by Moe Zilla

Created on: May 13, 2010   Last Updated: May 31, 2012

In 2012, American Idol set a new kind of record: fewer people watched its finale than in any previous year! After 11 seasons, fewer people seemed interested in a televised singing competition, and the audiences were dropping for the show's weekly elimination rounds, too.  In 2010, the show broadcast its least-watched episode in seven years, as six American Idol finalists took the stage to perform Frank Sinatra classics. Just 17.5 million people tuned in to watch them, in an episode The Associated Press had labeled "

a ratings dud."

But it was part of an even more disturbing trend. Even in 2010, the ratings for the show were already down 7.5 percent from the previous year, and nearly half of what they were in 2006, when up to 30.8 million viewers were tuning in. The real question is why? Is it one factor, or several? Here's ten possibilities...

The Fame Factor

Maybe cynical fans have realized the show's dirtiest secret: most of the winner's don't actually become American superstars. Only two of the performers have even sold more than 10 million records - Kelly Clarkson (back in season 1) and Carrie Underwood (back in season 4). One blogger noted pointedly that "After that, there’s a pretty big dropoff to number three - Chris Daughtry [season 5] - with 5.9 million album sales, and an even bigger dropoff to number four - Jordin Sparks [season 7] - with 1.3 million..." Surviving the competition now simply means being the winner of a TV game show. Like the winner of a high school talent show, the contestants aren't able to convert their victory into fame in the real world.

Changes Among Judges

Simon Cowell had already announced that he'd be leaving the show before the 2010 season even started. Maybe his "lame duck" status tainted the show with what he'd always criticized in less-talented singers: a lack of commitment. Another regular judge, Paula Abdul, had just left the show for good, and the season began by rotating through a confusing selection of "fourth judges" - from Neil Patrick Harris to Mary J. Blige. This was only the second season to use four judges instead of three, and it seems to have thrown off the show's balance. With four different panelists to be heard from - after every single performance - the show's focus moved away from the talented singers to the grown-ups criticizing them!

Voting Glitches in Season Eight

Season eight was marred by a startling upset. 100 million votes were cast - the highest in the show's history - resulting in Kris

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