How The Grand Ole Opry Became a Surprising Winner of 2020
One of the the common misconceptions that is constantly having to be corrected in country music is the notion that actual country music and its institutions just can’t be relevant to today’s consumers. Society has moved on from dusty old things such as steel guitars, songs about divorce, and Saturday nights at the Grand Ole Opry, they say. This stuff is just no longer relevant.
But the 2020 pandemic has exposed how essential many of these country music institutions are to society. When stuff began to unravel, folks began to gravitate towards certain things for comfort and familiarity—for a compass in an upside down world. Sure, it took a fair bit of upheaval for many to recalibrate back to their country roots. But it also exposed the importance country music holds in society.
This flight towards country music was seen in a number of arenas, including how streams and sales of country music actually increased in the early portions of the pandemic, when most genres of music were taking it on the chin. It was also seen in how the Grand Ole Opry’s Saturday night live stream broadcasts drew large crowds despite no audience in attendance and stripped-down performances. The Opry was there during trying and turbulent times, just like it has been for generations past who huddled around the glow of the console radio or television to partake in Opry presentations.
Receiving an exception by the Nashville mayor to continue their broadcasts under strict protocols, the Grand Ole Opry beamed its signal into households to the tune of becoming the most successful streaming concern in music during the entirety of 2020, and by a wide margin. Coming in comfortably at #1 in Pollstar’s year-end list of streaming events, the hour-long “Opry Live” racked up a whopping 30,327,437 views in 2020. This was twice as many as it’s nearest competition—Verzuz Presents, with 15.4 million views.
Granted, the Grand Ole Opry performed so well in the year-end polls by broadcasting weekly. But many of the individual Opry performances also made it into the polls for the most-watched individual streams over the year. Grand Ole Opry members Vince Gill and Reba McEntire’s July 18th performance came in at #9 with over 2.6 million views, followed by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood’s September 5th performance at #10 with more than 2.2 million views. Overall, “Opry Live” streaming broadcasts were responsible for seven of the Top 20 events all year in music, and eleven of the Top 30.
Looking through the list of the biggest streaming artists in 2020, there were many that also had ties to country. Luke Combs was the 15th most live-streamed artist, Brad Paisley was the 20th, Todd Snider was the 23rd, and Billy Strings came in at #39.
Also appreciate that most of these performances involved acoustic renditions of songs and stripped-down productions with no live audience. The individual live stream from certain artists during the pandemic could be hit or miss. But people still logged on for the Opry, knowing most performances would be top notch, even without a backing band.
The Grand Ole Opry celebrated its 95th Anniversary in 2020, and kept the “circle unbroken” by continuing its Saturday performance schedule through this unprecedented time. In October, they began opening performances back up to limited capacity crowds in socially distanced clusters.
Once life returns to normal, the Opry will begin holding performances again on Fridays, and during the week like they did before, and perhaps not as many people will tune in Saturday night since there will be more live, in-person options.
But what the Grand Ole Opry proved in 2020 is the lasting importance of country music, and it’s institutions. When everything else went haywire, the Opry not only endured, it thrived. And no matter what happens from here, the millions of individuals from over 50 countries that tuned into the Opry in 2020 will remember those performances, many of which that will become synonymous with the pandemic.
December 23, 2020 @ 12:36 pm
These webcasts were so well done and a light at the end of the week. It was great to see stripped down music. Can really tell who has a real voice.
December 23, 2020 @ 12:36 pm
#4 on Pollstar ,The Camping World Concert series, was all country as well. Looks like most of them were in the top 100 as well though I don’t see the Vince Gill/Amy Grant one I saw.
December 23, 2020 @ 12:53 pm
Interesting story, and good to hear…wouldn’t have guessed it was that high.
Other winners of 2020: People who read, share and support this website.
December 23, 2020 @ 5:52 pm
Fun fact: John Entwistle of The Who and Leslie West were going to play at the Opry together before Entwistles death in 2002. I bring this up because Leslie West just died.
December 24, 2020 @ 7:56 am
That is a really fun fact.
I’ve been listening to a bunch of the Who recently and didn’t realize how many great album cuts the Ox had written – The Quiet One, Cousin Kevin, My Wife, etc. I might even say his songs on Who Are You are better than Pete’s. Trick of the Light and Had Enough are the album’s highlights for me.
