Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban & Harry Connick, Jr. Likely to Return to AMERICAN IDOL Next Year

Following a few seasons of heavy turnovers on its judges panel, AMERICAN IDOL may have finally found itself a stable group.

According to TV Guide, current judges Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban & Harry Connick, Jr. are all expected to renew their contracts for the 2015 season.

Fox inadvertently announced the long-running singing competition would be back for another season yesterday, confirming auditions in over fifteen cities throughout the country this fall. Ryan Seascrest is also expected to return as host. The renewal came as a semi-surprise after 'IDOL' hit numerous series lows this year.

No other show in TV history has proven to be a force in the entertainment industry like AMERICAN IDOL.American Idol solidified itself as the No. 1 television show for nine consecutive seasons and, following its 12thseason, still remains a Top 5 program. IDOL is the gold standard and the only TV singing competition show to produce hit recording artists. From the first-ever IDOL winner, Kelly Clarkson, who continues to dominate the charts with three Grammy Awards under her belt, to Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips, whose debut single, "Home," has become the best-selling single of any IDOL to date, American Idol is a bona fide cultural phenomenon. Season 12 winner Candice Glover continues to show the strength of the IDOL brand when her album, "Music Speaks," was the first album from an IDOL to debut in the Top 5 on iTunes when it was issued for pre-order on the night of the series' season finale.

IDOL's impact on the entertainment industry resonates beyond the scope of television. The series has brought generations together with a common goal: to discover the next music superstar. Over the past 12 seasons, IDOL finalists have released more than 200 albums, scored 400 No.1 Billboard hits, garnered more than 250 million iTunes downloads and have been certified with 95 gold and 83 platinum records. IDOL contestants have conquered Broadway, television and film and have won numerous awards and accolades, including American Country Music Awards, Country Music Awards, Grammy Awards and an Academy Award.

Every year, tens of thousands of hopefuls from across the nation audition for a shot at stardom. The show's judges will travel across the country including stops in Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Boston, MA; Detroit, MI; Omaha, NE, Salt Lake City, UT; and San Francisco, CA, in search of the next AMERICAN IDOL. They narrow down the competitors to a select group of semifinalists who sing their hearts out each week in front of a studio audience and television viewers.

Photo Courtesy of Fox

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