American Idol first debuted in 2002 and was an instant success. Its success was so enormous that the show remained either in kickoff or second position in ratings for the next decade. No show could come up shut to American Idol in popularity until the early 2010s, afterward which its diminishing popularity led to its cancellation. All the same, the show was brought back recently and has seen good ratings. Part of why American Idol was and then insanely popular was considering it was such an interactive show. The people had the voting power to decide who became the next American Idol and this gave them motivation to tune in.

The other reason why the testify took off was due to the judges, whose chemistry contributed to devoted viewers. These things combined brought forward a number of rules for the people on the bear witness. There is a long listing of rules you lot demand to adhere to if yous want to exist a contestant on American Idol, many of which people aren't aware of since they're not openly spoken of on the show. Information technology takes all these rules gelling together for American Idol to be seamless for the most part, although controversies accept been caused due to the fact that the rules accept been broken before.

At present that American Idol is dorsum on air for the foreseeable future, it'll exist wise for y'all as a potential contestant to brush up on the rules you need to know if you lot want to be featured. And if you're a loyal viewer, so let'southward see if you are aware of these rules contestants need to follow.

25 Contestants Have To Exist Betwixt Ages 15 And 28

In our minds, people born in 1991 are still very young while those born in 2004 are pretty much babies. Well, that's non really the case since the onetime is the oldest birth year i can be to be eligible for American Idol while the latter is the youngest birth year you can be to audition! That'south because the age window is strictly from 15 to 28. Everyone older or younger has no chance being on American Idol no affair how much they want it.

24 Need More Than 50-percent Of Judges' Approval

The evidence ordinarily has a three-judge panel so your mind doesn't wander over much to the fact that a 50-per centum approval from judges is really a failure. Getting two judges to say Yes to you isn't plenty as a four-panel will adjure. When you lot've got four judges, the contestants demand at least three Yeses. This means for those who get four judges, they'll need to put in an extra noteworthy functioning because yous're shooting to impress more people. 2 out of four judges means you lot're out.

23 Await All Day For Your Turn

Practice yous call up Carrie Underwood or Kelly Clarkson accept to look in line for anything? No, but they very well did when they were unknowns and auditioned for American Idol like everybody else. With thousands of people auditioning daily, there's bound to be a very long wait, and yous can't exercise anything else other than wait for your turn. Call up of information technology as the cost for fame. You're going to detest waiting for hours on end for something where you might exist rejected, but that's function and parcel of the evidence'southward format.

22 Tin't Re-audience Once Rejected

Someone trying to exist too smart might get this idea popping in their heads. Later on all, it might audio uncomplicated to dupe everyone past showing upward for another audience in a unlike city. Well, we're here to tell you that's not an pick. In one case you lot've been set up for an audition, your proper name is locked in for that year. If yous exercise endeavour to snag in an audition in another city, your name volition show up in their database, thereby revealing your deception.

21 Appearance Is A Gene, Non Only Talent

We all want to exist appreciated for our talents and not on how we appear, which is something we accept no control over, but American Idol is such that the audience process does take into consideration your selling point every bit far equally image is considered.

25-per centum of the judges' decision is based on how the contestant looks. You can even find audience clips where the judges take shots at the expense of the person auditioning by saying they only don't have the kind of await America will become behind. It's harsh, just that's just the way things are.

20 Have To Exist US Residents

This should be adequately self-explanatory, simply if it didn't strike you before, here's us reminding you about it. Since the show'southward called American Idol, you should've gotten the hint that the person auditioning should exist a US resident.

At that place'due south no way you get a visit visa to the The states and expect to get in the prove. In social club to qualify, you demand to be living in the US at the time of the audition. And so, for all those coming from away, that'southward something y'all demand to know.

19 Cannot Be Involved With The Judges

Dorsum in 2002, contestant Corey Clark, according to him, had a hush-hush relationship with judge Paula Abdul. He revealed this 2 years subsequently, and upon this claim the bear witness began inquiries against Abdul.

