It’s the shake-up fans say has been a long time coming. As American Idol prepares for its highly anticipated 24th season, a growing chorus of viewers is demanding change — not in the contestants, but in the judges’ panel itself. And their message is loud and clear: it’s time for Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan to step aside.

Online polls, viral threads, and passionate commentaries have flooded social media, with fans calling for a fresh perspective and new energy. Some cite “predictable feedback” while others say the current panel “lacks the spark” that once made Idol must-watch TV. But one thing’s certain — the people have spoken, and they’re not whispering anymore.

American Idol fans don’t want Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan back as judges for season 24, and they have some ideas about which superstar singers could take their places. American Idol season 23 welcomed back judges Luke and Lionel Richie, who’ve been with the singing competition series since ABC revived it in 2018. However, after seven seasons, Katy Perry left the show to focus on her own music career and season 4 winner and country music superstar Carrie took her place.

American Idol fans don’t want Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan back as judges for season 24, and they have some ideas about which superstar singers could take their places.

In a TV Insider article about whether Carrie should return for American Idol season 24, while some fans hoped to see her come back, others flooded the comments section with their ideas for her replacement, and some hoped to see Luke leave the show. One fan said, “I wouldn’t mind a change. Trade Luke Bryan for Jon Bon Jovi and trade Carrie for Shania Twain.” Another fan agreed stating, “Jon would be a huge improvement. I like Carrie but she’s a bad fit for Idol.”

Another fan was on board with Jon replacing Luke, and added two other names to the mix, writing, “Would be kool if you had Bret Michels or even Vince Neil or Bon Jovi and replace Luke.” A different viewer suggested several other superstars for the role, saying, “Jelly Roll, Miranda Lambert, Fantasia, Shania Twain, but Diana Ross or Cher would be [fire emojis].” Interestingly, no American Idol fans mentioned that they wanted to see Lionel leave the show. Also, all of the fans’ suggestions have served as mentors on the show except for Bret, Vince, and Cher.

What Fans’ Opinions About Judges Mean For American Idol

Although some fans think the American Idol judging panel is fine the way it is, there are many who’d like to see some changes. The fact that the TV Insider article was about whether Carrie should return for season 24, but fans suggested replacements for Luke means that they think it’s time for him to go. Their suggestions of rock singers for his replacement implied that they didn’t want two country artists on the panel anymore. Fans seem to be happy with Lionel because no one mentioned his name.

If fans are unhappy with the American Idol judges, this could mean lower ratings for the show, which could lead to ABC canceling it in the future. Carrie, Luke, and Lionel received a lot of backlash during season 23 for their lack of constructive criticism for the contestants. They were more like cheerleaders than judges, and their constant praise and standing ovations became meaningless as the season progressed. They can’t all be “the nice one.” American Idol fans want judges who’ll actually judge.

Our Take On American Idol Fans Wanting New Judges

American Idol Needs A Change

When Carrie took over for Katy as an American Idol judge, I was excited because she was the first judge in the show’s history who’d actually been a contestant. I thought that this would work in her favor, but it actually backfired because she related too much to the contestants and worried about seeming mean and crushing their dreams. Carrie also conformed to Luke and Lionel’s gentle judging style, which made all of them seem as though they weren’t judging the contestants at all.

While I never want to go back to the very harsh critiques of Simon Cowell, I do think that American Idol is in desperate need of change. I love Carrie and Luke as music artists and people, but I think that they’re both simply too nice to do this job. Someone edgier is definitely needed on the show. I hope that American Idol finds the perfect mix of judges for season 24, and, if Carrie and Luke do return, that they commit to giving more constructive criticism to the contestants.