American Idol has officially crowned its Season 24 winner — but not everyone is celebrating.
After weeks of intense competition, finalists Keyla Richardson, Hannah Harper, and Jordan McCullough faced off in a star-studded finale that many fans expected to end with a clear standout. Instead, viewers were left divided after Hannah Harper was announced as the newest Idol champion during Monday night’s live finale.
The episode featured emotional performances, celebrity collaborations, and guidance from special mentor Alicia Keys. Each finalist delivered two songs in hopes of winning America’s vote, but even the judges seemed unsure who would come out on top.
At one point, Carrie Underwood joked about the possibility of a three-way tie — something Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan admitted didn’t sound impossible.
Once Keyla was eliminated in third place, the competition narrowed to Hannah and Jordan, setting up a tense final showdown.
The finale also brought back familiar faces from the season, alongside performances from legendary acts including En Vogue, Gin Blossoms, Blues Traveler, Brad Paisley, Nelly, Jason Mraz, Tori Kelly, and Shinedown. Fans were especially surprised when Carrie Underwood joined Motley Crue onstage for a high-energy rock medley.
But despite the night’s star power, social media quickly exploded with criticism after Ryan Seacrest revealed Hannah as the winner.
Many viewers believed Jordan deserved the title after what they called one of the strongest performances of the night.
“Jordan sang the roof off that place,” one disappointed fan wrote online.
Others described the ending as “underwhelming,” while some labeled the entire season “the worst in Idol history.”
The backlash didn’t stop there.
A growing number of fans are now demanding major changes to the judging panel, arguing that the critiques throughout the season felt too soft and lacked honesty. Carrie Underwood, who returned for her second season as a judge alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, faced particularly heavy criticism from viewers who felt she failed to connect with audiences.
Frustration had already been building throughout the season following an early live-show voting controversy and repeated complaints about inconsistent judging.
Now, with Season 24 officially over, many fans are hoping the show makes major changes before returning for its milestone 25th season.
