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Two hit singing competition reality shows, “American Idol” and “The Voice” are often at odds in the minds of viewers. Seasons of both shows are generally aired at the same time, leaving some viewers to wonder which show does better when it comes to ratings.
Both “The Voice” and “American Idol” have been powerhouses when it comes to ratings for their networks; “The Voice” is often the highest-rated show on NBC when it’s on, according to TVSeriesFinale.
Read on to learn more about the ratings and see which show leads the market.
‘The Voice’ Season 20 Averages Over 6 Million Viewers
“The Voice” has not even started airing the season 20 live shows at the time of writing, but the show has continued to be a powerhouse when it comes to ratings.
The season premiere of season 20 aired on Monday, March 1, 2021, and the show brought in 7.89 million viewers, according to TVSeriesFinale. The numbers weren’t all positive for the premiere, however, as the overall ratings were down 12% from the previous season, and the ratings in the 18-49 demographic were down by over 25%.
Throughout the season, “The Voice” has held onto most of its viewership, with the low of the season airing on Monday, April 12, 2021. That show pulled in 5.8 million viewers, down 3 percent from the previous episode.
The most recent episode of the show, which aired on Monday, April 26, 2021, pulled in 6.8 million viewers.
In context, according to TVSeriesFinale, that puts “The Voice” at the top of Monday nights for overall viewership, but the show does fall below “9-1-1” in the coveted 18-49 demographic.
‘American Idol’ Has Lost Over 2.8 Million Viewers Throughout Season 19
In the breakdown of viewership by TVSeriesFinale, “American Idol” pulls in much less viewership than “The Voice” does.
The season started on February 14, 2021, and the show pulled in 6.95 million viewers at the time. Since then, over the course of two months, the show has lost nearly a quarter of its viewership as of the last episode aired.
On Monday, April 19, 2021, “American Idol” pulled in just 4.2 million viewers and scored low in the 18-49 demographic, according to the ratings. The show has averaged a little over 5 million viewers on the Sunday night episodes throughout the season and just under 5 million viewers on Monday night episodes.
On Monday nights, that puts “American Idol” in fourth place in overall viewership, trailing behind “9-1-1,” “The Voice” and “The Neighborhood.” The second hour is also trailing “9-1-1: Lone Star,” according to TVSeriesFinale.
That being said, “American Idol” dominates Sunday night viewership. On Sunday, April 19, the show pulled in 4.64 million viewers, followed by “The Simpsons,” which pulled in just 1.23 million, according to TV Series Finale.
Will ‘The Voice’ and ‘American Idol’ Be Renewed?
Though ABC has not yet officially announced a renewal for “American Idol,” it is very likely that the show will stick around at least for one more season, which will mark the 20th overall season of the show.
“The Voice” will be returning for the fall, as superstar Ariana Grande joins the coaching panel in Nick Jonas’s chair. That move is likely to bring another ratings boost to the show, making it unlikely to be canceled anytime in the near future.
“The Voice” airs on Mondays at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific on NBC. “American Idol” airs on Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. Eastern on ABC.
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‘The Voice’ Versus ‘American Idol’ 2021: Which Show Has Better Ratings?