The Academy of Country Music and MRC partnership with Prime Video marks the first time a major awards show has been streamed exclusively
Amazon Prime Video has announced that they will be the home of the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards, which will livestream on the platform in 2022. The 2022 ACM Awards, produced by MRC’s dick clark productions, marks the first time a major awards show has livestreamed exclusively.
First held in 1966, the Academy of Country Music Awards has honored and showcased the biggest names and emerging talent in the industry, and is the longest-running country music awards show in history. The 2022 live show will bring together iconic artists for exciting collaborations, surprising moments, and an unprecedented number of world television-premiere performances, all of which will be announced in the coming months. The date and location will be confirmed at a later time.
“We’re excited to continue to expand our content offerings for Prime Video customers by being the exclusive home for the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2022 and honoring the best in country music,” shares Vernon Sanders, co-head of television, Amazon Studios. “Reaching this milestone with our partners at the Academy of Country Music and MRC as the first major awards show to be livestreamed speaks to our dedication and commitment to continue to both entertain and innovate for our audience.”
“We are thrilled that the Academy of Country Music Awards are first to take this giant step toward the future of awards shows with Amazon Prime Video. This partnership, which reinforces our position as an innovative, progressive awards show, will deliver the broadest possible audience and, simultaneously, deliver massive value to our artists whose music lives inside this ecosystem, enabling fans to discover and stream music as they watch,” states Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music.
“We congratulate our partners at the Academy and Amazon for blazing a path for the future of live awards shows,” comments MRC co-CEO Modi Wiczyk. “Our team is excited to be part of the creative and entrepreneurial innovations that streaming technology will unleash.”
“This historic partnership with ACM, MRC, and Amazon Prime Video meets the industry’s need to bring awards shows to the forefront of the streaming world — exactly where fans are consuming and demanding content. It will also deliver invaluable new opportunities for country artists, enabling them to reach larger audiences and presenting them the Academy’s exceptionally entertaining and compelling show,” adds outgoing ACM Board of Directors Chair Ed Warm.
ACM professional members and subscribers to the A-List newsletter can purchase tickets in a special pre-sale from 10 am PT-10 pm ET on Monday, December 13th. The pre-sale code will be emailed to all professional members and A-List members prior to the on-sale date.
Tickets will go on-sale to the general public at 10 am ET on Tuesday, December 14th via Ticketmaster. Prices range from $100-$1,000.
The news comes following a fallout between CBS and Dick Clark Productions for the annual Academy of Country Music (ACMs) Awards. CBS — which has aired the show since 1998 — couldn’t come to an agreement with producers, who were demanding a $22 million per year payday to license the show after a decline in ratings to nearly half of its viewership since 2018.
Instead, the network will focus on growing the CMT Music Awards following a ViacomCBS merger earlier this year.
