Final Ratings: 2016 ‘Billboard Music Awards’ Hits Sour Note With Viewers

Published: Tuesday 24th May 2016 by Rashad
2016 Billboard Music Awards - Show
(Photo Credit:  Getty Images)

Not even an all-star lineup featuring the likes of Queen of Pop Madonna, Celine Dion, Britney Spears, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, and Rihanna were enough to save the 2016 Billboard Music Awards from tanking.

Its highly anticipated performers list and tribute to late pop icon Prince drummed up what was once perceived as ample buzz, final ratings report indicate the exact opposite.

Giving the annual awards showing its lowest viewership in 4 years, tuck in below to find out just how many people tuned in to the Ludacris & Ciara-hosted affair:

Final Ratings:  9.8 Million Viewers

Last year’s edition of the awards show may have reached a reported “14 year high,” but this year’s ratings report is singing a different tune.

Via TBTN:

The Billboard Music Awards telecast was far and away the No. 1 show on broadcast TV Sunday night, but it was also down significantly from last year. ABC’s broadcast of the awards drew a 2.9 3.1 rating in adults 18-49 per time zone-adjusted ratings, down almost a point 0.7 from last year’s 3.8. It was the lowest rating for the awards since 2012.

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  1. KING-CALIO May 24, 2016

    They needed Drake, Justin and Beyonce. Ciara has lost her star power. She’s just a baby muva now. ??

    • Cinnamon Girl May 24, 2016

      What about Ludacris?

    • wrosy3 May 25, 2016

      No one would have still watched previous years those people you named no one still watched so stop with they needed this one and that people these days have no time to watch shows like this anymore I was one who did not watched

    • #JACKIE May 25, 2016

      B**** please Beyonces songs are FLOPS! I see why you’re mad!

    • fed up with fool May 25, 2016

      Billboard is irrelevant. Just look at its chart tabulations. Streaming included in Top Album 200? Come on. This company is a joke!

    • ?+✈=? May 25, 2016

      Everything Ciara touches flops

      • Ayyseify May 25, 2016

        Lol reminded me on the lion king and that line from it

  2. ???????Chile, take this “Itty Bitty Piggy” to the market and make sure you hold her hand while crossing the street!??????? May 24, 2016

    I’m just glad that my Ci Ci got some well deserved shine. She’s a great host and I’d love for her to do it again….and perform too.

  3. Mark111 May 24, 2016

    Ha! BET Awards does around 6 to 8 on average and it’s on cable TV, this was on network TV, pretty ok numbers.

  4. Meteorite May 24, 2016

    Sorry I had ‘Game of Thrones’, ‘Preacher’ and ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ to watch.

  5. Bammmmm May 24, 2016

    Its because Rihanna attended, no one wanted to be apart of a s** ring & weed fest..she needs help.

    • Lmfao_Hoe May 24, 2016

      Girl bye, aside from Ariana and Celine, Rihanna gave us vocals thru that performance, she hit every note from that song with rawness and emotions. If you check her tour performances too she always kills that track live.

    • wrosy3 May 25, 2016

      B**** f*** you and your theory every year these shows get low ratings gtfoh grammies, academy emmy leave rih alone because I will drag your dry p**** this morning for filth

    • Hello May 25, 2016

      Or maybe it’s because that stiff horse Ciara co host this year

      • Ayyseify May 25, 2016

        Ciara was terrible

  6. Authentic May 24, 2016

    Are WE F****** Surprised B. All these award shows be dry AF except BET. The Grammys suck too.. They lost there credibility long ago.

    • Lmfao_Hoe May 24, 2016

      Thank you, the ones who be bad mouthing BET are either straight haters or closeted racists. BET Awards and Soul Train Awards performers always bring in the heat and have everyone on their feet. For such stars that attend the BBA those acts can’t performer worth a damn, BET performers give you life. Riri better show up along with BEyonce and hit that damn stage, since BET been loyal nominating them.

      • Yes girl May 25, 2016

        Girl Beyonce doesn’t have to show BET any love, I mean they disrespected her child. I for one wouldn’t show up.

