Before the finale, it was announced that the fifteenth season would be the last of the reality show. Since the series began in 2002, it peaked in viewership at 30 million viewers per episode in 2006, slipping to 20 million viewers per episode in 2011, and down further since with an average of about 9.15 million viewers per episode in 2015.[1]
The fourteenth season of American Idol featured a number of changes to its format. Former judge Randy Jackson, who had served as a mentor on the previous season, left the show and was succeeded by Big Machine Records founder Scott Borchetta.[2] In May 2014, Ryan Seacrest signed a two-year extension to remain as host through 2016, which would be the show's final season.[3][4] Long-time sponsor Coca-Cola ended its relationship with the series, and the Ford Motor Company maintained a reduced role.[5][6]
To evaluate their ability to perform in front of a live audience, the final 48 contestants participated in a private concert at the House of BluesinWest Hollywood before being cut to 24.[5][6] Separate results shows during the top 12 rounds were discontinued in favor of a single two-hour broadcast on Wednesday nights, where the results from the previous week were revealed, similarly to So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars.[6]
A new feature was also introduced, where viewers could vote via Twitter to decide which of the bottom two singers from the previous week would advance.[7] Beginning with the top 9, the two contestants who received the lowest votes the previous week were revealed.[8] The bottom two contestants then performed in exactly the same format as the safe contestants. However, after the performances were completed, the viewers only had five minutes to vote by Twitter; the contestant with the higher vote count would be safe and the other contestant would be eliminated.[8]
The finale returned to the Dolby Theatre, where five of the first six-season finales took place.[9]
Hollywood week aired in four parts over two weeks. Contestants participated in three rounds: lines of ten, groups and solos. The judges also asked some of the most notable contestants to sing for them at the beginning of the rounds, surprising many of them, but they all advanced. After Hollywood Week, contestants performed in the Showcase round in front of a live audience at the House of BluesinLos Angeles.
The semifinals began on February 25, 2015, and were filmed at The FillmoreinDetroit, Michigan.[19] After the top 10 finalists were determined by the public vote, the judges chose two additional contestants to advance to the finals as Wild Card picks.
Color key:
This contestant was chosen by the public to advance.
This contestant was not chosen by the public, but was chosen by the judges as a Wild Card pick.
Clark Beckham (born May 15, 1992) was from White House, Tennessee.[22] Beckham sang James Brown's "It's a Man's World" during his audition. In his first solo performance in Hollywood, he sang Otis Reding's "Try a Little Tenderness". He advanced to the top 24 after he sang "Georgia on My Mind" by Ray Charles in the House of Blues Showcase.
Jax (born May 5, 1996) was from East Brunswick, New Jersey.[23] She auditioned in New York City with her rendition of the Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand". She also sang "Toxic" by Britney Spears during her first solo in Hollywood. For her final solo, she sang the Beatles' "Let it Be". She earned her spot in the Top 24 in the House of Blues Showcase after she performed Lady Gaga's "You & I."
Rayvon Owen (born June 27, 1991) was a vocal coach from Richmond, Virginia.[24] He auditioned in San Francisco with his rendition of Katy Perry's "Wide Awake." He sang "Ordinary People" by John Legend as his first solo and Otis Reding's "Try a Little Tenderness" as his final solo in Hollywood. He performed Sam Smith's "Lay Me Down" in the House of Blues Showcase, earning his spot in the semifinals.
Tyanna Jones (born August 8, 1998) was from Jacksonville, Florida. For her audition, she sang "Wings" by Little Mix. In Hollywood, she sang Olly Murs' "Dance with Me Tonight" as her first solo and "Try" by Colbie Caillat as her final solo. She performed Beyoncé's "Love on Top" in the House of Blues Showcase, earning her spot in the semifinals.
