They're all in it for the fame and money, none of them give a rat's ass about music. This is proven by the horribly cheap and commercial sounding music they all churn out. This is why none of them will ever be "music sensations". More like Music Puppets, who will all be discarded and forgotten about once their 15 months of fame are up. What's worse is that pretty much all of the runner up contestants get record deals, and everywhere you go your ears are polluted with this tacky, cheap sounding music-by-numbers. The sooner X Factor goes the same way as Big Brother and is carted off to that graveyard of a TV network also known as Channel 5, the better.

So to answer the original question: Yet another waste of space in the sea of shit that is everything X Factor.

Wrong. Many of them do. But syco are very restrictive.

The next Jackie Wilson

His album is the definition of rush released with no soul....the production is appalling

who on earth said that. Of course it has no soul, it's not been made with that in mind. It's not the fact it was rushed, but it didn't have any focus.

So you don't mind music with no heart and soul then? That's not an issue for you?

At least twice on the show

I can't comment on the production values of Marcus' album. But rush releasing isn't this new thing that's only exclusive to X Factor/reality contestants. Take Whitney Houston's 'My Love Is Your Love' for example - that album is probably considered her best work amongst critics and that was churned out in 6 weeks. Then there's Destiny's Child's last album in 2004 - written and recorded in only 3!

I will say, however, if you're an X Factor contestant who's album is released on Mother's Day week then you can guarantee the record label have no real longterm plans for you - Mary Byrne, Eoghan Quigg, Ray Quinn, Ben Mills, The MacDonald Brothers are all examples of this.

Erm...most of the top 10 globally has no soul. Pop isn't the place to look for soul. I love music with soul but it's not here now.

the difference is he's also a songwriter. The others weren't. They only released it this week because of mother's day, no other reason. If it didn't exist, it would be out the same week too.

Must have missed it then. Meh, it doesn't bother me. They overhype things anyway.

Actually, his album is quite good. If he'd spent a year on it, it would probably be epic and maybe a classic, and oddly enough, the covers aren't needed. Mercy is by far the best track on it and will be a great radio smash. He certainly has potential. I just spotified it He's got about 5 singles on it IMO. SNA, Mercy, Innocence, Feel Like I Feel and It's Time. It's nice and upbeat unlike most albums. Good on him.

A top ten single and album is not bad considering it was quite a poor year and he was maligned on these forums and elsewhere. He'll probably never have as much success as these last couple of weeks again so I wish him well.

I'm not a fan but that's quite a harsh dichotomy. I don't think even his biggest fans would say he's a musical sensation, but it's a bit mean describing him as a waste of space too when there are clearly some people who like him.

I think he rushed with his single which was such a disappointment.

Which is why I don't listen to the dross in the charts. And pop is the place to look, if you aren't being spoon fed.

This.

He can sing but his album, while good enough with some fun tunes, has nothing that makes it "his" album...meaning that anyone, anywhere could have recorded it and posed for the cover and you'd still feel the same way.

He's also very cheesy - one of the cheesiest singers I can recall in some time. I'm not sure whether this will hurt or help him in the long term.

I don't think it would matter what material he's given, to be honest. He has no individuality and nothing to say. This is fine for a flash-in-the-pan singer which I suspect Marcus will be, but if he wants a long career in the music industry won't people get bored of album after album that could have been recordered by literally anybody?

If you look at the majority of X-Factor album release dates, you'll not find many that aren't tied in to garnering the bigger sales market, JLS, Leona Lewis and Olly Murs etc, they wouldn't have the guts to release at any other time of the year, they have to have the support of the show to perform on and I'd safely bet you a million pounds that JLS, Olly Murs and Leona Lewis will never release at any other time. Unless their record label/company wanted shut of them that is.

poo stardom! thank you for the cheap laugh; and also for the incisive comment, as poo stardom is exactly what i consider his future to be.

His album is okay. I mean, there are some decent song.

The "music waste of space" part seems kind of mean though.

seems like a nice bloke..but i couldnt listen to an album of him ,and if he came on tv i would probably turn over

Marcus also used Dancing on Ice to promote his new single, so he's not that different than JLS, Leona and Olly.

Agree with 'busker.' Have my doubts about the glory part.

As others have said he has been wasted on his too soon debut album. I believe that with a good time away i.e. until next series at least he could of been quite good. His single wasn't awful just not that interesting enough and now he is always going to be judged by that benchmark he has created. Hopefully he can release his self-penned songs and salvage what I beleive a unfortunately lost cause, which was a shame because as a vocalist on the X factor he was up there with Misha B and Kitty (yes she was irritating but a good singer).

Marcus Collins is awesome