TV Ratings: Billboard Music Awards Hit Demo Low, Grow Total Viewers

NBC's broadcast also had smaller declines in adults 18-49 than some other recent music awards shows.


The Billboard Music Awards fell to an all-time low among adults 18-49 — but despite that, NBC's broadcast still easily led Wednesday night's ratings.


The awards also improved a bit year to year in total viewers, and the demographic declines weren't as severe as some other recent music awards.


The Billboard Awards drew a 2.1 rating in the 18-49 demo, down 12.5 percent from 2.4 a year ago and the lowest on record for the show. The show's total audience of 7.96 million is up a smidge from 7.87 million in 2018.


If there's a silver lining for the demo numbers for the Billboard Music Awards, it's that they fell by less than some other recent music awards. The most recent CMA Awards, American Music Awards and ACM Awards broadcasts all fell by at least 24 percent in adults 18-49 and by at least 18 percent in total viewers.


The Billboard Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, a division of Valence Media, the parent company of the Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group.


The rest of the broadcast networks were fairly steady. CBS' Survivor (1.4 in adults 18-49, 7.24 million viewers) was the top regularly scheduled show across the board. The Amazing Race (0.9) fell a little bit, but SEAL Team held steady at 0.7.


Fox's Empire (1.1) and Star (0.9) both matched their week-ago ratings, as did Riverdale and Jane the Virgin (both 0.2) on The CW.


ABC's comedy block suffered some, with Modern Family hitting a series-low 1.0 and The Goldbergs tying its all-time low of 1.0. Schooled (0.8, -0.2) and Single Parents (0.7, -0.1) declined as well, but Whiskey Cavalier ticked up to 0.5 after hitting a season low last week.


NBC's 2.1 average in adults 18-49 more than doubled the 1.0 for CBS and Fox. ABC averaged 0.7, Telemundo 0.5, Univision 0.4 and The CW 0.2.