This is why 19 is the @devil

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An article in the Daily Telegraph says that Australian Idol winner Damien Leith sold 300,000 records, yet he didn't make a penny. How can this be? The record, titled The Winner's Journey, was a compilation of his performances on Australian Idol. 19 Entertainment and Fremantle (the same companies who run American Idol) own the rights to the show's performances, and fine print in the Idol contracts state that the contestants will make no money off of any of those sales. So to transfer this to American Idol, the ridiculous number of American Idol performance iTunes sales have made Kris Allen and company $0. Leith is quoted as saying, "It's in the past. I would be lying to say I wasn't really angry about it; I hate the fact it was done and it's not what the show is advertised to do." So think twice before "supporting" your favorite Idol contestant by purchasing their show performances. They're not making a penny off of it. And if 19E is that greedy with the performances, we can only imagine how little the contestants make for their albums.

So as far as I'm concerned, Matt disassociating and completely severing off ALL ties to american idol and 19 may be the best move that he could make. They are a shoddy company, and I have never been happier that Matt isn't one of the "lucky 4" to get the "privilage" to sign with them.

Info via http://www.votefortheworst.com

Wow. Bullet dodged, Matt!

So question about this, because am a new fan of American Idol, so I really have no idea how these idols are paid, but some of the comments from this article are pertaining to the fact that the Idols don't really get paid from I-tunes Downloads?? I was under the impression that they did get a percentage from the I-tunes singles, but maybe not the performances sold on I-tunes? And if so that sucks because I bought at least 3 of Matt's AI performances from i-tunes. You mean to tell me now that he DOES NOT get anything from that? Bull. Anyway I found some of the comments from the posters over there interesting:

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This is not new. Way back when Popstars season one was over and done with, Bardot set new sales records for album sales. And long afterwards, the girls talked about how everything they got on the way; hotels, cars, limos etc, were billed to them and taken out of their earnings. They ended up paupers.

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This isn't just with 19E... this is with all major labels.

Jesse Lacey of the successful emo/indie band, Brand New, said the exact same statement, that he hasn't made a penny from his album sales... he's currently signed onto Interscope.

He encouraged people to pirate his albums because if they bought them, they'd just be giving their money to people who don't need their money.

He also encouraged new bands to set up their own labels, and not make the mistake of signing onto a major label like he did.

If you want to support a band, go to their shows, and buy their T-shirts. That's how musicians get their end's meet.

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I thought Ju'Not said on the radio show that they got $1000 for each mp3 put on iTunes. Of course, it was an advance, so if the songs didn't sell enough, they were SOL, but still...

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Oh here's the link (about a quarter of a way down): http://www.westwoodone.com/pg/jsp/larryking/transcript.jsp?pid=22208

KING: We have an e-mail from Lisa in Western Florida: "Do the contestants receive any monetary compensation for appearing on the show and do they receive anything from their iTunes download sales?"

All right, let's go around the deck. And we'll start with Carly.

CARLY SMITHSON, "AMERICAN IDOL" CONTESTANT: Yes, we do.

(LAUGHTER)

SMITHSON: I'm not sure we're allowed to say what it is, but we're all members of AFSTRA, so we do.

KING: You have to get paid.

And from the iTunes, as well?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It definitely comes a little later in the game. The first...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, we...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The first handful of weeks you don't, you know, not so much. But as it progresses, we did become members of AFSTRA. So that was a good thing.

It all seems pretty complicated. Does anyone who has been a fan for the show a while have any idea how this works?

hmm..Well I'm gonna throw my two cents in here..lol..

I'm also glad that Matt didn't get signed with 19 because I think they are definitely crappy in how they handle the people that win post idol BUT I can't really say alot of bad things about AI and the contestants and what they gain as far as monetary value because 1. Do you know how many millons of people try out for AI and to just make it to the top 10 and too get all the exposure that you do is a "win" in itself..I mean com'on we wouldn't have even known about Matt Giraud had it not been for AI..so for that I'm VERY thankful for AI! 2. We already heard that all top 10 winners get 100,000 grand when they do the tour which I don't know about any of you but 100,000 grand isn't too shabby..(I'd love to have 100,000 grand right now myself) lol.. plus I bet you anything that all of the idols accomodations are paid for while they are on tour so basically they aren't spending their own money on living expenses PLUS every night they are out singing on that stage across the US they are building their fan base and getting even MORE exposure so I personally can't comment that AI "takes money" from the contestants because if it wasn't for AI they would probably still be a nobody and out there struggling just like all the other talented artists in the world that never make it big or get recognized.....just sayin...

I think Matt going his own way, and not associating with 19 would be good for him. Not saying anything bad about 19 or anything, he would just have more freedom to make a record that is all him.

Lisa_M wrote:

hmm..Well I'm gonna throw my two cents in here..lol..

I'm also glad that Matt didn't get signed with 19 because I think they are definitely crappy in how they handle the people that win post idol BUT I can't really say alot of bad things about AI and the contestants and what they gain as far as monetary value because 1. Do you know how many millons of people try out for AI and to just make it to the top 10 and too get all the exposure that you do is a "win" in itself..I mean com'on we wouldn't have even known about Matt Giraud had it not been for AI..so for that I'm VERY thankful for AI! 2. We already heard that all top 10 winners get 100,000 grand when they do the tour which I don't know about any of you but 100,000 grand isn't too shabby..(I'd love to have 100,000 grand right now myself) lol.. plus I bet you anything that all of the idols accomodations are paid for while they are on tour so basically they aren't spending their own money on living expenses PLUS every night they are out singing on that stage across the US they are building their fan base and getting even MORE exposure so I personally can't comment that AI "takes money" from the contestants because if it wasn't for AI they would probably still be a nobody and out there struggling just like all the other talented artists in the world that never make it big or get recognized.....just sayin...

Hmmm Ok well I guess I can agree with this. I mean Matt did say something about having a nice little "nest egg" and being well off financially from what they get touring, so I suppose that they at least get enough that it's fair and they are happy. So...

But I am still curious about this issue with the I-tunes performance downloads. Do you know lisa how this is settled?

I knew there was a reason that I never liked 19E very much..

But if Matt happened to sign with them then I might learn to like them

Lana wrote:

But if Matt happened to sign with them then I might learn to like them

Exactly Lana. lol.

I can't imagine them getting $0 for the I-Tunes downloads. They have to have a share in that. I think Carly answered the question when they were on Larry King last year.