CIRCLE NETWORK’S “OPRY LIVE” TOPS POLLSTAR’S
2020 YEAR-END LIVESTREAM CHARTS
#1 ON TOP 100 LIVESTREAMERS CHART BY
NEARLY 15M VIEWS;
28 “OPRY LIVE” SHOWS IN TOP 100 LIVESTREAMS
CHART WITH 2 IN TOP 10
Up Next, “Opry Live” Christmas Special
to Premiere on Dec. 19 at 9pm ET
Hosted by Amy Grant and Featuring Lady
A, Lauren Alaina, and Kelsea Ballerini
Watch “Opry Live” Sizzle Reel Here: https://youtu.be/kEYMIkhnmKQ
Nashville, TN,
December 16, 2020 – Circle
Network, the network
dedicated to putting fans inside the circle of everything country, and their
one-hour “Opry Live” program are wrapping 2020 on a high note by earning
the #1 spot on Pollstar’s Top 100 Livestreamers Chart across
all genres and by placing 28 “Opry Live” shows in the Top 100 Livestreams
Chart. “Opry Live,” a one-hour series featuring the Grand Ole Opry’s
live Saturday night performances, officially began on March 14 which preceded Pollstar’s
2020 livestream chart. As of today, “Opry Live” has
reached over 50 million views from 50 countries around the world.
Out of 100 all-genre livestreamers, “Opry Live” took the #1 spot
with 30,327,437 views,
nearly 15 million views higher than the second runner-up. “Opry Live” also
dominated the all-genre Top 100 Livestreams Chart as the most ranked
show, with two landing in the Top 10. Country icons and Grand Ole Opry members Vince
Gill and Reba McEntire’s July performance came in at number 9 with more than 2.6
million views and more than 17,000 shares across social media, directly followed
by Opry members Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood’s September performance at number
10 with more than 2.2 million views and 8,618 shares. This not only showcases
the achievements of Circle and “Opry Live,” but also for country music as a
whole. See HERE for Pollstar’s full Top 100 Livestreams chart.
These rankings
arrive after an unprecedented year for the new network. On New Year’s Day, Circle celebrated by launching its network through
Gray TV with more than 17 signature programs, soon to include “Opry Live,” a
one-hour series featuring the Grand Ole Opry’s live Saturday night performances
from country music’s most talked about artists including legends, superstars, up-and-comers
and unexpected guest talent. Nearly three months later, COVID-19 hit, forcing
the city of Nashville to shut down, which meant the 95-year-old Grand Ole Opry would
keep the music playing, but without an in-venue audience. The Opry did so for
34 consecutive weeks before audiences were able to return at limited capacity October
3.
Within
36 hours of having to shut their doors to an in-house audience, Circle and the
Opry moved their traditional live performances to a one-hour live stream and
broadcast music program format, which has kept fans connected to the Opry and
country’s biggest superstars each week through live TV and streaming on social media.
Circle has been able to use this livestream model and the audience its
attracted to build upon their additional original programming. “Opry Live” has also
been the only show of its kind to continuously offer high-quality production of
live music from a public venue throughout the pandemic.
“As the stewards of the Grand Ole Opry, it was never a
question of if the Opry would play on, but how could it provide a
safe and much-needed source of comfort during what has been an extraordinary
year around the world,” said Scott Bailey, President of Opry Entertainment. “We
are proud of this tremendous result and the numbers of viewers who have
tuned in, not only for what it has meant for Circle, but also for what it says
about the country music genre and country music fans. On behalf of all of us at
the Grand Ole Opry and Opry Entertainment, I’d like to thank the artist
community, industry and music lovers around the world for their continued
support.”
“We never could have imagined the hurdles we would have to
go through following the launch of our network earlier this year. Our steadfast
team has remained dedicated to our mission of connecting country artists and
fans through fresh content and it is incredible to see all of that hard work
paying off with Pollstar’s end-of-year charts,” said Drew
Reifenberger, General Manager at Circle Media. “We could have never pulled this
off without the incredible artist community who trusted us along the way, our
passionate and dedicated teams who developed and upheld rigorous safety
protocols and the loyal fans who tuned in week after week.”
“Opry Live” broadcasts twice more in 2020, including this
Saturday, December 19 at 9:00 pm EST when Circle will air a Christmas Special
hosted by Amy Grant and featuring performances by an all-star lineup including
Lauren Alaina, Lady A and Kelsea Ballerini. Additional upcoming
performances include, Lindsay
Ell, Radney Foster, Emmylou Harris, Billy Strings, Charlie
Worsham, and more. For more details and to find out where
Circle is available in your market, please visit: https://www.circleallaccess.com/opry/
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About Circle Network: Circle Network is a media network dedicated to celebrating the
country lifestyle and putting fans inside the circle of everything country.
Circle offers entertainment news, documentaries, movies, archival, new and
licensed programming, Grand Ole Opry performances, and more. Circle is a joint
venture between Opry Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of Ryman Hospitality
Properties, and Gray Television.
About the Grand Ole Opry: Opry
presents the best in country music live every week from Nashville, Tenn.
The Opry can be heard at opry.com and wsmonline.com, Opry and WSM mobile apps, SiriusXM,
and its flagship home, 650 AM-WSM. The Grand Ole Opry is owned by Ryman
Hospitality Properties (NYSE: RHP). For more information, visit opry.com.