Report: Jennifer Lopez Signs With 'American Idol'

Following months of upheaval that saw three of the four American Idol judges leaving the show and everyone from Elton John to Howard Stern rumored as replacements, it seems as though the judges' panel for the next season of Idol is finally in place: According to People , after a summer of much-publicized negotiations, Jennifer Lopez has finally sealed a one-year, $12 million deal to join Idol. Lopez will likely join a revamped judges' table that includes Randy Jackson, the only remaining judge from Idol's first season, and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, as the show returns to a three-judge format.

Lopez had long been rumored to fill one of the vacancies on Idol, but talk of the singer's demands from producers led to a breakdown in talks. At one point, country star Shania Twain was mentioned as the producers' new target to join the show, but Lopez and Idol reengaged in contract talk soon after. It was suggested that Lopez was holding out for a Fox contract that included development deals and movie options, but People reports she simply settled for the $12 million.

While no official announcements have been made -- Us Weekly writes that Fox will announce the judges in early October -- Lopez seems to bring stability to panel that's seen many recent changes. Idol's fourth judge, Kara DioGuardi, announced two weeks ago that she was leaving the show after two years. DioGuardi's exit followed that of Ellen DeGeneres, who felt her role wasn't the "right fit", and Simon Cowell, Idol's marquee name, who left the show to work on the new American version of Britain's The X Factor.

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Song Stories

“All Along the Watchtower”

The Jimi Hendrix Experience | 1968

Jimi Hendrix got hold of Bob Dylan's early John Wesley Harding tapes and in late 1967 recorded a version of "All Along the Watchtower" with the Experience in London. Dissatisfied with that first development, Hendrix brought those tapes with him to New York in early 1968 when he began work on Electric Ladyland. Eddie Kramer, Hendrix's engineer at the time, told Rolling Stone that Hendrix "was still looked upon by his basically white audience as the mammoth black guitar hero. There was a constant fight within him to expand himself." Hendrix's successful take on Dylan's work has long been recognized by the songwriter. "I liked Jimi Hendrix's record of this and ever since he died I've been doing it that way," Dylan wrote in the liner notes to his Biograph box set. "Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it's a tribute to him in some kind of way."

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