TV ratings: ACM Awards fall from 2013, but still lead Sunday

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Musicians Neil Perry, left, Kimberly Perry and Reid Perry of the Band Perry perform during the 49th Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday night. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Reid Perry of the Band Perry (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Singer Lee Brice (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Singer George Strait (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Gwen Sebastian and Blake Shelton, who was also one of the show’s hosts, perform. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Gwen Sebastian, left, and Blake Shelton perform. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/Associated Press)

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Singer-songwriter Eric Church. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Singer-songwriter Keith Urban performs center stage. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Singer-songwriter Keith Urban concentrates on a guitar riff. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Entertainer of the Year nominee Taylor Swift showed up an hour into the proceedings Sunday to reveal that Florida Georgia Line had collected the first trophy as vocal duo of the year. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Martina McBride speaks onstage. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Singer Shakira brings her brand of music to a country music crowd. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Musicians and judges on NBC’s “The Voice” Blake Shelton and Sharkira sing a duet. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Hillary Scott, left, of Lady Antebellum and Stevie Nicks sing together. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Singer and co-host Luke Bryan takes to the stage for his own song. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Singer-songwriter Carrie Underwood takes the stage. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Neil Perry, left, Kimberly Perry and Reid Perry of the Band Perry accept the Vocal Group of the Year award. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Hunter Hayes plays to the crowd. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Jason Aldean accepts the Male Vocalist of the Year award. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Toby Keith takes center stage. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Green Bay packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, center, and actress Olivia Munn present the award for song of the year to Lee Brice. (Chris Pizzello / Invision / Associated Press)

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ACM award winner Miranda Lambert sings in jeans and a T-shirt. (Chris Pizzello / Invision / Associated Press)

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No, Daft Punk is not making a surprise appearance. Co-hosts Luke Bryan, left, and Blake Shelton channel the deejays as they present Single of the Year. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Singer-songwriter Miranda Lambert accepts the female vocalist of the year award. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Garth Brooks speaks on stage to introduce a tribute to Merle Haggard. (Chris Pizzello / Invision / Associated Press)

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Kacey Musgraves accepts the award for album of the year. (Chris Pizzello / Invision / Associated Press)

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Singer-songwriter George Strait accepts the Entertainer of the Year award. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

By Ryan Faughnder

April 7, 2014 9:18 AM PT

The 49th Academy of Country Music Awards cruised to a ratings victory Sunday night, though the telecast was down from last year, according to early numbers from Nielsen.

The ACM Awards on CBS averaged 14.1 million viewers overall, compared with last year’s big audience of 15.5 million, for a dip of about 9%.

Still, it was safely the most-watched show of the night. This year’s gala, at which singer George Strait rode off with the entertainer of the year honor, had the awards show’s second-biggest audience in five years.

The show drew a rating of 3.3 among key 18- to 49-year-olds, down a full point from a year ago. (In the 18-49 demographic, a ratings point equals about 1.3 million viewers.)

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Facing the special competition, ABC’s “Resurrection” fell another 13% from last week to a 2.1 in the 18-49 demographic. Its lead-in, “Once Upon a Time,” scored a 2.2, slightly better than last week for a three-week high. “Revenge” fell 7% to a 1.3.

NBC’s lineup was generally down, starting with an “American Dream Builders” episode that declined 25% to a low of 0.6. New series “Believe” and “Crisis” were both 9% lower than last week at a 1.0 each in the demographic.

On Fox, “Cosmos” held steady week-to-week at a 1.5 in the demographic, coming out of a strong “Family Guy” (2.3, up 10%). “Simpsons” was flat and “Bob’s Burgers” and “American Dad” saw declines.

Ratings from the Season 4 premiere of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” won’t be released until later Monday.

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