Top 10 Best Award Shows
We love awards season and these are the best award shows to watch! We've included AMAS, ESPYs, BET Awards, MTV VMA, Tony Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Academy Awards and The Grammys.
#10: American Music Awards
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The AMAs were founded in 1973 and arguably present the biggest competition to the Grammys, in that they are designed to seek out and recognize outstanding performances in the music industry for that year. Categories include Artist of the Year, Single of the Year, Tour of the Year, and various genre-specific awards, among others. Unlike the Grammys, these awards are won based on public voting rather than an internal body. Everyone likes having a say, and this awards show really shows off just who is the apple of the public's eye.
#9: Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards [aka ESPYs] Whether you’re an athlete at heart or a coach from the couch, this awards show is a must-watch. Designed specifically to recognize achievements from both teams and individual athletes in the world of sports, the ESPY awards have a more comedic and relaxed feeling to them than some of the higher profile shows. With past hosts such as comedian Seth Meyers and actor Samuel L. Jackson, the show is more than just a celebration of athletic achievement - it’s an entertaining TV special to enjoy all on it’ own.
#8: BET Awards
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Hosted by the Black Entertainment Television network, this show serves to put a spotlight on the achievements in entertainment by people of color and other minorities - though, it should be noted, white people are NOT excluded. Featuring high profile hosts like Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, Chris Rock, and Queen Latifah, the show presents awards in various categories across the entertainment industry, including sports, music and acting. With sizzling performances from A-list entertainers and a special Humanitarian Award given out each year, this show is a pleasure to watch.
#7: MTV Video Music Awards
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MTV knows how to throw a party. Though their Movie Awards are always a good time, the VMAs remain the channel’s biggest event thanks to its over-the-top performances and rave-like atmosphere. Recognizing the most creative, entertaining, and popular music videos released each year, the awards include interesting categories such as Best Fight Against The System Award, Song of Summer, and the highly coveted Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Extremely popular with younger viewers, the show is also famous for its dramatic and shocking moments - but hey, whatever keeps the viewers watching, right?
#6: British Academy Film & Television Awards [aka BAFTAs]
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The independent charity known as the British Academy of Film and Television Arts presents awards for numerous moving artforms in different ceremonies. Most notable are the British Academy Film Awards, which celebrate big screen British and international achievements, and the British Academy Television Awards, which – for the most part - celebrate British TV programmes. They’re both confusingly known as the BAFTAs, though the latter’s sometimes known as the BAFTA Television Awards. Both BAFTAs are some of the most prestigious awards shows ever aired, as they carry a lot of weight and respect in the industry. Winners like Leonardo DiCaprio have received Oscars after a BAFTA, prompting some to call the BAFTAs the Oscar predictor.
#5: Tony Awards
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Presented in the heart of the Big Apple, the Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, or Tonys for short, is considered the most prestigious theatre award presented in the United States. The awards recognize excellence within live theatre on Broadway, and Tony winners are presented with a medallion and usually a spike in box-office sales, thanks to the audience of high-profile theatre goers. Though the show has received criticism for its apparent control by larger corporate theatre companies and the elimination of its Sound Design category for 2014-15 season – though it’s set to return for 2017-18 - it remains the crown jewel in the realm of theatre awards.
#4: Grammy Awards
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This one requires little introduction. Receiving a golden gramophone is every musical artist's dream. The first ceremony occurred in 1959, though the show was not aired live until 1971. Boasting performances by high-profile artists and capable of creating an impressive amount of pre-show speculation surrounding nominations, the Grammys are one of the biggest honors in the music world. The record sales of artists are known to increase dramatically after an appearance, nomination, or win at the show, and though the awards have received their share of criticism, we can’t deny that the playlist of winners it presents makes for some entertaining TV.
#3: Emmy Awards
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Wait, don’t change the channel! The Emmys celebrate incredible achievements in the television industry, covering the entire spectrum of TV programming. Similar to the BAFTAs, the Emmys have different ceremonies dedicated to specific categories for sports, daytime TV, News and Documentaries, and so on. It has even expanded to include the International Emmys, which recognize television produced outside of the United States. However, it’s probably most famous for the Primetime Emmy Awards. This awards show requires a serious time commitment if you plan on watching every event, but hey - what’s wrong with a little TV binging?
#2: Golden Globe Awards
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Think of it like the pre-Oscar Oscars. One of the most sought after awards in the film and television industry, the Golden Globes recognize both large box-office hits and lesser-known films in an effort to promote new content as well as congratulate larger productions. Winners are decided by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, and receive honors in categories such as Best Drama Series or Best Actress. In the 2000s, hosts have made an effort to poke fun at some of the Globes’ more controversial practices, and this helps make the show both a humorous and entertaining watch. Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honourable mentions. Country Music Association Awards [aka CMAs] BRIT Awards People’s Choice Awards
#1: Academy Awards [aka Oscars]
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And the #1 spot on our list goes to… The oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony and the location of one of the most famous selfies of all time, the Oscars. The Academy Awards has had its ups and downs over the years, but it nonetheless remains the centerpiece of the awards season. Designed to honor outstanding achievements within the film industry, the show has delivered its fair share of both awards and drama over the years. Facing criticism for bias and lack of diversity as well as featuring unforgettable hosts such as Ellen Degeneres, it’s a show that never fails to keep the public talking, and will likely.
