Every Awards Show Season, Audio is the Main Act
Lights, camera, action! We’re in the thick of awards show season, which means a lineup of dazzling events and headlines swirling around nominees and winners. This time of year, it’s always a sight to see (and hear) when the entertainment industry celebrates the artists and music that created movements and the actors and films that deserve their flowers.
Throughout it all, audio is getting its close-up—from the red carpet interviews, to the emotional acceptance speeches, to the show-stopping performances. While the Golden Globes and Grammys might be behind us, the season is far from over. Brands can still reach young, savvy, pop culture fans by capitalizing on upcoming awards like the Oscars, CMAs, BET Awards, American Music Awards, and more.
Whether fans can’t stop streaming Bad Bunny or tuning into celebrity interviews on What Now? with Trevor Noah, here’s why SiriusXM Media is your one-stop destination for pre- and post-awards show excitement.
Ratings worth announcing
As an advertiser, you might be wondering: Are awards shows still popular? Are young audiences even tuning in? The answer is yes and yes, with social media interactions and reach at an all-time high.
The 2026 Grammy Awards were the “most social” TV program in the last six months, earning 74.8M total interactions and 302.5M total video views, according to CBS. With the amount of content available today, there’s no shortage of interviews, red carpet moments, memes, and acceptance speeches to view and share.
Meanwhile, almost 9M viewers watched the 2026 Golden Globes live or on the same day, with the show reaching an average of 18M total viewers, according to Nielsen. The ceremony also earned its largest social reach ever, generating 42M social engagements, which was up 5% year over year.
It goes to show, awards show interest isn’t going anywhere, and as the programs continue to evolve, audience behaviors evolve with them. And the opportunity to reach audiences doesn’t end with the live broadcasts. These cultural moments go on—and thrive—with audio.
Become a part of major cultural moments
Digital audio listening doesn’t stop when the awards shows end, the lights go down, and the cameras stop rolling. Post-awards, audiences listen to nominated and winning artists and music from popular shows and films, whether they’re new or existing fans. And when they take a break from listening on repeat, listeners tune into podcasts for a breakdown of the history-making nights.
And where do they go? Your listeners’ favorite award-winning artists are on the SiriusXM Streaming Network and their most-listened, culture-discussing podcasts are on the SiriusXM Podcast Network.
Pandora stations that have a pulse on culture
Take the Grammys for example. After top artists earned the coveted gramophone trophy (or a few), it’s no surprise that the listening rates on Pandora exploded. At this year’s show, Kendrick Lamar became the most decorated Grammy-winning rapper in history, dethroning Jay Z with 27 total awards. And for the second year in a row, he was the Grammys biggest winner, taking home five gramophones. One day after the historic night, he saw a +154K increase in spins on Pandora. On the heels of the biggest night in music, it’s the ideal opportunity for brands to sponsor VIP Rap Radio or the Westside: LA Hip Hop Radio, two of the hottest hip hop stations on Pandora where listeners can hear the rapper.
It was a major night for first-time Grammy winners, too. Country artist Jelly Roll took home three gramophones, and Pandora listeners responded with him seeing a +192% increase in station adds 24 hours after the show. Meanwhile, for R&B artist Durand Bernarr, he earned his first Grammy for Best Progressive R&B Album, seeing a significant +1888% increase in station adds 24 hours after the show.
Podcasts with star power
Podcasts have long since proven that they’re not a trend but a cultural force. It came as no surprise that the medium now has a permanent spot on the A-list stage with the Golden Globes creating an Award for Best Podcast for the first time this year. Three of the six nominees are part of the SiriusXM Podcast Network: Call Her Daddy, SmartLess, and the Mel Robbins Podcast. This award is added to the existing roster of podcast accolades, from The Ambies, to the iHeartPodcast Awards, and it’s all the more of a sign that additional podcast-centered awards are likely to come in the future.
Speaking of the SiriusXM Podcast Network, we boast major star power. Our podcast hosts and guests—some of the entertainment industry’s best and brightest—are awards show hosts, nominees, and winners. Think of Trevor Noah, who hosted the Grammys for the sixth time this year. As one of the newest additions to the SiriusXM Podcast Network, his show What Now? with Trevor Noah features thoughtful interviews with celebrities, athletes, and thought leaders—dominantly appealing to over-indexing audiences like college-educated males and multicultural listeners.
Or think of Conan O’Brien, host of the 2025 Oscars and Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend. After the 2025 Oscars, his podcast saw a +284% surge in downloads. And the comedian is already set to host the awards show again this year.
While the awards shows keep rotating, and the winners and nominees ebb and flow, one thing is constant: Listeners keep coming to SiriusXM Media to press play on the biggest artists and moments.
Multicultural groups shine bright under the spotlight
An awards show night isn’t complete without a bit of history making and record breaking. Take a look at these cultural milestones that we can’t stop talking about:
Bad Bunny’s DeBí Tirar Más Fotos (DtMF) became the first Spanish-language album to ever win the Grammy for Album of the Year
The K-pop genre won its first-ever Grammy with KPop Demon Hunters’ track “Golden” for Best Song Written for Visual Media
Olivia Dean was crowned Best New Artist at the Grammys
Lola Young won her first-ever Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance
Teyana Taylor took home her first-ever Golden Globe for Best Female Supporting Actor for the film One Battle After Another
KPop Demon Hunters was honored with two Golden Globes for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for “Golden,” also making history as director Maggie Kang became the first AAPI woman to win the former award
These wins are especially important in the current anti-DEI climate, where multicultural marketing is at high risk of losing investment. And one thing is clear: Multicultural marketing is as important as ever. If you’re still debating its relevance, the above accomplishments are a sign to continue (or start) investing in diverse audiences and the performers that continue to break barriers.
Not sure how to get started? Read our Multicultural Advertising Playbook, and get in touch with our Fluency team.
An Entertainment Advertiser Takes Center Stage
Audio is integral to cultural events, and here’s proof. We previously partnered with an entertainment advertiser to generate TV tune-in for a major annual awards show. Using a mix of products across the SiriusXM Streaming Network, we leveraged audience targeting to connect with listeners ages 18 and up across Pandora stations including: Today’s Country, Today’s Hits, and Today’s R&B and Hip Hop Hits. We combined targeting with high-impact creatives, sprinkling in brand messaging and sound effects to highlight the performers and hosts of the awards show—while generating buzz over where and how to watch.
The results were more than worthy of an award, with an impressive +26% lift in tune-in rate and +5% tune-in rate. By partnering with us, you get a range of products to choose from, advanced targeting solutions, and creatives that earn a spot on stage.
Ready to roll out the red carpet?
From awards shows, to the Super Bowl, to the Winter Olympics, no matter what major cultural event is happening, we have a front-row seat to what’s new, what’s trending, and what’s most relevant to your brand.
Ready to make your mark and become a part of historic moments? Let’s chat.
