American Idol Judges First Official Picture

Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler. We all knew this, but now it's been announced officially. What do you think? I actually like this lineup.

But this is not the only change this season, contestants will get to perform in their own genres every week! No more county singers singing rock and vice versa. Themes will focus on decades rather than genres. “It’s really important to develop what they are good at,” says Nigel Lythgoe.

There will be NO guest mentors. Jimmy Iovine will be the “resident in-house” mentor and will work with the kids every week.

The kids will be pushed to improve, to become, “better and more interesting” than in past seasons, “developing the young artists the way they would anyone who signs with the label.”

Nigel says after Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, there were no Idols. “We have got to go back to creating American Idols,” he says. Backstories aren’t going away any time soon. “We’ve still got to get to know these kids,” says Nigel.