# American Idol season 18

The eighteenth season of American Idol premiered on February 16, 2020, on the ABC television network. Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie returned as judges, while Ryan Seacrest continued as host. Bobby Bones returned as the in-house mentor.
Taping was suspended after the top 19 were revealed and the contestants were sent home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The show resumed production in late April, with the on-air talent and contestants filming from their homes. The stay-at-home and social-distancing mandates, according to Billboard, compelled producers "to get very, very creative this time around to keep season 18 afloat amid the most challenging conditions in show history." Up to forty-five remote sites were used and each contestant was treated equally, with access to similar equipment and resources. Segments were usually taped a day in advance, except for the judges' critiques and voting results, which aired live.
On May 17, 2020, Just Sam was crowned as the winner, with Arthur Gunn finishing as the runner-up.
Due to this season's contestants never having an opportunity to perform on the live stage because of COVID-19 safety restrictions, American Idol invited ten contestants back onto the following season to compete for a re-entry spot—as voted upon by the public—as part of the top ten, after which they would still be eligible for votes or elimination as usual. This group included three finalists (runner-up Gunn; Louis Knight; and Makayla Phillips) and seven semifinalists (Aliana Jester, Cyniah Elise, DeWayne Crocker Jr., Faith Becnel, Franklin Boone, Nick Merico, and Olivia Ximines), with Gunn ultimately being selected by the public's votes to join Season 19. He tied with Hunter Metts for sixth place.

## Regional auditions

American Idol (season 18) – regional auditions :
| City | Filming date(s) | Filming venue |
| Savannah, Georgia | September 30 – October 1, 2019 | Perry Lane Hotel |
| Milwaukee, Wisconsin | October 8–9, 2019 | Milwaukee Art Museum |
| Washington, D.C. | October 14–15, 2019 | The Wharf |
| Los Angeles, California | November 1–2, 2019 | South Park Center |
| Portland, Oregon | November 7–8, 2019 | Great Hall (Sunriver Resort) |

## Hollywood week

Hollywood week was filmed December 2–5, 2019, at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. There were several changes in format this season. In the first round, each contestant chose and performed a song from a selection of musical genres (pop, rock, R&B, soul, country, or singer-songwriter). Those who impressed the judges and the producers were advanced to the next round. Instead of group performances as had been done in previous seasons, contestants paired up and performed duets. They were given twelve hours to rehearse, which included a session with a vocal coach and a stage rehearsal. Judges could advance either, neither, or both of the contestants to the next round, where they performed their final solos before advancing to the Showcase round.

## Showcase round

The Showcase round aired on March 29 and April 5, and featured the top 40 performing for the judges and a live audience at Disney's Aulani resort in Kapolei, Hawaii. The following day, the judges narrowed the number of contestants down from 40 to 20. The following is a list of the first nineteen contestants who reached the top 20 and the song they performed at the Showcase. For the twentieth and final spot, Grace Leer and Lauren Mascetti's result was determined by a vote from the public, which was revealed on April 19. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
Showcase round (March 29 & April 5) :
| Contestant | Song |
| Nick Merico | "When I Was Your Man" |
| DeWayne Crocker, Jr. | "Old Town Road" |
| Louis Knight | "Castle on the Hill" |
| Francisco Martin | "Falling" |
| Jovin Webb | "You Are the Best Thing" |
| Faith Becnel | "Ain't Nobody" |
| Just Sam | "Como la Flor" |
| Jonny West | "You Found Me" |
| Dillon James | "The Times They Are a-Changin'" |
| Franklin Boone | "Daughters" |
| Julia Gargano | "Glitter in the Air" |
| Aliana Jester | "This is Me" |
| Sophia James | "Levels" |
| Kimmy Gabriela | "You Don't Do It for Me Anymore" |
| Cyniah Elise | "Lady Marmalade" |
| Makayla Phillips | "Sorry Not Sorry" |
| Lauren Spencer-Smith | "Respect" |
| Olivia Ximines | "Proud Mary" |
| Arthur Gunn | "Is This Love" |
Showcase voting round (April 19) :
| Contestant | Song | Result |
| Grace Leer | "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" | Advanced |
| Lauren Mascetti | "Two More Bottles of Wine" | Eliminated |

## Finals

After a short hiatus, production resumed and all contestants performed remotely due to safety measures in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Ryan Seacrest and the judges were also broadcast from their homes.
Color key:

