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SO agree with you AMT. Kris has little to offer that makes him really stand out. I think one of the huge problems with Idol is that they take people who require a slow build and try to push them hard and fast. Sadly, MOST of the contestants are that type. DAughtry did so well because he had huge charisma and a very different style for Idol. Underpants did well because she knew her market, and it is a loyal one (Hell, even Josh Gracin did ok with it).

What provides longevity is that "what will they do next" thing. It is also about knowing how to promote oneself, and that includes picking material. Marketabilility, as Madonna has shown time and again, is a lot more about business smarts, staying slightly ahead of the curve and confidence in one's own abilities (no matter how limited) than it is about spectacular voice.

So in the past, we had...

Kelly, who figured out what she did best and rocked it... then forgot and lost it, then got back on track and found it again
Ruben, who clearly did not know how to sell HIMSELF outside of his area code, and certainly provided nothing particularly interesting or timely
Clay, who had the third aspect in spades... and it helped him as far as it could
Underpants... already discussed
Fantasia, who had a great voice IMO but whose business smarts were minimal (TV movie? get a good script and a good actress to play you, woman), and whose material was very current... the year before she dropped her CDs
Hicks... Had the third quality, but undeservedly so... and was way too RETRO in terms of song choice to have any chance at all
Jordin... Remains to be seen how smart or current she REALLY is.

Allison... knows herself, does not always choose songs that showcase her talents best... but she is young and business sense can be borrowed from an adult for now... so we'll see
Kris... great voice, nicely undersung, and interesting business smarts (he picks really smart choices, for the most part, which alomst gives him an air of being "hip" where he is actually fairly current without being ahead of the curve.
Adam... smart choices, knows how to put out an image, has a unique sound (which may be TOO far ahead of the curve in some ways, with its mix of drama, falsetto and heavy metal shrieks), knows himself... but turns off almost as many as he turns on.

My money is still on Adam, with Allison being the only other with any prayer of longevity.

The best way to gauge what is marketable, really, is to see how the producers manipulate things. They want to have a successful artist on their hands, and one they can market. The ones they pimp, basically, are the ones they think have a capacity to be well-marketed and have a built-in audience. This is a business as much as it is a show.

I agree and disagree. The show is, yes, what is on their mind first and foremost. However, I believe you know business and industry people well enough to realize that it is NEVER strictly about one aspect. I will bet you hard money that the conversation comes up every day: "How do we get another Daughtry/Underwood/Clarkson?"