American Idol 2018
“Heading back to where it all began.”
- Status
- Returning Series
- First Aired
- March 11, 2018
- Last Aired
- April 6, 2026
- Format
- 9 seasons · 162 eps
- Highest Rated Episode
- S7E18 "718 (Grand Finale)" (★ 10/10)
- Networks
- ABC, Disney+
- Where to Stream
- Hulu
What is American Idol?
American Idol is a television series that returned to the air in 2018. The program is categorized as a reality show and carries a TV-PG rating.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 2018
- Status
- Returning Series
- Episodes
- 162
- First aired
- Mar 11, 2018
- Last aired
- Apr 6, 2026
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- US
- Networks
- ABC, Disney+
- Genres
- Reality
- Updated
At a glance
- Rating
- ★ TMDB users: 6.7/10 from 31 votes
- Format
- 9 seasons · 162 episodes
- Status
- Returning Series
- Networks
- ABC, Disney+
Where to watch in United States
Streaming availability data provided by JustWatch via TMDB. Availability changes by country and date; verify on the provider before subscribing or purchasing.
How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 162 episodes and an average 45-minute runtime.
Trailer
No official trailer is available for this title yet.
Find the trailer on YouTube ↗Overview
American Idol is a television series that returned to the air in 2018. The program is categorized as a reality show and carries a TV-PG rating. The series is described as an iconic production that revolutionized the television landscape by pioneering the music competition genre. According to promotional materials, the 2018 iteration of the show focuses on heading back to where the series all began. As a music competition, the show features contestants performing for an audience and judges, continuing the legacy of the original format that changed how television networks approached the reality genre. The series is currently available for viewers to stream. By returning to its roots, the show aims to recapture the cultural impact it established during its initial run as a groundbreaking music competition program. The 2018 version of American Idol remains a significant entry in the history of reality television, maintaining its status as a staple of the music competition format that it helped to define for modern audiences.
Should you watch it?
“The iconic singing competition returns with fresh talent and familiar faces.”
- Showcases emerging musical talent with wide appeal
- Features recognizable judges and host
- Format may feel repetitive to long-time viewers
You enjoy music competitions with emotional personal stories.
Suitable for general audiences with wholesome competition themes.
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Your verdict
Is American Idol worth watching?
Cast
Episode guide
Spoiler-Safe Browsing Progress
Season 1 · 19 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide & lore primer →- E1 Auditions Mytharc Mar 11, 2018
- E2 Auditions Core Mar 12, 2018
- E3 Auditions Core Mar 18, 2018
- E4 Auditions Core Mar 19, 2018
- E5 Auditions Core Mar 25, 2018
- E6 Hollywood Week Core Mar 26, 2018
- E7 Hollywood Week Core Apr 1, 2018
- E8 Showcase & Final Judgment Mytharc Apr 2, 2018
- E9 Top 24 Solos Core Apr 8, 2018
- E10 Top 24 Celebrity Duets Core Apr 9, 2018
- E11 Top 24 Solos Core Apr 15, 2018
- E12 Top 24 Celebrity Duets Core Apr 16, 2018
- E13 Top 14 Core Apr 22, 2018
- E14 Top 10 Reveal Core Apr 23, 2018
- E15 Disney Night Core Apr 29, 2018
- E16 Top 7 Core May 6, 2018
- E17 Top 5 Core May 13, 2018
- E18 Performance Finals Mytharc May 20, 2018
- E19 Grand Finale Mytharc May 27, 2018
Season 2 · 19 episodes
Open the complete Season 2 guide & lore primer →- E1 Auditions (1) Mytharc Mar 3, 2019
- E2 Auditions (2) Core Mar 6, 2019
- E3 Auditions (3) Core Mar 10, 2019
- E4 Auditions (4) Core Mar 17, 2019
- E5 Auditions (5) Core Mar 18, 2019
- E6 Hollywood Week (1) Core Mar 24, 2019
- E7 Hollywood Week (2) Core Mar 25, 2019
