Country music fans blast ACM Awards for shift to Amazon Prime
The social media team for the Academy of Country Music Awards worked feverishly Monday night posting clips and photos from the show on Facebook.
There was co-host Gabby Barrett in her gleaming white peasant dress, Kane Brown in his sea-green suit, Morgan Wallen looking for redemption in the garb of British royalty and the Brothers Osborne in whatever that was they were wearing.
Down in the comments, though, were the reactions of a lot of unhappy campers who expected to flip on CBS and watch the show like they always did.
But this year, the ACMs experimented, going live from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas exclusively on Amazon Prime. The streaming service is in the homes of approximately 76 million American households, which is about 60%. Prime is the second leading streaming service with a 21% market share compared to Netflix’s 27%. Fans were able to sign up for a 30-day free trial to watch the show.
In 2021, 6.3 million people watched the ACMs on TV. We don’t know how many of those people have Amazon, but judging from the comments, plenty did not and they were vocal about it.
“I hope that the streaming money was worth all of the Country Music fans that you shut out from watching because they are not doing streaming services. What a shame!!!!!.” wrote Jeff C.
“What a bunch of b.s.,” wrote Julie P. “if you don’t have Amazon prime you could not watch the aces! I’m really disappointed in this! I don’t have internet or a computer. So basically I’m screwed!! I guess there getting to hi class for us poor hard working people who listen to there music and make them who they are!!! F.U. Amazon and shame on you the academy of country music!!!”
They went on and on like that. Kevin L. did have Amazon but wasn’t happy about it: “I just wish it was on tv. I did not like having to watch online. I ended up shutting it off after about 5 minutes. BRING IT BACK TO TELEVISION!”
As for the people who watched, they gave high praise to Gabby Barrett, the Munhall star who showed off her powerful pipes at one point singing Lee Womack’s “I Hope You Dance.”
“I love that Gabby’s husband accompanies her on the guitar,” Melissa H. wrote of Cade Foehner. “At one point he looked at her with such love in his eyes. What a couple!!”
“Your performances made the show!,” wrote Paula T. “You deserved to win Female Artist of the Year.”
That went to Carly Pearce. Miranda Lambert took home entertainer of the year, and Chris Stapleton won best male artist.
Brothers Osborne broke a three-year winning streak by Dan + Shay (McCandless native Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney) to take best duo.
Morgan Wallen won album of the year for “Dangerous: The Double Album.” Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood won single of the year for their duet “If I Didn’t Love You,” while Lainey Wilson won song of the year for “Things a Man Oughta Know.”