Idol moments

The way to achieve fame has evolved, but talent remains the key to making it big

The last 10 finalists performing a medley during the 2002 finale of American Idol. Fred Prouser / Reuters

American Idol was by no means the first talent show on the small screen, but it was the one that set the template for others to follow. And as it bows out after 15 years, the others live on. In this region, there's Arab Idol and its cousins, The Voice and Arabs Got Talent. Around the world, there are dozens of other shows tailored to their own markets but unmistakably derivative.

These shows demonstrate a shift in the pathway to fame. Once, musicians had to “pay their dues” by playing in smoky clubs or school auditoriums – anywhere they could get a gig – with the hope that they’d be discovered by a talent agent or record company representative. Suddenly, it has become possible to leap within weeks from a cattle-call audition to superstardom – or acute embarrassment – in front of a judging panel and a huge television audience.

Now, social media is all the rage, and wannabes parade their talents on YouTube and other platforms. But there’s no guarantee of success. You still have to be discovered – and have what it takes.