“American Idol,” for all its success, is not above tinkering — especially after last year’s revolving door of celebrity mentors and Sanjaya Malakar’s improbable run. But it won’t tinker too much — after all, it’s far and away TV’s most popular show.

The new season kicks off with two-hour episodes airing 8-10 p.m. EST Tuesday and Wednesday and featuring auditions in Philadelphia and Dallas, respectively. Another tweak: “Idol” wannabes were allowed to play instruments during tryouts.

“The TV show — in order to remain exciting to us as viewers — does have to produce hits, does have to produce winners,” said Michael Slezak, who blogs about the show for Entertainment Weekly magazine’s Web site. “Because if nothing is at stake then it becomes just another reality show. You know, ‘America’s Top Model,’ they are not actually producing America’s top model.”

As for the writers strike, Slezak said he thinks “Idol” could be an oasis for displaced viewers forced to anticipate such new offerings as “American Gladiators” and “Cashmere Mafia.”

Of course, the voice is what matters most — and charisma, the reason why the vocally challenged Sanjayas of the world advance further than they otherwise should.

Of course, charisma doesn’t always translate to commercial success after the contest crowns its final winner.

Hicks, Studdard and McPhee have lost record deals with Sony-BMG, which automatically signs the show’s singers. Hicks’ self-titled, post-”Idol” album has sold a respectable 699,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan, but it did not reach the 1 million mark surpassed by debuts from previous “Idol” champs. Studdard’s previous album, 2006′s “The Return,” has sold only 236,000 copies.

Sparks’ freshman disc has sold 425,000 units since its November release, and has spawned a hit single with “Tattoo.”

Meanwhile, multiplatinum “Idol” veterans such as Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry — who laughed all the way to the top of the charts after finishing fourth to Hicks — can be heard on the radio at any given moment of the day.

Cowell said the lackluster sales by Hicks and Studdard reflect the unpredictability of the record industry. Lythgoe said they have nothing to do with success of the program itself.

“I don’t think we should ever confuse the record-buying market with the television-viewing market,” Lythgoe said. “And just because the records aren’t selling doesn’t mean to say that ‘American Idol’ the television program is now going to slip from the ratings.”

Daughtry, who has sold 3.6 million copies of his debut album, disagrees.

“It’s in a state of decline and if they don’t do something about it, it’s probably not gonna last too much longer,” he said in an interview posted Monday on Rolling Stone magazine’s Web site.

Though the stretched-out audition process, with its terrible singers, deliver excellent ratings, Daughtry said he wished the show would give more screen time to people with talent.

“It’s funny at first, but come on,” he said. “They spend three weeks on people that can’t sing, and that’s what they’re banking it on. (They should) find some people that you can really invest in.”

At least one loyal fan thinks the cultural phenomenon loses some of its magic when winners don’t live up to the “Idol” title.

“The TV show — in order to remain exciting to us as viewers — does have to produce hits, does have to produce winners,” said Michael Slezak, who blogs about the show for Entertainment Weekly magazine’s Web site. “Because if nothing is at stake then it becomes just another reality show. You know, ‘America’s Top Model,’ they are not actually producing America’s top model.”

As for the writers strike, Slezak said he thinks “Idol” could be an oasis for displaced viewers forced to anticipate such new offerings as “American Gladiators” and “Cashmere Mafia.”

“Everyone’s going to have to at least come back and sample the show and see how it’s doing, and I think if they’ve addressed (past) mistakes we’re probably going to see a pretty popular year,” he said

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