### Top 20 (April 26)

The ten contestants who received the most votes continued on, while the judges were granted a one-time judges' save, which they used to save Makayla Phillips from elimination. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
Top 20 (April 26) :
| Contestant | Song | Result |
| Kimmy Gabriela | "Leave Me Lonely" | Eliminated |
| Jovin Webb | "With a Little Help from My Friends" | Safe |
| Franklin Boone | "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" | Eliminated |
| Olivia Ximines | "Bad Guy" | Eliminated |
| Louis Knight | "If the World Was Ending" | Safe |
| Makayla Phillips | "Greedy" | Saved |
| Aliana Jester | "Run to You" | Eliminated |
| Faith Becnel | "River" | Eliminated |
| Nick Merico | "Hey There Delilah" | Eliminated |
| Lauren Spencer-Smith | "Mamma Knows Best" | Eliminated |
| Cyniah Elise | "Warrior" | Eliminated |
| Francisco Martin | "Teenage Dream" | Safe |
| Sophia James | "Burning" | Safe |
| DeWayne Crocker Jr. | "I Got You (I Feel Good)" | Eliminated |
| Dillon James | "Let It Be Me" | Safe |
| Arthur Gunn | "Lovin' Machine" | Safe |
| Julia Gargano | "Human" | Safe |
| Grace Leer | "Cry" | Safe |
| Just Sam | "I Believe" | Safe |
| Jonny West | "What a Wonderful World" | Safe |

### Top 11 (May 3)

Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
Top 11 (May 3) :
| Contestant | Song | Result |
| Louis Knight | "In My Place" | Safe |
| Julia Gargano | "New York State of Mind" | Safe |
| Jovin Webb | "Voodoo" | Eliminated |
| Grace Leer | "Over the Rainbow" | Eliminated |
| Jonny West | "Faithfully" | Safe |
| Sophia James | "In My Room" | Eliminated |
| Arthur Gunn | "Take Me Home, Country Roads" | Safe |
| Just Sam | "Grandma's Hands" | Safe |
| Dillon James | "Yesterday" | Safe |
| Francisco Martin | "Falling Like the Stars" | Safe |
| Makayla Phillips | "The House That Built Me" | Eliminated |

### Top 7 – Disney & Mother's Day (May 10)

Each contestant performed two songs: one song from a Disney movie, and one song in honor of Mother's Day. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
Top 7 (May 10) :
| Contestant | Order | Song | Result |
| Arthur Gunn | 1 | "Kiss the Girl" (from The Little Mermaid) | Safe |
| Arthur Gunn | 8 | "Hey, Ma" | Safe |
| Just Sam | 2 | "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" (from Cinderella) | Safe |
| Just Sam | 9 | "I Turn to You" | Safe |
| Jonny West | 3 | "Almost There" (from The Princess and the Frog) | Safe |
| Jonny West | 10 | "Amazing Grace" | Safe |
| Louis Knight | 4 | "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" (from The Lion King) | Eliminated |
| Louis Knight | 11 | "You've Got a Friend" | Eliminated |
| Julia Gargano | 5 | "Beauty and the Beast" (from Beauty and the Beast) | Eliminated |
| Julia Gargano | 12 | "Sweetest Devotion" | Eliminated |
| Francisco Martin | 6 | "You'll Be in My Heart" (from Tarzan) | Safe |
| Francisco Martin | 13 | "River" | Safe |
| Dillon James | 7 | "Our Town" (from Cars) | Safe |
| Dillon James | 14 | "Hang On, Hang On" | Safe |
Non-competition performance :
| Performers | Song |
| Laine Hardy | "Life Is a Highway" |

### Top 5 – Finale (May 17)

Each contestant performed two songs, and are listed in the order they performed.
| Contestant | Order | Song | Result |
| Dillon James | 1 | "Change the World" | Finalist |
| Dillon James | 6 | "The Times They Are a-Changin'" | Finalist |
| Francisco Martin | 2 | "Adore You" | Finalist |
| Francisco Martin | 7 | "Alaska" | Finalist |
| Just Sam | 3 | "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" | Winner |
| Just Sam | 8 | "Rise Up" | Winner |
| Arthur Gunn | 4 | "I Don't Want to Be" | Runner-up |
| Arthur Gunn | 9 | "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" | Runner-up |
| Jonny West | 5 | "Can't Keep a Good Man Down" | Finalist |
| Jonny West | 10 | "Makin' Love" | Finalist |
Non-competition performances :
| Performers | Song |
| Luke Bryan | "One Margarita" |
| Doug Kiker with Rascal Flatts | "Bless the Broken Road" |
| Just Sam with Lauren Daigle | "You Say" |
| Katy Perry | "Daisies" |
| Top 11 with Cynthia Erivo | Aretha Franklin medley |
| Top 11 with Lionel Richie | "We Are the World" |

