--- title: American Idol Canceled: Kelly Clarkson on Show's Falling Ratings description: The singer spoke to TIME earlier this year about the show's decline canonical: https://time.com/3854571/kelly-clarkson-american-idol-canceled/ author: Nolan Feeney article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-05-11T21:29:34.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:04:02.963Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: Here's What Kelly Clarkson Said About Falling 'American Idol' Ratings og:description: The singer spoke to TIME earlier this year about the show's decline og:url: https://time.com/3854571/kelly-clarkson-american-idol-canceled/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3eaec6e2359c4860/6987eb1c3c163924274557ed/kelly-clarkson.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Kelly Clarkson og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Here's What Kelly Clarkson Said About Falling 'American Idol' Ratings twitter:description: The singer spoke to TIME earlier this year about the show's decline twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3eaec6e2359c4860/6987eb1c3c163924274557ed/kelly-clarkson.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Here's What Kelly Clarkson Had to Say About _American Idol'_s Falling Ratings > Sponsored content. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account.  by [Nolan Feeney](https://time.com/author/nolan-feeney/)  ## Nolan Feeney May 11, 2015 9:29 PM UTC  Singer Kelly Clarkson performs during the 2015 iHeartRadio Music Awards which broadcasted live on NBC from The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on March 29, 2015. Singer Kelly Clarkson performs during the 2015 iHeartRadio Music Awards which broadcasted live on NBC from The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on March 29, 2015.Kevin Winter—Getty Images for iHeartMedia  by [Nolan Feeney](https://time.com/author/nolan-feeney/)  ## Nolan Feeney May 11, 2015 9:29 PM UTC Fox announced Monday that the fifteenth season of _American Idol_ [will be it last](http://time.com/3853548/american-idol-canceled/), which may have come as a shock to Kelly Clarkson—since the talent competition’s inaugural winner [told TIME earlier this year](http://time.com/3725769/kelly-clarkson-piece-by-piece-interview/) that the show hadn’t run its course yet. “Even when people say ratings are coming down, that’s like, what, 20 million to 15 \[million\]?” Clarkson said in an interview about her new album, _Piece by Piece_. (Not quite: the current season of the show opened with more than [11.20 million viewers](http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/weekly-ratings-fox-scores-rare-demo-victory-numerous-cbs-series-hit-season-highs-1201403318/), already 25 percent less than the previous season premiere, and mostly declined from there.) “It’s still millions more than the others! They’re killing all the other shows on the network.” _Idol_ may have taught America [how to vote for its next superstars](http://time.com/3853612/american-idol-canceled-last-season-fox/), but its success also created an entire genre of televised talent competitions that may have sped up its demise. “I do think it’s a lot harder because there’s such a plethora of them,” Clarkson said of _Idol_‘s competitors, adding that she was proud to have come up through the show. “I don’t think it matters how you got here, it matters if you’re good enough to hang around.” Read Clarkson’s full answer about _American Idol_, below, and read the full interview [here](http://time.com/3725769/kelly-clarkson-piece-by-piece-interview/). --- > “” --- **Singing competitions haven’t produced a major star in several years, and ratings for American Idol have been slipping. Have these shows run their course?** No, because more keep coming out. Even when people say ratings are coming down, that’s like, what, 20 million to 15 \[million\]? It’s still millions more than the others! They’re killing all the other shows on the network. It’s supply and demand, whether it’s _American Idol_ or _The Voice_ or _America’s Got Talent_ or all the other shows. I do think it’s a lot harder because there’s such a plethora of them. People are always asking me, why did you make it? Or Carrie \[Underwood\], why did she make it? We were early on! There wasn’t a lot of competition. We weren’t competing as much, except for the fact that people hated talent shows, and now they like them! \[_laughs_\] They’ll last as long as people keep watching them. **The music industry has changed a lot in the past few years, not even just since the first season of Idol. How can shows better prepare artists for the music business today?