I’m here to come clean: I’ve never watched a full episode of American Idol on the 2025 TV schedule, or at any other time. I’m old enough to clearly remember the hype when it started, and was obviously aware of the show’s incredible popularity, especially in the early years of the 21st century.
I’m also not saying that I have no working knowledge of how the show works or what the singing competition is all about. I’ve seen clips here and there over the last couple of decades, and I know through cultural osmosis how it all works. But until Sunday, I’d never sat down and watched a show from start to finish, and let me say, I had a lot of WTF thoughts and questions.
I Wasn’t Actually Watching For The Competition, Which Leads To My First Question
Full confession: I was watching this week's show to see the announcement of the 2025 inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and I have to say, I was pretty disappointed in how little time they spent on that. Host Carson Daly announced the seven honorees and that was that. There wasn’t a montage of the artists and barely any photos of them. It wasn't anything other than Daly reading their names with one accompanying photo and moving on to the next part of the show. They didn’t even mention the other nominees who missed out or talk about the fan vote (which seems ironic for a show like American Idol).
I get that the show wasn’t supposed to be about the inductees, but they did advertise that the theme was “The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame Show,” and that the artists earning a spot in the hall would be announced. So I guess I expected a least a little bit more than just a rote reading of the names. Maybe it’s just that they didn’t think any of the seven honorees, Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Cyndi Lauper, Soundgarden, The White Stripes, OutKast, and Joe Cocker would appeal much to American Idol fans. I don’t know, but it was annoying.
What Was Carrie Underwood Wearing?
The show opened with Carrie Underwood performing Heart’s classic “Alone,” which apparently was a big part of her season when she won 20 years ago. As an aside, has it really been that long since Underwood broke out? Wow. I have to say, the performance was actually pretty electric and ended up being the biggest highlight of the show for me. Her outfit for her performance was great, but what was she wearing for the rest of the show as a judge (her first season as one)?
With the theme of the show ostensibly being “rock and roll,” it seems like Underwood decided to hit up a Spirit Halloween store and buy a costume called “1980s Rock Singer.” She was wearing a bandana and an outfit that vaguely recalled Axl Rose in Guns ‘N Roses' heyday. The other two judges, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, were dressed normally, and that made the weird wardrobe choice stand out even more.
Why Is This Show So Sparkly?
About halfway through the two-hour show, I really took notice of how sparkly everything on the show was. Almost every costume was glittery and filled with sequins, even Carrie Underwood’s microphone was bedazzled. Then I noticed that all the lights on the set were sparkling like the midnight sky. It was almost too much, and I love sparkles.
Everything about American Idol is over-the-top. It’s a complete overload in some respects, and the shininess of everything really brought that home. I think one thing that has always turned me off of the whole show is that slickness. It has a sheen that makes it seem inauthentic to me. The singers and the contestants are fabulous singers and performers, but the presentation feels too fake to me.
Does Lionel Richie Talk Over Everyone All The Time?
Let me say first, I adore Lionel Richie. When I was a kid, Richie was in the prime of his solo career, and I love his music, going back to The Commodores. I love that he’s found a cultural relevance with an entirely new generation because he deserves it. That said, why does he constantly make comments over the other judges throughout the show?
Does he do it all the time? Are people afraid to tell him to stop? Every time Luke Bryan or Carrie Underwood made comments, there was Richie in the background saying “yes!” or “mmmhmmmm” or other annoying peanut gallery-like comments. I like that none of the judges are jerks, like they used to be, but the comments from Richie were distracting.
Finally, Why Is All The Music Kind Of The Same?
It seems especially noticeable in a show about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that all of the music on American Idol is kinda the same. It basically falls into two categories: big showtune-like numbers with lots of vocal acrobatics, and country crooning. Why isn’t there more diversity in styles?
The Hall of Fame inductees announced show just how diverse things can be. Why not more hip hop, for example? Or music like The White Stripes or Soundgarden? Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell had a legendarily amazing voice, but there isn’t anyone like him on the show, and to my (admittedly limited) knowledge, there never has been. Has there ever been a rapper? It’s not The Voice, why must it all be the same kind of singers?
All that aside, one thing I was struck by was just how talented the band is. I spent a lot of time thinking about how hard the backing musicians and singers must work. They have to learn and rehearse a tremendous amount of material for a season of American Idol and work with a huge number of different singers, pulling together the music to complement each one. They deserve a lot of praise (and to be paid well) and I hope that they get some, though something tells me they don’t get enough.
Ultimately, I don't think the show won me over, but I do have a greater appreciation for why it's is so popular. There is no question that there is talent oozing from every corner of the show, from the judges to the band to the contestants. Just lay off the bedazzler.
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