Fox enjoyed record-breaking success with its “American Idol” TV competition and it is now hoping to do the same with “The Next Great American Band,” making its debut Friday night.

Wannabe bands will begin the big competition, before three judges and the American public, in hopes that they will gain recognition, fame, a fanbase and a coveted recording contract.

Performing judging duty each week will be Goo Goo Dolls frontman John Rzeznik, percussionist Sheila E. and music industry veteran Ian "Dicko" Dickson, who was a judge on “Australian Idol.” “New Zealand Idol” star Dominic Bowden will play host.

It will be up to these three pros to filter and sift the 60 competing groups and retain 12 lucky hopefuls for the upcoming weeks of competition. The last one left standing will be congratulated with a recording contract.

Musicians are aged 12 to 84 and dabble in a variety of musical styles from country and bluegrass to pop and soul to hard rock and metal. No one wishing to participate was turned away from auditions over their musical style, looks or age.

The show debuts tonight with a two-hour episode. The program was created by 19 Entertainment, which is one of the companies behind “American Idol,” and created by Simon Fuller. Executive producing are Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick.

Viewers have the chance to vote for their favorite bands to determine who stays in the competition. Voting begins immediately after each show, and the results will be announced, by host Bowden, at the beginning of the following episode, Fox announced.

Rzeznik told BuddyTV.com that, while he is not a fan of “American Idol” and he hesitated to take up Fox’s judging offer on the band spin-off, he liked the idea of real bands performing their own material or adapting other artists’ music to their own style.

The remaining 12 bands, competing for the title of “the next great American band,” will perform original material as well as songs chosen by the show.