Those who have grown to love reality show American Idol received some disappointing news Monday. Fox announced that the long-running singing competition has been renewed for next year, but the show’s 15th season will also be its final one.
This is surprising news only because American Idol has been on so long, but the concept and execution has started to sour over the years. With declining ratings, constant judge turnover and the lack of finding a successful star in recent years, the show’s credibility has taken a serious hit. The whole process began to get tiring, and for a program that depends on audience participation, losing viewership hurt.
Can anybody name the most recent winners of American Idol? I’ve never even heard a song by most recent winners Caleb Johnson or Candice Glover.
(I mean, even by American Idol standards, that’s generic as shit.)
You can’t discount the importance of the show. At its peak, American Idol had eight consecutive seasons in which it was number one in the ratings. People tuned in, Being named the American Idol meant something to people, and the show produced some very talented musicians. Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Adam Lambert were among the contestants on the show and owe their successful music careers to the program. Idol also started a trend of countless singing reality show clones, such as The Voice.
American Idol has gone through numerous changes since it debuted way back in 2002. It’s hard to believe now, but Ellen DeGeneres was even a judge on the show at one point. I’ve actually enjoyed the most recent judges, Harry Connick Jr., Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopez. While the show’s talent level has stagnated, they’ve kept it as watchable as it could be.
The truth is, though, the original pairing of Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson was the show’s best and once producers fiddled with that, American Idol started to lose steam. While contestants were ultimately the stars of the show, the criticism from those judges was just as entertaining. Simon Cowell was a fricken joy to watch. His burns still hold up to this day.
The one constant on the show has been Ryan Seacrest. While initially starting as a co-host with Brian Dunkelman in season one, Seacrest established himself as a hot entertainment property. He eventually took over as American Idol‘s sole host and spun the job into one of the most successful radio shows on the planet, On Air with Ryan Seacrest. He should have no problem transitioning into doing whatever he wants to do next. Dude could use a vacation, though.
I’ll miss watching Idol. While in recent years, I wouldn’t keep up with the later rounds, it was always enjoyable to watch the auditions and Hollywood Week. Those will be no more. No more ambulance calls when a contestant passes out, no more fights during a group performance, and no more sob stories on why contestants believe they’ll be the next American Idol.
It’s truly the end of an era. I think there’s only one appropriate way to go out… with a bang.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d5eP0wWLQY&spfreload=10