## Elimination chart

Color key:
American Idol (season 18) - Eliminations :
| Contestant | Pl. | Top 20 | Top 11 | Top 7 | Finale |
| Contestant | Pl. | 4/26 | 5/3 | 5/10 | 5/17 |
| Just Sam | 1 | Safe | Safe | Safe | Winner |
| Arthur Gunn | 2 | Safe | Safe | Safe | Runner-up |
| Dillon James | 3 | Safe | Safe | Safe | Finalist |
| Francisco Martin | 3 | Safe | Safe | Safe | Finalist |
| Jonny West | 3 | Safe | Safe | Safe | Finalist |
| Julia Gargano | 6 | Safe | Safe | Eliminated | |
| Louis Knight | 6 | Safe | Safe | Eliminated | |
| Sophia James | 8 | Safe | Eliminated | | |
| Grace Leer | 8 | Safe | Eliminated | | |
| Makayla Phillips | 8 | Saved | Eliminated | | |
| Jovin Webb | 8 | Safe | Eliminated | | |
| Faith Becnel | | Eliminated | | | |
| Franklin Boone | | Eliminated | | | |
| Dewayne Crocker Jr. | | Eliminated | | | |
| Cyniah Elise | | Eliminated | | | |
| Kimmy Gabriela | | Eliminated | | | |
| Aliana Jester | | Eliminated | | | |
| Nick Merico | | Eliminated | | | |
| Lauren Spencer-Smith | | Eliminated | | | |
| Olivia Ximines | | Eliminated | | | |

## Ratings

Viewership and ratings per episode of American Idol season 18 :
| No. | Title | Air date | Timeslot (ET) | Rating/share (18–49) | Viewers (millions) | DVR (18–49) | DVR viewers (millions) | Total (18–49) | Total viewers (millions) |
| 1 | "Auditions, Part 1" | February 16, 2020 | Sunday 8:00 p.m. | 1.5/7 | 8.08 | 0.4 | 1.86 | 1.9 | 9.94 |
| 2 | "Auditions, Part 2" | February 23, 2020 | Sunday 8:00 p.m. | 1.4/7 | 7.50 | 0.4 | 1.65 | 1.8 | 9.15 |
| 3 | "Auditions, Part 3" | March 1, 2020 | Sunday 8:00 p.m. | 1.3/6 | 7.00 | 0.4 | 1.66 | 1.7 | 8.66 |
| 4 | "Auditions, Part 4" | March 8, 2020 | Sunday 8:00 p.m. | 1.3/6 | 7.26 | 0.4 | 1.56 | 1.7 | 8.82 |
| 5 | "Auditions, Part 5" | March 15, 2020 | Sunday 8:00 p.m. | 1.3/6 | 7.47 | 0.4 | 1.59 | 1.7 | 9.07 |
| 6 | "Hollywood Week – Genre Challenge" | March 16, 2020 | Monday 8:00 p.m. | 1.2/6 | 6.30 | 0.4 | 1.95 | 1.6 | 8.25 |
| 7 | "Hollywood Week – Duets" | March 22, 2020 | Sunday 8:00 p.m. | 1.4/7 | 7.70 | 0.4 | 1.69 | 1.8 | 9.39 |
| 8 | "Hollywood Week – Solos" | March 23, 2020 | Monday 8:00 p.m. | 1.4/7 | 7.02 | 0.4 | 1.80 | 1.8 | 8.82 |
| 9 | "Hawaii Showcase and Final Judgment, Part 1" | March 29, 2020 | Sunday 8:00 p.m. | 1.3/6 | 7.33 | 0.4 | 1.68 | 1.7 | 9.00 |
| 10 | "Hawaii Showcase and Final Judgment, Part 2" | April 5, 2020 | Sunday 8:00 p.m. | 1.2/6 | 6.93 | 0.4 | 1.63 | 1.6 | 8.56 |
| 11 | "This Is Me, Part 1" | April 12, 2020 | Sunday 8:00 p.m. | 1.0/4 | 5.63 | 0.2 | 1.12 | 1.2 | 6.75 |
| 12 | "This Is Me, Part 2" | April 19, 2020 | Sunday 8:00 p.m. | 0.8/4 | 5.48 | 0.2 | 0.95 | 1.0 | 5.48 |
| 13 | "Top 20 Sing For America" | April 26, 2020 | Sunday 8:00 p.m. | 1.0/5 | 6.09 | 0.3 | 1.49 | 1.3 | 7.58 |
| 14 | "Top 10 Homeward Bound" | May 3, 2020 | Sunday 8:00 p.m. | 0.9/5 | 6.41 | 0.2 | 1.19 | 1.1 | 7.60 |
| 15 | "Disney Night/Mother's Day" | May 10, 2020 | Sunday 8:00 p.m. | 1.0/6 | 6.16 | 0.3 | 1.28 | 1.3 | 7.44 |
| 16 | "Grand Finale" | May 17, 2020 | Sunday 8:00 p.m. | 1.0/5 | 7.28 | 0.2 | 1.06 | 1.2 | 8.34 |