idol is the Australian version of the British hit show Pop Idol. It is a talent contest to find a pop performer and is hosted by Andrew G and James Mathison. The first show started on July 27th, 2003, and finished on November 19. The winner was Guy Sebastian, with runners up Shannon Noll (2nd) and Cosima Devito (3rd).
The panel of judges for the Australian show were Mark Holden, a former pop star and now music producer, Marcia Hines, soul singer, and Ian "Dicko" Dickson, marketing manager of BMG Australia.
First series (2003)
Australian Idol was produced by Fremantle Media subsidiary Grundy Television in association with UK company 19TV. The first series was broadcast on Network Ten for 19 weeks in the latter half of 2003.
Australian Idol quickly became one of the most popular shows on Australian television. The final between Guy Sebastian and Shannon Noll being the most popular show broadcast on Australian television in 2003. Channel Ten paid $15 million for the series but this investment was repaid when the station that had perenially been the #3 network became the #2 network towards the end of 2003 and cemented the network as the #1 station in its target demographic, the under 40's. This success meant that the station could charge advertisers more for commercials broadcast on the network.
The success of the series prompted the Seven Network to commission a rival series Popstars Live in the first half of 2004. However, this series was not a success. The success of Australian Idol and the first series of The Block on the Nine Network prompted networks including the Ten Network to invest in new reality series that were not as successful, such as The Resort, which led to large losses by the relevant network.
Commercial success
The success of Australian Idol has been reflected on the Australian charts with a finalists album and three contestant albums all enjoying considerable success so far with another contestant Paulini due to release an album in August 2004.
So far, the albums released or due to be released shortly are:
- Australian Idol: Final 12 reached #3 on the charts and achieved double platinum status;
- Just as I am by winner Guy Sebastian debuted at #1 in December 2003 and has achieved 6x platinum status or sales of 500,000;
- That's What I'm Talking About by runner-up Shannon Noll debuted at #1 in early 2004 and has achieved 5x platinum status, selling 350,000 albums; and
- Up All Night by finalist Rob Mills debuted in the Australian top 40 of the album charts in late June;
- One Determined Heart by finalist Paulini Curuenavuli to be released late in July on Sony Music and is debuted at #1 in the album charts after the success of the first single (see below), achieving gold status.
In total, Australian Idol contestants have sold approximately a million albums in Australia since November 2003. BMG who signed up the two finalists have presented Guy Sebastian with a royalty cheque for a million dollars in July 2004, with Shannon Noll due to receive a similar payment later in 2004. [1] (http://entertainment.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4459,10096788%255E10431%255E%255Enbv,00.html/2)
As of July 2004, Australian Idol contestants have enjoyed eleven top 40 hits in Australia since November 2003:
- "Rise Up" by the Final 12 reached #1 in November 2003;
- Guy Sebastian has had two #1 singles in Australia "Angels Brought Me Here" and "All I Need is You";
- Shannon Noll has had two #1 hits with "What About Me", a cover of the Moving Pictures #1 from 1982 and "Learn to Fly" and a top five hit with "Drive";
- Cosima Devito's debut single "When The War Is Over", a cover of the ballad by Cold Chisel, debuted at #1 in the charts on August 16, achieving gold status;
- Paulini Curuenavuli's first single "Angel Eyes", a cover of the John Hiatt song made famous in 1989 by Jeff Healey, debuted at #2 in the charts on July 12 behind "Learn to Fly", and officially reaching #1 the week after, achieving platinum status;
- Rob Mills reached the top ten in late May 2004 with "Ms Vanity";
- Finalist Levi Kereama enjoyed Top 40 success as a member of Lethbridge with the single "In My Room; and
- Semi-finalist Courtney Act enjoyed a Top 40 hit with "Rub Me Wrong".
The strength of the success of Australian Idol contestants in the charts was shown when Shannon Noll's single "Learn to Fly" debuted at #1 ahead of "Angel Eyes" by Paulini Curuenavuli at #2 on the Australian singles charts of July 12, 2004. Paulini's single even climbed up to #1 the week after this.
Second series (2004)
The second series of Australian Idol debuted on July 13, 2004. The level of success of the contestants in the first series has lured over 50 000 people throughout Australia to audition.
As well as the five larger cities, the judges also visited Canberra, Hobart, Darwin and Tamworth this year. Of the twelve finalists, three were from Sydney, two were from Melbourne, and one each from Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Hobart, Perth, Canberra, Adelaide and Bega.
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