The 9PM half-hour, which began with Carrie Underwood’s number and also featured performances by Chris Stapleton & Justin Timberlake, Florida Georgia Line, and Eric Church, was the most-watched sixth of the 49th Annual CMA Awards broadcast.
It tied with the 9:30PM half-hour as the leader in adults 18-49.
Nielsen fast national data confirms that the show, which averaged a 3.8 adults 18-49 rating and 13.58 million total viewers, drew a 4.1 with 14.76 million during the aforementioned 9PM half-hour. In addition to the four noted performances, it also featured Florida Georgia Line’s victory for Vocal Duo of the Year.
The 9:30PM half-hour, which drew the same 4.1 rating but a viewership total of 14.09 million, hosted performances by Fall Out Boy & Thomas Rhett, Kelsea Ballerini, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, and Maddie & Tae. It also included Chris Stapleton’s Album of the Year victory.
Slightly weaker in adults 18-49 (4.0), the 8:30-9PM half-hour actually drew a stronger viewership average (14.36 million) than the 9:30PM sixth. In addition to the Song of the Year win for “Girl Crush” and the New Artist victory for Chris Stapleton, the half-hour featured performances by Zac Brown Band, Kenny Chesney, Sam Hunt, and Little Big Town.
While awards shows (and TV viewership in general) typically peak during the 9-10PM hour, the middle hour of this year’s show faced competition from FOX’s “Empire.” The aforementioned 9PM and 9:30PM performers, consequently, deserve at least some credit for leading the show to its highest rating in the face of the night’s toughest competition.
The 8:30PM half-hour, meanwhile, deserves credit for building momentum in advance of that 9PM hour.
The night’s other half-hours:
8PM (3.7, 13.92 million) | Performances – Eric Church & Hank Williams, Jr., Keith Urban & John Mellencamp | Awards – Little Big Town’s Single of the Year victory
10PM (3.7, 12.67 million) | Performances – Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, Kacey Musgraves | Awards – Little Big Town’s Vocal Group of the Year victory
10:30PM (3.4, 11.19 million) | Performances – Dierks Bentley & Lindsey Stirling, Reba McEntire & Brooks & Dunn | Awards – Miranda Lambert’s Female Vocalist of the Year victory, Chris Stapleton’s Male Vocalist of the Year victory, Luke Bryan’s Entertainer of the Year victory