Idol Chatter & Voice Views

American Idol judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie are all returning for Season 17 (ABC Photo)

And perhaps the most interesting tidbit is the fact that anyone within the age range is eligible but the Top 10 finishers from the first season of Idol on ABC.

That means young powerhouse singers like Mara Justine and Alyssa Raghu could potentially return to compete again next spring.

So could popular male singers like Garrett Jacobs, Jonny Brenns and Laine Hardy.

Not to mention lots of other familiar faces.

And that marks a pretty drastic change from FOX’s old eligibility rules. At one point, anyone who made the semifinals was ineligible to return.

But times — and the competition for singing show talent — have changed a bit, haven’t they?

As for the bus tour auditions, they kick off with simultaneous Aug. 25 stops in San Diego on the West Coast and Orlando on the East Coast.

To compete, you must be between 15 and 28 (born between June 2, 1989 and Jun 1, 2003). Here are the eligibility requirements.

And if none of the audition sites are convenient, you can also audition online.

Here’s the complete list of the bus tour stops.

Orlando, FL – August 25
San Diego, CA – August 25
Chattanooga, TN – August 28
Scottsdale, AZ – August 28
Charlotte, NC – August 31
Albuquerque, NM – August 31
Seattle, WA – August 31
Boise, ID – September 2
Richmond, VA – September 3
Plano, TX – September 3
Houston, TX – September 4
Austin, TX – September 6
Philadelphia, PA – September 6
Oklahoma City, OK – September 6
Buffalo, NY – September 9
Kansas City, MO – September 9
Shreveport, LA – September 9
Columbus, OH – September 12
Little Rock, AR – September 12
Charleston, WV – September 15