December 24, 2020 @ 9:26 am
Don’t forget Boris the Spider.
December 24, 2020 @ 10:47 am
Michael, I think 905 is the best song on that album, another Entwistle song.
December 24, 2020 @ 11:10 am
Another good one.
While we are on the topic of The Who (and since we are on a country music website), they did a song called “God Speaks of Marty Robbins” on Endless Wire that Pete sings. Underrated album.
December 24, 2020 @ 1:34 pm
If you want to hear other Country Who that’s really good in addition to Marty Robbins, go listen to the Keith Moon penned Wasp Man and The Roger Daltrey song Here For More (a song that quotes May the Circle be unbroken, Pete Townsend include A Legal Matter, The Good’s Gone, Don’t Let Go the Coat, I don’t even know myself and I’m One. Ironically despite being involved in the Nashville Music scene, a lover of rockabilly, touring with Robert Johnson, and being a huge Duane Eddy fan (the first song he learned to play on the bass was Rebel Rouser) most of Johns country stuff was limited to solo stuff with the only songs he did being the Boris vocals on Summertime Blues and encouraging Shakin all over
December 23, 2020 @ 6:47 pm
Excellent and encouraging article.
December 23, 2020 @ 6:47 pm
Little off topic, but what’s the word on Willie’s new album?
December 23, 2020 @ 7:11 pm
There are a couple of new Willie albums coming up. He’s got one covering Sinatra that I’m gonna post something quick about as soon as I have a second, and another with his family coming up later next year.
December 23, 2020 @ 7:34 pm
Say the new song, got curious. Thanks for the quick reply
December 23, 2020 @ 9:02 pm
The second guitar player in that Luke Combs opry video has a Breedlove guitar… made right here in Oregon! I’ve had one for 12 years. Glad to see they are popular.
Please support your local music shops.
It is heartening to hear that stripped down acoustic shows can still connect with audiences. Imagine how much money the Super Bowl could save if they hired Luke Combs to sing like this, instead of a pop star with a hundred backup dancers…
December 24, 2020 @ 7:26 am
Depending on what you believe the super bowl may or may not even pay to perform. Rumors that the label had to pay the super bowl to actually perform. Almost like a commercial. Dealing with being paid in exposure dollars on a massive scale.
December 24, 2020 @ 12:32 pm
When I hopefully look back some day on the whole covid thing, one of the positives was tuning into the Opry on Saturday nights with the unique collection of artists and great music! Sitting on the porch on a summer night streaming these shows and loving the interesting collaborations! Thank you Opry!
January 7, 2021 @ 4:46 pm
Trigger,
I emailed the Hall of Fame again today asking them when will the 2021 inductees be announced and in their reply back to me, they said:
We normally do not announce inductees until late summer/August each year.
What do you think?.
January 7, 2021 @ 8:40 pm
Well, that’s not true. They’re normally announced in the spring. THey delayed them this year due to COVID. Perhaps announcements will be delayed again this year to allow the previous year’s Medallion Ceremony to move forward, and then they will announce the next class.
January 7, 2021 @ 10:12 pm
Trigger,
I talked to Byron Fay on Facebook a few times in the past few months about the Medallion Ceremony and in his first reply back to me about it on October 13, he said:
I had heard previously that they were probably going to combine the 2020 Medallion Ceremony with 2021. Probably October 2021 as that is usually the month.
Then, in his second reply back to me about it on October 27, he said:
I guess we shall see. I still don’t think they will be doing anything until 2021 and I would bet that they will probably combine the induction ceremony or possibly do a virtual one. I know the Rock Hall is doing the virtual, pre-recorded induction while the baseball and football Hall of Fames are combining 2020 and 2021 into next year.
Next, in his third reply back to me on October 31, he said:
First, as to the Hall of Fame medallion ceremony, I don’t see it taking place in person until 2021. They will probably combine it with the 2021 class. There is a chance they could do it virtually but that would be up to the inductees if they want to do it that way.
and finally, in his last reply back to me on November 13, he said:
I still think there will be no induction ceremony until fall of 2021 with the 2021 class.
What do you think?.