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, Grammys, and Oscars might be behind us, the season isn’t over yet. Brands can still reach young, savvy, pop culture fans by capitalizing on upcoming awards like the Cannes Film Festival, Tony Awards, American Music Awards, and more. 

Whether fans can’t stop streaming Doechii or tuning into celebrity interviews on Let’s Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa, 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? For the first time, this year’s Oscars were livestreamed on Hulu while simultaneously airing live, continuing a trend of mixing live, linear TV with streaming platforms. And interest is on the rise; the 97th Academy Awards drew in approximately 19.6M viewers, a five-year high. Notable trends included a growth in young viewers and viewings from mobile and PC. 

Meanwhile, this year’s Golden Globes dominated numbers-wise. Ratings surpassed 10M, while the livestreaming audience was up 9% compared to the 2024 broadcast. Social media performance also saw growth of 124% year over year. 

It goes to show, awards shows 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 awards shows end. 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 couple), it’s no surprise that the listening rates on Pandora exploded. Beyoncé, the most decorated artist in Grammys history, added three trophies to her collection this year. Following the historic night, we saw a +10x increase in station adds.  

And a discussion of one of the biggest nights in music wouldn’t be complete without a mention of Kendrick Lamar. After winning in all five categories in which he was nominated, his artist station saw an increase of 1M spins and a +307% increase in station adds. On the heels of the historic night, it’s the ideal opportunity for brands to sponsor VIP Rap Radio or Westside LA Hip Hop Radio, two of the hottest Hip Hop stations on Pandora where listeners can hear the rapper. 

Podcasts with Star Power 

The SiriusXM Podcast Network boasts 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 Conan O’Brien, host of the 2025 Oscars and Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend. Or for an extra dose of Hollywood, tune into Let’s Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa, where household names, from Colman Domingo to Goldie Hawn, are interviewed on behind-the-scenes film experiences and stories on working with other performers. These shows are just a few of many in our library that fill fans’ pop culture appetites and advertisers’ desires to get in on the action. 

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. This year, a common theme emerged: Multicultural marketing is as important as ever. Take a look at these cultural milestones: 

• Actor Zoe Saldana became the first American of Dominican origin to win an Oscar 

• Beyoncé is the first Black woman to win Best Country Album in Grammys history and the fourth Black woman to win Album of the Year 

• Doechii is now the third woman to ever win Best Rap Album in Grammys history 

• Anna Sawai made history as the first AAPI actor to win an Emmy Award for Lead Actress in a Drama Series 

These wins are especially important in the current anti-DEI climate, where multicultural marketing is at high risk of losing investment. 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 

Your brand doesn’t need to be in the entertainment space to have a role in the awards show season, but if it is? You get major results. 

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 Oscars statuette or Grammys trophy, 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 Big Game, to the 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. 

As you look ahead to upcoming events, there’s no better time to get started than today. Now, before we BRB to stream Wicked: The Soundtrack on repeat, let’s chat.

Up Next on the Stage