ARIA Awards 2023 dip to new low in TV ratings with just 238,000 viewers tuning in

It’s meant to be one of the biggest award shows in the country but TV audiences have all but rejected the ARIAs, with the lowest ratings recorded in the music night’s history.

Kathy McCabe

@McCabeRadar

6 min read

November 16, 2023 - 2:28PM

News Corp Australia Network

ARIA Awards 2023 brings accolades to Troye Sivan, Jet, Genesis Owusu and many more

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The 2023 ARIA awards posted their lowest free-to-air TV audience for a “special presentation” highlights package, with just 238,000 people tuning in to watch Australian music’s big night.

It is not known how many viewers tuned in to watch the event live on streaming platform Stan.

The five capital cities audience for the fast-paced prime-time edition, broadcast on Nine from 7.30pm, was the lowest ever for the ARIAs, below 243,000 who tuned in last year and the 287,000 viewers who watched on YouTube only in 2021, during the pandemic years.

While the ARIA delivered star power with major winner Troye Sivan, video acceptance speeches from Kylie Minogue and Taylor Swift and dynamic live performances and entertaining hosting from Brooke Boney and Tommy Little, awards shows have been suffering a long, slow decline in popularity with viewers for the past decade.

Younger audiences tend to “watch” the shows via social media clips.

ARIA tried something new this year with the live Stan stream - but without audience figures released it’s difficult to gauge whether the experiment worked. International audiences could watch via YouTube.

The live red carpet stream for the awards only had about 17,000 views in 24 hours.

KYLIE, FARNHAM, TROYE AND SWIFT BAG ARIA GONGS

Pop queens Kylie Minogue and Taylor Swift, gamechangers Troye Sivan and Genesis Owusu and a new children’s superstar ruled the 2023 ARIA Awards.

Minogue capped what has been her renaissance year by taking out the Best Pop Release for her comeback smash Padam Padam as she commands the Las Vegas strip with her first residency.

While she couldn’t be here because of her Vegas commitments, her presence loomed large as everyone arrived at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney with Padam Padam painted on the road in front of the venue.

“Thank you so much Australia for this. This is just unbelievable and I’m super, super happy. I’m just sad that I’m not there with you in person,” she said via video.

Kylie Minogue won an ARIA for Padam Padam. Picture: Twitter / @kylieminogue

Swifties were not leaving anything to chance with their online voting campaign to confirm the Cruel Summer star as our Most Popular International Artist ahead of her sold-out Eras Tour landing here next February.

“It means so much to me because it’s voted on by the fans and I get to see my amazing fans in February so soon and I can’t wait,” Swift said.

Taylor Swift wins Most Popular International Artist ARIA. Picture: Getty Images

Sivan, who scored his first Grammys nominations last weekend, was the prince of the 2023 ARIAs, winning Best Solo Artist and Song of the Year from a stacked field of contenders with his sexy single Rush.

Sivan was undoubtedly the biggest star nominee in the room at the Hordern Pavilion ceremony in Sydney.

His producer Stylaz Fuego – also up for Grammys next year – claimed won two artisan awards for his work on Rush.

Troye Sivan accepts the award for Song of the Year. Picture: Getty Images

Troye Sivan and Styalz Fuego pocketed four ARIAs between them. Picture: Getty Images

Sivan was overwhelmed by all the love from his peers and fans.

“This has been the most insane week of my life ever … like I’m trying to play cool and like this is all normal but it’s really, really tripping me out,” he said.

One of the big shocks of the night was Emma Memma, the new alter ego of Emma Watkins, winning Best Children’s Release for her self-titled debut album from her old group The Wiggles who were also nominated.

“Thank you and for all the families for listening and tuning in and watching on YouTube … we are so blessed to create music for children,” Watkins said.

Oliver Brian and Emma Watkins accept the Best Children's Album award during the 2023 ARIA Awards. Picture: Getty Images

As John Farnham continues his cancer recovery and treatment, his son Rob was at the ARIAs to accept the Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album award for his father’s documentary film Finding The Voice.

