American Idol (season 14) talent. Some of these changes came in response to the falling popularity and viewership of "Idol" in comparison to NBC's competing series "The Voice"; viewership of the thirteenth season had fallen by 27%. Former judge Randy Jackson, who served as a mentor on the previous season, left the show and was succeeded by Big Machine Records founder Scott Borchetta. In May 2014, Ryan Seacrest signed a two-year extension to remain host of "Idol" through 2016, which would be the show's final season. Long-time sponsor Coca-Cola ended its relationship with the series, and the Ford Motor Company maintained a reduced role.
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