Social Wit List: December 2015

NEW YORK: In December, of all the new programs to launch globally NBC’s The Wiz Live! stirred up the most buzz in social media, with some 1.6 million tweets, according to The WIT.

The live musical starring Queen Latifah, Ne-Yo and Mary J. Blige, paid tribute to the eponymous 1975 Broadway musical and its all-black cast. Social media comments about the #LiveEvent centered on the #AllBlackControversy and #GoodProduction that many said was #BetterthanLastYears live musical special on NBC.

Coming in at number two on the list of the top ten most-buzzed-about new shows in social media is Billboard Women In Music 2015, which aired on Lifetime. The two-hour special recorded in New York City honored the most influential women in pop music in 2015, featuring performances by Lady Gaga, Brittany Howard, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Fifth Harmony, Tori Kelly and Kelsea Ballerini. Around 117,000 comments went out in social media about it being a #StarFilled event with a #FansBattle on Twitter and Facebook.

Bercy fête ses 30 ans on France’s TF1 was at number three, with 101,000 tweets. The live concert celebrated the 30th birthday of the iconic Parisian music venue, with guest stars in all music styles bringing back to life unforgettable hit songs from 1985 to today. The #StarFilled event had social media chatting about the #GreatDuets of #ModernandRetroHits.

Adele Live in New York City, Adele’s one-night only concert in New York recorded at Radio City Music Hall on November 17, aired on NBC and drew around 90,000 tweets. Facebook and Twitter were buzzing with #AdeleCraze from the #Powerful and #Emotional performance.

Number five on the list was Tiziano Ferro – Lo Stadio, which aired on Rai1 in Italy. The entertainment special was dedicated to star singer Tiziano Ferro as he looked back at his 2015 successful tour in Italy’s biggest stadiums. Around 74,000 tweets went out, many of which were filled with #NationalPride and praise for the #LovelyTiziano.

CBS’s Sinatra 100 – An All-Star Grammy Concert generated around 48,000 social media comments. The one-off event saw superstars salute Frank Sinatra on the occasion of his centennial in a musical show hosted by Seth MacFarlane and recorded in Las Vegas on December 2. Much buzz on the internet came from #LadyGagafans or was about the #FabulousSinatra or #AmazingSethMacFarlane.

ITV’s broadcast of The Sound of Music Live! had around 37,000 social media tweets. There were #ProsandCons cited by viewers for the two-and-a-half-hour live version of the Oscar-winning film and classic musical. Some praised the broadcast for its #ImpressiveProduction, while others criticized it as being #NotAcademic.

FOX’s one-off stunt Taraji and Terrence’s White Hot Holidays had a lot of social media buzz, with approximately 37,000 tweets. The Christmas special hosted by the Empire star couple featured a mix of renditions of classic holiday songs by music superstars (John Legend, Mary J. Blige…) and comedy skits. Facebook and Twitter commenters, many of whom were part of the #EmpireCraze, thought it was #Epic and #Hilarious and were talking about the #GreatPerformance.

Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors, which aired on NBC, had around 31,000 tweets sent out about it. The biopic is based on Dolly Parton’s remarkable upbringing, as the tight-knit Parton family struggle to overcome a devastating tragedy. Many Facebook and Twitter comments were about the #Inspirational qualities of the #AmazingStory, which left many #Tearful about the message of #LoveNeverFails.

Capping off the top ten for the month of December was the Discovery Channel doc Racing Extinction. The documentary aired in the U.S. and more than 220 territories in a 24-hour period featuring a team of activists on an undercover operation to expose the world of endangered species trafficking and the race to prevent mass extinction. There were approximately 31,000 tweets about the #GlobalEvent, which many thought was #EyeOpening and #Infuriating.

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