Over 6000 bands sent in audition tapes. 40 bands from around the country were chosen to participate in a judging session that took place at the Montelago Resort in Lake Las Vegas, Nevada August 19 through 25, 2007. While most of these 40 bands were chosen to attend regional auditions, the ones being seriously considered for the show were flown straight to Las Vegas to play for the judges who will then determine the semifinalists. Ten of these forty acts will be chosen by show producers and judges to become semifinalist acts to compete against each other in the main season of the show beginning October 19. Again, the show will resemble Idol at this point, with telephone and text message votes deciding the winner. Unlike American Idol, however, the final episode will be a winner-takes-all showdown between the top three bands, not two. In promotional announcements that aired on the final episodes of So You Think You Can Dance, another 19 creation, the title was given one night American Band, then the next night as The Next Great American Band. In any event, this show is not to be confused with American Band, a 2007 book about a high school marching band near Elkhart, Indiana.

• Official Website
• Announcement of show