Ludacris, Ciara to host 2016 Billboard Music Awards

dick clark productions and ABC have announced that the โ€œ2016 Billboard Music Awardsโ€ will be hosted for the third year in a row by Grammy award winning recording artist Ludacris. He will be joined by first-time host and international recording artist, Ciara. It was also announced that this yearโ€™s award show will move to the brand new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The โ€œ2016 Billboard Music Awardsโ€ will be the first non-Pay-Per-View live broadcast event from the new venue, which officially opened on Wednesday, April 6th. The โ€œ2016 Billboard Music Awardsโ€ is set to return to ABC and will broadcast live on Sunday, May 22nd at 8 pm ET. This yearโ€™s show will showcase big performances, unexpected collaborations and pop culture moments that will have everyone talking.

โ€œThe Billboard Music Awards is one of best award shows to honor chart success. My great friend Ludacris and I have also shared songs together on the Billboard chart,โ€ said Ciara. โ€œI look forward to sharing the stage with him on this special night. It will definitely be a night to remember!โ€

“It is my honor to host the Billboard Music Awards for the third year and a pleasure to host with my good friend Ciara,โ€ said Ludacris. โ€œIโ€™m looking forward to another great show in a new and exciting venue.”

The โ€œ2016 Billboard Music Awardsโ€ finalists will be announced on Monday, April 11th live on ABCโ€™s Good Morning Americaย during the 8 am ET hourย Ludacris and Ciara reveal finalists in six categories. Immediately following the broadcast, five additional categories will be exclusively announced live via Billboard Music Awardโ€™s Facebook and Periscope, followed by a live stream on ABC News of the remaining categories.

Billboard Music Awards finalists are based on key fan interactions with music, including album and digital songs sales, radio airplay, streaming, touring and social engagement. These measurements are tracked year-round by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound. The awards are based on the reporting period of March 23, 2015 through March 17, 2016. Since 1940, the Billboard charts have been the go-to guide for ranking the popularity of songs and albums, and are the ultimate measure of a musicianโ€™s success.

ABCโ€™s threeย hour telecast of the โ€œ2015 Billboard Music Awardsโ€ scored an across-the-board victory, ranking No. 1 in its 8-11 p.m. time slot in Total Viewers, all key Adults (AD18-34/AD18-49/AD25-54) and Teens 12-17. Delivering its 3rd-straight year of Total Viewer growth (+5% – 11.2 million vs. 10.7 million) and gaining Adults 18-49 (+9% – 3.8/12 vs. 3.5/10), the โ€œBillboard Music Awardsโ€ generated its most watched telecast in 14 years and earned a 12-year high in young adults โ€“ since 2001 and 2003, respectively. In addition, the annual show was up for the 3rd year with Teens 12-17 (+3%) to post its highest rating since 2003.

Ludacris & Ciara are tapped to host the 2016 Billboard Music Awards

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn