I would say by demographics alone the American version is far better than the British version..simply because of population..American TV and Cowell can probably churn out singers from over the pond until the next big bang..and still keep the 29 year old ceiling (correct me if iam wrong)..the problem this side of the pond is...Cowell would take orgasms infinite if he discovered a Kelly Clarkson or a Carrie Underwood in the UK..it aint never going to happen...the nearest he will ever get to that level is the winner from the series before last, Leona Lewis.and he waited a year before releasing her 1st album,guess where that was produced..the USA..he touted her around every music mogul over the pond..saying she was as good as or better than Mariah or Whitney...she is good no doubt about that...you see Cowell has a lot to prove over here. The UK spawned this format,but it has exploded in the USA...but it is not like for like..it is chalk and cheese...over here,the winners in the last 5 or 6 years(except Leona Lewis)have had a shorter shelf life than a lump of Gorgonnzolla.....make no mistake Cowell needed to find a "class" act which would prove sustainable,and he has went on record to say as much...Leona Lewis did offer that respite...because the British public were getting bored...for instance the 3 finalists in the last series..1 from England..1 from Wales.and the other from Scotland.
A Battle of Britain vocally.....The Welsh boy should have won hands down..if it had been a boxing fight..the referee would have stopped the contest...BUT..the Scots are very patriotic..nothing wrong with that...but Mr Cowell knows that too..and patriotism means phone calls which mean plenty cash...so what started off as a talent show ended up a 3 way fight for votes from each nation...remember we are not called The United Kingdom for nothing...the UK.. 4 very different nations..English, Scottish, Welsh, &Irish...it is these cynical ploys that Cowell tries to disguise,which are geared to make more people vote...believe me, Cowell is pulling all the strokes he can, to make the British version credible..,but you cannot fool all the people all the time.....the format is jaded..and predictable...Terry...