American Idol Season 14 Schedule – 2015
UPDATE: The Empire 2 hour season finale is Wednesday March 18. The first two hour show is Thursday March 11. Idol airs on Thursday March 19 the following week, and then two hour shows on Wednesday, thereafter.
UPDATE: American Idol has released an official schedule through March 19. This post will be continuously updated.
I am assuming that after the Empire season finale, Idol will expand to 2 hours on Wednesdays.
Note that FOX will air fewer hours of American Idol overall. The Wednesday January 7 premiere is ONLY 1 HOUR. Thursday January 8, American Idol airs a 2 hour episode. FOX will air 3 hours of American Idol the following week–1 hour on Wednesday and 2 hours on Thursday.
However, the freshman series, Backstrom, PREMIERES ON THURSDAY JANUARY 22. American Idol will cut back to 2 hours a week–1 hour on Wednesday, 1 Hour on Thursday.
BONES RETURNS TO THE FOX SCHEDULE ON THURSDAY MARCH 25. American Idol NO LONGER AIRS ON THURSDAY. The show is only scheduled for ONE HOUR THAT WEEK.
After Empire finishes its run, Idol will expand to two hours on Wednesdays and will likely keep that schedule until the end of the season.
In case you didn’t know, Ryan Seacrest revealed that Idol will only air once a week during the Live shows, with the results being announced during the Wednesday performance episode.
Of course, keep in mind that FOX could turn on a dime and change this schedule. Dates were culled from The Futon Critic.
JANUARY
Wednesday January 7
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (1 hr) Nashville Auditions
- Empire – 9/7c pm
Thursday January 8
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (2 hrs) Nashville/Kansas City Auditions
Wednesday January 14
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (1 hr) More Kansas City Auditions
- Empire – 9/7c pm
Thursday January 15
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (2 hrs) New York Auditions
Wednesday January 21
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (1 hr) Minneapolis Auditions
- Empire – 9/7c pm
Thursday January 22
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (1 hr) New Orleans Auditions
- Backstrom Premiere – 9/7c pm
Wednesday January 28
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (1 hr) San Francisco Auditions
- Empire – 9/7c pm
Thursday January 29
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (1 hr) San Francisco Auditions
- Backstrom – 9/7c pm
FEBRUARY
Wednesday February 4
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (1 hr) Hollywood Week #1
- Empire – 9/7c pm
Thursday February 5
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (1 hr) Hollywood Week #2
- Backstrom – 9/7c pm
Wednesday February 11
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (1 hr) Hollywood Week #3
- Empire – 9/7c pm
Thursday February 12
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (1 hr) Hollywood Week #4
- Backstrom – 9/7c pm
Wednesday February 18
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (1 hr) The Top 48 perform at the Showcase #1 (Top 24 Reveal)
- Empire – 9/7c pm
Thursday February 19
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (1 hr) The Top 48 perform at the Showcase #2 (Top 24 Reveal)
- Backstrom – 9/7c pm
Wednesday February 25
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (1 hr) – Top 24 Boys – Detroit Showcase
- Empire – 9/7c pm –
Thursday February 26
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (1 hr) – Top 24 Girls – Detroit Showcase
- Backstrom – 9/7c pm
MARCH
Wednesday March 4
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (1 hr) – 4 Eliminated and Top 8 Girls – Detroit Showcase
- Empire – 9/7c pm
Thursday March 5
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (1 hr) – 4 Eliminated and Top 8 Boys – Detroit Showcase
- Backstrom – 9/7c pm
Wednesday March 11
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (1 hr) – Top 10 Finalists Revealed in Los Angeles. Judges add 2 Wildcards. Top 12 sing Audition songs.
- Empire – 9/7c pm
Thursday March 12
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (2 hr) – 1 eliminated. Top 11 perform “Party Songs” – First LIVE show. Idol returns to TWO HOUR format.
- Backstrom – 9/7c pm
Wednesday March 18
- EMPIRE 2 HOUR SEASON FINALE – 8/7c pm
Thursday March 19
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (2 hr) – Idol switches to once a week Performance/Results format for duration of competition.
Wednesday March 24
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (2 hr)
Thursday March 25
- BONES PREMIERE 8/7c pm
- Backstrom 8/7c pm
Wednesday April 1
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (2 hr)
Wednesday April 8
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (2 hr)
Wednesday April 15
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (2 hr)
Wednesday April 22
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (2 hr)
Wednesday April 29
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (2 hr)
Wednesday May 6
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (2 hr)
Tuesday May 12
- American Idol – 9/8c pm (1 hr) – Final Performances
Wednesday May 13
- American Idol – 8/7c pm (2 hr) – Finale