The CMA Awards always generate buzz leading up to the event. However, in recent years, that buzz hasn't translated into people sitting down to watch the show. It doesn't matter who is up for an award; the pull of Country Music's biggest stars hasn't been enough to stop a year-on-year slide in the ratings.
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According to The TV Ratings Guide, the show saw a 20% drop in viewership compared to last year, and is drawing less than half of its peak year, which saw 16.1 million viewers tune in back in 2014. In fairness, TV viewing habits have changed.
The rise of streaming has hit cable television hard. More and more people are slowly pivoting back to cable. That change comes due to the rising cost of streaming platforms. There's also distrust due to the perceived "double-dip" as ads are now being integrated. Nevertheless, the numbers simply aren't as compelling as before.
Nevertheless, a 20% drop in one year has to be a concern.
Part of that viewship decline is likely due to the genre's biggest stars all choosing to stay home. Morgan Wallen continued his standoff with the CMA Awards. Jason Aldean and his wife opted to enjoy the sun, sea and sand of Miami. And global megastar Jelly Roll was nowhere to be seen.
If the biggest names in Country Music are turning out for the event, why should fans be expected to part with their primary non-renewable resource: time?
Jason Aldean's Wife Took a Thinly-Veiled Shot at the CMA Awards
Just hours before the CMA Awards were scheduled to begin, Brittany Aldean began uploading photos from their trip to Miami to her Instagram account. With time to spare, she opened herself up to a Q&A with her followers.
Once Jason and Brittany Aldean's absence from the CMA Awards was confirmed, one fan asked why they weren't in attendance.
"Not much love from that one," Brittany responded.
Still, if the CMA Awards want to turn their slipping ratings around, they must find ways of making peace with some of the genre's biggest stars. Regardless, the CMAs may be fighting a fight they can't win as the younger generation becomes less and less in tune with what's airing on television.
All this to say, this doesn't mean that the CMA Awards are headed for failure, but rather what is viewed as success for a television program has drastically changed in the new streaming era.
