Entertainment / American Idol Numbers Back American Idol Worship From viewers to votes, box office to bank, no arguing Fox franchise is king By Dustin Lushing, Newser Staff Posted May 21, 2008 7:03 AM CDT Copied In this image released by FOX, American Idol contestant David Archuleta performs, Tuesday, March 4, 2008, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/FOX, Frank Micelotta) American Idol—the highest-rated show of the 21st century—finishes its seventh season tomorrow, moving Portfolio to some Idol chatter: Total number of episodes since its debut in 2002 (as of May 19): 270 Number of seasons ranked the No. 1 show on television: 3 Value of the Idol franchise, per Advertising Age: $2.5 billion Approximate number of CDs sold by Idol winners: 24.5 million Approximate number of CDs sold by runners-up: 6.5 million Estimated number of viewers who watched the '08 season premiere: 33.2 million Votes cast during the season finale last year: 74 million (Idol allows up to 10 votes per phone number) Percentage of Americans who believe their Idol is as important as their vote for president, according to Fox News: 35 percent (More American Idol stories.) Report an error