‘American Idol': Are Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood Returning for Season 25?

Don't assume Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood are returning for American Idol Season 25.

Until an agreement is announced, it's not official.

Here's why we think it's likely that both country singers and Lionel Richie will return, followed by the reasons why one of them will be sidelined next year.

• American Idol announced that online auditions for Season 25 will begin on Aug. 25 and last through Sept. 28.
• The caption makes clear that these auditions will be evaluated by a producer, not the celebrity judging panel.
• A start date for Season 25 has not been released but last year the show began in January for the first time in a decade.

Related: Every American Idol Winner Ranked, Most To Least Memorable

Eric McCandless, Disney Via Getty Images

American Idol Season 25 Judges — Rinse and Repeat?

Why mess with stability?

Ratings are an increasingly slippery metric for success given the overall shift in how people watch television and ever-changing methods of totaling viewership. Sure, Season 24 ratings were among the lowest ever but the same is true for the spring 2026 season of The Voice.

The truth is, we're never going to see 30 million people tune in for a finale again. A quarter of that would be huge.

One thing FOX learned late that ABC has held on to is the importance of a super-served demographic. The Voice is forever trying to bring in judges that attract a wide variety of viewers (young, old, male, female etc ...)

American Idol's judges appeal first to an older crowd that loves country music and good, clean television.

Bryan, Underwood and Richie comprise a panel that ranges from pleasantly pleasing to wallpaper. They never make news and rarely offer criticism with bite. They let the contestants steal the show.

Loyal fans generally appreciate this more positive approach but their year-after-year presence serves another important group: advertisers.

Anyone looking to spend $100,000 for 30 seconds of advertising time (the 2024 rate, per Ad Age) knows what they're getting and (more important) they know who is watching. All three celebs are bankable personalities with large social media platforms and mainstream relevance. Profitability is the metric that matters most in 2027.

Is It Time for New American Idol Judges?

That said, Bryan and Richie have been doing this a very long time. Randy Jackson (Seasons 1-12) is the only judge who served more seasons then these two men. In fact, they tied Simon Cowell last year when they completed their ninth season.

Underwood seems least likely to leave ahead of what would be her third season. She's really settled into a role as the emotional center of the show and is becoming the most important personality and the only one to make headlines. Bryan and Richie haven't done anything to get fired, but they may have just timed out.

The question executives must answer is who could do better? Chemistry matters but popularity and reliability make a difference, too. A new judge would also need to boost advertiser revenue — you'll notice that we're only asking questions from the production side.

It's pretty obvious why all three (and just about anyone else) would want to join the show. Judges get paid a ton of money for a job that requires a small time commitment. The publicity could also be great for each person's music career, although Underwood has underused her platform in that regard.

Will Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood Return To American Idol?

Recent health issues could affect Richie's decision to return. He's 77 years old but remarkably in touch with modern trends and artistry.

Smart money is on his return alongside Bryan and Underwood. Here's why:

First, the last time a judge left (Katy Perry) there were rumors and leaks for months ahead of her departure. We've heard none of that.

Second, American Idol socials are relying heavily on the country judges in recent weeks. Heck, they just shared a commercial for Bryan's latest Signs album on Tuesday (July 28).

It's likely the answer to this question is settled and the show is just following a publicity schedule to bring consistent attention to itself during the off season. It's also likely we'll be having this same conversation in 12 months.