The excitement grows as the premiere of season 14 of "American Idol" draws closer. While the end goal of the show remains the same, which is to find the next American idol, there are several format changes in the show this time around. 

It is no surprise that "American Idol" has been battling its way to gain viewership and ratings in the past seasons. And because of the struggle, FOX has decided to air only one episode per week for season 14. That means the live show and the results show will be combined into one big show weekly. 

More than that, FOX also decided to almost reveal the top 24 contestants who made it, through the video titled "The Top 24 (Almost) Revealed."  True enough, the faces and identities of the singers are kept a secret, but their voices are showcased throughout the video. One can easily pay attention to those voices and know who made it through the audition process. 

Another new, or perhaps, not-so-new change coming to season 14 is the return of judge Harry Connick Jr., who will sit alongside Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban. Connick had a talk with USA Today and divulged the things they've learned from the past seasons — what works and what doesn't. 

"There were a lot of talented kids last year (who) didn't do that well on the show, whether it's because of nerves or lack of experience. What we all tried to do was find kids that would be more ready for the American Idol experience ... If you're going to be an entertainer, you have to be able to perform on cue," he said. "That was very specifically designed to see them in a situation in between being alone in an audition room and being on that huge Idol stage. It was to see them in a small environment, packed with people." 

Connick also noted that plenty of contestants have surprised him in good and bad ways, saying, "In my mind, I knew who was going to crush it — and they crashed and burned. And the ones that I thought were going to come in second, they destroyed it."

"American Idol" season 14 will premiere on Jan. 7.