While the result was that Clark's claims weren't strong enough, it was plenty proof that the show doesn't condone contestant-estimate relationships. If you're a contestant, or even a approximate, being involved in any kind of romantic relationship is a severe no-no that'll get you butterfingers – in the instance of a gauge, fired – immediately.

18 Cannot re-audience If Y'all Reached Later Stages

Can you lot remember the faces of those people who don't get to the phase where they're performing in forepart of the audiences and Goggle box? The reply'due south no, which means these people aren't recognizable to the point that coming back the side by side year will be a problem.

However, for those who do accomplish the afterwards stages, they are immediately disqualified the next year from auditioning again. It makes sense also, since these people already are recognizable and about likely accept a fan following that can influence voters. Plus, then everyone's going to be re-auditioning.

17 Cannot Have A Recording Contract By Semi-Finals

Since the bear witness is about a person reaching distinction by winning a singing contest that launches their career, it makes sense that yous can't be in disharmonize with another recording studio.

At first, the catch for auditioning in American Idol was that you can't have a recording company contract at all, but this was later changed to utilise to merely those who reach the semi-concluding phase. This too makes sense since those who get eliminated beforehand would exist at a disadvantage if they cut their recording deals for a show that ultimately rejects them too soon.

16 Tin't Be A Candidate For Public Office

If yous're running for public function, then you clearly have a political career that's going places. So, our question is, why on Globe practice you desire to audience for American Idol, then? The show removes the need for whatever questions equally those who are in this position are butterfingers from inbound. If you think that'southward unfair so imagine someone who'south in a position of ability and influence deserting their post to go and sing along with a bunch of youngsters; does that sound ridiculous or non?

fifteen Have To Audition For Producers Before Judges

There are many people you lot watch in auditions and find them and so horrible that you wonder if the show'southward rigged in these stages. Well, it could exist worse and people fifty-fifty more than untalented can testify up if the producers don't intervene. The process for auditioning before the judges is really preceded past a mini-audition in front of producers for the bear witness. These people judge if you're skilful enough for the judges and won't only waste fourth dimension and the photographic camera's picture show.

14 Can Be Eliminated At Any Time

You may be thinking past any fourth dimension we mean whatsoever time on the show, merely it's the opposite. American Idol has the right to eliminate you for any kind of breach they experience is against the show's rules. And by being eliminated at any point, we actually hateful you lot can be eliminated just almost whenever the show's producers desire. This likewise means you won't be going to the phase one last time; it'due south curtains for your time on the testify and time to pack your bags and exit.

13 Progression Is Dependent On Judges Until Semi-Finals

This signal passes past people sometimes seeing that the judges offer their critique correct until the very end, but their function is in fact only up until the semi-finals. Once you're through to that stage, you're no longer dependent on the judges to progress. Of course, this also means that you lot're completely at the mercy of these judges before you get to this betoken. The judges have the sole ability (unless some controversy springs up) to enable a contestant's progression to the later stages.

12 Have To Perform In Groups If Judges Tell Them To

Dissimilar shows similar The X Cistron, American Idol centers on only the one person and he or she is the sole winner by the end of the season's run. Nonetheless, before you go to the point where you lot have but yourself to look out for, the judges can put the contestants in groups during the trial period.

This unremarkably happens once the contestant is approved in the first stage and off to Hollywood, where the judges mix things up by testing the singers past placing them in groups. When this happens, yous have no choice but to partake in them.

11 Can't Request Eliminated To Be Overturned

Eliminations can be overturned in rare cases such every bit when some other contestant has been disqualified in the initial stages, which allows someone to come back on the show, but the elimination stands firm if the judges have deemed you unworthy or if you are eliminated in the later stages.

Equally far as the judges are concerned, if they deny progress for the afterwards stages of the competition, the contestant has no choice but to honor that conclusion. Even if they experience they've been done wrong, the decision, and the elimination, is gear up.

