It started with Simon, and has ended with five incredible champions (such as first-ever winner Kelly Clarkson, below) and dozens of tremendously talented finalists.
We're not talking about critical host Simon Cowell, either -- at least not entirely. American Idol was created by Simon Fuller, manager of the Spice Girls and other pop stars, developed by Simon Jones of Thames Television, and co-directed by Nigel Lythgoe (of Survivor fame). Their collaborations have resulted in one of the biggest things to ever hit American television, if not the biggest.
As you all know, the show is hosted by Ryan Seacrest, and begins with many hopeful contestants being screened by preliminary panels to be selected for singing talent and human interest.
Those who pass the preliminary stages must impress three main judges -- Cowell (who also served as a judge on Pop Idol, the UK Series from which American Idol is derived), Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson -- in select U.S. cities.
Once the lucky competitions make it to Hollywood, the three judges then whittle down the initial field further, trimming several hundred down to a mere 24. Eventually, the field is pared down to the Final 12, and that's when the action really gets good.
The finals, which last 11 weeks, involve each finalist performing a song (or two, in later rounds) live, in prime time, from a weekly theme at CBS Television City in Los Angeles.
When the field is down to three, themes are no longer used and contestants then must sing three songs -- one of their own choice, one chosen by the judges, and one chosen by record executive Clive Davis. Each week on the "results" episode that comes a night after the performances, the singer with the fewest votes is sent home. The bottom three vote-getters are singled out, with two ultimately learning they are safe, and the loser performing a farewell song upon being shown the door.
In our synopsis of each season (coming soon), you can relive the drama from the early rounds to the very end, as five incredible champions are crowned and countless other memories created. Follow along with us as we build the most comprehensive American Idol site on the web, and pay tribute to the performers who have touched our lives in so many ways since the fall of 2002.
We strive to make American Idol Worship the ultimate fan site for fellow Idol worshippers, and will be adding lyrics, bios, fun features and other components to complement our running news blog. Drop us a line if you are interested in helping us add content. Or just to let us know how we're doing.
