American Idol

American Idol
Also known asAmerican Idol: The Search for a Superstar
GenreReality competition
Created bySimon Fuller
Based onPop Idol
Directed by
  • Andy Scheer (2002)
  • Bruce Gowers (2002–2010)
  • Ken Warwick (2003–2013)
  • Nigel Lythgoe (2003–2008, 2012)
  • Paul Miller (2003)
  • John Pritchett (2008)
  • Bill DeRonde (2009, 2014–16)
  • Gregg Gelfand (2008–2013)
  • Russell Norman (2013, 2015–16, 2019)
  • Louis J. Horvitz (2014)
  • Glenn Weiss (2015)
  • Phil Heyes (2015–2016, 2018–present)
  • Ben Thursby-Palmer (2018, 2020–present, Auditions Only)
  • Ryan Goble (2019)
  • Sam Wrench (2020)
  • Julia Knowles (2022)
Presented by
Judges
Theme music composer
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons22
No. of episodes699 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Simon Fuller (2002–16)
  • Cecile Frot-Coutaz (2002–2016, 2018)
  • Simon Jones (2002–03)
  • Nigel Lythgoe (2002–08, 2011–13, 2016 finale)
  • Ken Warwick (2002–13)
  • J. Brian Gadinsky (2002)
  • Charles Boyd (2009–16)
  • Trish Kinane (2013–2016, 2018–2022)
  • Jesse Ignjatovic (2014)
  • Evan Prager (2014)
  • Per Blankens (2014–15)
  • David Hill (2015–16)
  • Megan Wolflick (2015–2016, 2018–present)
  • Jessica Castro (2016)
  • Jennifer Mullin (2018–present)
  • Phil McIntyre (2018)
  • Caroline Abaecheta (2018–20)
  • Daniel Martin (2018–20)
  • Chris Anokute (2019)
  • Robert McLoed (2019, 2023)
  • Eli Holzman (2020–present)
  • Aaron Saidman (2020–present)
  • Brian Burke (2021–present)
  • Brian Updyke (2021–22)
  • Nikki Varhely Gillingham (2021)
  • Theodore Dimitriou (2022–present)
  • Matt Banks (2022–present)
  • Mike Deffina (2023–present)
  • Katie Fennelly Watkins (2024–present)
Running time22–104 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkFox
ReleaseJune 11, 2002 (2002-06-11) –
April 7, 2016 (2016-04-07)
NetworkABC
ReleaseMarch 11, 2018 (2018-03-11) –
present
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

American Idol is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to April 7, 2016, for 15 seasons. It was on hiatus for two years until March 11, 2018, when a revival of the series began airing on ABC.

It started as an addition to the Idol format that was based on Pop Idol from British television, in which the programme's first series, which was won by Will Young, ended over four months before the show began, as it later became one of the most successful shows in the history of American television. The concept of the series involves discovering recording stars from unsigned singing talents, with the winner determined by American viewers using phones, Internet platforms, and SMS text voting. The winners of the first twenty-two seasons, as chosen by viewers, are Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks, David Cook, Kris Allen, Lee DeWyze, Scotty McCreery, Phillip Phillips, Candice Glover, Caleb Johnson, Nick Fradiani, Trent Harmon, Maddie Poppe, Laine Hardy, Just Sam, Chayce Beckham, Noah Thompson, Iam Tongi, and Abi Carter.

American Idol employs a select panel of judges who critique the contestants' performances. The original judges, for seasons one through eight, were record producer and music manager Randy Jackson, singer and choreographer Paula Abdul, and music executive and manager Simon Cowell. The judging panel for the last three seasons on Fox consisted of singers Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez, and Harry Connick Jr.[1] Season sixteen brought three new judges: singers Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie. Beginning in the twenty-third season, Underwood will replace Perry, alongside returning judges Bryan and Richie. The show has been hosted by television presenter Ryan Seacrest throughout its run, apart from the show's inaugural season when comedian Brian Dunkleman joined Seacrest as co-host.

The success of American Idol has been described as "unparalleled in broadcasting history".[2] A rival TV executive said the series was "the most impactful show in the history of television".[3] It became a recognized springboard for launching the career of many artists as bona fide stars. According to Billboard magazine, in its first ten years, "Idol has spawned 345 Billboard chart-toppers and a platoon of pop idols, including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Fantasia, Ruben Studdard, Jennifer Hudson, Clay Aiken, Adam Lambert, and Jordin Sparks while remaining a TV ratings juggernaut."[4] For an unprecedented eight consecutive years, from the 2003–04 television season through the 2010–11 season, either its performance show or result show was ranked number one in U.S. television ratings.[5]

  1. ^ 'American Idol' officially adds J.Lo and Harry Connick Jr. as judges Entertainment Weekly, Retrieved November 23, 2019
  2. ^ Doris Baltruschat (2010). Global Media Ecologies: Networked Production in Film and Television. Routledge. p. 106. ISBN 978-0415874786.
  3. ^ Carter, Bill (February 20, 2007). "For Fox's Rivals, 'American Idol' Remains a 'Schoolyard Bully'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 16, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2008.
  4. ^ "Ten Years of 'American Idol' Chart Dominance: Clarkson, Underwood, Daughtry, Fantasia, More". Billboard. June 11, 2012. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  5. ^ "Full 2010–11 Ratings: CBS Tops Viewership, Fox Is No. 1 in Demo and Idol Remains Most-Watched". TV Guide. June 1, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2013.

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