After a two year hiatus, American Idol has returned to television with a fresh face, a new channel, and tons of incredible talent. The reality TV staple ran for 15 seasons on Fox starting in 2002 and saw the budding careers of music sensations Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and Jordin Sparks. And, Disney's ABC decided one of the most iconic singing competitions wasn't finished leaving it's mark on the industry, so Season 1 of an Idol reboot debuted in March of this year. Since occupying a two-hour time slot on primetime TV and boosting Sunday night ratings, the network announced that the American Idol reboot will come back for another season.
Although the televised path to fame for the first crop of singers on the Idol reboot hasn't been quite the same without the presence of any of the three initial judges, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell, long-standing host Ryan Seacrest brings just enough familiarity to maintain the show's original charm. Not to mention, the new judges, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan bring a new sense of excitement, style, and eccentricity to the panel, and according to an interview they did with Entertainment Tonight, they can't wait to see what Season 2 has in store.
"What I love the most is the fact that now … we know how it works," Richie told Lauren Zima at ET. "So, the next time around, it gets even better because we understand how the whole thing works. It's so great." Steady leaders in both of their genres, Perry and Bryan are excited to maintain a change in pace from performing. "It's so nice to have planned employment for next year," Bryan said. "I've never had employment this far out in my whole life." In her short few months as an Idol judge, Perry has become known for her over-the-top outfits, hairstyles, and makeup looks, and she's looking forward to outdoing herself next season. "Bigger hair. Better dresses," she said, adding, "[and] more obscenity." Really though, she's touched by the impact the show continues to have on both the participating aspiring musicians and viewers at home. "We know we're having an effect on people and they're having an effect on us," Perry said. "And that, my friend, is priceless."
The first eight telecasts of the new version of Idol stole the No. 1 spot for Sunday's entertainment broadcasts in the "Live + Same Day" bracket for adults ages 18 to 49, according to ABC. "In fact, on average, the series ranks No. 1 in its 2-hour slot with Adults 18-49, Adults 18-34, across all key Women ... and Teens 12-17," the network reported. "American Idol is more than doubling ABC's Sunday 8:00-10:00 p.m. time-period results year-to-year in Total Viewers." Have you found yourself lost in the Facebook video rabbit hole that is Idol highlights this season? You're not the only one. ABC also reported that the show has dominated the social field, contributing to its widespread success.
Although a 2019 season has been confirmed, a premiere date has yet to be released. "We knew that American Idol on ABC would unleash an opportunity for singers from all walks of life to realize their dreams and that these incredible contestants would have America rooting for their success," said Channing Dungey, president, ABC Entertainment. "I am thrilled that Katy, Luke, Lionel and Ryan will be back to once again embark on this Idol journey with us to discover the next crop of inspiring talent."
Online auditions for Season 2 are open now on ABC's website, and dates and locations for open auditions will be announced soon. This season's success will be hard to top, but if the judges and showrunners successfully scoured the country to find cream of the crop talent in the first go-round, they can surely do it again. After all, this is American Idol.
