Miranda Lambert | Michele Crowe/CBS
Sunday’s 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards ceremony delivered its best adults 18-49 rating and viewership mark during the 9:30-10PM half-hour.
That reality is unsurprising for two different reasons.
For starters, awards shows typically attract their largest audiences between 8:45 and 10:15PM.
This particular 9:30-10PM half-hour, moreover, featured performances by some of the biggest names in country music.
Specifically, it included the end of Jason Aldean’s “You Make It Easy,” plus Miranda Lambert’s “Keeper Of The Flame,” Little Big Town’s “Rocket Man,” Toby Keith & Blake Shelton’s “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” Midland’s “Drinkin’ Problem” and Carrie Underwood’s “Cry Pretty.”
According to Programming Insider, the half-hour drew a 2.3 adults 18-49 rating and 12.79 million overall viewers. The show itself averaged a 2.1 and 12.08 million.
With a 2.2 rating and 12.74 million viewers, the 9-9:30PM half-hour ranked as the #2 section. 10-10:30PM half-hour drew the same 2.2 demo rating, but its 11.97 million viewer mark was actually fourth on the night. The 8:30-9PM (2.1, 12.18 million) section drew a larger overall audience.