Update: The season premiere of “American Idol” endured a steep 34% year-over-year decline in the adults 18-49 demographic.
Wednesday’s season fourteen opener, which occupied the 8PM hour, drew a 3.1 adults 18-49 rating. Last year’s two-hour kickoff delivered a 4.7 rating.
Despite enduring a similarly steep 28% fall in total viewership, “Idol” still ranked as Wednesday’s most-watched program with an audience of 10.89 million. It ranked third behind FOX’s own “Empire” (3.7) and ABC’s “Modern Family” (3.2) in adults 18-49.
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Lacking momentum, buzz or curiosity over a new judging panel, Wednesday’s “American Idol” seemed doomed to take a ratings hit.
It absolutely did.
The show’s fourteenth season premiere, which occupied the 8PM hour, commanded a 7.8 overnight household rating. That number represents a decline of 17% from the 9.4 posted by the two-hour season thirteen premiere.
It, meanwhile, trails that of the season twelve premiere by a whopping 33%.
Despite the fall, “Idol” still led its timeslot in the overnight households and is expected to also do so in adults 18-49 and total viewership. The premiere episode’s rating also drew a considerably larger audience than that which was being drawn late in the thirteenth season, which confirms that viewers did absolutely get excited about the launch of another “Idol” season.
