It’s because of American Idol that powerhouse singers like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Jennifer Hudson and more are now internationally renowned Grammy-winning superstars. The series, which has been around since 2002, had a brief moment in time when it was canceled by Fox after 15 seasons, only for ABC to revive it mostly anew in 2018. Ever since, it has been introducing the country to more Idols and hopefuls, with some tributes to the original series along the way. And in case anyone thinks the show is going away anytime soon, longtime host Ryan Seacrest has some lofty thoughts about its future.
Ryan Seacrest provided THR recently with a love letter (so to speak) to the job he’s held for most of the last 20 years. In it, the radio personality discussed the first season of American Idol, which gave the world Kelly Clarkson, and her winning attitude along with her incredible talent. While in recent years there have been fewer notable winners and a dip in ratings numbers, Seacrest is staying positive (even after an on-screen health scare) and thinks that, thanks to streaming and the undiscovered talent always walking through the doors, American Idol isn’t going anywhere:
Yes, the audiences are fragmented and there are fewer of them in one place, but I really feel like this is the kind of show that has a home somewhere for as long as people want to produce it and make it — as long as people want to audition for it. I don’t think there’s any shortage of young talent every year that’s looking for a big break who just don’t know how to get to an audition in Hollywood or Nashville or Austin or New York. That will never run out, and therefore I think this format and this series has the opportunity to live with generations and have other generations grow up watching it to try to be the next winner.
American Idol is the epitome of singing competitions, and it would be a definite shame if it were to once again not be on television. They know how to keep things relatively fresh with rotating themed nights. There are plenty of other singing competition shows on TV, but none have been on for as long as the most iconic one, even if it doesn't have Blake Shelton to start friendly shit with others. It will be interesting to see how long Idol manages to stay on the air, but according to Ryan Seacrest's hopes and dreams, it will be until the end of time.
The fact that American Idol is still on after two decades, with a two-year hiatus in between, is definitely impressive. While there have been some controversies, as with any series, fans can’t help but to still tune in to find out who has enough talent (and popularity otherwise) to crush out the rest of the competition. And this is the kind of show where even those who don't win out can still try to get their start on other series, like The Voice. But it just means that more and more people are pursuing their dreams.
Although not everyone’s experience on American Idol has been amazing, it’s clear that American Idol is here to stay for a while and make more dreams come true. Ryan Seacrest seems adamant that the series will be around for years to come so the next generation to vote on the next winner and find their own Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood.
The singing competition is in the midst of airing Season 20 on ABC, with Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie serving as judges once again. Fans have taken a liking to the trio, as their chemistry has been fun to watch. While their dynamic is worlds away from what Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson had going in the early days, American Idol is working politely enough with the three of them.
American Idol airs on Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. EST on ABC, and there are plenty of other shows on the 2022 TV schedule to check out when Idol's not on!
