May 11, 2015

Fox announced today that American Idol will be ending its run after Season 15. The singing competition changed the television landscape after its 2002 premiere, becoming a flagship series for the network and dominating in the ratings for most of its years on the air. It re-invigorated the popularity of prime time talent competitions, resulting in countless attempts by other networks - including Fox itself - to duplicate its success. Most failed to make a similar impact, while others - namely NBC's The Voice - have overtaken Idol and continue to draw strong ratings. 

Only Ryan Seacrest remains as a recognizable face from the early days of the show. The inital judging panel of Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul have long since departed, leaving a revolving door of judges that have failed to resonate with viewers the same way the first three did. The current panel of judges - Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Lopez, and Keith Urban - will be returning for the 15th and final season.