The American Song Contest is coming on Monday, February 21, and NBC is warming up its hype machine.

On Tuesday night, during the final of The Voice, the network aired the first commercial for the Eurovision-inspired song contest. 

The dramatic voiceover goes like this.

“After the Olympics, artists and bands from every state and territory will compete in th biggest live music event America has ever seen. Fifty-six original songs from every genre where your vote decides America’s next big hit.”

“American Song Contest premieres after the Olympics.”

American Song Contest 2022

The promo suggests that NBC is going all-out to make the event a success. The fact that it debuts the night after the Winter Olympics end means that it will already have a captive audience: Viewers will, at that point, be looking for something to fill the sudden gap in their evening schedules.

Promoting the show during The Voice — a ratings juggernaut — will also likely attract viewers to the new program. 

The multi-episode event will include three qualifying rounds, semi-finals and a grand final that picks the Best Original Song.

Last May the spin-off of the wildly popular Eurovision Song Contest officially launched its submissions and casting site, which laid out the scope of the show.

“Based on the Eurovision Song Contest, the biggest music competition in the world with a 65-year history and 200 million viewers per year, American Song Contest will feature live performances of original songs representing all 50 states, five U.S. territories and our nation’s capital. Each original song will compete in a LIVE televised event series to win the country’s vote for the Best Original Song.”

“From indie to pop, bands to DJ’s, rap to singer-songwriters, signed or independent, we will be showcasing a diverse array of artists in all genres from across the country.”

Producers were keen to stress the originality of submissions — a point of difference from the plethora of singing competitions that already exist. On the front page of the site they wrote: “No Covers! No Tribute Bands! Original Songs ONLY.”

In the eligibility requirements, producers also teased that filming would take place in Los Angeles and Atlanta, while leaving the door open for other locations too.

42 Comments
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Gail Walker
Gail Walker
2 years ago

Super performance

Devito
Devito
2 years ago

I guess we will see in practice how three Semi-Finals will work it out? It’s very unlikely to have 28 songs in just one night so SF3 seems legit. And then again, I hope so because then it means that ESC can be limitless and expand to SF3 format as well if need arises.

Patrick Pastor
Patrick Pastor
2 years ago

Go Pennsylvania!

Brutus
Brutus
2 years ago

What i’m waiting for is some artist announcements. Have anybody announced they’re even willing to participate so far?

Emkay
Emkay
2 years ago

This is giving me Melodifestivalen vibes. And looking into it that makes sense since three of the producers for this are also Melfest producers. Still I’m going to remain skeptical about this, because I’m betting we’ll see some TV and record industry nonsense pulled.

Hopefully it will turn out great tho.

Fast Food Music Lover
Fast Food Music Lover
2 years ago

The teaser looks legit. I will definitely tune in. That being said, I will throw away all my preconceptions while watching this because clearly it is only partly based on the original contest.

Bella
Bella
2 years ago

I wonder how public voting will work (if any) and how they will isolate who is voting from which State? I don’t think a lot of people still have a landline and mobile area codes don’t really make sense (I have a Chicago phone number but haven’t lived there in 10 years, I live in NYC… so would my vote be counted as coming from Illinois?). Unless they rely solely on juries.

American ESC FAN
American ESC FAN
2 years ago
Reply to  Bella

Every state has its own unique first three-digit code. For example Maryland’s codes are 301, 443, 240, 667, and 410. Delaware is (302), Hawaii is (808) etc.

Last edited 2 years ago by American ESC FAN
Bella
Bella
2 years ago

… Did you skip the last 2 sentences of my comment? People get a mobile number in one State and then move around, sometimes never returning to the State where they got their number in (as I said, I have an Illinois phone number but haven’t lived there in a decade). It’s impossible to know where someone lives based on their mobile phone number (and landlines are hardly a thing anymore). This is not Europe where each country has a very distinct national phone company.

James
James
2 years ago
Reply to  Bella

I see having people vote via an app as a logical possibility, especially if the show will not air live across timezones.

Samo
Samo
2 years ago
Reply to  Bella

This problem also exists in Europe, there is plenty of people who live (or for other reason) have a phone in different state than they’re from.

Yankee
Yankee
2 years ago

My state, California is going to slay the other 55 competitors. It’s Game Over for them.

mark
mark
2 years ago
Reply to  Yankee

is this… statriotism?

Yankee
Yankee
2 years ago
Reply to  mark

Thanks for teaching me a new word, but no. Just wanted to see people’s reactions to my comment.

American ESC FAN
American ESC FAN
2 years ago
Reply to  Yankee

You wish! Florida and it’s Spanish bangers will be winning! After all, we’re the capital of the Latin American Spanish Music industry! Lol JK

mark
mark
2 years ago
Reply to  Yankee

its not actually i real word i just made it up

Yankee
Yankee
2 years ago
Reply to  mark

You didn’t make it up. I googled it and found it on a link. I think it was urban dictionary website.

Ravencrow Neversmiles
Ravencrow Neversmiles
2 years ago

The ad feels like it’s directed towards right wing house wives but I hope the show itself is better. I would like to see them go in their own direction with it and keep only the idea that the artist represents a certain place in this case the state or territory. I have to admit I’m a bit sceptical but I will try to reserve my judgement and keep my mind open. It will be interesting to see how it turns out and how Americans themselves will perceive it. I also wonder if seeing this will make some Americans interested… Read more »

Ellie
Ellie
2 years ago

Obviously right wing housewives are not the only people who watch The Voice, but if you saw the negative response to Damiano’s wrestling singlet when Måneskin performed there, you might feel justified in believing so. Eurovision as it is, cut and pasted to America, would absolutely not work. What changes they end up making will have to balance appealing to a generic American audience that leans more socially conservative with pleasing what Eurovision fandom exists here. It won’t be easy.

