After Fox cancelled the show, ABC revived it a year later.
Producers attempted to add a fourth judge again in the second season by hiring legendary New York radio personality Angie Martinez american idol judges history stryker angie martinez
However, Stryker famously backed out just before filming began, citing . Though his specific reasons remain somewhat of a mystery, his last-minute exit forced the show to launch with only three judges—a dynamic that accidentally became the series' signature for nearly a decade. The Season 2 Audition: Angie Martinez After Fox cancelled the show, ABC revived it a year later
. Unlike Stryker, Martinez actually participated in the initial audition rounds in cities like Detroit and New York. She quit after only a few days of filming. The Season 2 Audition: Angie Martinez
| Season | Judges | |--------|--------| | 1–3 | Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson | | 4 | Simon, Paula, Randy (Kara DioGuardi – guest mentor) | | 5–7 | Simon, Paula, Randy | | 8 | Simon, Paula, Randy, | | 9 | Simon, Randy, Kara , Ellen DeGeneres | | 10 | Randy, Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez (Angie Martinez – guest mentor) | | 11 | Randy, Steven, J.Lo | | 12 | Randy, Nicki Minaj, Mariah Carey, Keith Urban | | 13 | Keith, J.Lo, Harry Connick Jr. | | 14–15 | Keith, J.Lo, Harry | | 16 (ABC reboot) | Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie | | 17–22 | Katy, Luke, Lionel |