How 'American Idol' Has Struggled With the Right Age Limit

'American Idol's age limit today looks quite a bit different from its range back in the original season. Here's who can compete today. All the way back in 2002, American Idol was just getting started. The very first winner was Kelly Clarkson who, today, is 39 years old and who was just 20 back then.

'American Idol's age limit as of late seems rather somewhat other from its vary again in the unique season. Here's who can compete as of late.

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All the long ago in 2002, American Idol used to be simply getting started. The first actual winner used to be Kelly Clarkson who, nowadays, is 39 years old and who used to be simply 20 back then. The singer took the world by hurricane and kicked off a protracted song, movie, and television career. The first season additionally solidified American Idol as the largest making a song competition on TV and it successfully modified how festival shows work. It actually used to be the first of its sort.

But the 2002 American Idol appears somewhat somewhat other from the 2020 American Idol and a big explanation why for that's the age limit change. The contestants who're auditioning today won't have been ready to in that first season.

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The age limit on 'American Idol' has modified a lot, creating the limit we now have in 2020.

When American Idol first began, the handiest people who could audition were between the ages of 16 and 24. This vary lasted until the finish of the first three seasons of the show. After that, the resolution was once made to raise it to 28. However, it used to be raised pretty grudgingly and Fox's programming chief at the time, Gail Berman, told the Television Critics Association that she didn't see the good thing about elevating it upper than 28.

"I’m sure there are people who are tremendously talented above that but we’re talking about people who hope to have pop careers afterwards,” she said. 

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In 2010, the lower age limit was also changed. Instead of only allowing kids 16 and up, they would start allowing 15-year-olds as well. The change started in Season 10 and many believed it was strange timing. It was a common complaint during the prior season that some of the teen competitors were unprofessional or simply could not connect with the music much because of a lack of life experience.

However, many outlets chalked it up to the "Justin Bieber effect." At the time, the young singer was topping the charts at barely 16 years old, but had been making waves since he signed to Island Records at just 14. It would make sense for American Idol, which, as Gail admits, is about finding someone who can have a successful pop career, to do all they can to mimic the success of other pop stars.

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How has the new age limit labored out for 'American Idol'?

Honestly, it hasn't had an excessive amount of of an effect. Between Season Four and Season 9, the age limits have been between 16 and 28. At their time of profitable, only two winners were between the outdated age limit of 24 and the new one among 28: Taylor Hicks and David Cook, neither of which went directly to have the enduring pop profession Gail wanted. 

Nick Fradiani won Season 14 at the age of 29 and Trent Harmon gained Season 15 at the age of 26. The age limits at the time in their wins have been the present limits of 15 to twenty-eight.

After the age limit was diminished to fifteen, the average age of the winners stayed nearly the very same. Prior to Season 10, the average age used to be about 22 and a half. After Season 10, the average used to be about 22 and a quarter. Jordin Sparks recently ranks as the youngest winner at the age of 17 and her season happened earlier than the age lower even happened.

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