The judges on this season of American Idol are Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie.

Quick Scoop: American Idol Judges This Season

If you’re tuning in this season (Season 24, airing in 2026), the judging panel is:

  • Carrie Underwood – Original Idol winner (Season 4 in 2005) who returned as a judge starting in Season 23, replacing Katy Perry.
  • Luke Bryan – Country star who has been on the panel since the show’s move to ABC in 2018.
  • Lionel Richie – Music legend and four-time Grammy winner, also on the panel since 2018.

ABC and recent coverage confirm this same trio is back for Season 24, with promos leaning into a “back to school” / “Idol University” theme as they joke about being “professors” guiding new talent.

A Bit of Current Context

  • Season: 24th overall season, and the ninth on ABC, with the new season set and promoted for 2026.
  • Continuity: This is the second year in a row with the same three judges, after Carrie joined the panel in Season 23.

Their return has been framed as a way to mix Carrie’s “former winner” perspective with the long-running chemistry of Bryan and Richie, which fans have gotten used to since 2018.

Mini Forum-Style Take

“Low‑key love that an actual past winner is judging now. Carrie knows exactly what these contestants are going through.”

“Still not over the Katy Perry era ending, but Bryan + Richie are basically the ‘comfort food’ of Idol judges at this point.”

“This ‘Idol University’ promo is cheesy, but it fits them—it’s like they’re the fun professors you actually want feedback from.”

SEO Notes

  • Focus phrase: who are the judges on american idol this season – Answer: Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie.
  • Latest news tie‑in: They were officially announced and confirmed in late August 2025 for the 2026 season.

TL;DR: This season’s American Idol judges are Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie, all officially confirmed and currently sitting on the panel.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.