Payload Logo

How American Idol took us from 9/11 to Donald Trump

By Nushmia Khan
Published

Over its 15 years on air, the American Idol talent show offered a mirror to an America dealing with the trauma of the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent wars and economic upheaval. In the video above, ethnomusicologist Katherine Meizel traces how the extravaganza enabled the country to reaffirm what it is to be American.

📬 Sign up for the Daily Brief

Our free, fast and fun briefing on the global economy, delivered every weekday morning.