The original American Idol judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson at the Fox 2002 SummerTCA Tour the year the show launched. Known for his blunt critiques and brutal honestly, Simon Cowell remained until Season 9. Abdul appeared on Seasons 1-8 before moving on to judge on The X Factor.

Find out if American Idol's Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie's will return as judges for season 24 of the ABC singing competition series, set to premiere in 2026.

Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie will return as “American Idol” judges in the singing competition’s 24th season, coming to ABC and Hulu in 2026. This particular trio debuted in this year’s Season 23,