‘American Idol’ Judges Say They’re Sick of Some Audition Songs: ‘Don’t Do It’

“American Idol” judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie have some songs they would be happy to never hear again in the audition room. Find out which songs they’re totally sick of.

Luke Bryan & Lionel Richie Don’t Hold Back Their Feelings About Audition Songs

Bryan and Richie have listened to a lot of “American Idol” hopefuls in the audition room and that means they hear a lot of the same songs. And there are some songs they would rather not hear again.

In a March 2025 Entertainment Weekly interview, the two judges shared which audition songs they are so over hearing.

For Richie, certain songs elicit a strong response in him. “I’ve got mine that if you start singing it, I’ll start having shakes and hives and I’m close to passing out,” he said.

The singer noted the one that really gets under his skin. “It didn’t happen this time — ‘It’s a Man’s World,’ which I’ve heard for seven years. When they start singing ‘It’s a Man’s World,’ I go, ‘Don’t do it. It’s not gonna work.'”

That said, the song has worked out for some hopefuls. “Twice they did ‘It’s a Man’s World,’ and twice they made it their song,'” he admitted. “You wouldn’t know it was ‘[It’s] a Man’s World.'”

For Bryan, he finds the Harry Styles song “Watermelon Sugar” overdone at this point.

He said to host Ryan Seacrest, “We heard that how many times, Ryan? Listen, perfectly great song, but we were just like, watermelon sugar, high,” Bryan said.

Singers are now looking to newer musical influences, according to Seacrest.

“I’ve heard them say a couple times, and this is new this year, that they’re influenced by Chappell Roan. That’s one of the big influences this year, yeah,” the host said. “More Tate McRae too. We had a little bit of that in the past, but I’ve heard Tate and Chappell from some of the other contestants.”

Singing the ‘Idol’ Judges’ Songs Can Be Dicey

During a March 5 interview on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” Richie also gave the inside perspective of what it’s like to have one of his songs sung in an audition room.

“They think it’s to compliment us, but some days we’re praying, ‘Please God, just let them be able to sing it,” he said.

Richie added of the risky audition approach, “And sometimes they nail it and sometimes it goes south real fast.”