Patrick Stump supports music competitions

Patrick Stump is glad that music reality TV shows have "levelled the playing field".

The Fall Out Boy star comes from a genre which is typically scathing of programmes like The X Factor and American Idol, with many rock stars insisting manufactured pop has killed the music scene.

Patrick doesn't see it that way at all, which is why he got involved with American series The Sing-Off. The show only features a cappella artists, such as Pentatonix who won the last season.

"I'm a rock musician. You hear within the rock community this distrust of competition shows. I'm like, 'Yeah, but it totally levelled the playing field,'" he told entertainment.suntimes.com. "You have groups like Pentatonix who never before would have existed in the pop landscape. Now they have a massive Christmas record and they are legitimate players in pop music now because of their ability showcased to a national audience on The Sing-Off."

Patrick is especially excited about The Sing-Off because of the a cappella element. Many think of barbershop quartets when they hear the word, and while he has a lot of time for those kinds of artists too what really gets his juices flowing is a more modern sound. With no instruments to rely on, the 30-year-old loves it when the groups get really creative.

"The show has redefined what can be done with a cappella singing. Now, because of that, you have to be the drummer. You have to be the bass player. You have to be the keyboards. You have to be everything. Everyone one has to be a beat-boxer and Mariah Carey - all at once!" he laughed.

The star also gave a quick heads up about Fall Out Boy, who went on hiatus in 2009 but then made a comeback last year.

Their new record American Beauty/American Psycho is due out in January and things are very busy for the group - also comprising Pete Wentz, Andy Hurley and Joe Trohman - at the moment.

"Right now, I'm in the thick of Fall Out Boy," Patrick explained. "We just finished [the new album].

"I'm looking to do some more producing stuff this coming year. I can't wait. It's going to be a good year, I can feel it."