Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie have been judges on American Idol since 2018. Their former co-star, Katy Perry, left the show after the 2024 season, being replaced by Carrie Underwood. Is it about time for Bryan and Richie to give up their seats on the panel?
Should American Idol’s Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie Be Replaced?
When American Idol moved from FOX to ABC in 2018, a new panel of judges was introduced — Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie. This lineup remained the same for seven seasons, until Perry chose to leave the show after Season 22.
Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood replaced Perry as a judge for Season 23 and the upcoming Season 24. It makes us wonder whether it’s time for Bryan and Richie to depart the show and make way for someone else to fill their seats.
It doesn’t sound like the judges are locked in to their roles for an extended amount of time, as Bryan shared over the summer, “Idol is kind of a year-by-year, ‘Do we do it or not?'”
The addition of Underwood to the panel in 2025 definitely brought a new dynamic to the table, but it could be interesting to see even more fresh faces — or maybe even some familiar ones — on the panel in the near future.
Who Should Replace Bryan, Richie on the Panel?
If either Luke Bryan or Lionel Richie decides to depart the show next season, what celebrity judges would be a good fit to take their place? One option is to pull from past winners, like the show did when hiring Underwood.
Kelly Clarkson is a veteran coach on NBC’s The Voice, so getting her on the Idol panel might just be a pipe dream, but it would be amazing to see the show’s original champion mentoring new contestants. Other past winners, such as Ruben Studdard, Jordin Sparks, and Scotty McCreery, would also be fun additions.
Pairing Studdard with his Season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken would be especially fun, as the two singers have remained friends over the years. Another past contestant who might be a good fit is Jennifer Hudson, who has judging experience on The Voice. Adam Lambert could also bring a fresh perspective to the table.
In Season 23, Jelly Roll joined the show as the first Artist in Residence. The singer has said he hopes for the role to become “permanent.” Maybe a spot on the judging panel is in his future. The show has also featured a number of guest mentors over the years who could be interesting additions to the panel, including Bebe Rexha, Tori Kelly, and Shania Twain.
What do you think? Is it time for Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie to follow Katy Perry’s lead and depart the show? Who would you choose to replace them? Let us know on X!
Words by:
Jill O'Rourke Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
