Say what you want, but “American Idol” set the trend for reality competition shows and has always been my personal favorite. ‘Idol’ recently announced that after next season, its 15th, the show will be coming to an end.

Many will say it is time, but I’d like to argue that out of all the other reality talent shows in its midst, ‘Idol’ still beats them all. After all, if it wasn’t for “American Idol,” would there have been any other competitors? In 2002, when the show originated, it was one-of-a-kind. I guess it’s true when they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Since “American Idol,” many other shows have popped up, such as “The Voice,” “America’s Got Talent” and so on. While they might have snagged some of the show’s ratings, many of the biggest names in music today have come from “American Idol.” Artists like Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson, or even non-winners, like Daughtry or Jennifer Hudson.

Can the same be said for “The Voice” or “America’s Got Talent”? Not so much. According to Mark Burnett, creator of “The Voice,” in an interview with Huffington Post at one time, he attributes most of the show’s popularity to its kindness. “There’s no humiliation of anybody on ‘The Voice.’

Many people said when we started, ‘Oh, people won’t want to watch unless there are big fights. It wasn’t true. ‘The Voice’ has succeeded with kindness and just great talent,’” said Burnett in Huffington Post. As of March 5, 2015, the ratings for “The Voice” recap show were the same as one of ‘Idol’s’ new episodes.

Ratings for the show haven’t been as strong as they once were. Like I mentioned earlier, “American Idol” has always been my favorite. I’ve never missed an episode, and I’ve faithfully voted for hours for my favorite contestant, even if I was out of town. I’ve been to the tours, I’ve followed the contestants on Twitter and some have become like friends.

There seems to be more of a connection with “Idol” and its contestants. The audience feels like they are part of the journey from start to finish. Besides, who doesn’t love rooting for that small town guy or girl, who represents the average guy or girl, just like them, who are at home watching on TV? However, while “American Idol,” to me, has the more relatable factor, it also knows how to market its brand and those that represent the logo well. It has seen a lot of changes through the years – many rotations of judges, stage remodels, Next year, we will say goodbye to an era. But, at the end of the day, “American Idol” isn’t, and wasn’t, just about cranking out hits or one-hit wonders, they’re about longevity. They forever changed the music scene, and I will be eternally grateful for that.