‘American Idol’ judges reveal the songs they’re just tired of hearing: 'It's not going to work...'
Ever since its debut in 2002, 'American Idol' has opened doors for aspiring singers to shine. Contestants usually select powerful songs to showcase their vocal abilities, but there have been some tracks that are repeated season after season. Although these songs may seem ideal for stellar performances, the judges aren’t always excited about repeatedly hearing them. Talking about the same, judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie shared their thoughts on the songs they're tired of listening to.
Richie names James Brown’s 'It’s a Man's World' as the song he never wants to hear again during auditions, as per Entertainment Weekly. "I've got mine that if you start singing it, I'll start having shakes and hives, and I'm close to passing out," Richie said. "It didn't happen this time—'It's a Man's World,' which I've heard for seven years. When they start singing 'It's a Man's World,' I go, 'Don't do it. It's not going to work.'" However, Richie admitted that exceptions do exist. This season, two contestants managed to break the mold and impress him with their unique renditions, as he said, "Twice they did 'It's a Man's World," and twice they made it their song." He further added, "You wouldn't know it was ‘[It’s] a Man's World.'"
Bryan, on the other hand, had his own picks, as he shares, Harry Styles' 'Watermelon Sugar' and Carrie Underwood's 'Lucky Timing.' Bryan expressed relief that Underwood, the newest 'American Idol' judge, "didn’t have to live through the 'Watermelon Sugar' high years," referencing the song’s overplayed popularity during his, Richie’s, and host Ryan Seacrest’s time on the show. Even both Seacrest and Richie groaned and laughed at the mention of the song, showing they shared Bryan’s sentiment. "We heard that how many times, Ryan?" Bryan joked. "Listen, perfectly great song, but we were just like, 'Watermelon sugar, high," he added, humorously singing a bit of the tune.
Notably, back in April 2022, in a series of Instagram stories on the 'American Idol' Instagram page, the judges revealed which songs they would choose if they were ever to audition for the show. Richie selected The Beatles' iconic 1965 hit 'Yesterday.' He said, "I'm so sorry I didn't write it, but 'Yesterday' would be one of those songs. Oh my God. 'Yesterday' by Paul McCartney. Killer," as per Screen Rant. Katy Perry, on the other hand, would audition with one of her favorite tracks, "One of Us," the 1995 hit by Joan Osborne. She shared, "It's a cool song. Great storytelling and songwriting."
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Bryan revealed that if he were to audition for 'American Idol,' he would choose 'She Used to Be Mine,' the 1993 hit by country duo Brooks & Dunn. Whereas, host Seacrest selected 'Penny Lover,' the 1984 hit by Richie, calling it "one of Lionel's greatest hits." He further added, "I don't know if it gets enough credit. Needs more credit." He then laughed and joked, "I'm sure with me presenting a cover of it, it'll do damage to it,” jokingly implying that he should stick to hosting rather than singing.