‘America’s Got Talent’: Singers Don’t Always Get to Choose Their Songs
America’s Got Talent is one of the longest-running talent competitions on TV today. Over its many years in syndication, people from across the country have showcased some truly amazing talents. While the show isn’t strictly about singing, it’s undeniable that some of the most memorable moments did come when contestants belted out a truly amazing musical performance. However, not all of those performances were exactly as the contestants had hoped, since the show’s policy on choosing songs might get in the way at times.
AGT contestants can only sing certain songs due to rights issues
Despite being created around the idea of people showing off their individual talents, AGT doesn’t always let people sing the songs they choose. This was brought to most people’s attention, as Good Housekeeping reminds us, when season 13 contestant Glennis Grace mentioned this fact in an interview.
Of course, this isn’t just an arbitrary decision made out of malice; it’s all because of rights issues. Like any song played on TV, AGT needs to get clearance from whoever owns that music if someone wants to sing a cover. In other words, if NBC can’t get the rights to a song or if it’s too expensive, a singer will need to find something else to sing (basically, don’t expect any of Prince’s music to turn up in a performance any time soon).
Singers can usually pick from a number of approved songs
The show’s policy on music doesn’t necessarily mean that a contestant’s song will be rejected outright. In fact, many contestants do get to compete with the songs they choose in their application. Some don’t, though, which is why the FAQ for the contest asks that contestants list some alternate tracks they’d like to perform to.
“[J]ust because you request a song, that does not mean you will get to use it,” states the webpage. “You must supply us with backup choices, in case a song does not clear.” The exact criteria for which songs can make it through to be on the show isn’t public knowledge, but the people in the legal department must be pretty good at their jobs given the song selection we get to hear. Modern hits like “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” by Lil Nas X and “good 4 u” by Olivia Rodrigo have all been featured in the recent seasons, and certified classics like Queen’s “Somebody to Love” and Sinatra’s “I’ve Got the World on a String” have also shown up.
Some contestants have chosen to sing original songs
Not every contestant has to deal with all of this litigation, though. In addition to everyone whose performances don’t involve singing, a handful of contestants over the years have opted to sing original music for the show.
Rapper Flau’jae got a standing ovation from all four judges for her heartfelt original track, “Put Your Guns Down”. Deaf performer Mandy Harvey also played a striking ukulele-focused song called “Try”, earning her Simon Cowell’s Golden Buzzer. After an initial false start with a not-so-great rendition of Bryan Adams’ “Everything I Do”, Hunter Price also performed his original song, “Left Behind”, to a much better reception.
Perhaps the best example of this was Grace VanderWaal, the winner of season 11. At only 12-years-old, she blasted through the competition with nothing but original songs, including “I Don’t Know My Name”, “Beautiful Thing”, “Light the Sky”, and “Clay”. Winning the show at such a young age is already impressive, but doing so exclusively with songs she made herself made her a certified legend.
