There is a very predictable phenomenon in the American Idol fan base that occurs almost every week. From the moment the first notes of the song are played, this group begins to scream, rant, rave, shout, and post generally noisy comments about the song and the singer who is singing it.

They are called the Ballad Haters.

This group has never met a ballad they didn’t downright hate. As soon as that first note sounds, the members of this nomadic group will immediately yawn while simultaneously posting about how boring the song is. If they had their way, they would infuse the song with 5 cans of Red Bull and then turn it loose into the crowd.

Okay, so maybe the start of this blog entry is a little over dramatic. But it’s not far from the truth. There are people out there who refuse to even give a ballad a chance on American Idol. They simply dismiss the song, and the singer who dared to sing it, out-of-hand without even giving it a chance.

What’s worse is when you ask people to explain why they didn’t like the song. They simply say it was “boring.” When I ask if they thought the vocals on it were good, they simply reply that it was “boring.” All they do is use the same word over and over again to describe the song and performance, no matter what question you ask them. A band member could fall off the balcony onto the stage, and a member of this group, when asked, would simply respond that it was “boring.”

I last saw the members of this group last Wednesday night during Thia Megia’s performance of “Colors of the Wind” by Vanessa Williams. It was a beautiful song that was performed very well. There were a couple of issues with Thia’s singing, but she displayed a tremendous amount of vocal control and quality, something that many ballads require. But some people didn’t care that Thia was better than most of the other contestants that night. It was boring, and that is all they had to say about it.

What really gets me are the people who change the channel simply because a contestant is singing a ballad. They don’t even give the singer a chance. If it’s not a high-octane performance, then they immediately change the channel. I’ve even seen these channel changers later give their opinion about the performance. You changed the channel. How can you give a critique? Naturally, they respond by simply saying they found the song “boring.”

Don’t get me wrong. I do understand that there isn’t much demand for an album of nothing much ballads. Frankly, I’m not likely to buy it either. But a beautiful ballad mixed into a group of wide-ranging performances is not a bad thing. It shouldn’t be dismissed outright. It’s not any different from going to a concert for your favorite singer or band. Most people have at least a few ballads in their repertoire. It gives the members of the group or band a chance to calm down a little. And while you may not be standing on your feet rocking out to the song, it doesn’t mean you have to automatically enjoy the song any less than the others.

So please, the next time an American Idol contestant gets on stage and sings a ballad, listen to the song. Really listen. If it’s being performed by a good singer, then you will hear some beautiful phrasing and vocal control. If it’s not being sung by a good singer, then at least you will be in a position to give an honest critique about it. And you can even say it was “boring.”

Are you someone who tunes out as soon as someone starts singing a ballad, or do you give the singer an honest chance? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.