Yassification
Yassification
2 years ago

I mean The Voice USA is already rigged from the start. The Kpop world has also seen many live voting shows get rigged in plain sight, so I wouldn’t be surprised about ASC being rigged from the start

Crystal
2 years ago
Reply to  Yassification

I don’t know about “rigged” as in “fixed or predetermined by producers” because that is actually illegal in the United States and has been since the 1960s (because of a series of scandals in the late 1950s when it was revealed that several quiz shows had been fixed by producers feeding answers to contestants they favored when the games were supposed to be fair). Any network caught fixing a game or competition show would likely face heavy fines from the FCC (Federal Communications Commission, which regulates U.S. television and radio) and any scandal resulting would be highly embarrassing for the… Read more »

Héctor
Héctor
2 years ago

I kind of like it and I sure try to watch it. I just don’t want the American to sell or think it is their idea, like it usually happens.

Im so fab
Im so fab
2 years ago

I like this concept for 2 main reasons:

1) Basically we now have 2 Eurovisions each year, though Amerivision will not have the same magic as its parent.

2) The chances of the USA joining Eurovision are now slimmer. Australia is already an exaggeration, but a welcome one.

Crystal
2 years ago
Reply to  Im so fab

As an American, I’ve always felt like we shouldn’t join Eurovision as a competitor anyway. I could see the two Contests cross-promoting artists from each one (like having Måneskin or Daði performing during a results show or the finale of the ASC, and maybe having the ASC winner perform during a Eurovision voting interval), but actually having the ASC winner compete at Eurovision isn’t such a great idea in my opinion.

sam
sam
2 years ago

northern mariana islands FOR THE WIN

Last edited 2 years ago by sam
sam
sam
2 years ago
Reply to  sam

also get over it europeans… us americans want eurovision too despite what you all say about us <3

WannaEatMySpaghetti
WannaEatMySpaghetti
2 years ago
Reply to  sam

It’s not that we don’t want you to have Eurovision. I bet 90% of Eurovision fans are hyped by this new contest to watch. What could scare people is that Americans like to have their own thing and say they’re the best. I think people don’t want you to parade and spit on what is the real Eurovision Song Contest.

As for me, I’m so going to watch this.

Branko86
Branko86
2 years ago

56 songs, but only 3 qualifying rounds? So no equal participants in each qualifying round or how does it work?

Ignonito
Ignonito
2 years ago
Reply to  Branko86

Who knows, its America.

Bella
Bella
2 years ago
Reply to  Branko86

Maybe the Big 5 automatically qualify? Texas, California, Florida, New York and PA ?

Crystal
2 years ago
Reply to  Branko86

Even with a late February start date, I would think 5 qualifying rounds sounds more feasible given the number of entries competing. Even with five qualifying rounds and a wildcard/second chance round, it would still put the final in the middle of April. And NBC’s other major talent competition format, America’s Got Talent, usually doesn’t begin airing until late May at the earliest. With just 3 qualifying rounds there’d have to be somewhere around 19 songs competing in a single round, and that’s typically way too many for an American competition show (especially since shows here like to include video… Read more »

Efraim
Efraim
2 years ago

Credit where credit’s due: NBC’s certainly going all in on the ASC.

Crystal
2 years ago
Reply to  Efraim

To be honest, The Voice has never really been a ratings or pop culture juggernaut here, especially compared to American Idol in its peak years. Even The X Factor (whose competing with The Voice basically killed it after 3 seasons) managed to produce Fifth Harmony. None of The Voice’s winners have gone on to have any major Top 40 radio success in the U.S. (and that’s with the show having had Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, and Ariana Grande among its coaches). The biggest song to come out of the American version of The Voice was “Moves Like Jagger”, which Adam… Read more »

Ukraine stan
Ukraine stan
2 years ago

I really hope they make this its own thing other than trying to be a botched Eurovision clone, America is not Europe and that should be embraced.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago
Reply to  Ukraine stan

Well, think of it more as a national final.

Denis
Denis
2 years ago
Reply to  Ukraine stan

You do know the point with spin-off right? It is not to make a copy of the original but a thing on it’s own based on a existing thing and adaptating to a different group. It will not be ESC because that is not the point with it

Jamie
Jamie
2 years ago
Reply to  Ukraine stan

Don’t worry, they will. Every show format that reaches United States is turned into an overdramatic, scripted mess. There will be tears, dramatic sound effects, maybe some occasional fights. The only way to satisfy the short attention span of US audience.

Last edited 2 years ago by Jamie
James
James
2 years ago
Reply to  Jamie

The Voice (Netherlands) and Survivor (Sweden) give their regards.

Ignonito
Ignonito
2 years ago
Reply to  Jamie

They wont, our good old pal Christer Bjorkman wont let it happen.

Phil
Phil
2 years ago
Reply to  Ignonito

“Our good pal Christer” might not let it happen, but we’re Americans, were going to screw this up. I hope I’m wrong, however, we can’t go three hours with no commercials. There will be a break after two or three songs, and they will drag out the results on the second night in a two hour star studded extravaganza when all we want is the voting to start, which will probably be sponsored by Toyota, and even then, it will probably drag on til no one will care who won the thing. Please tell me I’m wrong.

Im so fab
Im so fab
2 years ago
Reply to  Jamie

Your comment is one of the best I have read here in quite some time.

Patrick Pastor
Patrick Pastor
2 years ago
Reply to  Jamie

Just out of curiosity, how many Americans have you actually met?