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How to Watch American Idol 2018 Live Online Free Streams From Anywhere

Last updated: December 18, 2023

William Sams

William Sams is an online privacy/security advocate at BestVPN.co, who loves sharing his expert knowledge regarding the latest trends in user privacy, cyber laws, and digital affairs.

One of the biggest blockbuster TV events, American Idol, is ready to roll yet again with its sixteenth season airing on March 11. Boasting an enviable reputation as a TV juggernaut and amassing the No.1 spot for eight straight years as the highest rated show on American TV, the show is pure entertainment. It gives the common man with talent to have a chance at achieving super-stardom and for fans to watch that uh-mazing journey unfold!

Are you also excited to witness the search for America’s next singing sensation? If yes, then read our comprehensive guide on how to watch American Idol online using best vpn? After all, who wouldn’t want to watch the show? It literally hooks everyone up to the TV with each episode portraying a story in itself. And then, the pressure that builds during the rounds of voting and elimination each week, damn it’s a breath-taking adventure!

Is American Idol on Tonight?

Premiering on March 11, 2018 – American Idol has showcased some exceptional talent this time around with lots of entertainment and fun moments to remember for life. So, far there have been a total of 15 episodes completed, which means you still have plenty of watch. New episodes will be available on May 12 (Saturday – Top 7), May 13 (Sunday – Top 5), May 19 (Saturday) with the finals approaching on May 20 and 21, where you will get to see how gets crowned as the winner!

Who are the Judges Going to be on American Idol?

With their prized reactions and remarkable judgment skills, the judges are perhaps the most important line-up of the show on American Idol. This season, the show will be keeping its normal format of three judges intact and featuring Ketty Perry, Lionel Riche & Luke Brian as part of the new judges’ panel.

Katy Perry, One of the Judges for the Show!

The host of the show will be the radio celebrity Ryan Seacrest as he has been extremely well received as the show’s master of ceremony in the previous season by audiences.

The first episode, commencing on Sunday, March 11, will kick off with the initial round of auditions at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York, that will feature plenty of remarkable voices along with hilarious moments, so don’t forget to see the list of channels below where you can watch the action take place right there and then!

American Idol Channels/Broadcasters Lists

We are sure that this season won’t be any different. But what the fans of this beloved TV franchise need to watch out for is the change in the channel on which it airs. American Idol was broadcast on the NBC Network from the first to the fifteenth season straight, however, this time users will have to see the sixteenth season on the ABC network.

The Official Broadcasting Partner for American Idol 2018!

This season, American Idol’s official broadcaster is The ABC Network, instead of NBC, in the USA, so for all those residing within the geographical limits of the country, you can watch every episode on ABC at 8:00 pm EST, twice a week on Sundays and Mondays.

American Idol can also be enjoyed by downloading the official ABC apps from Google Play store for Android users or from the Itunes store for Apple users.

For people not living in the USA, here’s how you can watch American Idol:

Country	Channel	How to Stream Outside USA
USA	ABC Network	Unblock using PureVPN USA Server for only $2.48/Month
United Kingdom
Canada
France
UAE
India
Australia	Fox 8

Australia:

Called by many as the next “USA”, due to the shared values and interests between the two nations, no country will find American Idol more fascinating than Australia. So for those of you living in Australia, Fox8 channel will be the place to tune into on March 11!

The rest!

If you happen to live in any country outside the places mentioned above, you might become familiar with this image in the upcoming days if you try to watch American Idol!

From the fire-walled China to the United Kingdom, fans of American Idol won’t have access to the show on the ABC Network or on any other channel within their country.

However, there is a workaround available that will not just unlock your pass to American Idol but will also work great for similar geo-restricted content in the future. To find out more about how you can watch American Idol easily, continue reading the guide!

How to Watch American Idol From Anywhere?

It’s not just American Idol, but every other program nowadays seems to be facing geo-restrictions, thereby depriving millions of people to watch their favorite programs, but here’s where VPNs come in handy.

VPNs are not just there to provide you with great online security and data protection, although they are excellent with that too, they can also allow you to unblock geo-restricted content like American Idol by spoofing your IP.

