The Best Singing Competition Shows Ever Made

It’s almost impossible to turn on a television these days and not find a reality television program of some sort. Ever since the great Writer’s Strike of 2007, so-called “unscripted” television has taken over, and it isn’t showing any sign of stopping. One of the many popular genres in the field is the singing competition show. These are programs made to challenge people’s skills at singing by diving into numerous styles and genres of music with the winner often taking home a ton of cash, recognition in the industry, and sometimes, a record contract.

Competition shows have been around forever with talent searching platforms like Star Search often focusing on music. While that show is certainly legendary, it wasn’t 100% about the music, which is why this list is focused on only those competitive shows that center entirely on singing. Shows like American Idol and The Voice are obvious contenders, but there are other more amazing series out there you may not have seen!

There truly are tons of examples of this genre, many from the UK, but not all singing competition shows are as good as the tracks they produce. There’s so much to choose from, but there are a few series that are considerably better than others thanks to the intense competition found in each episode. This list highlights the very best reality TV shows in the singing competition genre so don't forget to vote up your favorites. Then, check out shows about music that aren't competition shows - some of which feature faces you'll recognize from singing competitions.