The new season of American Idol has arrived on ABC in the 2025 TV schedule , and Katy Perry’s replacement, Carrie Underwood, joined judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan to decide who was on their way to Hollywood. As Richie and Bryan have been on the reality competition series for the past seven seasons, they reveal which audition songs they’re tired of hearing (and same here).
I can imagine it being very frustrating to hear the same audition songs over and over again. It reminds me of the mid-2000s when musical theater students would frequently audition with Wicked’s “Defying Gravity” to show off their vocal range. In terms of American Idol, judge Lionel Richie got real with EW on which song he’d love to get through an audition without hearing, and I don’t blame him:
It didn't happen this time — ‘It's a Man's World,’ which I've heard for seven years. When they start singing ‘It's a Man's World,’ I go, ‘Don't do it. It's not gonna work.’
Don’t get me wrong – James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” can get anyone in their feels. It’s a powerful, emotionally charged number that can draw in audiences as well as the singers performing the song. But I can see how the mighty effect the song is supposed to have can easily wear off after hearing it so many times. We’ve heard the R&B song before on the popular TV show during Clark Beckham’s audition in Season 15 and during a performance by the American Idol/The Voice contestant Adanna Duru.
It’s true that if you’re going to hear the same audition song repeatedly, you want to make sure that the contestant can make it their own. It would show off a singer’s originality and true depth at knowing full well the message the song conveys. Fortunately, Lionel Richie had good news about the James Brown song making its appearance this season:
Twice they did ‘It's a Man's World,’ and twice they made it their song. You wouldn't know it was ‘[It’s] a Man's World.’
Lionel Richie is proving once again that he’s got a real ear for when a song is a hit. So far, we only heard “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” played once during the Season 23 premiere, and it was by the talented Amanda Barise. The 26-year-old contestant wowed the judges when she provided such deep soul and belted those notes with genuine strength. It was an example of a performance where the judges didn’t have to think twice. She was on her way to Hollywood! Now, I’m curious what the second rendition of the James Brown hit will sound like this season.
It turns out that James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” isn’t the only song that irks the judges. Luke Bryan has his own idea of a song he’s tired of hearing, and I really can’t blame him for this one:
We heard that how many times, Ryan? Listen, perfectly great song, but we were just like, watermelon sugar, high.
As Harry Styles’s chart-topper has such a repetitive chorus, it’s easy for a song like “Watermelon Sugar” to get stuck in your head after so many renditions. In fact, Katy Perry herself said in Season 19 that she humorously wanted to put a ban on the pop song, considering how many times she heard it. But during the Hollywood Duets, Anthony Guzman and Adriel Carrion sang the popular tune. Their engaging harmony and the way they brought fresh energy to the overused song impressed Perry enough to advance them to the next round.
It’s understandable how tiring it is to hear the same audition songs on repeat. While it’s nice to pick a popular tune that will hit well with judges and viewers, a true standout contestant will use their moment to wow judges with something fresh. But like Amanda Barise and Season 19’s successful duet singers proved, even an overused song can still have a unique spin if you’re the right artist to find it. New episodes of American Idol premiere on ABC Sundays at 8/7c as well as streaming on your Hulu subscription.
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