Millions of American hearts will be broken on April 7, when “American Idol“ will air for the final time after a 15-year run.
Original judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell became prime time staples during the 2000s. “American Idol” kickstarted high-achieving contestants’ music careers and dashed the singing dreams of thousands of subpar hopefuls.
Americans have been tuning in to vote for their favorites for a decade and a half. The show even amassed 132 million votes in 2012. That’s more than the 2012 American presidential election.
In honor of the industry-changing reality TV show, here are the five most memorable moments from the show’s 15-season history.
The time has come for the show that changed television to take it’s final bow… #IdolFinale pic.twitter.com/2LoaiaWSKY
— American Idol (@AmericanIdol) April 7, 2016
During Season 3, William Hung, a civil engineering student at the University of California–Berkeley, auditioned for the show by performing Ricky Martin’s hit “She Bangs.” Although the Chinese-American 20-year-old was not selected for the 2004 season, he achieved international fame, a record deal, and numerous television and film appearances.
TMZ reports that Hung will make an appearance during the April 7, 2016, finale.