Joey Cook (born March 30, 1991) was originally from Woodbridge, Virginia, but had moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, where she auditioned with "King of Spain" by The Tallest Man on Earth. She sang Miranda Lambert's "Kerosene" as her first solo and "Across the Universe" by the Beatles as her final solo in Hollywood. She earned her spot in the top 24 after she performed "Sweet Pea" by Amos Lee in the House of Blues Showcase. Her performance of Fancy during the top 11 was well-received by the judges and earned a standing ovation from Keith Urban. She played the accordion, ukulele, banjo, and the mandolin during the course of the season.[27]
Daniel Seavey (born April 2, 1999) was from Vancouver, Washington. He sang Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and Paula Abdul's "Straight Up" during his audition in San Francisco. In Hollywood, he sang Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud" as his first solo and Sheeran's "I See Fire" as his final solo in Hollywood. He performed "Straight Up" again in the House of Blues Showcase, earning his spot in the top 24.
Adanna Duru (born October 10, 1996) was from Diamond Bar, California. She auditioned in San Francisco with Lady Gaga's "You & I." She performed "It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World" by James Brown during the House of Blues Showcase, where she got standing ovation by Jennifer Lopez and earned her spot in the Top 24.
Maddie Walker (born December 23, 1997) was from Ankeny, Iowa. She had previously auditioned in the thirteenth season, but was cut during the group round in Hollywood. She auditioned again in New York City with Gwen Sebastian's "Suitcase." She sang "Already Gone" by Sugarland as her first solo in Hollywood, and "Don't Ya" by Brett Eldredge as her final solo. During the House of Blues Showcase, she sang "Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie. She was cut during the top 24 selection, but was called back by the judges, and subsequently earned a spot in the semifinals.
Sarina-Joi Crowe (born June 27, 1995) was from Columbia, Tennessee. She had originally auditioned in the tenth season, but was cut on the last day in Hollywood. She had also auditioned in the twelfth and thirteenth seasons, where she was again cut. For her fourth appearance, she auditioned in Nashville with "Love Runs Out" by OneRepublic. She sang Jessie J's "Big White Room" in the House of Blues Showcase, where she earned her spot in the top 24.
There were eleven weeks of finals with twelve contestants competing. At least one contestant was eliminated every week based on the public's votes, although the judges could veto one elimination through the use of the "judges' save."
Color key:
This contestant was saved by America's vote.
This contestant was in the bottom two or three, but was saved by America's vote.
This contestant was saved from elimination by the judges.
This contestant was in the bottom two, but was saved from elimination by voters on Twitter.
Sarina-Joi Crowe performed "Neon Lights," but the judges chose to not save her, resulting in her elimination. Contestants are listed in the order they performed. The judges did, however, choose to use their "judges' save" when Qaasim Middleton was announced as the performer to be eliminated.
Kelly Clarkson served as a guest mentor this week. Contestants performed one song each from her discography, and are listed in the order they performed.
Daniel Seavey performed "Breakaway," but he lost the Twitter vote and was eliminated.
