'American Idol' ending in 2016

American Idol, the extremely popular reality TV show, will be airing its fifteenth and final season in January of 2016, (via The New York Times).

Fox revealed the show's impending departure earlier this morning. Returning figures include original host Ryan Seacrest and judges Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr.

Despite a plummeting drop in viewers over the course of more recent seasons, it's difficult to dispute the impact Idol has had on our culture. Not only did it become a household name, but it paved the way for future singing competition programs such as The X Factor and The Voice, the latter of which catapulted the careers of both Hey Monday's Cassadee Pope and singer/songwriter Juliet Simms.

With the show coming to a close, it's only fitting to look back on that guy who used Silverstein's “Smashed Into Pieces” as his audition song.