(All the standard disclaimers apply, all due respect to the band and fans etc.   I'm not a fan but I have watched one on TV, I know about 3 songs and always considered the music a necessary Canadian bridge between 2 better cuts on whatever station I was listening to.  One of the areas I work out of has an out of town rock station on, and my constant joke was 'hey guys, there's another hip song, time for you to go out and grab a smoke'.)  

Anyway with the insane press coverage this has had since May 24th or whatever, the audience total isn't surprising.  It's also not the number who sat through the whole concert, but anyone who tuned in for any length of time aged 2+ during it.  (Families are multiples obviously.)    Admittedly impressive, considering the next most hyped tv event, the super bowl last year fluctuated around 9 million and the academy awards were at 6 million.

The average minute audience was around the 4 million mark, which is very respectable, but not 11.9. 

Most watched TV broadcast? The Canada/USA hockey for gold @ 2010 Winter olympics. 26.5 million Canadians tuned in at some point during the coverage, (12+) and 16.6 million watched the entire game.  The runner up was the 13+ million for the Van 2010 olympic opening ceremony.

Like anything ratings oriented, it's all in how you choose to interpret the data.




 

I thought they were really GREAT when they started.  Then...after the first 3 or 4 albums or so?  Not so much.  Too much yelling and not enough of what had formerly been great and meaningful singing...attuned to the lyrical content...for me.

As well they kind of lost their signature sound as musicians and became homogenized into the nothingness of the pseudo rock-like sounds of a newer and definitely lost generation of wannabee pretenders.  Sometimes they could still shine above the mass of blaaaa.  Other times?  Hummmmmmmmmmmm.

I recorded it.  I may watch it.  The latest lp seems to contains some worthy material.  11 million?  I'm obviously in the minority when it comes to thinking that the Hip were more than just a bit over-rated based on their ENTIRE body of work.

That said they still made quite a few contributions with some extremely cool songs.  I hope Gord's home-stretch is filled with happy times and the presence of lots of people whose company he thoroughly enjoys.  I wish that for all of us.

I'm glad it happened, it was a very Canadian experience.   It was cool to see so many people support our own.   The show itself was fun to watch.   To me, the Hip are like the Simpsons.    There are casual fans, and hardcore fans.   Casual fans like Bart and Homer, but hardcore fans love Mr. Burns, Ralph, or Milhouse.   I like the Hip hits, but I prefer some of the album cuts and rarities.

It was nice to see a band succeed because of their hardwork, and be recognized.

I too am glad it happened.  The fans deserved their chance to pay tribute and say thanks.  It was so 'CBCish' and I say that in a good and positive way.

[I still haven't made time to watch it...but at last check, unless my wife has since turfed it, it remains there and available to be seen...and heard...at some point in the future.]

for those who recorded the concert... unless you altered the end time you probably have a little over 2/3rds of the performance (2 hrs). it's too bad someone can't come up with a pvr than can compensate for situations like this. i guess its all about the schedule and not the show itself.

With regard to the CBC broadcasting, I give them high marks for the "hands off" approach of the concert. I loved the concert.