Randy Jackson joined American Idol in 2002 and became a pop culture icon while also earning quite a hefty salary due to the show's long-lasting success. Known for his personal lingo, like calling everyone "dude" or "dawg," Randy was the cordial judge between colleagues Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul. He gave constructive criticism to contestants and was their confidant. He was always honest while earning a few laughs along the way. The 64-year-old was the last original judge to leave in 2014 simply because he felt it was time and he wanted to work on other projects. But how much did the bass player earn during his 11-year stint on the show?
Prior to the music competition series, Randy spent years making a name for himself in the music business. In the 1980s, he became a bass guitarist for artists like Carlos Santana and Jerry Garcia. He also was a temporary member of the rock band Journey between 1983 and 1986. Randy also toured with big-name artists like Madonna, Mariah Carey, and Bruce Springsteen, and produced music for artists like Whitney Houston. Randy spent years as a record producer and an executive with Columbia Records and MCA records.
Randy emerged from behind the scenes in the music business to front and center as a judge when he joined American Idol. During his time on the show, the Louisiana native made between $5 to $6.5 million per season (via Billboard). While the salary was impressive, it was about $30 million less than that of Simon Cowell. The large pay gap may have been the reason for the friction between Paula and Simon, which may have eventually led to her departure. As the show progressed, OG judges Simon and Paula departed, and popular celebrity judges filled their spots and made more money than the veteran judge Randy. In season 12, hosts like Mariah Carey pulled in $17 million on the show, and Nicki Minaj reportedly made $12 million. That season was Randy's last time as a judge, but he became the in-house mentor for season 13. In 2014, he left for good and pursued other business ventures.
Due to his extensive resume in the music business along with his time on American Idol, Randy has been incredibly successful. Outside of American Idol, Randy produced the dance competition series, America's Best Dance Crew, on MTV in 2008. The show was canceled in 2012 due to poor ratings, but was revived for one last season in 2015. Alongside producing music, Randy also launched his own limited edition guitar line that was seen on HSN. The television personality star is currently on the Fox reboot series, Name That Tune. Randy serves as the bandleader and actress Jane Krakowski (30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) is the host of the musical game show.
As of 2020, the former bass guitarist reunited with the Journey and is currently a member of the band. Randy also recently shared details about his health battles and drastic weight loss. He was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes and underwent gastric bypass surgery. Ultimately, he lost more than 100 pounds (via Prevention). He has been able to keep the weight off and maintain a healthy diet for a decade. The old days of American Idol may be gone, but it set the tone for other reality competition shows. All of the judges have moved on and remained successful throughout their careers. We can only hope for a reunion, but only time will tell.
Source: Billboard, Prevention
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