Singers interested in going on the show will have to perform a song, a capella, from an approved online list. Participants can only submit one video each, and the video can’t be longer than 40 seconds (submissions are due by October 6).
These web auditions will be judged in a manner similar to the usual tryouts. Aspiring musicians with successful audition videos will be called back to the next round in Los Angeles. Viewers will be able to share the videos, and they will also be able to watch highlights on Idol's MySpace page.
This isn’t the first time Idol has turned to the web to look for talent. In 2007, the show held an online contest for songwriters. And last year, fans were able to vote for their favorite contestants via a Facebook application.
This also isn’t the first time FOX and MySpace — both owned by News Corp. — have teamed up to find talent for a TV show. Earlier this year, MySpace held an online casting call for FOX’s hit show Glee. Nearly 28,000 auditioned by the time the call’s initial deadline had passed.
We’ve embedded American Idol host Ryan Seacrest’s call for online auditions below. What do you think of the show’s new approach to tryouts?