The talent contest opens its fifth season with open auditions in Los Angeles

Open auditions are held in Dallas

Season 5's open auditions continue

Preliminary auditions continue

Open auditions continue

Open auditions continue

Disparate acts are featured in continuing preliminary auditions

Preliminary auditions continue

Season 5's preliminary auditions continue

Auditions continue

Contestants perform for the judges in Las Vegas in hopes of making it into the top 48

The stress spikes when judges Sharon Osbourne, Howie Mandel and Piers Morgan deliberate over which acts to select for a spot in the Top 48

Performance showcases in Los Angeles kick off with 12 acts from the Top 48 taking the stage

Four winning acts are selected for the sought-after Top 24 in a results edition

Twelve acts from the Top 48 showcase their talents in the second week of performance shows

Four acts advance to the Top 24 in a results installment. Cirque du Soleil perform the show "Kà," and the rock band Train sing "Hey, Soul Sister."

Twelve acts perform in the third week of showcases

Four acts win a slot in the Top 24 in a results show. Singer-songwriter Mike Posner and hip-hop dance troupe JabbaWockeeZ perform

Twelve acts from the Top 48 take the stage in the fourth week of performance showcases

Four acts advance to the Top 24 in a results edition. Rocker Bret Michaels and British singer-songwriter Taio Cruz perform

Twelve acts from YouTube perform in Hollywood

Four acts from YouTube advance to the semifinal round

Twelve previously eliminated acts return to the contest and perform in a wild-card round

Four wild-card acts advance to the semifinal round. Country songstress LeAnn Rimes and illusionist Criss Angel perform

The semifinal round begins with 12 acts performing in a bid to break into the Top 10

Five semifinal contestants win a position in the Top 10 in a results show. Jimmy Fallon and singer Kylie Minogue perform

The semifinal round continues with 12 acts performing

Five winning acts advance to the Top 10

The Top 10 acts perform in Hollywood in their quest to win a sought-after position in the final four. Enrique Iglesias performs "I Like It."

The final four acts are revealed. Sarah McLachlan sings "Forgiveness" and the cast of the stage show "American Idiot" performs

In Season 5's penultimate episode, the remaining four acts perform in Hollywood for the final time

The winning act is revealed in the Season 5 finale, which features performances by an array of Las Vegas and Hollywood stars