For the first time in “American Idol” history, executives have decided to make the show available to stream live. On February 3, 2026, Deadline reported that beginning on March 30, when live voting begins, fans will be able to either watch new episodes on ABC or watch them live on Disney+.
In addition, the show is launching an official podcast and, as previously reported, will become the first major TV show to introduce viewer voting via social media this season.
‘American Idol’ Executive Producer Says They Have to Keep Evolving With Each Season
Disney“American Idol” is following in the footsteps of another ABC reality competition, “Dancing With the Stars,” which also streams live on Disney+.
In the past, “American Idol” fans had to wait until the next day to stream the latest episode on Hulu. That will continue to be the case, but executives have decided that with so many viewers unplugging from traditional television, it’s better to go where the fans are.
In addition to the live streaming, the show will launch an “Official Podcast” on March 30, available via Disney+ and Hulu. Each week, “the podcast will dive deeper into America’s most iconic music competition series, exploring the performances everyone’s talking about, and offering exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes insights, and expert analysis of the judges’ critiques,” according to a press release.
DisneyAlso starting on March 30 will be the new social media voting — a first for TV competition shows. Executive producer Megan Michaels Wolfick told Deadline in January that she’s wanted to experiment with it for five years, noting, “There’s always an immense amount of pressure regarding how we level up. What do we do that’s different?”
“We have to meet the audience where they are,” she continued. “Back in 2002 when the show began, texting was the new hot thing. We also have to meet the technology where it is, as well. We want to make it as easy as possible for people to vote for their favorites, weigh in from their couch with their second screen, in real time.”
Ratings for ‘American Idol’ Have Been Great Even Without Live Streaming
DisneyThe addition of live streaming on Disney+ isn’t in response to sagging ratings for “American Idol.” In fact, season 24 is off to a great start, with the biggest premiere ratings in four years.