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Day 6

American Idol's swan song: how the show influenced pop culture

On Thursday, American Idol called it quits after 15 seasons. Now that the curtain has finally fallen, music critics Maura Johnston & Spencer Kornhaber join Brent for a look back at the show's influence and legacy.
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Host Ryan Seacrest, left, interviews Trent Harmon, right, who won out over La'Porsha Renae, centre, in the final season of American Idol. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Day 614:22American Idol's swan song: How the show influenced pop music

On Thursday, the lights dimmed on the American Idol stage for the last time after 15 seasons. 

The legendary reality TV show had its ups and downs in its decade-and-a-half-long run, but its influence on pop culture was undeniable. The show counts formidable stars Kelly Clarkson, Adam Lambert, Carrie Underwood and Jennifer Hudson among its 168 finalists. 

Kelly Clarkson, one of the American Idol's best-known winners, went on to critical acclaim and massive commercial success.

Over the years, it spawned countless spinoffs, including popular shows like X-Factor and The Voice. At its peak, the show drew in 122 million votes each week. 

Music critics Maura Johnston and Spencer Kornhaber, a staff writer with The Atlantic, have been following the show's trajectory since Kelly Clarkson took the top prize back in 2002.

"At the beginning, [Idol] was very — to borrow a term from Simon Cowell — 'cruise ship,'" Johnston recalls.

The original American Idol judges, from left: Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. ((Ray Mickshaw/Associated Press))

But over time, she says, the disco-era tunes and throwback themes that dominated the early seasons were replaced with contemporary hits from stars like Lady Gaga.

Over the years, the show's ratings dropped significantly. Kornhaber says the rise of platforms like YouTube and Soundcloud may have contributed to its decline.

"Nowadays you don't necessarily need to get scooped up by a TV show or even by a major label to find a lot of fans," he says.

Former show judge Keith Urban and former contestant Carrie Underwood, both country music stars, duet during the show's 2016 finale. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Still, this might not be the end for American Idol.

The show's creators are already hinting at a possible comeback. Kornhaber and Johnston agree it's definitely in the cards — and they predict it won't be long before TV executives try to revive the show.

"With the way that Hollywood keeps repackaging nostalgia, it seems like they're going to let it go away for a couple years and then viewers will start to miss it and so will TV executives who miss the ratings," says Kornhaber.

In the meantime, you can get your Idol fix with these highlights from the show's 15-year run. And listen to the audio above to hear Yahoo music editor Lyndsey Parker, reflecting on some of the show's most memorable moments.


 

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