His son Rob Farnham walked the red carpet with Glenn Wheatley’s son Tim, who made an emotional acceptance speech.

Tim Wheatley accepts the Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album award on behalf of John Farnham. Picture: Getty Images

“I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank John Farnham and his beautiful wife Jill for letting us tell their story in this documentary,” Wheatley said.

“And I guess none of this would have been possible (without) the man who should be standing her accepting this award, my father Glenn.

“Sadly he’s not with us but I want him to know that his wife Gaynor has picked up the pieces and carried us all over the finishing line.”

John Farnham: Finding The Voice won an ARIA. Picture: Supplied.

Earlier on the red carpet, Wheatley was asked how Aussies could support homegrown music. To which he responded: “get out and see them live as much as you can”.

Rob Farnham agreed and urged fans to “buy CDs, buy merch and see them live”.

Another big winner was Genesis Owusu who took out three awards including Album of the Year, accepting live from London where he is about to kick off his European tour for his second album Struggler.

Ghanaian-Australian hip-hop artist Genesis Owusu, aka Kofi Owusu-Ansah, bagged three ARIAs. Picture: Bec Parsons

Owusu claimed four awards with his debut record Smiling With No Teeth in 2021 and has been critically acclaimed around the world for his dizzying melange of hip hop, pop, soul and rock.

As he accepted his final award for Album of the Year, he called for a ceasefire in the Israel and Gaza conflict in light of his Struggler album being about the strength in community.

“As a community we should be putting our minds, hearts and bodies behind (stopping) it at any junction that we can and with that being said, ceasefire now, ceasefire now,” he said.

G Flip and Kyle Caulfield accept the Best Video ARIA. Picture: Getty Images

Wildly popular alternative pop and rock artist G Flip capped their brilliant year by claiming two awards for their Drummer record in the publicly voted Best Video and Best Australian Live Act categories.

G cried when accepting both awards but really lost it when collecting the live act trophy.

“Thanks to the fans … you guys just love making me cry … I’ve probably got snot coming out of my nose right now,” they said.

Forest Claudette won his first ARIA for Best Soul/R&B Release. Picture: Getty Images

Other ARIA debutantes were rocketing soul artist Forest Claudette who claimed Best Soul/R&B Release with Mess Around and Best Cover Art and indie rockers Teenage Dads, named the Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist.

Rock band Jet who soared to the top of the charts worldwide with their album Get Born 20 years ago were inducted to the ARIA Hall of Fame.

Dan Sultan won Best Adult Contemporary Album ARIA. Picture: Getty Images

Josh Teskey and Sam Teskey from The Teskey Brothers won the ARIA for the Best Blues & Roots Album. Picture: Getty Images

Other winners included Dan Sultan, Fanny Lumsden, the Teskey Brothers and Dom Dolla, the Australian dance producer who also scored his first Grammy nomination in the last week.

G Flip opened the awards ceremony with an energetic performance. Picture: Getty Images

Budjerah performs during the 2023 ARIA Awards. Picture: Getty Images

Some of Australia’s finest live performers took to the stage to entertain between the presentations of the dangerously pointy trophies including Jess Mauboy, Budjerah and G Flip and an all-star tribute to 50 years of hip hop.

Presenters included the legendary Dolly Parton, visiting Irish singer songwriter Dermot Kennedy, Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott and Australian music royalty Marcia Hines and Kate Ceberano.

Jess Mauboy performed at the ARIAs. Picture: Getty Images

Jet, who were inducted into the Australian Music Hall of Fame, were the final performers of the ceremony. Picture: Getty Images

It was undoubtedly one of the most diverse and inclusive roll call of winners in the awards’ 36 year history, embracing the bold sonic landscape being sculpted by a new wave of genre-defying artists.

While last year’s awards were a bit of a disaster as people queued at bats instead of watching, this year – with everyone seated at tables for the first time in more than a decade – it not only went smoothly but proved to be a good vibes only showcase of Australian music.