It served as an audition for the Fox musical comedy series Glee, and the prize for the winner was a minimum seven-episode arc in the following season of the show.

Glee's casting director, Robert J. Ulrich, was casting director for the project, while Glee's on-screen non-speaking accompanist, Brad Ellis, helping Ulrich coach 80 potential candidates as seen in the music segment of "The Top 12" special that led into the pilot episode of season 1.

At the beginning of each episode, contestants performed their respective parts of the song in front of a mystery guest judge from the Glee cast.

The contestant that completed the homework best was given a one-on-one session with the guest star and a principal part in the music video.

In preparation for the music video, contestants recorded parts of a song in a professional studio with vocal producer Nikki Anders (née Hassman).

During the next to last episode of each season Ryan didn't include the mentors; instead he invited co-creator Ian Brennan to join him.

In the final episodes, Murphy, Woodlee, Ulrich, Anders, and Brennan were also joined by several of the guest mentors, writers, and cast members.

Unlike most reality competition shows, contestants were not directly informed of their elimination, nor did they wait for extended tension-filled pauses to hear the results one by one.

Larsen debuted on Glee in the thirteenth episode, "Heart", as a transfer student named Joe Hart,[5] also appearing beyond his original seven-episode stint.

Note: John Ross Bowie made a cameo appearance reprising his role as Dennis, the school photographer, in the music video.

Note: Guest mentor Max Adler also made a cameo appearance reprising his role as Dave Karofsky in the music video.

[30] Other guest mentors would include season 1 co-winner Samuel Larsen (Joe Hart), Cory Monteith (Finn Hudson), Naya Rivera (Santana Lopez), Jane Lynch (Sue Sylvester), Amber Riley (Mercedes Jones), Chris Colfer (Kurt Hummel), Dianna Agron (Quinn Fabray) and returning season 1 mentors Darren Criss (Blaine Anderson) and Kevin McHale (Artie Abrams).

He made his first appearance in the fifth episode of season four, "The Role You Were Born to Play", as a McKinley student named Ryder Lynn.

[35] Ali Stroker, the runner up, also made an unexpected first appearance in the fourth season episode, "I Do", as Betty Pillsbury.

Note: Judges Robert Ulrich and Zach Woodlee made cameo appearances as themselves in the music video.

Note: Iqbal Theba made a cameo appearance reprising his role as Principal Figgins in the music video.

Note: Rock Anthony made a cameo appearance reprising his role as Rick "The Stick" Nelson in the music video.

Note: For the music video, each contestant was assigned the role of a musical icon: Abraham played David Bowie, Ali was Katy Perry, Aylin was Madonna, Blake was Boy George, Lily was Cyndi Lauper, Michael was Elvis, Nellie was Britney Spears and Shanna was Lady Gaga.

Iqbal Theba made a cameo appearance reprising his role as Principal Figgins in the music video.

Note: Damian McGinty made a cameo appearance reprising his role as Rory Flanagan in the music video, as did all the previously eliminated contestants from the second season.

[91] Winner of the series and earning a 7-episode arc on Glee: Blake Jenner SAFE   The contender was not at risk of elimination.