The most popular VPN providers like NordVPN, Pure VPN, and other provider mentioned in the table below are some of the most popular and highly credible geo-restricted content unblockers out there.

While the VPN doesn’t eliminate the need to sign up for a cable subscription with ABC, it will definitely allow you to view it once you actually have a valid subscription, irrespective of where you are outside the USA or its territories.

Most of the VPN providers mentioned above have dedicated VPNs apps for compatible devices like Windows, Mac OS, IOS, Android and more, so you don’t need to worry about selecting a particular device for the VPN to work.

Just download the VPN app along with official ABC app, signup with a valid subscription on both of them and you know how to watch American Idol easily.

How to Watch American Idol Online in Canada?

If you live just across the border in Canada you are one of the lucky few who can watch American Idol without deploying a VPN. The highly anticipated show can be watched on CTV. So don’t forget to tune in at 7 pm CT on March 11 to watch the exciting first episode!

How to Watch American Idol on Roku?

Roku is a great way for viewing programs like American Idol on the big screen on your TV. The pioneering streaming service for TV is incredibly easy to install and configure. To watch the latest singing competition season, you will need to equip your Roku device with the ABC add-on, which is available for download here. Do remember to use a VPN and choose an American server to start enjoying the show.

How to Watch American Idol Online Live Free Streaming

Currently, ABC hasn’t announced any online free streaming for American Idol Season 16 and they will only be provided by third-party sources. However, we won’t recommend making that your primary viewing option because we don’t know yet who will stream the program for free online and secondly, many third-party streaming services for such programs are often accompanied by plenty of nuisance ads, malicious spamware links, and other spoilers,  thereby destroying the whole experience! Don’t go for that! Enjoy FIFA world cup opening ceremony 2k18 live here at BestVPN.co

American Idol YouTube Streaming

Unfortunately, there are no live stream links available that can allow you to watch the 2018 American Idol episodes online from YouTube. There is an official American Idol page, however, where you can receive regular updates in the form of videos regarding the latest occurrences on the show. It might just be better to opt for other streaming resources mentioned in the guide above.

How to Watch American Idol on Kodi?

Kodi is becoming popular by the day and we highly recommend that you watch the upcoming season of American Idol on this great online media viewing platform. One of the best ways to do that would be to download the USTV add-on, which not just provide you with access to ABC, but allow you to watch other popular American channels such as NBC as well.

On top of that, its entirely legal and free:

Here’s the easiest way to install USTV on your Kodi:

Note:  You will require a VPN service to access USTV NOW streams outside the US 

1. Download and Install Kodi from here
2. Once you launch the Kodi app, select “Add-ons”
3. In the top left corner, there will be an option “Package Installer”, click on it
4. Now select “Install from Repository” > Kodi Add-on Repository
5. Click on USTVNow and commence the Installation process
6. Now the USTVNow Addon will be enabled once you get a notification
7. Now return to the Kodi home screen and click on the ‘Addons’ tab
8. Now go to Video Add-ons
9. Here you can see USTVNow
10. Launch it and enjoy watching

But remember, you will first need to create your account on USTV’s website and opt that you are US citizen when prompted. We advise you initiate your VPN and opt for an American IP before doing all of this to ensure the process is all smooth sailing and without problems.

American Idol Performers to Look Forward To In Upcoming Episodes

It has been a long journey for American Idol judges to find only the best from hundreds of auditions and settle down to a solid 24 list of contestants. From then onwards, we have seen plenty of remarkable singers going back home, some with high-spirits and others completely broken on losing. However, each episode keeps on getting better, and here are some of the best performers to look forward in the upcoming series, who literally outdid themselves in these scenes:

1. Caleb Lee Hutchinson – “Amazed“
2. Michael J. Woodard – “Maybe This Time”
3. Maddie Poppe – “Nothing Compares to You”
4. Gabby Barrett – “How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore”
5. Code Foehner – “Who Will Save Your Soul”

Wrapping Things Up

We hope this guide helps all American Idol fans to watch the TV show at great comfort and ease. Please do not hesitate on dropping a comment below, if you face any trouble or find other ways on how to watch American Idol online. We’d love to hear from YOU! And as the judges would say “You’re going to Hollywood!”