American Idol was inspired by the British show Pop Idol, and first aired in the United States in 2002. The premise is simple - contestants perform selected songs for a panel of judges, and both the judges and the viewing public vote for their favorite performer. During the 2005 season, over 1 billion votes were cast during the season, and thousands of contestants attempted to qualify for the show. American Idol tickets create the opportunity for many of those who voted to see the contestants live, so act now to book your seats.