Final Season Announced For American Idol
The show that started it all is taking its final bow. Like it or not, American Idol ignited a trend of television based contest shows 'discovering' and marketing a new generation of pop and country stars.
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After a fifteen year run, "American Idol" will be signing off for good at the conclusion of its next season, which will premier in January, 2016.
Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick Jr. and Keith Urban have been announced as the returning judges for the show's final season, as was longtime host Ryan Seacrest.
At its height in the middle of the last decade, "American Idol" was a ratings juggernaut, attracting more than 30 million viewers per episode to FOX, several times a week, however in recent years, it has been unable to attain its former glory and been eclipsed by competitors such as NBC's "The Voice."
First launched in 2002 and based on show creator Simon Fuller's British series “Pop Idol,” the original show featured judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson, with hosting duties handled by a young Ryan Seacrest and Brian Dunkleman. The show introduced the world to artists such as Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Clay Aiken, Chris Daughtry, Fantasia Barrino, Phillip Phillips and Adam Lambert.
– via Celebrity Access
