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American Idol will air on TV screens across the country for the last time on Thursday, April 7, and the nation will bid farewell to a series that had a significant impact on pop culture during its 15-year span.
From Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, to Adam Lambert, Jordin Sparks, Fantasia Barrino, Phillip Phillips and many more, the series launched a stream of talented musicians to stardom with multi-million dollar albums and songs that topped the charts. In addition to the music industry, the influence of American Idol is prominent across television, the theater, the tabloids, and in the lives of hundreds of contestants and millions of viewers.
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Constantine Maroulis, who came in sixth place in season four, told the New York Post:
“It absolutely was an overwhelming, surreal experience for me, even as a drama-school kid fresh out of The Boston Conservatory and as the lead in the Rent tour. I had seen the world and the country, but nothing could have prepared me for the experience of being on American Idol. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.”
Season five winner Taylor Hicks called the experience “an amazing crash course in show business” that also helped educate the public.
“…To a certain degree, it’s also a learning tool for liberal arts programs that aren’t present in some schools,” he said. “It stands as a music education for young kids who might not have known who Rod Stewart or Burt Bacharach is.”
American Idol turned (or re-turned) original judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson, along with host Ryan Seacrest, into household names. And as the Washington Post puts it, “While you knew a contestant was doomed on Idol when one of the judges mentioned they were ‘too Broadway,’ some Idols found a surprising amount of success … on Broadway.
The series helped pave the way for many singers to shine on stage, including Jordin Sparks in In the Heights, Jennifer Hudson in The Color Purple, Ace Young in Grease and Hair, and Frenchie Davis and Tamyra Grey in Rent.
American Idol also kicked off an era of reality singing competition shows, including Nashville Star, Sunday Best, The Voice, and The X Factor. Although some didn’t last long, the success of American Idol established a respectable format that inspired everything from country duos that battled for a record deal on CMT’s Can You Duet, to a capella group competitions on NBC’s The Sing Off.
The show also had its share of conflicts, many of which were plastered across tabloids and on TMZ.
There was the battle between Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey, when both joined the judges table and bickered throughout season 12. It came to a head during an audition in Charlotte when someone leaked footage of the two fighting, and rumors spread that Minaj had threatened to shoot Carey.
Then there were the disqualified contestants. Joanna Pacitti was disqualified in season eight after of rumors of a beneficial relationship with Idol-connected record executives prior to her audition for the show.
Frenchie Davis left the show in season two for posing on a pornography site, and then Antonella was controversially allowed to stay after racy photos of her were posted online.
In season 11, Jermaine Jones was asked to leave after not disclosing arrests, along with Corey Clark in season who was disqualified after producers found out about an alleged assault charge. Clark later said he had an affair with Paula Abdul, which Fox denied.
At one point around 2006, American Idol was considered the country’s most-watched show, with 30.6 million viewers. But ratings began to slip, dipping to an average of 9 million viewers during this final season.
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Much has changed since Idol first aired in 2001, with the growing popularity of streaming services just one of the many ways in which the television landscape is transforming.
While the series may be ending, show creator and original judge Simon Fuller is thinking about ways Idol can evolve. He told the Hollywood Reporter he’s confident some version of the show will return to today’s digital, technology-driven world.
“So the next generation of Idol will be a lot more interactive, a lot more immersive,” he said. “… [It] will have a youthful glow and it will be pioneering again, just as it was when we first began.”
In the words of Seacrest, American Idol will be right back, after the break. It’s unknown how long that break will be, and only time will tell.
“There will no doubt be another format or refinement or elevation of the format,” Fuller said. “Now I can actually revamp it and come up with a new version. And we can look back on 15 seasons and think of some legitimate ways to allow people to enjoy them again, maybe adding another dimension to it.”
READ MORE: Washington Post, New York Post, Hollywood Reporter
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