** I don’t really think there’s an answer to that question. If people did know, they would bottle it up and sell it! You do have more leverage when trying to navigate your career than a first-time artist normally would have. You have the Carries or the Jennifer Hudsons, you have these people who are successful before you even have your project. That’s key. Justin Bieber came from YouTube, or the Dave Matthews Band, they had a huge underground following before they even had a record deal. Do I think there’s a right or wrong way? No. I love the way I came into the business. People don’t even realize Frank Sinatra got into the business through a competition. I don’t think it matters how you got here, it matters if you’re good enough to hang around. ### See American Idol's Most Successful Alumni  Carrie Underwood, winner of American Idol season 4, performs at the 2014 American Country Countdown Awards at Music City Center in Nashville on Dec. 15, 2014. Jason Merritt—Getty Images  Kelly Clarkson, season 1 winner, performs "Heartbeat Song" onstage during the 2015 iHeartRadio Music Awards at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on March 29, 2015. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images  Chris Daughtry, who came in 4th on season 5, performs at Pompano Beach Amphitheatre in Pompano Beach, Fla. on Nov. 12, 2014. Larry Marano—Getty Images  Clay Aiken, Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress in North Carolina's Second District, poses for a selfie with supporters after casting his vote in the midterm elections oat Mills Park Elementary School in Cary, N.C. on Nov. 4, 2014\. Aiken was runner up on the second season of American Idol. Grant Halverson—Getty Images  Fantasia, winner of season 3, performs at the 7th Annual Music Festival at Boardwalk Hall Arena in Atlantic City, N.J. on May 9, 2015. Donald Kravitz—Getty Images  Ruben Studdard, season 2 winner, performs at When Georgia Smiled: The Robin McGraw Revelation Foundation And Verizon Unite For Second Annual Domestic Violence Summit at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, Calif. on Oct. 3, 2014. Mathew Imaging—WireImage/Getty Images  Scotty McCreery performs during "FOX & Friends" holiday special at FOX Studios in New York City on Dec. 4, 2014\. McCreery won season 10 of American Idol. Slaven Vlasic—Getty Images  Kellie Pickler, who came in 6th on season 5, performs at 2014 USO Gala: Honoring Those Who Serve at the Washington Hilton in Washington on Oct. 17, 2014. Paul Morigi—Getty Images  David Cook, season 7 winner, performs at the Soles4Souls charity concert, sponsored by Barefoot Wine & Bubbly at the Bridge Building in Nashville on April 1, 2014. Jason Davis—Getty Images  Jennifer Hudson, who came in 7th place on season 3, performs at We Day at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill. on April 30, 2015. Timothy Hiatt—Getty Images  Jordin Sparks, winner of season 6 of American Idol, performs at Jeffrey Sanker's White Party in Palm Springs, Calif. on April 25, 2015. Chelsea Lauren—WireImage/Getty Images  Phillip Phillips, season 11 winner, performs at Hard Rock Live! in the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. on Nov. 15, 2014. Larry Marano—Getty Images  David Archuleta, season 7 runner-up, performs at the KIIS FM's 10th Annual "American Idol" Finale Viewing Party at Regal 14 at LA Live Downtown in Los Angeles on May 25, 2011. Jonathan Leibson—FilmMagic/Getty Images  Adam Lambert, season 8 runner-up, is seen onstage at 102.7 KIIS FM's Wango Tango at StubHub Center in Los Angeles on May 9, 2015. Chelsea Lauren—WireImage/Getty Images  Josh Gracin, who came in 4th place in season 2, performs during the 2012 Downtown Hoedown at Comerica Park in Detroit on June 8, 2012. Paul Warner—Getty Images  Taylor Hicks, winner of season 5, performs at Tony La Russa's 3rd annual Leaders & Legends Gala at the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas on Nov. 22, 2014. David Becker—Getty Images  Bo Bice, season 4 runner-up, performs in concert following the 2012 Colt Ford & Friends Celebrity Golf Classic at Legends Golf Course Club in Braselton, Ga. on Sept. 24, 2012. Chris McKay—Getty Images  Elliott Yamin, who came in 3rd in season 5, performs at the Malaria No More Reception With American Idols To Celebrate Recent Progress In The Fight Against Malaria in Washington on March 7, 2012. Paul Morigi—Getty Images  Katharine McPhee, season 5 runner-up, walks out on the field to sing the national anthem before the 2015 NFC Championship game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers at CenturyLink Field in Seattle on Jan. 18, 2015. Ronald Martinez—Getty Images  Diana DeGarmo, season 3 runner-up, arrives at the "American Idol" XIII season premiere event held at Royce Hall, UCLA in Westwood, Calif. on Jan. 14, 2014. Michael Tran—FilmMagic  Kris Allen, winner of season 8, performs at the Soles4Souls charity concert, sponsored by Barefoot Wine & Bubbly at the Bridge Building in Nashville on April 1, 2014. 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