2022 ACM Awards Will Skip Network Television, Stream Exclusively on Amazon Prime

The 57th Academy of Country Music Awards will make history in 2022, becoming the first major awards show to be livestreamed exclusively.

The 2022 ACM Awards will not air on network television, instead, the show will livestream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. 

“We’re excited to continue to expand our content offerings for Prime Video customers by being the exclusive home for the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2022 and honoring the best in country music,” said Vernon Sanders, co-head of television, Amazon Studios. “Reaching this milestone with our partners at the Academy of Country Music and MRC as the first major awards show to be livestreamed speaks to our dedication and commitment to continue to both entertain and innovate for our audience.”

“We are thrilled that the Academy of Country Music Awards are first to take this giant step toward the future of awards shows with Amazon Prime Video. This partnership, which reinforces our position as an innovative, progressive awards show, will deliver the broadest possible audience and, simultaneously, deliver massive value to our artists whose music lives inside this ecosystem, enabling fans to discover and stream music as they watch,” said Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music.

“We congratulate our partners at the Academy and Amazon for blazing a path for the future of live awards shows,” said MRC co-CEO Modi Wiczyk. “Our team is excited to be part of the creative and entrepreneurial innovations that streaming technology will unleash.”

“This historic partnership with ACM, MRC, and Amazon Prime Video meets the industry’s need to bring awards shows to the forefront of the streaming world—exactly where fans are consuming and demanding content. It will also deliver invaluable new opportunities for country artists, enabling them to reach larger audiences and presenting them the Academy’s exceptionally entertaining and compelling show,” said outgoing ACM Board of Directors Chair Ed Warm.

The news comes weeks after CBS declined to renew its deal with Dick Clark Productions to air the show. According to reports, DCP was asking $22 million to license the show and CBS, the home of the ACM Awards since 1998, declined to renew amid the growing price tag and declining ratings. 

According to Deadline, the 2021 ACM Awards hit an all-time low in ratings with 6.08 million viewers tuning in to the telecast. Hosted by Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton, the 2021 ACM Awards aired from iconic Nashville venues, including the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium and the Bluebird Cafe.

In comparison, the 2020 ACM Awards raking in 6.60 million views and the 2019 show brought in 9.9 million viewers. 

It was previously revealed that the ACM Awards would return to Las Vegas on April 24, 2022, however, the latest release from the Academy of Country Music states that the show’s “date and location will be confirmed at a later time.”