Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Leah Marlene reacts to making the American Idol finals while Fritz Hager and Nicolina look on. (ABC Photo)

There had been thoughts that the end of Season 20 would be the appropriate time to pull the plug on the show that launched back in the summer of 2002.

But Ryan Seacrest announced on Sunday’s Top 5 show that Idol will be back in 2023.

In fact, there’s already a link on the show’s website where potential contestants can sign up for audition alerts.

And why shouldn’t Idol return?

Ratings through mid-season were holding steady with Season 19, with an audience of between 6 million and 7 million per episode.

For several Monday’s Idol went head to head with NBC’s new American Song Contest and crushed it in the rating.

Sunday’s audience dropped sharply, with a 0.6 rating among 19 to 49 years olds (compared to 1.1 for last year’s Top 5 show) and an audience of just under 5 million (compared to 7.44 in 2021).

But Idol was also going head to head with the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday.

And, hey, from this viewers’ perspective, Idol is far superior to NBC’s The Voice.

In fact, with an opportunity to sing original music and the chance to release original music mid-season and time it with your appearance on the show (see HunterGirl, Fritz Hager, Leah Marlene and former Voice contestant Allegra Miles), it’s hard to imagine artists with an option opting for The Voice over American Idol.

So far, no word on whether Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan will be back in Season 2023.