Despite Carrie Underwood’s Improvement As An American Idol Judge, I Don’t Think The Show Will Ever Be What It Used To Be
Carrie Underwood has been improving in her new role as an American Idol judge, but I don’t think the show will ever be like it was in its heyday again. American Idol season 23 introduced season 4 winner Carrie as a judge after Katy Perry left the singing competition after seven seasons. Carrie joined Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan on the judging panel, and, after a rocky start, she’s finally finding her footing.
American Idol season 23 has been jam-packed with extraordinary talent so far, but, despite this, and the fact that Carrie has returned as a judge, I have the feeling that the show will never return to what it once was again. American Idol was once one of the biggest TV shows, especially when Carrie was a contestant, but it’s slowly faded over the years. As a loyal viewer since season 1, I really miss what American Idol used to be.
American Idol Was A Pop Culture Phenomenon
Everyone Watched The Singing Competition Series
When American Idol debuted in 2002, it became a pop culture phenomenon. Winner Kelly Clarkson, runner-up Justin Guarini, and the other contestants became household names. As the seasons continued, Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, Fantasia Barrino, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, Katharine McPhee, Chris Daughtry, Kellie Pickler, Jordin Sparks, David Cook, David Archuleta, Adam Lambert, Scotty McCreery, and Lauren Alaina, among many others, found immense success after the show.
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As an American Idol superfan, I remember voting hundreds of times for Kelly, Carrie, and Katharine by redialing their phone numbers on my landline phone. I rushed to the record store the morning after the finale to buy the winners’ singles. I went to the American Idols Live! concerts and waited outside by the tour buses after the shows to meet the Idols. And I wasn’t the only one–it seemed like everyone I knew was as obsessed with the show as I was.
However, as the years passed by, people seemed to lose interest in American Idol. I wasn’t surprised when FOX finally canceled the show in 2016 after 15 seasons. However, I was shocked when ABC revived it two years later in 2018. Although I eagerly watched because I’d missed it so much, many of the people who were fans of the FOX version of the show didn’t continue watching in the ABC era. I know that the show’s heyday is over, and it’ll never be the phenomenon that it once was again.
People Don’t Watch TV The Same Way Anymore
The TV Landscape Has Changed
During the early years of American Idol, it seemed that everyone was watching the show. I was a middle school teacher during those first seasons, and I’d go to work looking forward to hearing what everyone thought of the previous night’s episode. Adults and children alike had strong opinions about who had the best performances and who should advance to the next round of the competition. During American Idol season 4, “Carrie or Bo?” was a common question around the halls of the school. It was so much fun to be a part of it.
However, in today’s world, people don’t watch TV the same way anymore. Streaming services and social media have made it possible to watch whatever you want whenever you want, so American Idol isn’t the only option anymore. Because of this, in this day and age, there’s no one show that everyone’s watching on a specific night at a certain time. This has made shows like American Idol lose steam because people aren’t watching them live. Instead, they’re catching up on the show via YouTube clips or watching the next day on streaming services. It’s not the same as when everyone had to watch the episodes live.
American Idol Isn’t The Only Singing Competition Series Anymore
Other Shows Are Also Popular
One reason that American Idol’s popularity faded was the introduction of other singing competition series. When it began, it was the only show of its kind–a singing competition series in which viewers could vote for the winner. However, when shows such as The X Factor and The Voice entered the scene, viewers now had choices. People who were tired of American Idol began watching these other shows.
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I’ve tried watching other singing competition shows, but I’ve always liked American Idol the best. However, I understand why the other shows might appeal to people. Whether they’re fans of the judges, or they like the format better, they offer an alternative to American Idol that simply didn’t exist when it premiered. It’s hard to watch more than one of these singing competition series because they’re so time-consuming, so people are split on which shows they watch. Therefore, American Idol is no longer the juggernaut that it once was.
American Idol Hasn’t Produced A Successful Winner Since ABC Revived It
The Music Industry Has Changed
Since American Idol began in 2002, the music industry has drastically changed. People are launching their careers via social media, and they don’t need shows like American Idol anymore. In fact, some have argued that it’s better not to win a singing competition series, which can hold artists back with their restricting post-show contracts. Just look at Benson Boone, who quit American Idol season 19, but achieved tremendous success after leaving the show.
Many of American Idol’s early winners–Kelly Clarkson (season 1), Ruben Studdard (season 2), Fantasia Barrino (season 3), Carrie Underwood (season 4), Jordin Sparks (season 6), David Cook (season 7), Scotty McCreery (season 10), and Phillip Phillips (season 11)–have gone on to have very successful careers. However, the winners from the ABC era haven’t broken into the music industry in the same way, including Maddie Poppe, Laine Hardy, Just Sam, Chayce Beckham, Noah Thompson, Iam Tongi, and Abi Carter.
In fact, except for American Idol season 16 finalist Gabby Barrett, who placed third and has a successful country music career, there hasn’t been a breakout contestant from the ABC version of the show. I know this is partially because of the way that the music industry has changed, but it’s also because American Idol simply isn’t the superstar-making machine that it once was. If people aren’t watching the show as much anymore, then the winners can’t possibly gain a large and loyal fan following.
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Although I miss the old days of American Idol, I can appreciate the show for what it is now. While it might not be producing superstars anymore, I find it entertaining for what it is. I always hold out hope that someone from the newest season might be the breakout star of the show. I also wonder if Carrie’s presence and influence as a judge will help the American Idol season 23 winner skyrocket to superstardom because she’s one of the most beloved and successful contestants ever. Whatever happens next, I’ll always be an American Idol fan, and I hope that, someday, the show can return to its former glory.
American Idol airs Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC.
