Watch Minder: Last night's 2017 CMT Artists of the Year received the highest ratings in the show's eight-year history, earning a .35 Adults 18-49 Live + Same Day, a 66% increase over last year. More than 1.1 million viewers tuned in for the premiere and encore, according to the network. Refocused as "a night of hope and healing through the power of music," the show drew its strongest ratings in Las Vegas, with a 1.77 household rating.