Imagine that it is 2002, and everyone around you is glued to the TV because of one intense reality show; American Idol.  This is a singing competition that thousands upon thousands audition for every year, hoping to earn that golden ticket that will take them to the next round. This show had the best judges a reality show could hope for; Simon Cowell, the rude British judge, Paula Abdul, the retired 80s pop star, and Randy Jackson, a producer that likes to compare everything to doghouses. And, of course, the show wouldn’t be complete without its host- Ryan Seacrest.

Yet it seems that nowadays, American Idol, for the most part, has been largely ignored by the public. No longer is it the highlight of the conversation on a Wednesday morning after contestants have been eliminated, or even at the start of auditions.  Could it be because of the replacements of the judges Cowell and Abdul by Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler? Or that the younger generation just doesn’t care anymore? The evolution of American Idol has both positive and negative effects, and has developed some competition.

One of the saddest moments of Idol was when judges Cowell and Abdul left the show, leaving Randy Jackson as the only original member of the panel left. There have been other judges, such as Kara DioGuardi and Ellen DeGeneres, but now music stars Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler have taken to the panel. Senior Sarah Adams said “Simon was the best. I like Randy, I like JLo, but I don’t like Steven Tyler.”

Not only have the judges changed, but the viewers have changed as well.  According to Brad Adgate of Horizon Media, the average age for Idol viewers in 2011 was around 45, which is a lot older than the actual contestants on the show. The typical Idol  fan seems to get getting older and older, starting at about 31 when the show first started in 2002. The younger generation seem to be more preoccupied with life based reality television, such as Jersey Shore and Teen Mom.

As of late,American Idol has been competing for its viewers with other singing competition television shows.. The X Factor has migrated from the UK to the United States, and The Voice has also entered the singing competition guild. The different shows play on things that Idol lacks, for instance, having a singing group, and each judge having a “team”, instead of the judges changing their favorites each week. This could be more appealing to viewers, and stealing them away from American Idol.

So could American Idol make a comeback? Absolutely. It is still one of the most watched television shows in America. Even though the show has changed so much, junior Taylor Eckstrom said, “I think the auditions are just as funny.”

Is this the end of the journey for American Idol? What was at one point America’s most loved show may not make it to the next round.