The 2026 Golden Globes suffer another audience drop

The Golden Globes experienced a significant drop in audience this year. Is this an indication of the quality of their content?

The 2026 awards ceremony is not the first time it has suffered a decline in audience engagement, as previous years, with the exception of 2024, have also seen a significant reduction in views. Over the years, they have changed the way they operate after being criticized for their lack of inclusion.

The Golden Globe Awards are presented annually to actors, artists and other professionals in recognition of their outstanding achievements in film and television during the previous year. The awards ceremony dates back to 1944.

This year’s 83rd Golden Globe Awards attracted 8.66 million live and same-day viewers. That seems like a big audience, but when compared to the Nielsen data stats, it’s another case of year-over-year audience declines.

Last year, they attracted around 9.27 million viewers, bringing the current show’s decline to just under 7%. Although they have seen a notable drop, it is nowhere near their 2023 low of 6.3 million views.

As shared by DeadlineOverall, Golden Globes viewership has declined significantly over time, as in 2020 the Globes averaged 18.3 million viewers. On the bright side, in comparison to other shows, it received a higher number of views than the 2025 Emmys, which had just over 7 million viewers.

The 80th edition of the Golden Globes recorded the lowest rating in terms of audience. They attracted an audience of 1.1 and 6.3 million viewers, respectively 26% and 9% less than the last Golden Globes.

Prior to this broadcast, its last TV show was in 2021, which attracted approximately 6.9 million viewers and a 1.5 rating among adults. The 2023 Globes, however, garnered nearly 11 million digital and video page views.

The Globes lost NBC as a broadcast partner in 2022, and Variety shares that this was due to allegations of questionable financial practices within the small, exclusive organization and a problem with a lack of diversity and representation.

In 2024, the Golden Globes have completely turned the tide when it comes to their streams and viewers. The ceremony aired live on CBS on January 7, 2024 and averaged over 9 million viewers.

This represents a 50% increase from the massive drop in 2023. Billboard noted that this was its largest audience since 2020. Hollywood’s Party of the Year was the most-watched entertainment program that Sunday. It was a remarkable comeback for Hollywood.

This happened after a scandal took place on the show due to issues with inclusion and the lack of diversity within the organization. The hosts of the 2021 ceremony, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, openly denounced the show, calling the awards abusive words.

“We all know awards shows are stupid. The fact is, even with stupid things, inclusiveness is important, and there are no black members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association,” Fey pointed out before adding that a change was timely.

The Globes have hired children of actors as escorts for winners, but in 2023, this 60-year-old tradition has been abandoned.

Among the Nepo babies who had the privilege of escorting the winners on stage were Melanie Griffith and her daughter Dakota Johnson. Laura Dern, Isan Elba and all of Sylvester Stallone’s daughters.

As reported The explosionthe Nepo babies didn’t just accept their fate in silence. They expressed their plight, creating a wave in the media. Celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Lourdes Leon have also weighed in on the topic.