    • Coolness May 25, 2016

      The Grammys for the past few years have felt like one long boring song and while there have been some standout moments at the Billboard, MTV Music Video and American Music awards, the BET and Soul Train music awards deliver much better performances in general.

  7. Lmfao_Hoe May 24, 2016

    Serves that wack s*** right. Rihanna gave us vocals, Ariana was good, and Kesha rendition was sweet but overall everything else was a complete mess and a middle finger to real musicians period. I love The Weeknd but honestly wtf was he nominated in some of those categories three times within the same one, like why wasn’t Jeremiah, Bryson Tiller, and Torey Lanez nominated? there hits were huge this year too –> Oui, Exchange, Don’t, Say it ect.

    • wrosy3 May 25, 2016

      Rih sang live back in the day people did live performances now it looks fake Britney Spears look a fool dancing like a cheerleader with no energy you can tell they were not singing live people want to see your emotions on stage singing your songs these shows have become a farce with women dressing like they going to a strip club I’m tired of seeing one trying to outdo the other of who can show their body parts more

  8. Authentic May 24, 2016

    If Beyoncé, Rih & Kanye aswell as Drake Perform at the BET awards it’ll be lit AF. That’s a big ???? to these weak ass popularity contest they put on that don’t include nobody but t*** pop girls & country Hill Billies..

  9. Tina May 24, 2016

    NBA Finals aired at the same time.

    • Lake Erie May 25, 2016

      Very true, I was flicking channels between the two.

  10. Tina May 24, 2016

    Eastern conference finals that is. 3.8 down to 3.1 isn’t a big difference.

  11. Justafan May 24, 2016

    Um that’s because Mariah’s showing last year drew in the viewers duh

  12. Lake Erie May 24, 2016

    Wow, with Madonna being such a ICON. I thought this year Billboard Awards would be ground breaking. Madonna doing the tribute looked real good on paper. But actually watching her execute was a waste of time. Thank god Stevie saved her.

  13. RushonJ May 25, 2016

    That was bound to happen this year because the host were black.

    • Yes girl May 25, 2016

      Wrong. The talent there sucked, that’s why.

  14. Authentic May 25, 2016

    The GP is sick of the midiocrity ?….

    • Yes girl May 25, 2016

      Exactly.

  15. No favs, just here for the music May 25, 2016

    Good. An award show where Meek wins top rap album over Kendrick Lamar shouldn’t even be allowed to air.

  16. Music May 25, 2016

    With the exception of Celine, everyone was mediocre, talent wise.

    • wrosy3 May 25, 2016

      Girl stfu with yall excuses no one watching these shows anymore you can put everyone and their mama on to perform people tired start singing live and put on a real show then people might be interested with all those white performances no one still watched teeny boppers young people are too lazy to get up and support their favorite and lazy to go vote

  17. Bee May 25, 2016

    That’s because they had other stuff on Sunday worth watching such as Game of Throne, Baskstball etc, the billboard show was still the most view that night so it’s still a win

  18. King May 25, 2016

    It was too many shows airing on television that night in my opinion. But I feel Ciara did very well. If anything, I think Ciara should come back next year, and Luda should be swapped out. He’s hosted three years in a row. It’s time to bring someone else on. A fresh face.

  19. grapejuicefan May 25, 2016

    This show was good way better than last years,there must have been a whole bunch of other shows on at that time.

  20. Bam Bam May 25, 2016

    I was too busy watching Game of Thrones. #HoldTheDoor

  21. HBF82 May 25, 2016

    That’s because old pillow face ruined what could have been a highlight of the evening. Humanity would benifit from her retirement. With no execessive stage props and just mic in the hand she showcased her worst nightmare: no visible or audible talent.

  22. #JACKIE May 25, 2016

    I only watched for Ciara’s looks which she SLAYED!

    • Ayyseify May 25, 2016

      Lol…. Heman was trying too hard

  23. Reddish tran ivy blokz Need UK timely May 25, 2016

    Poor show

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