The 2023 Oscars was the highest-viewed award show in 3 years — what was the worst?

Natalie Issa
·2 min read
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Oscar statuettes are seen backstage at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Oscar statuettes are seen backstage at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. | Matt Sayles, Invision, Associated Press

Whether or not you were a fan of this year’s Oscars, the numbers don’t lie: the 2023 Oscars were the highest-viewed awards show, out of any awards show, in three years, per Entertainment Weekly.

While the bump in views is promising, it’s a bittersweet win. This year’s Oscars is the “third-lowest in history,” per Forbes.

What were the TV ratings for the Oscars 2023?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, this year’s Oscars saw a boost in ratings. Among adults aged 18 to 49 on ABC, the awards show received a 4.03 rating. In comparison, last year’s Oscars received a 3.76.

How many people watched the Oscars 2023?

According to Variety, this year’s Oscars drew in an average of 18.7 million viewers — which is up 12% from last year’s viewership. Not only does this make this year the best-viewed Academy Awards show since before the pandemic, but it’s also makes this year’s Oscars the highest-viewed award show in three years, per Entertainment Weekly.

While this is a decent boost in comparison to last year — which saw 16.6 million views, per Variety — awards show views are waning. For reference, the most-viewed Oscars in history was in 1998, which saw “Titanic” as best picture, with 57 million views, per Entertainment Weekly.

In the past, the Oscars brought in an average of 30 million viewers, per Forbes.

Are the Oscars becoming less popular?

While this year’s numbers might prove otherwise, audiences are becoming increasingly apprehensive of awards shows. As Time explains, there are multiple factors to blame: the rise of streaming platforms, the politicization of awards shows and a lack of interest in awards shows from younger audiences.

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According to Time, “Awards shows are also suffering from the political polarization of the American public, as partisanship invades sectors of society that used to be essentially neutral ground and nurtures the vitriol with which conservatives like Gutfeld attack Hollywood types for their left-of-center views.”

While many may view awards shows as an elitist display of Hollywood patting itself on the back, Time argues that it can be a celebration of what’s important: truly great art. But can awards shows actually get there?

What was the lowest-rated Oscars?

The lowest-rated Oscars in history was the 93rd Academy Awards in 2021, per Observer. It only raked in 9.85 million viewers — a 58.3% drop from the year before, according to Variety. The 2021 Oscars also only received a 1.9 rating, which was a huge dip from 5.3 from the previous year.