Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie are the current American Idol judges while Ryan Seacrest is the host.
The three judges have demonstrated to the world how well they get along with one another over the years. Lionel said the following during a GMA interview: "But over the years now, we trust each other to the point where we kind of know what we're thinking and where we're going with this." "And then we're finding talent where we can challenge ourselves because we now say, that was great for last year, but not great for this year." "Bump it up a little bit; keep it going."
The show's original host since its inception in 2002, Ryan Seacrest, will take the reins once more. "The season is going to be really great," Ryan said, while discussing American Idol 2023. "We found some great contestants, a lot of country singers, as one might expect." However, judges for American Idol have included Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi, Ellen DeGeneres, Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj, Keith Urban, and Harry Connick Jr. over the years, excluding the current judges.
What is the chronology of judges on American Idol?
The Pop Idol format of the show originally called for four judges; however, only three judges—Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell—had been found by the time of the audition round in the first season. Stryker, a radio DJ, was initially selected as a fourth judge but withdrew due to "image concerns."
The second season's fourth judge, New York radio host Angie Martinez, resigned after just a few days of auditions because she didn't feel comfortable offering criticism. The decision was made to stick with the three-judge format through the eighth season of the show. For eight seasons, all three original judges remained on the jury.
Kara DioGuardi, a singer-songwriter and record producer nominated for a Latin Grammy Award, was added as a fourth judge in the eighth season. Abdul left the show in 2009 after the eighth season because she and the producers could not come to an agreement.
For the ninth season, Abdul was replaced by Emmy Award-winning talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, who nevertheless quit after just one season in 2010. Cowell left the show in 2010 in order to premiere "The X Factor" in the United States in 2011. The sole judge from the ninth season to participate in the tenth was Jackson.
Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez joined the judging panel in the tenth season, but they both left after just two seasons in 2012. The only judge from the eleventh season to participate in the twelfth was Jackson. In the twelfth season, Jackson was joined by Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj, and Keith Urban, who took their places as judges. The only judge from the 12th season to serve as a judge in the 13th season was Urban, and Lopez and his former coach Harry Connick Jr. returned for the thirteenth season of American Idol. Following this, Lopez, Urban, and Connick Jr. continued to appear on the show up until its cancellation in 2016 after its fifteenth season.
Since American Idol returned to ABC in 2018, the show's sixteenth season, Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie have presided as judges.
The Judges for American Idol in 2023 are as follows:
Lionel Richie
Since his debut on the panel in 2018, Lionel Richie has served on the American Idol judging panel for five seasons. The legendary musician, known for his sophisticated and kind remarks, always gives the contestants sage advice. Richie gained notoriety in the 1970s as the co-lead singer of the “Commodores.”
He was regarded as Motown royalty and was instrumental in renaming American pop alongside Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, and Michael Jackson. His four-time Grammy Award-winning songs are "Easy," and others include "Sail On," "Three Times a Lady," and "Still."
Luke Bryan
Luke Bryan, a country music star, joined Perry and Richie in their return for American Idol's 20th season. His warm demeanor and encouraging comments reassure the contestants, and his fellow judges enjoy his entertaining company.
Bryan established himself in country music before joining American Idol. 23 of his first nine albums featured number-one hits, and over the course of his illustrious career, he has won more than 50 awards. "Country Girl (Shake It for Me)," "Drink a Beer," and "Drunk on You" are a few of his biggest hits.
Katy Perry
In the past, Perry has spoken candidly about how the procedure makes her think of her own musical journey and how the hopeful contestants who audition inspire her. She participated as a guest judge in Season 9 before officially joining the panel of judges on American Idol.
Before making her judging debut, the singer released the number-one singles "I Kissed a Girl," "Teenage Dream," "Roar," and "Dark Horse." For another thrilling contest, Perry joined Bryan and Richie on the dais for American Idol's 20th season.
