Well it's probably gonna go a bit multilayered, but here it goes.

The problem I have with Matt and Emily being the frontrunners based off the first 5 live shows is that they don't seem to excel at anything imo, they don't have the best vocals, they don't have the most interesting vocals, they don't pick unusual song choices, they don't have unusual Music styles, they don't seem to particularly emote in performances, and in Matt's case I don't even think that he knows where he wants to go as an artist in the slightest, I don't even know where he should go as an artist so no wonder Simon/Syco doesn't have a clue.

Another point I'd like to make is they're not even technically the worst vocally either, so they're not even standing out for the wrong reasons.

Basically my point is that they are just the same two bland frontrunners that we get in every other X Factor series because their styles and personality doesn't offend people, I would honestly like to either see the strongest vocalist win this series, or the most interesting, or the most daring/fun for a change, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one hence why these bland acts never seem to appeal much after the show, even in niche markets.

I know I'm gonna sound harsh to some people on here, and there's a whole second half of the show for them to prove me wrong, but they are heading down dullsville just like all of the other recent top two's that we've had on this show in recent years.

Feel free to give out your opinions guys, I'd like to know if I'm going crazy or not.

Is they're both sh!t.

It reminds me of my boss who hired someone who wasn't adept at the skills needed for that job but he insisted he could train them to do it. Turns out when you're not adept at something it's very hard to "learn it".
So I feel that Cowell thinks the show can transform any old singer into a star with the right make-up, swagger and production.

I hate Matt Terry's stupid fake tan and extremely whitened fangs. And the production around him that creates the impression he's way better than reality.

It's like the show is playing dolls housey with the 12 acts this year.

Completely agree with you OP. They are terribly bland and so.. safe. And boring.

I really liked Emily's first audition but since the live shows I've not been wowed any of her performances.

They're nice enough if not a little pitchy at times but overall there's nothing outstanding that makes me want to listen to the performance again. It's all very "meh...and?".

Whereas with Matt, I can't stand when he sings those high notes. He sounds dreadful with his attempts at singing like that. But again, the times I have heard Matt sing, I haven't listened to his voice and thought "he sounds brilliant" and as soon as he goes for those awkward high notes, I'm completed baffled by why people like it.

I can't imagine people listening to an album by either of them.

Matt I could see as Danny Zuco in Grease, maybe musical theatre for both of them

Matt and Emily. ..absolute borefests!!!!!!!! Time for a change I say...even Saara shows more versatility and making this show worthwhile tuning in for!!!

Bolded: Unfortunately, in a TV series that bases itself on public voting, this is ALWAYS who will win unless all such acts are knocked out pre- or early on during the live shows.

Winning is based on who gets the largest audience share. To get the largest audience (voter) share, you have to appeal to as many people as possible, and to appeal to as many people as possible, you have to be as middle-of-the-road inoffensive as possible, so that you don't turn any voters off.

The most interesting or best singer would need to sway more than 50% of the general public. What 'interesting' acts like that have ever attained huge public success? Bowie, and Prince, to a degree, but both had few hit singles in the UK, and the ones they did were largely far between. Also, their styles were fashionable at the time. Lady Gaga would be a recent comparison, but she's struggled to get a hit in the last 5 years.

The charts are full of pop right now, so its really no wonder that the poppiest, most generic acts who are deliberately not quirky and/or appeal to a regional fanbase, are the ones hoovering up the votes. It's just the nature of the beast.

BIB - What?

These top two would be very beige.

In other years, the top two have been distinguished from one another, for example:

2015: 'powerful' vocalist vs. cheap party boys
2014: pop-rock heartthrob vs. sassy all-rounder

2016 may be: decent singer vs. decent singer

Yawn...

All I see is a thread full of disgruntled people who are hacked off because Matt has it in the bag.

I hope Emily will get over her beigeness, which seems to me to be imposed by the show. I'd hoped to hear more of her after her brief run two years ago, and was delighted to see her back this year. I'd agree with Hitstastic that her first auditiojn was the best we've seen of her: her guitar's been confiscated and she's been moulded as fully as possible to each week's theme, with adequate but, to me, never gripping results. As time's gone by I'm more looking forward each week to Samantha's performances and even, god help me, to Honey G. I'm optimistic that there's a real Emily who will return, just not confident any longer that it will happen before the end of the series.

When Emily chose Creep for herself she was fine. Singing slow songs all the time is fine if the songs are already slow, like Sam for example, because if that's what you're going to release why not stick to that style? But I just hate when she sings a maudlin John Lewis version of any given song that's meant to be uptempo, happy and fun, because there are so many songs that are already like that she could sing instead....

When songs are slowed down in that manner, they just coast along and don't allow her to show her vocals. On Creep she pushed herself more and had room to wow, there is no way I am ever going to wowed by her sitting there coasting through a song!

Shocking as it may seem, over a 40+ year career Bowie only had 4 UK #1 singles and only a further 12 top 5 hits. That's less #1s than One Direction or Cheryl Cole had in five, and obviously there's a huge gulf of artistry and arguably quality between those acts.

In his own 40-year career, Prince had 5 UK #1s and a further 6 top 5 hits. That's it.

Icons, and hugely popular, for sure, but in terms of how well their releases year on year actually did, a very mixed bag, even though they were building up reputation and icon status as creators, artists and visionaries.

Musical theatre is a lot more demanding than pop. Emily doesn't have anywhere near a strong enough voice. I think Matt was training at that awful stage school that was in the E4 documentary recently so I assume he has some theatrical aspirations. But performing in 8 shows a week where you can't fall back on backing singers and miming is not the easy option for an X Factor failure.

David Bowie and Prince sold albums and sold out tours around the world. Both acts will forever be fondly remembered.

One Direction - love them or loathe them - were one of the most successful groups of a generation. I'm not gonna say "of all time" because I doubt even 1D's success at their peak can be compared to Beatle-mania in the 60s even though I wasn't here to witness it.

Cheryl Cole, on the other hand, has pretty much done a "Geri Halliwell" relying heavily on TV and newspapers to keep her in the public eye. Without these, Cheryl's solo career would've ended before it even began. One Direction were genuinely successful. Cheryl was just lucky.

id say the biggest issue is that they may become forgettable with the public, they will be assumed as safe and then land in a shock sing off

Emily has potential to be interesting, if the show would just let her. She needs to be doing folk-pop and a bit of country, not generic pop slowed down. Actual, genuine folk. She is not a pop artist, however much XF wants to make her into one. Sadly folk isn't mainstream enough to make anyone a superstar.

The biggest problem here is that Syco isn't looking for a career artist, they're looking for a global sensation. Those are really rare and hard to come by. But a career in music is perfectly attainable if you know where your place is, you don't have to become a household name to call yourself successful, you just have to be able to support yourself through your work.