American Idol (season 11) episode (placing fourth during the same year) averaged 18.332 million. The show's continued strengths in its Wednesday and Thursday timeslots, however, helped Fox attain its eight consecutive season in its winning streak in the 18-49 demographics, the most in U.S. television history. American Idol (season 11) The eleventh season of "American Idol" premiered on Fox on January 18, 2012. The show aired on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8/7c. Ryan Seacrest returned as host, while Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler, and Jennifer Lopez all returned as judges. Interscope Records Chairman Jimmy Iovine, a songwriter and producer, also returned as an in-house mentor
American Idol United States 10% more likely to watch "American Idol" during the eighth season in 2009, and those in the East Central region, such as Kentucky, were 16 percent more likely to tune into the series. Data from Nielsen SoundScan, a music-sales tracking service, showed that of the 47 million CDs sold by "Idol" contestants through January 2010, 85 percent were by contestants with ties to the American South. Theories given for the success of Southerners on "Idol" have been: more versatility with musical genres, as the Southern U.S. is home to several music genre scenes; not having as many opportunities