Tony Bennett [NBC]
Last week, we noted that NBC’s “A Pentatonix Christmas Special” outperformed the 2015 Michael Buble Christmas special.
They look even stronger in comparison to this year’s Buble show.
According to fast national data posted by Showbuzz, Tuesday’s “Michael Buble Sings & Swings” drew a modest 0.8 adults 18-49 rating and 5.30 million total viewers. Last year’s broadcast drew a 1.2 and 7.26 million, while the aforementioned Pentatonix special posted a 1.4 and 7.49 million in viewership.
Expectations, admittedly, were tempered this year. “Sings & Swings” was announced just a few weeks ago (so late that many assumed there wouldn’t be a Buble special this year) and was not positioned as a big celebrity affair. Presumably due to a complete focus on caring for his son Noah, who was diagnosed with cancer, Buble did not personally work a promotional circuit for the special.
The Buble show led into the two-hour “Tony Bennett Celebrates 90.” It drew the same 0.8 adults 18-49 rating as the Buble special and drew a total audience of 6.65 million. The show’s greater resonance with viewers older than 49 explains the disparity.