‘American Idol’ Keeps Singing the Same Old Tune — and It Needs To Change

American Idol was once a staple of reality television and a staging area for countless music careers, but longtime viewers are beginning to notice the show lacks the creativity and excitement it had in previous years. American Idol launched in 2002 and captivated endless viewers with its search for the latest musical talents. For years, the series kept loyal audiences glued to the competitions as it showcased some of the most renowned artists of the current day, including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, and Jordin Sparks.

American Idol was quickly one of the most exciting and innovative competition shows thanks to its unique formats, emotionally charged auditions, and unpredictable competitive outcomes, all within the music industry. However, the competitive series is over 20 years old and as the show has continued to release season after season, the original charm of the series has grown thin. The themes and changes that used to add variety now add another layer of predictability and the series is starting to feel like one big broken record.

‘American Idol’ Offers Predictable Specials

As enjoyable as American Idol can be, there’s no denying that, over the years, the show’s reliance on the same themed events contributes to the repetitive nature of the series. While these themes were refreshing and exciting upon the initial launch, the expected return adds to the formula feel of the show. For instance, Rock and Roll night was originally an interesting way to spice up the competition and add a little variety into the mix. However, the special themed night often features similar classics and provides little room for the singers to add their special touch or tap into their creativity.

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Similarly, Disney night quickly became a fan favorite and almost as quickly fizzled out because it limits singers to a small range of family-friendly songs. Therefore, these themed nights are also repetitive and occasionally led to stifled creativity as the singers struggled to add their spin to the songs. Another common theme is the change to the Hawaiian scenery when it’s time to kick off the top 24 contestants. Originally, the change was supposed to add more variety, but its return has also gone stale. Each season, viewers can expect to see similar beachside views and cheerful vacation vibes that feel more like a travel advertisement than a singing competition. Overall, the return of these formats and themes makes the show feel more like a seasonal checklist, causing fans to crave new musical experiences.

‘American Idol’ Has Limited Voting, Yet Predictable Outcomes

The recurring, similar themes aren’t the only concern either. The voting and elimination process over the years hasn’t changed much and often leads to similar winners each year. The show still relies on public voting. However, voting sessions, especially the live sessions, are often rushed, which doesn’t give much time for contestants to be fully vetted. Additionally, since voting is in the hands of the public, contestants with more mainstream appeal tend to be favored compared to the risk-takers.

As a result, winners generally fit into the same mold: they’re typically young with a heavy Christian or country–pop style that showcases their solid vocals. Meanwhile, the more unique or experimental artists are eliminated early on. This format also adds to the predictable weekly results countdown. Between the predictable votes and its equally boring portrayal of results, the suspense is drained from the competition and the show offers few surprises. As the show lacks innovation in how votes are counted or how the singers advance, the show often feels like a repeat of the previous seasons and offers little memorable differences in the final outcome.

In the end, the show is over two decades old, and many competition shows can often feel repetitive after all those years. America’s Got Talent can often fall victim to the same scrutiny and there are far more opportunities for the show to expand than there is for American Idol. However, the show could definitely benefit from some changes to make the show refreshing again. With many of the same themes and the same styled artists appearing, the show is simply not up to the same standard that it once was.