During its 18-year run, American Idol has maintained its status as the most popular singing competition in the world. The singing competition, which is a remake of a similar British show named Pop Idol, aired on FOX for a number of years before switching to ABC.
The show has been praised for launching the careers of many singers. According to Billboard Magazine, 345 songs composed by former American Idol contestants have appeared in Billboard Charts over the years. Here are some interesting details about the singing competition you never knew.
Contestants Don't Just Pick Any Song
Given that contestants don't sing their own songs, one would imagine that they get to pick the song they want. That isn't the case. For legal reasons, as well as to keep up with the theme of the show, the producers get to decide which songs are sung.
According to season 13 contestant Majesty Rose, everyone learns about the next theme, then they are given a CD with about 50 songs that they can choose from. If a contestant doesn't like any of them... well, they'll have to pick one anyway!
What If Two Contestants Pick The Same Song?
Once in a while, there's an unexpected dilemma where two contestants get to choose the same songs from the batch of 50. That's a big problem! So, how is it solved?
According to season seven contestant David Hernadez, this is settled the traditional way. A hat is drawn to determine who Lady Luck will favor. The unlucky person is thus left with no choice but to pick a different song.
Simon Cowell Needed Bodyguards
At first, Simon Cowell—who has been around since the first season—drew serious hate. His tendency to give harsh judgment didn't sit well with some of the viewers, especially if it was their favorite contestant being targeted. In the first season, he was sent a couple of death threats. Some appeared very serious, so the studio had to take action.
An entire security team was hired to watch over the judge whenever he was in public. Producer Nigel Lythgoe stated that someone once threatened to assault Cowell with a baseball bat in New York.
Are The Terrible Singers Real?
One thing viewers have noted is that there are always some really bad singers on the show. Some have even speculated that these are actors. Apparently not. It's all a strategy for the producers
Apparently, the producers pick the very best singers, as well as the very bad ones. This way, judges like Cowell end up having a field day lambasting the terrible ones, while the softer judges heap praises on the good ones. As one might imagine, it's also good for the show's ratings.
The Mariah Carey And Nicki Minaj Feud
At one point, someone decided it was a good idea to get both Mariah Carey as judges. The two ended up in a major feud that made plenty of headlines. Given Nicki's nature, everyone thought it was her who started it, but apparently, Mariah was the culprit.
Mariah claimed that Nicki threatened her with a weapon, so she had to high more security guards. Nicki, on the other hand, stated that the feud happened because Mariah was being too much of a diva, and she didn't like it. A producer backed Nicki's claims.
Things Aren't As Brief As They Seem
On TV, everything happens so quickly and seamlessly. Viewers might think that this is exactly the way the show was shot, but that isn't the case. What viewers see are just tidbits that have been expertly edited before being merged to make an episode.
Behind the scenes, taping takes several hours coupled with numerous takes. A single episode takes a full da to complete, and, by the end of it all, everyone is completely exhausted.
Rehearsals Happen On Weekends
People who love to relax on weekends should probably not audition for American Idols. This is because weekends tend to be even busier than weekdays.
Contestants are normally required to do intense rehearsals on Saturdays and Sundays—and it doesn't end there! On the day they are expected to perform, they still do three rehearsals. But, rehearsals aren't the only thing they do. They have to go through sessions with voice coaches and choose costumes, as well.
The Crowd Isn't That Large
According to in-house musical mentor Bobby Bones, the audience isn't usually as big as it appears on TV. The stage is quite big, while the people are crammed together and placed closer to the stage.
As a result, it looks like there is a really large crowd, but its just a small number of people. Bobby Bones also stated that the judges tend to be quite close to the performers, too, and it gets a bit too intimidating for the performers. Part of his job is to help them clear their nerves.
Not Every Audition Is Aired On TV
Apparently, some of the singers don't get featured on TV. They only appear in front of the judges and do their best. The reason for this is because the potential contestants are numerous, yet, TV time is limited, so not everyone can be included.
The downside of a potential contestant not appearing on TV is that they won't be put in a position to get fan votes. Their fate mostly depends on the judges.
Some Of The Contestants End Up Dating
Caleb Lee Hutchinson and Maddie Poppe are the most recent popular couple to have emerged from the show. The pressures related to performing and rehearsals tend to bring the contestants much closer. As a result, some of them leave as couples.
Most contestants that come on the show are young and unmarried, too, so the desire to hookup is high. Add to that the fact that they stay together in a single hotel, and you have something close to a reality TV dating show. Other contestants like Cade and Gabby also ended up seeing each other.