'AMERICAN IDOL' RENEWED FOR LANDMARK 25TH SEASON ON ABC AND DISNEY+

Live Virtual Audition Tour 'Idol Across America' Begins Tuesday, Aug. 25

· "American Idol," the iconic series that revolutionized the television landscape by pioneering the music competition genre, returns for a monumental 25th season.

· The search for a superstar begins when "American Idol" premieres next year on ABC and streams next day on Disney+ and Hulu. Once live shows begin, episodes will also stream live on Disney+.

· Season 25 auditions kick off Tuesday, Aug. 25, with the return of "Idol Across America," the live virtual nationwide search for the next superstar, taking place across all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. Those auditioning will be given the opportunity to showcase their talents face-to-face with an "American Idol" producer, from anywhere in America, across any official audition date for a chance to proceed to the judge auditions. Contenders will also be allowed to audition during open-call dates, and auditions will be open worldwide to all those eligible.

· "Idol Across America" auditions will be held as follows (subject to change):
· VIP Day (Aug. 25): Only the first 250 singers who register will secure a spot for their chance to become the next Idol! Once all spots are claimed, registration for this date closes.
· Florida, Michigan, Virginia, West Virginia (Aug. 26)
· Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania (Aug. 27)
· The South Open Call (Aug. 31)
· Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin (Sept. 1)
· Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Washington (Sept. 2)
· Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas (Sept. 8)
· Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming (Sept. 9)
· Nationwide Open Call (Sept. 11)
· East Coast Open Call (Sept. 14)
· Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina (Sept. 16)
· Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont (Sept. 18)
· West and Midwest Open Call (Sept. 21)
· Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi (Sept. 23)
· Delaware; Maryland; Ohio; Washington, D.C.; Rhode Island; Massachusetts (Sept. 25)
· Nationwide Open Call (Sept. 28)

· For information on how to sign up for "Idol Across America" and to register to virtually audition in front of an "American Idol" producer, please visit americanidol.com/auditions. Contenders may audition on any "Idol Across America" date, regardless of location. For full eligibility requirements, details on specific dates, submission forms, and terms and conditions, please visit the website. For a promotional audition graphic, click HERE.

· Must be 15 years or older by Feb. 15, 2027, to audition.

· Video auditions will be accepted if you cannot attend your state's specific date.

· "American Idol" Season 24 kicked off earlier this year with the show's biggest season premiere in four years (6.22 million Total Viewers), and with its move to once-a-week Monday night episodes, "Idol" had its best Monday performance among Total Viewers in four years - since the 2021-2022 Season.

· The "American Idol" Season 24 finale is the No. 1 reality episode in primetime year-to-date 2026, earning 3.2 million interactions. Year-to-date, the series claims nine of the Top 10 most-social reality episodes in primetime and remains the most-social reality series in primetime, averaging 1.1 million interactions per episode.

· On background, additional details on the host and judges will be shared at a later date.

· "American Idol" is produced by Fremantle and 19 Entertainment, a part of Sony Pictures Television.

· Follow "American Idol" (#TheNextIdol) on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, Threads and YouTube.

Source: Nielsen National Live+Same Day Big Data Plus Panel Program Ratings for 1/26/26 and the 2025/2026 Season. Comparisons starting with the 2024/2025 Season are based on Big Data Plus Panel, while prior years are Panel Only.

Source: Talkwalker Social Content Ratings; Based on total linear interactions across primetime entertainment series; Excludes sports and wrestling programs; 1/1/26-7/22/26.