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Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson

Source: Kevin Winter / Getty

After 14 seasons of American Idol, the competition is officially over. It was announced today that America’s favorite talent show will air one more season before it goes off air. According to FOX CEO Gary Newman, “it just felt it was the right time to bring the run to a close.”

We can’t front, it’s a sad moment. We remember tuning into FOX to watch thousands of wanna-be stars line the streets of their hometown with bright eyes and big voices — the opportunity of a lifetime at their finger tips. We appreciated the singer’s who just wanted to meet the judges, the artists who longed for a break and the tone-deaf hopefuls who made Idol entertaining.

At the height of its run, (2004-2007) Idol reached approximately 37 million viewers until numbers began fading, ending at about 11 million viewers for season 13. Can’t say we didn’t see it coming. Their ploy to pit Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj against one another in season 12 failed miserably. And, there hasn’t been a successful Idol winner since Carrie Underwood in season 4. (We know what you’re thinking…but Jennifer Hudson didn’t actually win Idol.)

Season 15 of Idol will end with “a true, season-long celebration,” Newman said. Does that mean our favorite Idol Fantasia will come back? What about Rubben Studdard, are they going to dig him up? We’re almost positive Kelly Clarkson will be there (we love her too).

The end of the Idol era is upon us, but we look back with a smile on all the great moments that left us with goosebumps, in tears or chatting by the water cooler.

Watch some of the best Idol auditions, below:

As for J. Lo and them, we’re sure they’ll bounce back just fine, but what about the talented people who won’t get a shot at fame otherwise?

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The End Of An Era: ‘American Idol’ Announces Final Season  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com