American Idol debuts its new 2020 season today. Want to live-stream or record the show? Curious about the judges who will ultimately choose what will be the eighteenth winner of American Idol?
From whether Ryan Seacrest is set to return as host to what to anticipate, we’ve got your American Idol 2020 new season details here.
Host famed for his ‘THIS is American Idol!’ greeting returns with these judges
Ryan Seacrest was just beginning his career when he was tapped to host American Idol, years before Kelly Ripa and Ryan became household names.
Now, nobody does it better when it comes to that proud declaration with which Seacrest opens the show each season, “THIS is American Idol!”
In contrast to Ryan’s steadfast presence, judges have come and gone through the years. American Idol has even changed networks, now airing on ABC.
For American Idol 2020, Season 18 of the singing competition show is using the slogan, “There are singers, then there are idols.”
And there also are the celebrities who judge which singers have the potential to become idols. Returning again are Katie Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie.
In addition, Bobby Bones will return as the mentor for the hopeful contestants.
Who has won American Idol in previous seasons and what have they achieved?
One of the challenges for American Idol winners is turning their 15 minutes of fame into a long-term career.
Among the past winners who have overcome that challenge are Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Katharine McPhee, Jordin Sparks, Adam Lambert, and Chris Daughtry.
Altogether, previous American Idol contestants have won 13 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and one Academy Award. They are responsible for more than 61 million album sales, 47 Platinum records, 95 Gold records, 444 Billboard No. 1 hits, and 257 million digital downloads.
How and when to live-stream or record American Idol 2020 new season
Now in its third season on ABC and its eighteenth season overall, American Idol 2020 debuts Sunday, February 16, at 8/7c.
This season will include a garbage collector who has no singing experience and a subway performer from Harlem, according to Parade magazine.
Everything. Is. Possible. TONIGHT. Watch the #AmericanIdol premiere at 8|7c on ABC. https://t.co/60l4CgwZDX
— American Idol (@AmericanIdol) February 16, 2020
The show’s premiere will last two hours, visiting cities from the East Coast to the West Coast. As the judges listen to contestants from Savannah, Georgia; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles, California, and more, they will hope to find the singer worthy of becoming the American Idol of 2020.
To watch live, go to ABC or the ABC app. American Idol also can be streamed from ABC.com or watched on Hulu.
Could an American Idol reunion ever happen on TV?
Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson have stayed in touch with the former American Idol, who has since become a country superstar. However, Carrie admitted that she had “never seen them together since I was on the show, but that’s pretty incredible.”
In 2004, Carrie sang Bonnie Raitt’s I Can’t Make You Love Me for her American Idol audition.
Is there a future Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, or Jennifer Hudson in this season’s crop of contestants? Not even Simon Cowell knows for sure.