American Idol

File:American Idol logo2.png
***American Idol*** is an American singing competition series created by Simon Fuller. It is the American version of *Pop Idol*, and started airing on the FOX network June 11, 2002 to April 7, 2016 and began its second run on ABC on March 11, 2018. The premise of the show is to find undiscovered singers without signed contracts, with the winner being determined by a live vote across America.

The show was hosted in every season by Ryan Seacrest and co-hosted by Brian Dunkleman in Season 1. The judges for the series included Randy Jackson for the first twelve seasons, Paula Abdul for the first eight, Simon Cowell for the first nine, Kara DioGuardi for Seasons Eight and Nine, Ellen DeGeneres for Season Nine, Steven Tyler for Seasons Ten and Eleven, Jennifer Lopez from Season Ten to Eleven and then again from Season Thirteen to Fifteen, Nicki Minaj for Season Twelve, Mariah Carey for Season Twelve, Keith Urban from Season Twelve to Fifteen and Harry Connick Jr. from season Thirteen to Fifteen. Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie are the judges from Season 16 onwards.

## Season 1

The first season of *American Idol* debuted June 11, 2002, and ended September 4, 2002.

## Season 2

The second season of *American Idol* debuted January 21, 2003, and ended May 21, 2003.

## Season 3

The third season of *American Idol* debuted January 19, 2004, and ended May 26, 2004.

## Season 4

The fourth season of *American Idol* debuted January 18, 2005, and ended May 25, 2005.

## Season 5

The fifth season of *American Idol* debuted January 17, 2006, and ended May 24, 2006.

## Season 6

The sixth season of *American Idol* debuted January 16, 2007, and ended May 23, 2007.

## Season 7

The seventh season of *American Idol* debuted January 15, 2008, and ended May 21, 2008.

## Season 8

The eighth season of *American Idol* debuted January 13, 2009, and ended May 20, 2009.

## Season 9

The ninth season of *American Idol* debuted January 12, 2010, and ended May 26, 2010.

## Season 10

The tenth season of *American Idol* debuted January 19, 2011, and ended May 25, 2011.

## Season 11

The eleventh season of *American Idol* debuted January 18, 2012, and ended May 23, 2012.

## Season 12

The twelfth season of *American Idol* debuted January 16, 2013, and ended May 16, 2013.

## Season 13

The thirteenth season of *American Idol* debuted January 15, 2014, and ended May 21, 2014.

## Season 14

The fourteenth season of *American Idol* debuted January 7, 2015, and ended May 13, 2015.

## Season 15

The fifteenth season of *American Idol* debuted January 6, 2016, and ended April 7, 2016.

## Season 16

The sixteenth season of *American Idol* debuted March 11, 2018, and ended May 21, 2018.

## Season 17

The seventeenth season of *American Idol* debuted March 3, 2019, and ended May 19, 2019.

## Season 18

The eighteenth season of *American Idol* debuted February 16, 2020, and ended May 17, 2020.

## Season 19

The nineteenth season of *American Idol* debuted February 14, 2021, and May 23, 2021.

## Season 20

The twentieth season of *American Idol* debuted February 27, 2022, and May 22, 2022.

## Season 21

The twenty-first season of *American Idol* debuted February 19, 2023, and May 21, 2023.