10 Take To Sign Tape Deal If They Win The Evidence

You might exist inclined to think the bear witness'southward fabricated past prissy people who give yous a platform to shine and then fix you along your merry way once you win, but that's inappreciably the example. American Idol in fact looks for those people who they can sign on as potential stars for the companies the testify is affiliated with.

The contestants who win have to sign on to the tape company American Idol has endorsed and this contract has to exist honored. So, if y'all practise get the next American Idol, yous'll have to contend with the contract you lot're offered.

9 Have To Perform For Live Crowds

You take no business being on American Idol if you don't desire to confront crowds for your performance. Starting from the semi-finals, the contestants have no choice but to lace up their boots and sing their hearts out in front of the audiences.

Likewise, if a contestant wants to perform in front of the audition from the start then they don't have this option. Information technology's but shows similar The Voice or America'southward Got Talent that allow contestants audition in front of large crowds from the get-go.

8 Accept To Reveal Personal Details

These happenings are even recorded by the testify's producers every bit it gives the audience something to relate these contestants with. Once the contestant is in the after stages, information technology's a complete guarantee their personal life volition exist featured to some extent on the show.

7 Take To Become On Tour

When the evidence starts nearing its stop stages, yous'll have noticed how the performers have their homecomings where they're serenaded by fans. The show calls for things like this and these are role of promotional tours. When the contestant reaches the indicate where they need more votes from the public, they are required to promote themselves with performances that brings them exposure. This is negotiable by any ways. This helps in both gaining votes for victory, and the bear witness with its ratings.

6 Have To Accept Being Eliminated By Public

Chris Daughtry was a controversial elimination as information technology was expected he would go on to win the evidence, but was eliminated beforehand. If the contestant is regularly praised by judges, it'll only get so far as potentially influencing voters, only it doesn't guarantee victory. When that elimination comes, yous have no option only to say farewell. After all, it'due south the votes of the public that counts in one case the contestant makes it to the semi-finals. After that, the power is with the people.

5 Tin can't Try To Influence Judges

Some people try to play the sympathy carte with the judges by (sometimes) literally begging them to put them through the next circular. This does nothing but embarrass the person further as there's no influencing the judges' decision. Other times, people try to go the judges to like them personally and then their lack of vocal talent is overlooked, but this tin't stand either. A contestant is non supposed to let anything about them other than their talent influence the judges.

iv Have To Disclose Criminal Record

The previously mentioned Corey Clark saw himself be butterfingers for this very reason in the flavour he was featured in, and some other contestant called Jermaine Jackson saw his leave happen in like fashion. Jackson failed to mention he had been arrested for ii crimes, the latter was i of violence, and was promptly dropped from the testify. A contestant needs to make clear any crimes they've been charged with earlier they go on the bear witness; the crimes tin be overlooked, but failure to inform them is a definite no-no.

three Tin can't Have A Major Criminal Tape

Although previous crimes tin can be disregarded, major ones really tin can't be simply waved abroad. We're talking those crimes that potentially involve homicide, or those where the person might be a proven offender. These crimes are an instant cause for disqualification, and you might fifty-fifty country yourself in jail if y'all've committed these acts and have avoided justice. And so, if y'all happen to exist a major criminal, it's improve to steer clear of auditioning for American Idol if y'all don't want to get caught.

two Tin can't Use The Show For Turn a profit

American Idol has seen many contestants accept upward on personal initiatives and use the show to promote these things. However, the thing that's mutual about these is that they're always for charity or for some sensation causes. You can't go up on the show and promote your personal brand for commercial purposes. This clashes with the bear witness's own sponsors, who won't take it kindly that you're looking to brand money off of a talent bear witness opportunity. So, it'southward best to leave that to social media.

one Have To Take Ridicule

This is more than of an unspoken rule, but but might exist the most of import 1 all the same. The clips that have the virtually views on YouTube for American Idol are those where people are getting insulted by the judges, and the reason for this is that their ridicules are pretty funny for the most part. This also means that if you happen to be a bad singer, then be very prepared to get potentially insulted for it as the judges generally don't concord back in making fun of the contestant. Still, information technology makes for agreeable television.

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