Jedward - A Debate

About a week or so ago, Jedward released their album, "Planet Jedward". It is an album of note-for-note covers of various pop songs from the last ten years. There is no new take on any of the songs chosen. Take, for example, their cover of Blink 182's "All The Small Things". It is exactly the same song - no difference in melody or tempo - from the original. In fact, the vocal track by Blink 182 could be removed and replaced by Jedward's. This leads me to ask the following question -

Why do it if you're not adding anything new to it?

It seems that Jedward are treated something between a novelty act and a children's favourite. They are, to use an acutely Irish expression, "harmless". This isn't the case, I think. How can they be considered as musicians? There is nothing original about what they do. They've stated on numerous occasions that they can't sing very well. In fact, they see it almost like a badge of honour. They are entertainers. That's something entirely different. An entertainer is someone who amuses you. A musician is someone who composes or performs music. Jedward have not done this. They have performed other people's music. Well, I say performed - they've replaced the original artist's vocals with their own.

Jedward are never going to win an Ivor Novello award. They will never be nominated for the Mercury Prize. They probably know that themselves. But the fact that their popularity and chart sales are taking from other musicians who are original, who are trying to do something different is where I get flummoxed. Now, I'll bet my next week's wages that this time two years from now, Jedward will most likely be playing in your local GAA bar. But who's to say that there aren't hundreds of acts like them coming down the line? When will the public draw the line and say enough?

Again, I reiterate that Jedward will never be taken seriously. And thus, their album shouldn't be taken seriously. My argument is that this shouldn't be the start of a trend. Say what you want about any of the other X-Factor people - they were, at the very least, original enough to put their own spin on certain songs. Or try their own. They may have all failed miserably. And that's a good thing. And Jedward, too, will fail miserably. But, the fact they're getting airplay / recognition / encouragement is what is truly frightening. Mediocrity is being encouraged. Originality is being discouraged. It's meant to be the other way around.