Honestly it's depressing to compare. Not only the talent, but the effort all of these put on their performances, bar maybe Janet who was a bit lazy, but still MILES above Emily.

Then we had Misha, Amelia, Marcus and Little Mix all super dedicated, dancing and singing week after week.

Actually I think that season is very underrated. We had a great mixed bunch.

Why does a singer have to dance? Can't they just sing? The only name listed above who I would agree with is little mix. The others were over hyped by the producers.

Amelia, Misha, and Janet would wipe the floor with this lineup, or most of them anyway.

How much more different was the judging and staging as well as well.

No loud backing tracks etc like nowadays , the act generally had to be able to sing

Watched a clip of Amelia the other week from this series the performance would wipe the floor with any from this series yet Barlow and co managed some kind of constructive criticism . Yet it would be termed world class by today's low level judging

The good old days.

Well they can just sing but nowadays contestants usually do neither. Misha, Marcus and Amelia sang very well, despite the former's tone not being liked by everyone. Undeniable that she put on a great show. Also in the end of the day it is The X Factor, not The Voice, which is also why this one actually produced some stars whilst the other never really did (even in the US where it's huge).

Lets see who we were left with in the final 5 of each series to compare:

2004: Steve Brookstein, G4, Tabby Callaghan, Rowetta Satchell and Cassie Compton
2005: Shayne Ward, Andy Abraham, Journey South, Brenda Edwards, Chico
2006: Leona Lewis, Ray Quinn, Ben Mills, The MacDonald Brothers, Eton Road
2007: Leon Jackson, Rhydian Roberts, Same Difference, Niki Evans, Hope
2008: Alexandra Burke, JLS, Eoghan Quigg, Diana Vickers, Ruth Lorenzo
2009: Joe McElderry, Olly Murs, Stacey Solomon, Danyl Johnson, Lloyd Daniels
2010: Matt Cardle, Rebecca Ferguson, One Direction, Cher Lloyd, Mary Byrne
2011: Little Mix, Marcus Collins, Amelia Lily, Misha B, Janet Devlin
2012: James Arthur, Jahmene Douglas, Christopher Maloney, Union J, Rylan Clark
2013: Sam Bailey, Nicholas McDonald, Luke Friend, Rough Copy, Tamera Foster
2014: Ben Haenow, Fleur East, Andrea Faustini, Lauren Platt, Stereo Kicks
2015: Louisa Johnson, Reggie n Bollie, Che Chesterman, Lauren Murray, 4th Impact

Personally I think 2011 is the stronger final 5, followed by 2008. This years is really poor but so was 2012 so I'm not sure which I'd say is worse to be honest.

I don't suppose that would be because the Cowell uses the show as a publicity medium. The voice on the other hand is about singing.

2012: James Arthur, Jahmene Douglas, Christopher Maloney, Union J, Rylan Clark
2016: Matt Terry, 5AM, Honey G, Emily Middlemas, Saara Alto

Well Union J wipes the floor vocally with 5AM by that main singer alone. Jahmene was great vocally as well, James was very good despite not liking the persona. Christopher was a pain in the ass but could sing too. And, well, it is really depressing to say this but Rylan was much better than Honey G.

So it seems very easy to me... Haha. Saara is the only highlight, with Matt being good too but we have a boring talented one like him every year.

I remember that year Little Mix were never a favourite to win, then went onto win, and now look at them.

Misha - Flat as yer hat most weeks, overhyped to the extreme.

Marcus - bland but somehow was a producers favourite.

Amelia - Shouted through most things.

I would concede the point if the selection cited wasn't so - well - selective! Why those examples?

Sorry I don't understand, of contestants? Because they were the Top 5!

Here's hoping Saara pulls it off

It's the only way to go, honestly...

I bloody hope so! Saara for the win.

Still overhyped, that was the year it all began going to pants.

She's comfortably in the top 5 best acts ever to appear on the show.

2008 was the best year, and I think 2010, 2011 and even 2014 were pretty good too. Other seasons have really good acts as well, but there's at least one or two duds in the Top 5 (example: Rylan in 2012, Reggie n' Bolie in 2015, Lloyd in 2009...)

Misha or Bisha B as she liked to call herself for no apparent reason, was dragged to the last 5 by the 'Judges'


They were at this stage. They were slow burners

They were terrible before the show contrived to ensure they won, and they are terrible now.

Hype over talent.

I always thought they pushed Marcus into the final to ensure Little Mix had as little real competition as possible.

Ok, so can someone please enlighten me. I checked 6 videos of Amelia Lily to see about the dancing performances, but this is the best I got:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUxy6vzzfc0
or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdDxRvF6gH4

She basically just stands there, walks to one side and walks back. There's hardly any show. Am I missing something, or is there just a big nostalgia value on these past performers?

If there are good videos of the other contestants having a good stage show, I wouldn't mind getting links to them. I want to see what's behind all these comparisons, as many of them don't really seem overly amazing when you actually check the videos.

Maybe I'm biased, but so far I haven't really seen anything from the good vocalists matching any of these from Saara (some not so serious acts have focused on the stage shows as that's the only thing carrying them):

Bad Romance - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zpFxOosHH0
Oh So Quet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3B4RDII3tQ
No More Tears - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_k58eUpNOg

I could post some of the others too, but the point is clear. Those performances have actual content in them from the act itself other than singing. More than a twirl next to the mike stand.

Righty ho, I get it now. I still come back to my point about not needing to dance. Did Leona, did Rebecca Ferguson? - both have good careers après X Factor.

True, I still have bruises and a few scars for suggesting that on the forum.

The public had no interest in Misha B after bullying-gate. The judges refused to acknowledge this, so they kept her in at all costs.

Five years ago?

Has it really been that long?