Amazon has seen solid returns from its investment in streaming live sports, but its upcoming experiment with its first live music awards show is more of a gamble.
The 57th annual Academy of Country Music Awards from Las Vegas will air exclusively on Prime Video Monday night in a sped-up, concert-like format without commercials.
But as most awards show have been grappling with year-over-year declines in ratings on broadcast channels, the question remains if fans will make the switch to streaming.
Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios, said other live music events they have hosted, including a Ye and Drake benefit show in December, shows their interest in a growing area of streaming content.
“You can see that it’s an area we’re investing in, and we think it helps build an exciting live opportunity for customers to be able to share a bigger cultural moment around content that they love,” said Salke.
Drawn by the ACM’s reputation for having a fun, inviting and inclusive atmosphere, the streaming service sought to connect that with its large audience of country fans that listen to Amazon Music.