Martina McBride and Jay DeMarcus served as guest mentors this week. Each contestant performed two songs: one representing a judge's hometown, and one representing their own soul.[30]
Tyanna Jones sang "Only Girl (in the World)" mid-show; however, there was no longer a Twitter save, and she was automatically eliminated as having the lowest number of votes from the previous week. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
Each contestant performed three songs: one chosen by mentor Scott Borchetta, one dedicated to the finalists' hometowns, and one chosen by the judges. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
National media outlets reported on an exchange between judge Harry Connick Jr. and contestant Quentin Alexander, noting that Connick scolding a contestant was awkward.[31][32] On the live airing of the top 6 show, there were three contestants who had not been saved when Alexander was chosen. After he performed, host Ryan Seacrest noted that he appeared to be upset. When asked, Alexander responded, "This sucks, we've got two of the best vocalists, my best friend [Joey Cook] sitting over there. This whole thing is whack, but I'm going to shut up right now." Seacrest then replied that it was a competition, and with the save anything could happen. After Alexander had left the stage, Connick Jr. said, "Quentin, if it's that whack, then you can always go home, because Idol is paying a lot of money to give you this experience and for you to say that to this hand that is feeding you right now, I think is highly disrespectful." Alexander was then prompted by the producers to return to the stage, where he approached the judges and clarified that he meant the two being potentially eliminated was whack, not the show nor the experience. Later, after performing his second song, he explained, "I understand that these things are going to happen, and I just didn't want my friend to leave" and apologized.[33] Judge Jennifer Lopez empathized with Alexander's emotions running high, but said that as an artist, he would have to learn to work through that even when putting on a performance.[34] Joey Cook commented after being eliminated on Alexander's statements:
I pretty much just told him what he did was beautiful, in my opinion, and it was the perfect representation of him. Quentin is a very emotional person. He’s very 'all cards on the table.' There is no sugar coating. He doesn’t hide his emotions. He’s honest. He’s a raw human being, and I think what happened last night was the perfect example of that and how emotional of a person he is.[35]
The producers played up the exchange in what Music Times termed "what seemed like shady circumstances" to replay the incident throughout the week in show promos and at the beginning of the top 5 show.[36][37]AnIdol source also stated that for fairness purposes, the judges and contestants had a strict wall of silence between them and only interact onstage so Connick Jr. and Alexander have not had contact since last week.[36] Alexander was eliminated the following week with what Music Times questioned as possibly the first time American Idol "went into an episode with what seemed to be a very clear agenda."[38]Yahoo's managing editor Lyndsey Parker detailed many points that she argued was American Idol "throwing Quentin Alexander under the tour bus" referring to the idiom of "throwing [someone] under the bus" by sacrificing a friend as the show heavily promoted the summer tour, which only guaranteed that the top five finalists would be included.[39] Included in her critique was that the show had aired the promotional video featuring the confrontation, which she characterized as "misleadingly edited" to boost ratings.[40] She also wrote:
Throughout the evening, almost all of the contestants were lavishly praised, even though two of them actually messed up, one of them made a questionable lyrical change, and several of them had obvious pitch issues. Quentin’s perfectly solid “Light My Fire” received one of only two negative critiques among the night’s dozen performances, and undeservedly so.
Parker also referenced a "backhanded and unflattering" exchange from Connick Jr. insinuating that Alexander needed Auto-Tune.[39] She also noted that the "fan save" via Twitter was handled uniquely in that contestant Rayvon Owen didn't have a replay or critique until after a commercial break, while Alexander did not get the same treatment, and host Ryan Seacrest claimed Alexander had muttered "I give up," to which Alexander had to clarify that he had actually said, "I give it up."[39]USA Today echoed the sentiment stating that the awkward moments probably led to his elimination.[41]
The season premiere was watched by 11.2 million viewers; down 25% from the thirteenth season's premiere (which had an audience of 15.19 million viewers). However, it was up 6.3% from the thirteenth season's finale (which had an audience of 10.53 million viewers), the second time in the show's history[citation needed]. Currently, the most-viewed episode this season was the "Minneapolis Auditions," which aired on January 21, 2015, and the episode with the fewest viewers tuning in was the "Top 7 Perform: Billboard Hits," which aired on April 8, 2015. This episode now takes the top spot as the least-viewed and worst-rated American Idol episode ever, with 6.58 viewers. The title was previously held by the thirteenth season's "The Final 2," which was watched by 6.76 million viewers on May 20, 2014.[42][43] The average viewership in millions for the audition episodes was 10.84. The "Top 10 Perform: Movie Night" episode was moved to Thursday night, to make way for the two-hour finale of Empire. This season, there was a two part finale, with the first of two parts airing on Tuesday, May 12, 2015, at 9/8c. The second of the two-part-finale aired on Wednesday, May 13, 2015, at 8/7c.[44]
