The show must go on.

On the simplest level, award shows consist of unfamous humans sitting on couches and turning on television, to watch famous humans have a great time and win awards. And whether it’s LL Cool J or Neil Patrick Harris, one fearless celebrity takes center stage to host nights dedicated to celebrating celebrities who wear dresses that are more expensive than Smart Cars. However award shows are just that, shows. From the Oscars to the Billboard Awards–every ceremony features nominees agreeing that “it’s an honor just to be nominated.”

And while I’m sure it is, our society has placed too much value into these shows. One could even argue that award shows fuel the competitive nature of our society. Isn’t the entertainment industry competitive enough? Movies and music are made for enjoyment by the masses. A movie doesn’t have to be “award winning” in order for you to think highly of it. So why do we bother to decorate directors and producers and performers? The first Academy Awards in 1929 was created as a cheap publicity stunt. However it’s still no secret that these televised ceremonies act as promotional platforms for artists.

The 2015 Grammy Awards the Album of the Year winner, Beck caused quite the controversy. Many viewers unfamiliar with the musician’s work, took to the internet with harsh words and a hashtag #whoisbeck. However it was no surprise that Kanye West felt that Beyonce deserved the Grammy title and he let the world know that. Little did West realize, that his post-award show rant helped fuel a whopping 483% increase in sales of Beck’s winning album “Morning Phase.” Thanks to the Grammy’s, Beck’s album shot from number 39 on the charts up to number eight.  About 71,000 copies were snapped up following the Grammy telecast. However this wasn’t the first time, West caused commotion at an award show. Back in 2013, it took West four months before he apologized to Taylor Swift over twitter. The world is watching West change his ways, as an apologetic tweet addressed to Beck only took the rapper 22 days to produce.

From the Grammys to the Emmys, Award shows give viewers at home the chance to see their favorite actor, without a script, and sometimes these celebrities rise to the occasion, delivering a moving and meaningful acceptance speech…and then sometimes Kendall Jenner can’t read the teleprompter right in front of her face. However the flubs that come with live television are secluded to the stage. People tune into these telecasts almost an hour early to watch their favorite celebrities parade down a red carpet. Fashion designers get the chance to display their high end wears, so long as the celebrity can pronounce the designer’s name.

However, sometimes performances make a statement large enough to overshadow even the most inarticulate reality TV star. Award shows have staged some of the most iconic moments, that make watching the show worth it. Most recently at the 2015 Oscars, Lady Gaga paid a beautiful tribute to the 50 year anniversary of the musical, “The Sound of Music.” Breaking out of her comfort zone, Lady Gaga was fully clothed. The artist dazzled the audience and her biggest critics. Bringing the audience to it’s feet, Gaga reminded viewers why they were watching the telecast. We love to be entertained.

Award shows are a cultural phenomom. And they are not going to go anywhere anytime soon. However, the 2015 Academy Awards ratings were the lowest in six years. But why? The answer that would restore our faith in humanity, would be that unfamous humans are sick of sitting on couches and watching famous humans have a great time and win awards. However this isn’t the most popular reason.

Nowadays news coverage is in the palm of our hands. So download a news coverage app and record the next award ceremony (it’s the very prestigious Kids’ Choice Awards on Nickelodeon). And when you get a notification giving you an update on the winners, choose whether or not you want to rewind and watch.