- E8 Showcase & Final Judgment Mytharc Mar 31, 2019
- E9 Top 20 Solos Core Apr 1, 2019
- E10 All-Star Duets Core Apr 7, 2019
- E11 All-Star Duets Part 2 Mytharc Apr 8, 2019
- E12 Top 14 Core Apr 14, 2019
- E13 Top 10 Reveal Core Apr 15, 2019
- E14 Disney Night Core Apr 21, 2019
- E15 Meet Your Finalists Core Apr 22, 2019
- E16 Queen Night Core Apr 28, 2019
- E17 Woodstock and Show Stoppers Core May 5, 2019
- E18 Top 5 Mytharc May 12, 2019
- E19 Grand Finale Mytharc May 19, 2019
Season 3 · 16 episodes
Open the complete Season 3 guide & lore primer →- E1 Auditions (1) Mytharc Feb 16, 2020
- E2 Auditions (2) Core Feb 23, 2020
- E3 Auditions (3) Core Mar 1, 2020
- E4 Auditions (4) Core Mar 8, 2020
- E5 Auditions (5) Core Mar 16, 2020
- E6 Hollywood Week - Genre Challenge Core Mar 16, 2020
- E7 Hollywood Week - Duets Core Mar 22, 2020
- E8 Hollywood Week - Solos Core Mar 23, 2020
- E9 Hawaii Showcase and Final Judgment (1) Mytharc Mar 29, 2020
- E10 Hawaii Showcase and Final Judgment (2) Mytharc Apr 5, 2020
- E11 This Is Me (1) Core Apr 13, 2020
- E12 This Is Me (2) Core Apr 20, 2020
- E13 On with the Show: Top 20 Sing for Your Vote Core Apr 26, 2020
- E14 On with the Show: Homeward Bound Core May 3, 2020
- E15 On with the Show: Disney / Mother's Day Mytharc May 10, 2020
- E16 On with the Show: Grand Finale Mytharc May 17, 2020
Season 4 · 19 episodes
Open the complete Season 4 guide & lore primer →- E1 401 (Auditions) Mytharc Feb 14, 2021
- E2 402 (Auditions) Core Feb 21, 2021
- E3 403 (Auditions) Core Feb 28, 2021
- E4 404 (Auditions) Core Mar 7, 2021
- E5 405 (Auditions) Core Mar 14, 2021
- E6 406 (Hollywood Week: Genre Challenge) Core Mar 21, 2021
- E7 407 (Hollywood Duets Challenge) Core Mar 22, 2021
- E8 408 (Showstopper/Final Judgment (1)) Mytharc Mar 28, 2021
- E9 409 (Showstopper/Final Judgment (2)) Mytharc Mar 29, 2021
- E10 410 (All Star Duets and Solos) Core Apr 4, 2021
- E11 411 (All Star Duets and Solos) Core Apr 5, 2021
- E12 412 (Top 16) Core Apr 11, 2021
- E13 413 (Top 12 Live Reveal) Core Apr 12, 2021
- E14 414 (Oscar Nominated Songs) Core Apr 18, 2021
- E15 415 (The Comeback) Core Apr 19, 2021
- E16 416 (Disney Night) Core May 2, 2021
- E17 417 (Coldplay Songbook & Mother's Day Dedication) Core May 9, 2021
- E18 418 (My Personal Idol/Artist Singles) Mytharc May 16, 2021
- E19 419 (Grand Finale) Mytharc May 23, 2021
Season 5 · 20 episodes
Open the complete Season 5 guide & lore primer →- E1 501 (Auditions) Mytharc Feb 27, 2022
- E2 502 (Auditions) Core Mar 6, 2022
- E3 503 (Auditions) Core Mar 13, 2022
- E4 504 (Auditions) Core Mar 20, 2022
- E5 505 (Auditions) Core Mar 21, 2022
- E6 505A (Auditions) Core Mar 27, 2022
- E7 506 (Hollywood Week: Genre Challenge) Core Mar 28, 2022
- E8 507 (Hollywood Duets Challenge) Core Apr 3, 2022
- E9 508 (Showstopper/Final Judgment) Mytharc Apr 4, 2022
- E10 509 (Top 24 at Disney's Aulani Resort in Hawaii (1)) Core Apr 10, 2022
- E11 510 (Top 24 at Disney's Aulani Resort in Hawaii (2)) Core Apr 11, 2022
- E12 511 (Season 20's Top 20) Core Apr 17, 2022
- E13 512 (Top 14 Live Reveal) Core Apr 18, 2022
- E14 513 (Top 14) Core Apr 24, 2022
- E15 514 (Judge's Song Contest) Core Apr 25, 2022
- E16 515 (Disney Night) Core May 1, 2022
- E17 516 (The Great Idol Reunion) Core May 2, 2022
- E18 517 (Top 7) Core May 8, 2022
- E19 518 (Top 5) Mytharc May 15, 2022
- E20 519 (Grand Finale) Mytharc May 22, 2022
Season 6 · 20 episodes
Open the complete Season 6 guide & lore primer →- E1 601 (Auditions) Mytharc Feb 19, 2023
- E2 602 (Auditions) Core Feb 26, 2023
- E3 603 (Auditions) Core Mar 5, 2023
- E4 603A (Auditions) Core Mar 12, 2023
- E5 604 (Auditions) Core Mar 19, 2023
- E6 605 (Auditions) Core Mar 26, 2023
- E7 606 (Hollywood Week (1)) Core Apr 2, 2023
- E8 607 (Hollywood Week (6)) Core Apr 3, 2023
- E9 608 (Showstopper/Final Judgment (1)) Mytharc Apr 9, 2023
- E10 609 (Showstopper/Final Judgment (2)) Mytharc Apr 10, 2023
