Editing American Idol (section)

===Contestant eligibility===
The eligible age-range for contestants is fifteen to twenty-eight years old. The initial age limit was sixteen to twenty-four in the first three seasons, but the upper limit was raised to twenty-eight in the fourth season, and the lower limit was reduced to fifteen in the tenth season. The contestants have to be legal U.S. residents, can not have advanced to particular stages of the competition in previous seasons, and must not have held a current recording or talent representation contract by the semi-final stage<ref>{{cite web |title=American Idol 10 Audition Rules |url=http://media.americanidol.com/auditions/season_10/forms/ai10_auditions_rules.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707133435/http://media.americanidol.com/auditions/season_10/forms/ai10_auditions_rules.pdf |archive-date=July 7, 2011 |access-date=February 24, 2011}}</ref> (in previous years by the audition stage).<ref name="season 4 rules" />
{{wide image|American Idol Denver auditions panorama.jpg|700px|Season nine's Denver audition, at [[Invesco Field at Mile High]].}}