Although reviewers are wreaking havoc on the Golden Globes 2024 due to Jo Koy’s underwhelming hosting, to put it mildly, in terms of viewership, it is reigning supreme. The ratings are significantly higher than last year, boasting a 50 percent hike. According to Billboards, it was the second-largest live-streamed CBS special event on Paramount+ ever in terms of AMA (average minute audience) and reach.

Golden Globes Award
Golden Globes Award (Image via. Britannica)

Netizens on social media have already started speculating on what might be the reason behind such a staggering viewership, despite disastrous hosting and past controversies. While it may seem like it is Globes’ redemption arc, many are hell-bent on their faith that it’s the presence of Taylor Swift that boosted the numbers so high.

Is Taylor Swift the saving grace behind the Golden Globes 2024 viewership?

The reviews may have been brutal for Sunday’s 81st Golden Globes online, but they still managed to shine where it matters: viewership. It managed to pull in an average of 9.4 million viewers, a 50% hike from last year, which had the lowest viewership of 6.91 million viewers due to controversies. Even though comedian Jo Kay’s performance was massacred by trolls online due to his fumbling and overall hosting, where he rushed over certain monologues that did not feel up to the Globes standard, Globes reached the largest live-streaming audience for an awards show across Paramount+ and other CBS platforms since the 65th annual Grammy Awards in February 2023 (via Billboards). 

Also Read: Is Taylor Swift Queer? Her Team Finally Responds to Viral Rumor

Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift (image via. Big Machine Records)

Among big stars like Oprah, Timothee Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, and Selena Gomez, there was also Taylor Swift in attendance. Miss Swift is at the height of her stardom right now, recently achieving her first billionaire status with music as her main source of income. She also became the 2023 Time Person of the Year, and overall, she has been a pop culture phenomenon. 

It is never exhausting for fans to root for their favorite Anti-Hero online, and they are now attributing the success of the Golden Globes to Taylor Swift’s presence. As Popbase posted on X about Golden Globes viewership, the replies started blowing up, with people citing Taylor Swift as the reason behind Globes redeeming its lost glory. Check out some of the reactions below:

https://twitter.com/Fan_FlickOn/status/1744474606554300903

Also Read: Taylor Swift Proves She’s Not a Sore Loser as Barbie Wins Golden Globe Over Eras Tour Nomination

The debate over whether Swifties saved the show or not is still up in the air. However, one thing fans unanimously agree on is the epic fail that was Jo Kay’s hosting this year. While talking to ABC’s GMA3, he said that he would “be lying” if he said that the criticism “doesn’t hurt.” Kay then went on to explain that he landed the job only two weeks prior to the show and therefore had no time to prepare: “Getting that gig, and then having the amount of time that we had to prepare—that was a crash course.”

What controversy did the Golden Globes face in the previous years?

Three years ago, Golden Globes was slammed for a lack of diversity and ethical lapses in the organization. In fact, it was so bad that the hosts, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, called out the organizers on stage. Many still remember Fay’s iconic monologue, where she says,

“We all know awards shows are stupid. The point is, even with stupid things, inclusivity is important and there are no Black members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. … You have to change that.”

Also Read: Golden Globes 2024 Winners and Losers: Who Won the Barbenheimer War After Robert Downey Jr’s Historic Win?

Tina Fay
Tina Fay (image via. Paramount)

In 2021, the show’s rating had a steep decline from 18.32 million to 6.32 million. Whether it was due to the pandemic or the controversy could not be known. Ratings plummeted even in the hands of top-tier show hosts like Fey and Poehler. 

However, it seems like the Globes is slowly recovering and will be back to its element if they start taking audience criticism into account more.

Golden Globes 2024 is available to stream on Paramount+.

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