http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/16064674

HMV has apologised after a page for the X Factor winner's single was posted for pre-order on its website, five days before the show's final.

The CD was listed as "coming soon" with the title: "Amelia Lily X Factor 2011 Winner's Single".

The retailer had apparently created dummy pages for each of the X Factor finalists, but only uploaded one.

Amelia Lily will compete with Marcus Collins and Little Mix in Sunday's final, being held at Wembley Arena.

"Hmv.com was looking to accept customer pre-orders for versions of the X Factor winner's single recorded by each of the three finalists," said HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo.

"Due to a technical issue, only Amelia Lily's details were uploaded.

"These have been temporarily removed so that all three finalists details can go up at the same time.

'Technical error'

"This has been the result of an unforeseen but regrettable technical issue, for which we apologise and ask that nothing further be construed."

This weekend's X Factor winner will be decided by a public vote.

In the final, 17-year-old Amelia Lily will face Liverpudlian Marcus Collins and Little Mix, the first girl group to make it to this stage of the competition.

Caren Davis, head of publicity for the X Factor, said: "This is absolutely nothing to do with The X Factor.

"HMV has admitted this was due to a technical error on their site."

This is not the first time Amelia Lily has been been at the centre of controversy surrounding The X Factor.

She reached the final after being voted off by her mentor Kelly Rowland in the first week of live shows.

She was then reinstated in a public vote after Frankie Cocozza left the show.

Before presenter Dermot O'Leary told viewers vote lines were no longer open, ITV's Scottish franchise STV claimed on its website that Amelia Lily had been voted back in leading to rumours the voting was rigged.

[Edited 12/7/11 3:56am]

It is a complete and utter fix, but that's not really evidence of it.

The "winner" is an act that they've chosen to "groom" before the show even starts. They are known quantities who are "invited" to audition, they aren't people who randomly decided to show up. The whole show is a giant PR front. And the "winner" of the show isn't necessarily always the person that has been picked out by Cowell or so to be a high priority development. They avoid that otherwise it would be far too transparent. Many of the acts get production deals through Simon's companies long before the "finals". For example JLS were a high priority development regardless of where they "placed" on the show. Hence, they are still high profile whereas the "winner" of that series, Alexandra Burke.... not so much.

I know a few people within the camps of these shows. One is a musician on every X-Factor tour. When the acts are singing cover songs every week, he's one of the people playing the music on those productions. Another is a producer who develops the artists both during the duration of the show and following it. Another is a vocal coach.

The entire thing is a giant, moneymaking scam and you'd have to be a complete and utter sucker to fall for it. Which, luckily for the production companies, most people are. There's a fool born every minute.

http://www.dailymail.co.u...ds-newsxml

^ Yes it's a disgrace and the whole thing is an insult to 'real' music and 'real' musicians...

Given the relative low talent level of these "CONtestants"......does it really matter?

It's just another tv show 4 the masses 2 waste valuable time on.