Buckle up, everyone! It's almost time for the American Idol season 23 premiere. It's always quite the journey, as well as a fun and stressful time, on the singing competition series. The new season debuts with a new judge, season 4 winner Carrie Underwood! To say she's ah-mazing is definitely an understatement.
It's true we're going to miss Katy Perry and her shenanigans, but I'm also excited to see Underwood go from contestant to judge after all these years of having a successful music career. And she knows how the Idol hopefuls are feeling, and so the artist has a different element she brings compared to the other judges, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie. So when exactly can we start watching the new season?
American Idol season 23 premieres tonight, March 9, 2025, starting at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. We're kicking things off with the auditions of course, which see the judges and host Ryan Seacrest in New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville in this two-hour episode in the search of the next singing sensation. It features "raw talent and unforgettable performances" that "set the stage for the competition ahead," per the synopsis.
How to watch American Idol season 23 on TV and streaming
As mentioned above, the series is available to watch on ABC. Of course if you have a cable provider like Comcast, AT&T, Dish, etc., or even access to some antennas, then it's easy peasy for you to tune in when the episode airs this evening. If you don't, then you'll need another platform to tune in. Before we get into a breakdown of all the options, check out the release times for the premiere of the new season of American Idol based on time zone below:
- East Coast: 8 p.m. ET to 10 p.m. ET
- West Coast: 5 p.m. PT to 7 p.m. PT
- Central: 7 p.m. CT to 9 p.m. CT
- Mountain: 6 p.m. MT to 8 p.m. MT
Alright, so what are your watch options? Well, there's platforms you can subscribe to like Fubo, DIRECTV, and even Hulu + Live TV. There's lots of different tiers and prices depending on what you're looking for. We shared them all below!
Platform | Prices and Packages |
|---|---|
Essential: $74.99/month | |
Entertainment: $74.99/month | |
$82.99/month | |
Hulu + Live TV Only: $81.99/month |
How to watch on streaming
The good news is that if you want to go the streaming route instead, that's also an option! American Idol streams new episodes the next day, Mondays, on Hulu. Whether you're already subscribed to the streamer and don't want to commit to paying for another platform, or you miss the episode when it airs on TV, thankfully there's a way to watch on streaming as well.
Above we shared the Hulu + Live TV options, which combines a subscription to the streaming service with networks and other channels you'd typically find through a cable package. However, there's also the option to just sign up for Hulu. Check them all out below:
- Hulu (with ads): $9.99/month
- Hulu (no ads): $18.99/month
- Students (with ads): $1.99/month
Hulu also gives you the choice to bundle it with Disney+ and/or ESPN+, and there's even a Disney+, Hulu, Max bundle available now too. For a breakdown of all that there is offered, head to the Hulu website for details. Last year's winner was Abi Carter from Indio, California. I wonder who will be crowned the champ this time around!
American Idol season 23 premieres tonight, March 9, 2025, starting at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.