“American Idol” is close to the end of its sixth season and Fox is already planning the next big project: “American Band.”

The format will be generally similar to that of “American Idol,” according to Hollywood Reporter, the difference being that instead of searching for musical greatness among individuals, the new hopefuls will be bands.

Simon Fuller, the creator of “American Idol,” is the initiator of this new music competition. The project is called, for now, “The Search for the Next Great American Band.”

Formula:

• nationwide auditions of aspiring bands

• the bands can play any kind of music and there are reportedly no age restrictions

• there will be judges who will choose the ten lucky semifinalists

• those ten remaining contestants will give weekly performances, live, each week coming with a different music style and theme (guest-mentors will probably be included, but I’m just speculating here)

• the audience will have the same chance of calling or text messaging to vote for favorites

• competing bands will be eliminated one by one, according to public voting and the judges’ evaluation until “The Next Great Band” remains

Will viewers gobble up Fox’s offer? If launched, this could mean “American Idol” times 3 or 4 or 5 (depending on the number of band members) plus instruments… Sometimes it’s just exhausting enough to survive through one person’s performance… But a whole group, singing and playing instruments?!

The forthcoming “American Band” will be produced by 19 Entertainment and FremantleMedia North America, which also produce “American Idol.”