The Golden Globe Awards have once again experienced a decline in viewer ratings. This year, the event, often criticized for its disconnect from the average person, attracted even fewer viewers than last year’s already low numbers.
In fact, last year’s ratings were a drop from the year before, which had already set the record for the lowest viewership.
Essentially, this marks the third consecutive year of dwindling audiences for the Golden Globes.
Specifically, this year’s ratings stood at just 8.66 million, which is a 7 percent decrease from last year’s 9.27 million viewers.
To put this in perspective, two decades ago, the awards garnered around 20 million viewers when Hollywood made more relatable content and seemed less overt in its disdain for everyday people.
This decline isn’t purely about the rise of the internet or streaming services. Sure, those have become more prominent, but even back then, viewers had countless cable options. So what’s really changed? I think the answer is, not much.
Back in 2020, viewership reached 18.32 million. I watched.
What have we seen since then? Well, a noticeable shift seems to have occurred. The content lately has taken on a more pedantic, divisive tone—perhaps even preachy and somewhat alienating. There seems to be more emphasis on certain topics, and this might not resonate with all audiences.
Since 2020, the numbers have dwindled dramatically—plummeting from 18.32 million in 2020 to 6.91 million in 2021, with no show in 2022, and then dropping to 6.3 million in 2023, recovering slightly with 9.47 million in 2024, followed by 9.2 million in 2025, and now settling at 8.66 million.
These trends, alongside the Academy Awards shifting to YouTube and sagging box office sales, highlight a broader issue—AI appears to be on the rise in entertainment.
It feels like there’s a growing disconnect; Hollywood seems to ignore the average viewer, and that’s pushing audiences to seek alternatives. Options for entertainment have always existed, but until now, it felt like we were choosing to engage with traditional media.
But times have changed, and we might soon witness AI revolutionizing entertainment, in a way similar to how alternative media challenged mainstream outlets. New forms of entertainment emerging from everyday people could soon take center stage.
Here’s to the shift!
