Fox Network hit "Empire" has been officially green-lit for a second season that will feature 18 episodes split into two different halves.

According to TVByTheNumbers, the show will remain in its Wednesday night, 9 p.m. time slot and will air shows during the fall and winter seasons.

Cast members will begin doing promotional concerts this summer, and even more big-name stars are slated to make guest appearances on the show throughout the season. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the first "Empire" soundtrack hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart just days after the show's season finale aired.

While none of the names of the expected Season 2 guest stars were revealed, it's been reported that Ne-Yo and Timbaland are on tap to write new songs for the show. Co-created by Lee Daniels and starring Terrence Howard (Lucious Lyon) and Taraji P. Henson (Cookie Lyon), "Empire" played to a massive audience during its first season.

For its season finale, TV Line reported the show registered 16.7 million total viewers and 6.5 demo rating across its two-hour airing. On the season, Fox execs report the show is the only prime-time scripted one to grow in total viewers over each of its first five telecasts in at least 23 years.

Also starring Jussie Smollett (Jamal Lyon), Bryshere Y. Gray (Hakeem Lyon), Trai Byers (Andre Lyon), Grace Gealey (Anika Calhoun) and Kaitlin Doubleday (Rhonda Lyon), the show centers on a family-owned hip-hop music and entertainment company and the lengths some are willing to go to keep it afloat and in the hands of its original creators.

During the first season, guest stars included Courtney Love, Snoop Dogg, Naomi Campbell, Gladys Knight, Cuba Gooding, Anthony Hamilton, Fabolous, Judd Nelson and Tyson Beckford.