Not unexpectedly, “American Idol” dipped significantly with its Season 11 premiere.
The series pulled a 7.2 rating among adults 18-49, marking a 27 percent drop over last January’s premiere. The veteran reality series still gave Fox a significant lead over all other networks, topping its closest competition (ABC) by 140 percent.
‘American Idol’ Season 10: Where Are They Now?
“Idol’s” drop among total viewers wasn’t as steep: the two-hour broadcast drew 21.6 million, down 18 percent from the Season 10 premiere of 26.25 million. Still, the season 11 kickoff marks the show’s lowest-rated season opener since “Idol’s” first season premiere, which garnered 9.85 million viewers. The show’s highest-rated season premiere came in 2007, when the start of season 6 drew 37.4 million viewers.
Click here for a full recap of last night’s season premiere.
(Additional reporting by Jason Lipshutz, Billboard)