- E11 610 (Top 26 at Disney's Aulani Resort in Hawaii (1)) Core Apr 16, 2023
- E12 611 (Top 26 at Disney's Aulani Resort in Hawaii (2)) Core Apr 17, 2023
- E13 612 (Top 20) Core Apr 23, 2023
- E14 613 (Top 12 Reveal!) Core Apr 24, 2023
- E15 614 (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night) Core Apr 30, 2023
- E16 615 (Judge's Song Contest) Core May 1, 2023
- E17 616 (Top 8: Alanis Morissette/Ed Sheeran) Core May 7, 2023
- E18 617 (Disney Night) Core May 14, 2023
- E19 617A (Journey to the Finale) Mytharc May 15, 2023
- E20 618 (Season Finale) Mytharc May 21, 2023
Season 7 · 18 episodes
Open the complete Season 7 guide & lore primer →- E1 701 (Auditions) Mytharc Feb 18, 2024
- E2 702 (Auditions) Core Feb 25, 2024
- E3 703 (Auditions) Core Mar 3, 2024
- E4 704 (Auditions) Core Mar 17, 2024
- E5 705 (Auditions) Core Mar 24, 2024
- E6 706 (Hollywood Week - Idol Arena) Core Mar 31, 2024
- E7 707 (Showstopper/Final Judgment) Mytharc Apr 1, 2024
- E8 708 (Top 24 at Disney's Aulani Resort in Hawaii (1)) Core Apr 7, 2024
- E9 709 (Top 24 at Disney's Aulani Resort in Hawaii (2)) Core Apr 8, 2024
- E10 710 (Top 20) Core Apr 14, 2024
- E11 711 (Top 14 Reveal) Mytharc Apr 15, 2024
- E12 712 (Rock & Roll Hall of Fame) Core Apr 21, 2024
- E13 713 (Billboard #1 Hits) Core Apr 22, 2024
- E14 714 (Shania Twain Mentors the Top 10 on Songs from Their Year of Birth) Core Apr 28, 2024
- E15 715 (Judge's Song Contest) Core Apr 29, 2024
- E16 716 (Adele Night) Core May 5, 2024
- E17 717 (Disney Night) Mytharc May 12, 2024
- E18 718 (Grand Finale) Mytharc May 19, 2024
Season 8 · 19 episodes
Open the complete Season 8 guide & lore primer →- E1 801 (Post Oscars: Auditions) Mytharc Mar 2, 2025
- E2 802 (Season Premiere: Auditions) Core Mar 9, 2025
- E3 803 (Auditions) Core Mar 16, 2025
- E4 804 (Auditions) Core Mar 23, 2025
- E5 805 (Auditions) Core Mar 30, 2025
- E6 806 (Hollywood Week: Idol Arena) Core Mar 31, 2025
- E7 807 (Hollywood Week: Showstopper) Core Apr 6, 2025
- E8 808 (Head to Head) Core Apr 7, 2025
- E9 809 (Top 24 at Disney's Aulani Resort in Hawai'i (1)) Core Apr 13, 2025
- E10 810 (Top 24 at Disney's Aulani Resort in Hawai'i (2)) Core Apr 14, 2025
- E11 811 (Songs of Faith) Core Apr 20, 2025
- E12 812 (Top 14 Reveal) Core Apr 21, 2025
- E13 813 (Rock & Roll Hall of Fame) Core Apr 27, 2025
- E14 814 (Iconic Idol Moments) Core Apr 28, 2025
- E15 815 (Ladies' Night) Core May 4, 2025
- E16 816 (Judge's Song Contest) Core May 5, 2025
- E17 817 (Disney Night #1) Core May 11, 2025
- E18 818 (Disney Night #2) Mytharc May 12, 2025
- E19 819 (Grand Finale) Mytharc May 18, 2025
Season 9 · 16 episodes
Open the complete Season 9 guide & lore primer →- E1 901 (Auditions) Mytharc Jan 26, 2026
- E2 902 (Auditions) Core Feb 2, 2026
- E3 903 (Auditions) Core Feb 9, 2026
- E4 904 (Auditions) Core Feb 16, 2026
- E5 905 (Hollywood Week in Music City (1)) Core Feb 23, 2026
- E6 906 (Hollywood Week in Music City (2)) Core Mar 2, 2026
- E7 907 ('Ohana Round) Core Mar 9, 2026
- E8 908 (Top 20 at Disney's Aulani Resort in Hawai'i (1)) Core Mar 16, 2026
- E9 909 (Top 20 at Disney's Aulani Resort in Hawai'i (2)) Core Mar 23, 2026
- E10 Songs of Faith Core Mar 30, 2026
- E11 911 (90s Judges' Song Contest) Core Apr 6, 2026
- E12 912 (Rock & Roll Hall of Fame) Core Apr 13, 2026
- E13 913 (Disney Night) Core Apr 20, 2026
- E14 914 (Celebrating Taylor Swift on American Idol) Core Apr 27, 2026
- E15 915 (Class of 2006: Reunion/Idol X DWTS) Mytharc May 4, 2026
- E16 916 (Grand Finale) Mytharc May 11, 2026
Frequently asked questions
Who hosts the show?
Ryan Seacrest returns as the main host.
When did the 2018 season air?
It premiered in March 2018.
Is this the original run of American Idol?
No, it is a revival of the earlier series.
What network airs American Idol?
It airs on ABC starting from the 2018 revival.
How many contestants compete?
Twelve finalists compete in the main contest.
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