ADVERTISEMENT
An image American Idol contestants next to an image of Voice Judges

The Voice vs American Idol

American Idol has been a nation-wide favorite ever since its debut over a dozen years ago. Even though other reality singing shows have entered the mix here and there, AI remained virtually unchallenged for nearly a decade. That is, until The Voice premiered in 2011. Since then, the last few years have been a fierce competition between the two popular shows for both viewership and vocal talent.

If you’re struggling to figure out which show is more worth your time, have no fear! We’re here to help make the decision for you.

Which is better for the viewers?

The Voice offers a different dynamic than American Idol, because not only is the show searching for the Next Big Thing; it is also a competition between the judges. This adds an interesting twist, especially when things like this happen: 

 But then again, just because it’s not a technical competition between the judges on American Idol, doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t turn it into one. Some judges in the past have created some equally interesting drama on the show as well: 

Which is better for the contestants?

While American Idol has auditions in a private room with judges staring them down, The Voice takes a different approach, with “blind auditions”—meaning the judges have no knowledge of the contestant before the audition, and have to listen to choose them based purely on their voices, without even knowing what they look like. The Voice also allows for any and all age groups, while American Idol only allows you to compete if you’re between 15 to 28 year olds. This gives contestants more freedom, and can result in some amazing auditions such as these: 

On the other hand, if you are terrified of getting on stage with a live audience and lay it all out there, then maybe a private, quiet room with only the judges (and the cameras, of course) would be better suited for you.

Which gets better ratings?

Last week, The Voice had 14.67 million viewers for the Monday night show. Later the same week, American Idol only had 8.75 million viewers. Last year, American Idol’s season finale only had 10.5 million viewers, which is a big leap compared to 2004’s finale of 28.8 million. Since last season, some changes in formatting have been enacted in an attempt to keep their viewers interested. It is safe to say that American Idol needs to do something to step up their game if they expect to continue competing with up-and-coming shows like The Voice.

Which has better judges?

American Idol has seen several  judges come and go over the years. This season, the judges for American Idol include Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, and Harry Connick, Jr. Some viewers will argue that ever since Simon Cowell decided to hang up his American Idol judging hat, the show has gone downhill. While many judges have come and gone throughout the history of AI, the Voice has remained fairly consistent, with Adam Levine and Blake Shelton still judging since season one, and though there has been a slight variation in the other judges, this season will see the return of original judge Christina Aguilera, as well as new judge Pharrell Williams. This just goes to show how much the judges can make or break a show. 

Last Updated: October 15, 2020