Let's not kid ourselves.  No matter what Dominic Bowden or the FOX promos tell us, The Next Great American Band has and will continue to be a popularity contest.  With so few viewers, the variability from week to week on American Band makes it possible for random outcomes based on highly specific groups of viewers to occur, hence Franklin Bridge's elimination last Friday.  However, ultimately, FOX wants the band with the most commercial appeal to win.  With something like American Idol, FOX and 19 Entertainment can assume that whoever wins IS the one with most commercial appeal because of the millions and millions of votes that are cast.  With American Band, it's quite possible that the winning band will not be the one FOX wanted (unless, of course, they rig the competition).  But, for argument's sake, let's take a look at who probably has the most widespread commercial appeal among the remaining seven bands.

Whether you or I like it or not, this list is doomed to be biased.  Feel free to comment and give us your list, or just vehemently disagree with mine. 


#7 - Light of Doom

They are a novelty act.  There are a hundred bar bands cover bands out there who can do exactly Light of Doom are doing, except they're older.  Dicko is right – Light of Doom would probably be a nightmare in a studio.  Give them ten years to segue into a more modern genre of rock as they learn to write good songs, and they have something.  Now, not so much.


#6 - Denver and the Mile High Orchestra

I hope you weren't convinced by their white-boy funk last week.  It was about the most vanilla cover we're seen the entire season and the reason Denver has little to no commercial potential.  They are a corporate act, a wedding act, an anniversary act.  There's nothing wrong with that.  But, they're not going to be playing sold out arenas, they're not going to have groupies.


#5 - Cliff Wagner and the Old #7

I like Cliff Wagner, and I like his band.  Bluegrass isn't all the rage.  And, if bluegrass is going to make a comeback, it's not going to be on the shoulders of a group of good ol' boys. 


#4 - Tres Bien

Personally, Tres Bien is the first band on the show I'd buy an album by.  Unlike some of the other bands, I think Tres Bien is better suited for the studio than the stage.  They are still somewhat sloppy live players, but their original songs are tight and melodic.  The retro rock is commercial enough, but it is somewhat niche.  They aren't going to be TRL staples, but their indie potential is through the roof.


#3 - The Clark Brothers

This is the only band with any sort of Tiger Beat potential.  They play the hell out of their instruments, the lead singer is awesome, and they seem to have some good songs up their sleeves.  My only worry is that their style is a little too old school to enter into mainstream country.  I think they could definitely use a drummer.  It's also unclear how religious their original songs are – too religious is a commercial handicap.


#2 - Dot Dot Dot

They've been awesome the last two weeks.  When the lead singer stops running around like a little Emo leprechaun, he sounds great.  The two ladies on the bass and guitar are incredible and give the band a helpful edge – they have a commercial hook right there.  The best part is that they are firmly established in a genre that currently has much commercial appeal – sort of a New Wave Emo rock that houses bands like The Killers, Interpol, and the like. 


#1 – Sixwire

I've said it all along – Sixwire is ready to go in the studio right now and give modern country radio some number one singles.  They have it all – great original songs, a great/desirable lead singer, a solid band, great harmonies, etc.  Whether they win or not, Sixwire will country music stars. 


-Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer 
(Image Courtesy of FOX)