ViacomCBS Announces CMT Music Awards Will Move to CBS on Heels of This Year’s Success

Company’s Signature Country Music Tentpole to Premiere on America’s Most Watched Network and Air Globally Beginning in 2022

CMT to Kick Off its First-Ever Country Music Week Hosting Week-Long Special Programming and Events Live from Nashville Capped by Exclusive Director’s Cut Airings of the CMT Music Awards

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ViacomCBS today announced that on the heels of this year’s success, the CMT MUSIC AWARDS – country music’s only entirely fan-voted award show – and its signature country music tentpole will have its global premiere exclusively on CBS starting in 2022. The annual ViacomCBS owned event will broadcast live from Nashville on CBS on a date to be announced. For the 2022 event, CMT will kick off the company’s first ever Country Music Week by hosting week-long special programming and events capped by exclusive director’s cut airings of the CMT MUSIC AWARDS later on CMT and various ViacomCBS platforms.

This year, the CMT MUSIC AWARDS saw more than a 10% increase in total viewers and dominated as the #1 most social program across all of television for the night. Across the six ViacomCBS network simulcast, P18-34 ratings saw a +32% increase over last year’s event.*

Celebrated for its high-powered, world premiere and cross-genre performances, the CMT MUSIC AWARDS have aired live since 2005, delivering Nashville’s biggest party to music fans across the globe. The 2021 show, hosted by superstars Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown, featured the most ever first-time collaborations and blended-genre pairings in show history. Standout performances included H.E.R. + Chris Stapleton, Gladys Knight, Mickey Guyton + BRELAND, and NEEDTOBREATHE + Carrie Underwood, who remains the most-awarded artist in CMT Awards history with 22 wins. More information on this year’s show here.

CBS has been America’s Most Watched Network for 13 consecutive seasons and the home of big entertainment events such as THE GRAMMY AWARDS, THE TONY AWARDS, THE KENNEDY CENTER HONORS and this season’s most-watched special, OPRAH WITH MEGHAN AND HARRY: A CBS PRIMETIME SPECIAL.

For additional information and news, visit ViacomCBSPressExpress.com and CMTPress.com.

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Source: Nielsen Early Ratings, 6/9/21, L+SD coverage ratings, total viewers=P2+. Social Content Ratings, excluding sports, 6/9/21. Owned Social: Conviva, YouTube Analytics, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Snap Analytics, 5/5/21-6/10/21.