[~Beachbum~]

i mean..had the current favourite act niki been in previous years, she would not make the final 5, and who else is there this year with anything else NEW to offer?

[Billy]

Rhydian? only person like him was G4. Never had an act like SD either

[:)tom:)]

there very different but the standerd is lower

[GiRTh]

I don't agree. Niki is celarly the best but then Leona was the same last year. There have always been poor singers get throught to the X-factor finals.

[Arneldo]

Originally posted by Billy
Rhydian? only person like him was G4. Never had an act like SD either

2 To Go were kinda like a Jazz SD

[Shaun]

I can't remember a girlband like Hope on the X Factor...but Popstars: The Rivals, obviously got there first

But I agree with the OP. When you look back to contestants like Brenda, who finished 4th , you realise that there's a real lack of powerful voices. But I reckon there's still potential for successful musicians in there.

[Sam]

I like this year more than I did last year actually. And the first series.

[TopzTom]

I think the standard in the second and third series was so high that this series looks a lot poorer in terms of quality and talent than it actually is - however, if this series had come around after the first one, I believe most people would be raving about how good the acts were - I think people forget about people like Verity who is a strong contender for the most undeserving finalist in the show's history.

Acts such as Addictiv Ladies, 4Sure, The MacDonald Brothers and The Conway Sisters to name just a few have been absolutely abismal during their time on the show (as short and as long as some stays have been).

When I compare the likes of 2 To Go with Same Difference, I see a pretty similar amount of talent. The same as when I look at Voices With Soul and Hope - VWS were given songs that didn't suit their style, whereas Simon has been stop-on with Hope's song choices. I think both the girl groups were very talented, but their success in the competition is largely down to the musical selections of the band and the mentor.

To be honest, I'm just babbling now, but when I compare a singer like Verity with a singer like Niki, I know that this is definately not the worst series.