American Idol

American Idol
Premiere	June 11, 2002
Airs	On hiatus
Creator	Simon Fuller
Host	Ryan Seacrest Brian Dunkelman (season 1)
Network/Provider	FOX (USA seasons 1-15) ABC (USA seasons 16-) CTV (Canada seasons 1-13, 16-18) CityTV (Canada seasons 19-)
Style	120-minute competitive reality
Company	Fremantle Media North America, 19 Television
Seasons	22
Episodes	706 + 7 specials (through season 22)
Status	Renewed through season 23 (2025)
Origin	USA
Official Site	American Idol ABC
Official Twitter	@AmericanIdol feed on X
Official Facebook	AmericanIdol on Facebook

For more information on the Idol franchise worldwide, please refer to the Idol franchise page.

American Idol is a popular musical-based talent competition that aired on FOX for 15 seasons. It is slated to air on ABC during the 2017-2018 season. The show is a season-long talent search for America's best singer to become the next "American Idol". The process involves an elimination format of several audition episodes and semi-finals rounds to determine a group of 10-13 finalists that compete in weekly themed live rounds until one finalist is crowned the winner. For eight seasons, it was the highest rated program in the United States, routinely doubling the ratings of comparable juggernauts CSI and Desperate Housewives with ratings of up to 30 million viewers.

Due to its huge popularity, American Idol has seen more than its fair share of controversies and dissent, but despite a handful of negative publicity, both media and viewer attention are unwavering. Over the years, the show has gained the support of many well-known stars, with numerous appearances onstage and as mentors to the contestants. The winners of American Idol usually receive the biggest amount of success out of all reality show winners, with the original winner, Kelly Clarkson, receiving worldwide renown as a singer. Other prominent winners include Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, and Phillip Phillips. Several non-winners have also received considerable success post-show, notably Chris Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson.

The judges panel stayed consistent for the first seven years, featuring Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson, with a fourth judge, Kara DioGuardi added in the eighth season. However, after the show's eighth season, Abdul decided not to renew her contract, leading to her being replaced by Ellen DeGeneres. The judging panel of Cowell, DeGeneres, DioGuardi and Jackson only lasted for one year, after which Cowell, DeGeneres and DioGuardi all left, leaving only Jackson as a veteran judge. Singer/actress Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler joining Jackson for a revitalized tenth season and continuing into the eleventh. Lopez and Tyler left after the eleventh season and were replaced by country singer Keith Urban, hip-hop rapper Nicki Minaj, and music legend Mariah Carey. After a tumultuous season plaqued by controversies and sharply declining ratings, Minaj, Carey, and Jackson left the show. In the currently airing thirteenth season, Urban is joined by singer Harry Connick Jr. and Lopez, returning after a one-year absence.

The series is based on Pop Idol, the original UK version of the show. Contemporaries of the Idol franchise include Endemol production The Voice and Simon Cowell's The X Factor.

Judges

Judge		Duration
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23
Simon Cowell		*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Paula Abdul		*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Randy Jackson		*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	o
Kara DioGuardi									*	*
Ellen DeGeneres										*
Steven Tyler											*	*
Jennifer Lopez											*	*		*	*	*
Mariah Carey								o					*
Nicki Minaj													*
Keith Urban													*	*	*	*
Harry Connick, Jr.													o	*	*	*
Katy Perry																	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Lionel Richie																	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Luke Bryan																	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Carrie Underwood																								*
Orange/Red/o indicates a recurring or guest role during that season. Dark Green indicates top billing during that season.

Seasons

Season	Premiere	Finale				#
FOX
Season One	June 11, 2002	September 23, 2002				25 + 1
Season Two	January 21, 2003	May 25, 2003				38 + 1
Season Three	January 19, 2004	May 24, 2004				42 + 1
Season Four	January 18, 2005	May 25, 2005				42 + 1
Season Five	January 17, 2006	May 24, 2006				41
Season Six	January 16, 2007	May 23, 2007				41
Season Seven	January 15, 2008	May 21, 2008				42
Season Eight	January 13, 2009	May 20, 2009				40
Season Nine	January 12, 2010	May 26, 2010				43
Season Ten	January 19, 2011	May 26, 2011				42
Season Eleven	January 18, 2012	May 23, 2012				40
Season Twelve	January 16, 2013	May 16, 2013				37
Season Thirteen	January 15, 2014	May 21, 2014				39
Season Fourteen	January 7, 2015	May 12, 2015				30
Season Fifteen	January 6, 2016	April 7, 2016				38 + 1
ABC
Season Sixteen	March 11, 2018	May 21, 2018				19
Season Seventeen	March 3, 2019	May 19, 2019				18 + 2
Season Eighteen	February 16, 2020	May 17, 2020				16
Season Nineteen	February 14, 2021	May 23, 2021				20
Season Twenty	February 27, 2022	May 22, 2022				19
Season Twenty-One	February 19, 2023	May 21, 2023				19
Season Twenty-Two	February 18, 2024	May 19, 2024				18
Season Twenty-Three	March 9, 2025	—				—

In-Depth

• At a Glance: Additional information about the series

DVD Releases

Title			Release			Discs
Individual Episodes  (Region 1)
Season 6 Finale Performance Show: The Top 2			May 13, 2008	purchase		2
Segment Collection  (Region 1)
The Search for a Superstar			October 15, 2002	purchase		1
The Best of American Idol: Seasons 1-4			November 22, 2005	purchase		1
The Worst of American Idol: Seasons 1-4			November 22, 2005	purchase		1
The Best & Worst of American Idol: Seasons 1-4			November 22, 2005	purchase		3

External Sites

• American Idol at BuddyTV
• American Idol Episodes, TV Listings, News, Photos and More at TVGuide.com