American Idol has officially given up, in what could very well be the last season. Audition numbers were the lowest they’ve ever had, especially in San Fransisco, which saw only 1,000 auditioners. Cities used to draw between 10 and 20K, and now no one wants to be on Idol. Initially, the idea of a panel of judges featuring former contestants Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Adam Lambert, and Clay Aiken seemed to be the right decision, but everything was cancelled when Kelly Clarkson turned down the gig.
Instead, they have resigned Keith Urban, brought back the useless Jennifer Lopez, and added the annoying Will I Am (another judge who can’t actually sing without autotune).
The only potential saving grace is that they have allowed contestants to audition with a guitar, if they choose. This could bring back the successful “white guy with guitar” format that worked well for several seasons, churning out bland male singers.
I don’t think Idol can go on for much longer. This judging panel isn’t going to work, and won’t bring any new faces to Idol (or bring people back).