US Nielsen Ratings
Season one of American Idol was a surprise summer hit show of 2002 and had an average viewership of 12.7 million per episode. It was the summer’s highest-rated show in the 18/49 demographic.
| Episode list |
| Show |
Episode |
Air date |
Week
rank |
Rating/Share |
18-49
rating |
Viewers
(millions) |
| 1 |
"Auditions" |
June 11, 2002 |
12 |
6.1 / 11 |
4.8 |
9.85 |
| 2 |
"Hollywood Week" |
June 12, 2002 |
6 |
6.9 / 12 |
5.2 |
11.24 |
| 3 |
"Top 30: Group 1" |
June 18, 2002 |
6 |
6.2 / 11 |
5.2 |
10.30 |
| 4 |
"Top 30: Group 1 results" |
June 19, 2002 |
22 |
5.8 / 10 |
4.7 |
9.47 |
| 5 |
"Top 30: Group 2" |
June 25, 2002 |
11 |
5.5 / 9 |
4.5 |
9.08 |
| 6 |
"Top 30: Group 2 results" |
June 26, 2002 |
17 |
5.3 / 9 |
4.2 |
8.53 |
| 7 |
"Top 30: Group 3" |
July 2, 2002 |
7 |
5.9 / 10 |
5.3 |
10.28 |
| 8 |
"Top 30: Group 3 results" |
July 3, 2002 |
26 |
|
|
7.5 |
| 9 |
"Wildcard Show" |
July 10, 2002 |
14 |
5.4 / 9 |
4.1 |
8.97 |
| 10 |
"Top 10 Perform" |
July 16, 2002 |
6 |
6.0 / 11 |
5.3 |
10.28 |
| 11 |
"Top 10 Results" |
July 17, 2002 |
12 |
5.5 / 9 |
4.8 |
9.39 |
| 12 |
"Top 8 Finalists" |
July 23, 2002 |
7 |
6.6 / 11 |
5.5 |
10.77 |
| 13 |
"Top 8 Results" |
July 24, 2002 |
16 |
5.7 / 10 |
4.4 |
9.13 |
| 14 |
"Top 7 Finalists" |
July 30, 2002 |
5 |
7.1 / 12 |
6.3 |
12.20 |
| 15 |
"Top 7 Results" |
July 31, 2002 |
10 |
6.2 / 10 |
5.0 |
10.20 |
| 16 |
"Top 6 Finalists" |
August 6, 2002 |
4 |
7.0 / 12 |
6.2 |
12.20 |
| 17 |
"Top 6 Results" |
August 7, 2002 |
8 |
6.4 / 11 |
5.2 |
10.82 |
| 18 |
"Top 5 Finalists" |
August 13, 2002 |
3 |
7.4 / 12 |
6.2 |
12.67 |
| 19 |
"Top 5 Results" |
August 14, 2002 |
4 |
6.9 / 11 |
5.7 |
12.05 |
| 20 |
"Top 4 Finalists" |
August 20, 2002 |
1 |
8.8 / 14 |
7.9 |
15.29 |
| 21 |
"Top 4 Results" |
August 21, 2002 |
2 |
8.0 / 13 |
7.1 |
14.10 |
| 22 |
"Top 3 Finalists" |
August 27, 2002 |
2 |
8.7 / 14 |
7.5 |
14.98 |
| 23 |
"Top 3 Results" |
August 28, 2002 |
1 |
9.7 / 16 |
8.3 |
16.94 |
| 24 |
"Top 2 Finalists" |
September 3, 2002 |
2 |
10.5 / 16 |
9.3 |
18.69 |
| 25 |
"Season 1 Finale" |
September 4, 2002 |
1 |
12.6 / 21 |
10.7 |
22.77 |
|