American Idol 2016: Season 15 Judges & Premiere Episode Spoilers

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Season 15 will be the last of the American Idol. Keep on reading for the latest news on AI's premiere episode, including updates from the past and current judges on the show and more.

Labeled the "Farewell Season," the show will kick off with a two-hour episode on Wednesday, Jan. 6 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, featuring auditions from the Denver and Atlanta areas. A second two-hour episode will be aired a day later, this time showcasing talents from Little Rock and San Francisco says American Idol Net.

According to the source, the schedule for this year's show has been shortened. The top 24 contestants who garnered a copy of the golden ticket have already been listed on the site.

ABC News report indicates that producers of the show decided to pull the plug due to dwindling ratings. For nine straight years, American Idol was at the top of the viewer charts, maintaining an average of 11 million views last season.

Executive producer Trish Kinane says this season will also pay tribute to some of the great talents discovered by the judges while still moving forward in selecting a suitable winner for this year's competition.

"It's that tricky thing of, 'Hey, it's the 15th season, let's do nostalgia, let's look back at the show's really rich history.' But on the other hand, you've got to find an amazing American Idol."

"So we're trying to combine both of those things," Kinane added.

Viewers can expect to see some of the previous seasons' winners and recognizable talents make an appearance in some of the upcoming episodes. Prestigious graduates such as Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard will be imparting some of their experiences and tips to this season's young hopefuls.

American Idol is attempting to open the season in a big way. The opening will feature clips taken from as far back as 2002 with Seacrest and Dunkleman hosting the show.

NPR has released a complete transcribed version of the soundbyte that will be aired on Wednesday's episode.

Harry Connick Jr., Keith Urban, and Jennifer Lopez will be coming back for their third straight year as judges of the show. Ryan Seacrest is also expected to join the cast as the veteran host.

In addition to showing the preliminary tryouts in various states, a news report by the IB Times says Kanye West's 'audition' last September in San Francisco will also be included in Wednesday's episode.

Want to know what some of your favorite American Idols have been up to these past few years? E! Online has updates on stars such as Adam Lambert, Jennifer Hudson, and 13 other artists.