Seems like an easy question to answer, at first. American Idol is without doubt one of the most popular television programs in history, achieving ratings that are intimidating to any genre of television, not just reality TV alone. Year after year, American Idol has reigned as the most watched show on television, so how could it be considered a failure? The answer is simple, the success of the show is inextricably tied to the success of its purpose: to create a rock star.

I'd of not considered American Idol a failure myself until I read an article on BuddyTV which questioned one particular factor of that equation: had American Idol managed to nail the X-Factor. A better question would be, since it is viewers who decide the winners, do listeners even know what the x-factor is. Does American Idol, by providing a visually saturated experience, tilt the vote towards more of a popularity or Glamour contest? Looking at the past winners of American Idol, it's obvious glamour is not of particular interest to the viewers, none-the-less the visual aspect can't be denied. Could it be that the ?average joe? has a propensity to vote off the pretty-faces?

Regardless of the inexact science, the prevailing question seems to be: has American Idol produced a bonafide pop-star worth of the herculean ratings? The answer is no. Album sales for Idol winners is on the order of around 10% of the viewing audience at peak. This doesn't mean it will never happen, but for the time being while American Idol sets ratings records, its true purpose ? to launch the career of a pop super star ? remains woefully unfulfilled.