Idol Chatter & Voice Views

ABC has to be happy with its opening night numbers for American Idol.

According to TV By the Numbers, the network’s American Idol premiere drew 10.34 million viewers and a 2.3 rating among adults 18-49.

Let’s put that in perspective. In Idol’s final season on FOX, its audience exceeded that 10.34 million total just twice — for the season premiere and the season finale, which drew about 13 million viewers.

And that 10.34 million figure is about 2 million fewer viewers than The Voice drew for its Season 14 premiere. But it’s also more viewers than watched The Voice’s blind audition episode last Tuesday night.

All of which makes tonight’s ratings battle between The Voice and Idol all the more interesting.

The shows air simultaneously, from 8 to 10 p.m. with The Voice airing its fifth set of blind auditions and Idol airing the second night of auditions.