All American Idol Judges Ranked: How Would You Rate Them?

Now, networks only hire famous artists to sit on the panels, and their likability is paramount. If their remarks are considered “too mean” they could lose a fan base. Also, entertainment content during the aughts was generally cruel. It was fashionable to be nasty! Now, not so much. Even Simon Cowell on the America’s Got Talent panel over on NBC isn’t Simon Cowell anymore.

In short, every singing show panel is problematic. In a perfect world, judges and coaches would offer tough constructive criticism. However, as long as panels are made up of artists who worry about their likability and use their position to bolster their careers,  platitudes and hijinks will rule the day.

Nevertheless, I’m taking a stab at ranking all 14 American Idol judges, while laying out their pros and cons. Like the season rankings posted earlier this list is HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE and I fully expect some folks to vigorously disagree! And that’s OK.

Here we go.

Twenty Seasons of American Idol Judges Ranked

14. Mariah Carey (S 12) – Reportedly, Mariah was promised she’d be the only female on the judges panel only to find out that Idol tacked Nicki Minaj on to the panel later in the process. Regardless, being mad at the producers was no excuse for baiting and riling up Nikki all season, rendering season 12 unwatchable. Then, she bad-mouthed and sniped at American Idol in interviews afterward. Immature behavior from Mariah all around makes her the Worst. Idol. Judge. Ever.

13. Ellen Degeneres (S 9) – It was pretty clear the kind of judge Ellen would be when she guest judged So You Think You Can Dance the year before. She had nothing to offer but platitudes and lame jokes. She didn’t join the Idol panel until Hollywood, which meant she was unacquainted with the talent and never seemed to catch up. When it comes to talent show judges, Ellen was a waste of space.

12. Steven Tyler (S 10-11) – The Aerosmith rocker’s racy and amusing quips were initially amusing, expertly edited by production. But once the live shows began, it became clear that Steven didn’t have much to say beyond “That’s beautiful.” He only joined American Idol to spite his bandmates. Once they kissed and made up and were ready to go back on the road, Steven had enough, and so did we.

11. Nicki Minaj (S 12) – It’s too bad that Nicki took Mariah’s bait every time. The rapper actually offered some good critiques for the contestants. She wasn’t afraid to be honest. On a panel without Mariah, she would have been fine. Also, after leaving the show, she only had positive things to say about her experience, and she taped a congratulatory message for the FOX farewell finale in 2016. Still, Nicki played a part in the season 12 chaos, and that’s too bad. 

10. Luke Bryan (S 16-20) – Luke seems like a super nice guy who genuinely cares about the contestants. But he’s like, the party guy on the American Idol judges panel. He’s best judging country singers. But he’s too generous with the compliments. The joke is how during auditions, he calls so many hopefuls “Top 10,” that he seems to lose track. Do the math, Luke!

9. Randy Jackson (S 1-12) – Despite being an OG judge, Randy became very annoying by the end of his run, offering up the same platitudes and catch phrases over and over again. He seemed completely dialed out. Put a Randy doll in his judges chair and pull the string “IT’S A NO FROM ME DAWG.” After the disastrous season 12, Randy transitioned to inhouse mentor for season 13. After one season as mentor, he left the show altogether. 

8. Lionel Richie (S 16-20) – Lionel has had a long a rich career as an artist. His fellow judges Luke Bryan and Katy Perry allude to the great stories he tells in between shots. When he shares those tidbits from the panel–like how Aretha would always cook for him–it’s pretty awesome. But for somebody who has been in the business for years, he should have more substantive critiques than he typically offers.  

7. Kara DioGuardi (S 8-9) – Adding a songwriter to the panel was a smart idea on paper. And if Kara wasn’t so insecure, she could have been pretty great. She did offer some very good critiques. But her PLEASE LIKE ME routine, and her constant sucking up to Simon made her two year run on the panel cringeworthy. And never forget that she’s responsible for the horrible season 8 coronation song, “No Boundaries.” 

6. Katy Perry (S 16-20) – Katy actually has some interesting critiques, but she needs to dial it back. Too often she’s the center of attention. She’s wacky, she’s funny, she’s adorable. But a little goes a long way. Still, Katy, Lionel and Luke seem to truly get along. The relationships don’t come across as fake. However, less judges, and more contestants please.

5. Keith Urban (S 10-15) – Keith had been a singing show contestant himself as a teen, which made him uniquely empathetic to what contestants were going through. It also made his criticisms too soft at times. But overall, Keith’s remarks could be smart and articulate as well as compassionate. 

4. Jennifer Lopez (S 10, 11, 13-15) – When Jennifer joined the American Idol panel, her career was teetering a bit. But the exposure did wonders. When she returned to Idol for season 13, she was a huge star. Fans rightly complained that the camera cut to her too often while contestants were performing. Still, particularly in the first two seasons, she offered good advice to the singers.

3. Simon Cowell (S 1-9) – Simon is a mixed bag. There is no doubt he helped make Idol a hit with his crusty mean brit routine. As a record executive, he could afford to anger fan groups. And underneath it all, fans loved it. Viewers could literally see how a contestant’s face changed when it was Simon’s turn to talk. What he said mattered. But by Season 6, Simon became a parody of himself. He was thoroughly checked out by season 9, his last season, to the point that fans suspected he was sabotaging the show to make way for his X Factor series premiering the following season. By the time he left, I wasn’t sorry to see him go.

2. Harry Connick Jr. (S 13-15) – I’m going to catch heck for rating Harry so high. But I appreciated the way he approached contestants, like the producers and label heads the singers would face after leaving the show. He shared how his teachers growing up were very tough on him, and that it made him a better musician. His tough love approach is why he’s No 2, although his attitude landed him in hot water at times. For instance, when Season 14 contestant Quentin Alexander reacted emotionally to his friends landing in the bottom 2, Harry scolding him was a total overreaction. Sometimes Harry didn’t have a filter, but that mostly worked in his favor. 

1. Paula Abdul (S 1-8) – Paula had some rough years. Due to physical injuries, she was laying on the pain medication, and it showed sometimes. Regardless, while contestants respected and feared Simon, they looked to Paula like a mama. She was the caretaker of the group, but could also lay down astute truths of her own. Like Kara Dioguardi, her playing up to Simon could be embarrassing. And she had her embarrassing moments. For instance, she offered a critique to Season 7’s Jason Castro for a song he hadn’t sung yet. WHOOPS. Reportedly, the judges watched dress rehearsal, and pretty much formulated their opinions before the live show. In the end, FOX should have met her salary demands. She left too soon. When she returned in season 19 to fill in for Luke Bryan one week, I sure was happy to see her. I’ll admit, placing Paula at the top of the list is probably more sentimental than not. But so be it.

What say you? How would YOU rank the American Idol judges?