- Through 16 seasons reality singing competition series "American Idol" has seen 14 different judges.
- "American Idol" judges are integral to the show's success.
- The show's original judge trio — Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell, and Randy Jackson — were well known for their on-screen banter.
- In 2018 Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan became the official judges of the competition.
- With season 17 of "Idol" premiering this March, INSIDER decided to rank all of the judges the show has seen through the years.
- Overall Simon Cowell was the best judge the singing competition has ever seen because of his blunt, yet necessary critique.
This Sunday marks the premiere of "American Idol's" second season on ABC, and 17th season overall. The famous singing competition show is known for launching the careers of Grammy-award winners like Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson.
Like many of the previous seasons, the show will follow 20 hopefuls hand-picked from around the country vying for the record-deal first prize.
While the overall fate of the show's contestants lies in the hands of voters, the judges get to pick at who even makes it to the competition in the first place. During the auditions phase of the series, thousands of aspiring singers from around the US will have to prove themselves to the panel they want the coveted golden ticket to participate.
Over "American Idol's" 17 years (and 16 seasons) on the air, the judge's table has welcomed a variety of celebrity faces. While some members have stayed longer than others, it's clear each of them has brought a unique contribution to the Idol experience.
From chart-topping musicians to seasoned record producers, each one of the celebrity judges has brought something totally unique to the table.
In honor of the upcoming premiere, INSIDER decided to look back on all the show's 14 judges through the year and rank them based on how significant their contributions were to the "American Idol" experience. Read more below to see how your favorite "Idol" judge stacks up against the others from worst to best.
Mariah Carey — season 12.
Although the Grammy-winning, multi-platinum selling diva's proven career longevity as a singer should have made her the ideal judge, her inability to focus and be invested in contestants rendered her position on the series pretty inconsequential.
There were times where she was able to offer solid advice to singers, but ultimately, those moments were overshadowed by her opinions, rather than how she helped contestants succeed.
On top of that, her glaring and well-documented disagreements with fellow judge Nicki Minaj came to define her time on the show, which may explain why she left after only one season.
Carey wasn't totally unaware of this fact, admitting fully the show was not the right fit for her and denouncing the possibility of ever returning for even a reunion episode.
Ellen Degeneres — season nine.
Ellen is the best of the best in daytime television. And sure, she's excellent at giving a platform to musicians who got their start on YouTube, like Charlie Puth. But she's not the most knowledgeable of how to measure musical performances, and her personality was not the best choice for judging others — but it sure makes for an excellent host.
The good news is even Ellen knew she wasn't great at the judging gig and was humble enough to admit it wasn't a good move on "The Howard Stern Show" back in 2015, according to Vulture.
Nicki Minaj — season 12.
Minaj knows a lot about hard work and what it takes to rise to the top. However, her judging qualities on season 12 of the singing competition weren't the best, with her critiques often lacking clarity or constructive feedback. Take her review of contestant Cortez Shaw, where she had little to say other than the performance was "a good song choice" and "sexy," which prompted fellow judge Randy Jackson to followed up with, "I'm just gonna talk about your singing."
One can commend Nicki for unapologetically being herself on the show at all times. She also had a relatable quality that made her ideal for connecting with the artists.
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