Sunday Overnights: ‘The ACM Awards’ Crushes ‘American Idol’ on ABC

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2018

Household Rating/Share
CBS: 7.3/12, ABC: 4.8/ 8, NBC: 2.5/ 4, Fox: 1.1/ 2

-Percent Change from the Year-Ago Evening:
ABC: +182, Fox: +37, CBS: +33, NBC: -11

Ratings Breakdown:
It was no contest last night, with the “53rd annual “Academy of Country Music Awards,” hosted by Reba McEntire, holding a significant overnight advantage over competing “American Idol” on ABC. While the true test, of course, are the demographics, “The ACM Awards” at a 7.2 rating/12 share in the household overnights from 8-11 p.m. ET bested ABC’s “American Idol” (4.2/ 7 from 8-10 p.m. ET) by 71 percent. Compared to one year earlier (6.5/11 on 4/02/17), “The ACM Awards” increased by 11 percent. And that 6.5 rating in the household overnights last year translated into 10.85 million viewers and a 2.1 rating/7 share in adults 18-49, based on the Live+Same Day data.

Compared to one week earlier, “American Idol” slipped by nine percent.

ABC got a considerable boost in the 10 p.m. hour, with special “James Comey: An ABC News Exclusive” at a dominant 7.2/12, which inched past the final hour of the “ACM Awards” (6.9/12) by four percent. Competing sophomore NBC drama “Timeless” could not compete at a mere 1.6/ 3 in the household overnights.

Earlier in the evening was CBS granddaddy at a dominant 7.8/13 at 7 p.m., followed by “America’s Funniest Home Videos” on ABC (3.3/ 6), “Dateline” on NBC (2.7/ 5) and two episodes (repeat and original) of animated “Bob’s Burgers” on Fox (7 p.m.: #4: 0.9/ 2; 7:30 p.m.: #4: 1.1/ 2).

Elsewhere, NBC finished in the distant third-place spot with its Sunday 8-10 p.m. pairing of “Little Big Shots” (3.5/ 6) and recently introduced “Genius Junior” (#3: 2.4/ 4). And Fox featuring the waning combination of “The “Simpsons” (1.4/ 2), “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (1.2/ 2), “Family Guy” (1.1/ 2) and “The Last Man on Earth” (1.0/ 2), which all finished a distant fourth.

What follows are the household overnight ratings for Sunday, April 15 broken out by half-hour:

7:00 p.m.
ABC – “America’s Funniest Home Videos”: 3.2/ 6 (#2)
CBS – “60 Minutes”: 7.5/13 (#1)
NBC – “Dateline”: 2.7/ 5 (#3)
Fox – “Bob’s Burgers” (R): 0.9/ 2 (#4)

7:30 p.m.
ABC – “America’s Funniest Home Videos”: 3.5/ 6 (#2)
CBS – “60 Minutes”: 8.1/14 (#1)
NBC – “Dateline”: 2.7/ 5 (#3)
Fox – “Bob’s Burgers”: 1.1/ 2 (#4)

8:00 p.m.
ABC – “American Idol”: 4.2/ 7 (#2)
CBS – “2018 ACM Awards”: 7.2/12 (#1)
NBC – “Little Big Shots”: 3.5/ 6 (#3)
Fox – “The Simpsons”: 1.4/ 2 (#4)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “American Idol”: 4.3/ 7 (#2)
CBS – “2018 ACM Awards”: 7.1/11 (#1)
NBC – “Little Big Shots”: 3/5 6 (#3)
Fox – “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”: 1.2/ 2 (#4)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “American Idol”: 4.2/ 7 (#2)
CBS – “2018 ACM Awards”: 7.4/12 (#1)
NBC – “Genius Junior”: 2.5/ 4 (#3)
Fox – “Family Guy”: 1.1/ 2 (#4)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “American Idol”: 4.3/ 7 (#2)
CBS – “2018 ACM Awards”: 7.6/12 (#1)
NBC – “Genius Junior”: 2.3/ 4 (#3)
Fox – “Last Man on Earth”: 1.0/ 2 (#4)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “James Comey: An ABC News Exclusive”: 7.1/12 (#2)
CBS – “2018 ACM Awards”: 7.2/12 (#1)
NBC – “Timeless”: 1.7/ 3 (#3)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “James Comey: An ABC News Exclusive”: 7.3/13 (#1)
CBS – “2018 ACM Awards”: 6.7/12 (#2)
NBC – “Timeless”: 1.6/ 3 (#3)

Source: Nielsen Media Research