After the conclusion of the first season of the American Song Contest, fans have wondered what the future of the franchise is. It’s been revealed that negotiations for a second season is now taking place.
Still in negotiation
According to Executive Producer Christer Björkman, negotiations for a second edition of the American Song Contest are underway. Speaking with Swedish magazine Aftonbladet, Björkman stated
We are still negotiating and it is, as always, about money.
Christer Björkman
This news comes as Björkman is setting out to work on the Canadian and Central/South American versions of the Eurovision.
The ASC premiered on 21 March, 2022 to an audience of 2.9 million viewers on NBC. However, it never managed to achieve higher ratings than its premier. Furthermore, it never managed to beat its timeslot competitor: American Idol. Only 2.04 million people tuned in to watch AleXa win it all on May compared to 2.09 million who watched a rerun of Disney’s Moana on competitor channel ABC.
Even with the lackluster ratings, it is not impossible for another season to happen. To help with ratings, NBC could move the contest to a new timeslot that does not conflict with other music contests. Additionally, since Björkman is the rights holder for the contest, there is a potential for a move to another network in the case NBC drops it. Nonetheless, due to the upcoming contests for the rest of the continents, Björkman seems to want another season.
About the American Song Contest
NBC’s American Song Contest sees artists from across 50 states, 5 territories, and the nation’s capital compete for the title of “Best Original Song.” The first season, hosted by Kelly Clarkson and Snoop Dogg, premiered on 21 March 2022. The show was made up of five qualifying rounds, two semi finals, and one grand final. K-pop star AleXa was crowned the winner of the first American Song Contest with her song “Wonderland.”
What did you think of the American Song Contest? Do you think there should be a second edition? Let us know in the comments or on social media. Be sure to follow ‘THAT Eurovision Site’ on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok as we prepare for Eurovision 2023!
News Source: Aftonbladet
Photo Credit: Trae Patton/NBCUniversal
I’m a huge Eurovision nerd and had high hopes for the American version…but in all honesty, watching the shows live was such a disappointment and even torturous because…commercials. Every week 10 songs in a two hour show with 2-4 minute tv commercials after every performance…which no, still doesn’t add up to two hours, hence we got a lot of other fillers such as unnecessary long artist intro videos. If I had a say in how it’s done and to increase ratings, I’d implement the following changes: 1) have two or three semi finals…with live voting and results announced at the end of each show and don’t open voting before everyone has performed 2) Run your commercials during live voting and/or place signs in the stage/arena with ads from sponsors. 3) schedule the shows for early evenings on Saturdays or Sundays.
I hope the ASC will return in 2023 and with a better format.