We're one step closer to finding the next music superstar! ABC has officially announced the premiere date for the ninth season of American Idol on the network, which will be the show's 24th season overall. Rather than waiting a couple months into the new year as usual, ABC's bringing the hit singing competition show back much sooner than viewers might have expected.
Even though the series has debuted in either February or March during its tenure on ABC, the auditions will kick off in January 2026. ABC unveiled its midseason 2026 lineup, which revealed that American Idol season 24 premieres on Monday, January 26, 2026 at 8/7c with an episode that's likely two hours long, as is normal for the beginning of the season.
Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie return as judges for season 24. Bryan and Richie have been judges since American Idol debuted on ABC back in 2018, while Underwood joined the series, after winning season 4 back in 2005, last year after Katy Perry left following her time as a judge for seven seasons. Ryan Seacrest also returns as host for his 24th season!
American Idol returning to ABC in January 2026 with a Hollywood Week twist
While there are no changes on the judging panel this time around and Seacrest remains as the emcee, American Idol does have another change up its sleeve other than its earlier premiere date. For the first time ever, the iconic Hollywood Week round won't actually take place in Hollywood. How can you have a Hollywood Week that's not in Hollywood?!
Well, for season 24, American Idol sets its Hollywood Week in Nashville, Tennessee, which is highly regarded as the home of country music. The series' second act on ABC has been a popular one for finding new country talents, as some of the biggest stars to come out of the new edition have found success in country music, like season 16 third place finalist Gabby Barrett.
Throughout social media posts, ABC has been using the phrase "Idol University" to promote this season, doubling down on the fact that the judges are acting as mentors to help guiding the budding singers to realize their potential as superstars and achieve success. It will be interesting to see how, or even if, that theme plays a role in the overall rollout of season 24.
Since American Idol will be starting much earlier than previous seasons, it remains to be seen whether the new season will be stretched out to still last through the eventual finale in May 2026. While there's a chance the season could also end earlier, there's also an opportunity for the network to have the show on the air for a bit longer and continue to grow the series in its new era.
American Idol returns on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026 at 8/7c on ABC.