CMT Awards Boosts For 2019 By Reaching 2.7 Million Viewers

The 2019 CMT Music Awards might have aired on cable Wednesday night, but it still attracted a big audience thanks to Viacom’s decision to air the awards ceremony on multiple networks.

Overall, the show drew 2.7 million total viewers and a 0.63 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, reports Variety. Thanks to the show airing on CMT, Paramount, Logo, TVLand, MTV and MTV2, the number of total viewers jump 29 percent over last year.

The ceremony was hosted by the group Little Big Town at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Carrie Underwood continued her domination at the show, winning Video of the Year for “Cry Pretty” and Female Video of the Year for “Love Wins.”

Kane Brown won Male Video for “Lose It,” while Dan + Shay picked up Duo Video for “Speechless.” Zac Brown Band won Group Video for “Someone I Used to Know” and Ashley McBride won Breakthrough Video for “Girl Goin’ Nowhere (At Marathon Music Works).” Keith Urban and Julia Michaels shared Collaborative Video for “Coming Home.”

CMT Performance of the Year went to Luke Combs and Leon Bridges for “Beautiful Crazy (From CMT Crossroads).”

With two more wins, Underwood continues to be the most-award artist at the CMT Music Awards. She has won 20 CMT awards in total.

“It’s crazy!” Underwood told reporters after the show. “My husband [retired NHL player Mike Fisher] was like, ‘Oh my gosh, your fans like to vote,’ and I was like, ‘Well, that’s how I’m here in the first place. They’ve been voting for me since day one. Since I was on American Idol. So they know the drill.”

Underwood said she has spoken with fans who say they have been voting for her since her American Idol days.

“I constantly have people telling me they voted for me on Idol, and that was 14 years ago. So now there’s people that are like, ‘Ever since I was a little kid, I would vote for you,’” Underwood said. “I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, have I been doing this for that long? But it’s just really cool that they’re still supporting me after all these years.”

Wednesday was also a big day for Underwood, since it was husband Mike Fisher’s 39th birthday. She gave him a shoutout when she accepted the award for “Love Wins.”

“It is my husband’s birthday today,” Underwood said. “Look what they got you!”

During another memorable moment, Urban paid tribute to his wife, Nicole Kidman, who was unable to be in Nashville because of work commitments.

“My wife, Nicole Mary, who’s at home tonight,” Urban said, including Kidman’s middle name. “She’s working in New York, actually. I wish you were here, baby girl, I miss you.”

While the CMT Music Awards are over, Nashville is still hosting the CMA Fest, which kicked off on Thursday, at Nissan Stadium.

Photo credit: Erika Goldring/Getty Images for CMT