Lip Sync Battle
Celebrities battle with lip sync performances for audience cheers.
Lip Sync Battle is an American musical reality competition television series that premiered on Spike on April 2, 2015. Based on an idea by Stephen Merchant and John Krasinski, the show features celebrities battling each other with lip sync performances. Its premiere episode was the highest-rated premiere in Spike's history, and the series has been a hit for the network.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Reality competition
- Creator
- John Krasinski; Stephen Merchant
- Camera
- Multiple-camera setup
- Language
- English
- Runtime
- 23 minutes
- Presenter
- LL Cool J; Chrissy Teigen
- Theme music
- Marc Bolan; Robert Ginyard
- Country
- United States
Facts from the source article.
Overview
Lip Sync Battle first aired on Spike on April 2, 2015. The show features two celebrities competing by lip-syncing two songs each. After the performances, the host asks the audience to decide the winner based on who gets the loudest and most enthusiastic cheers. The victor is awarded a championship belt modeled after the WCW Television Championship title belt. The series is produced by John Krasinski and Stephen Merchant, with rapper and actor LL Cool J serving as host and model Chrissy Teigen providing color commentary.
The concept originated as a segment on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. The idea came together when Krasinski, Merchant, and Emily Blunt were brainstorming for Krasinski’s upcoming appearance on the show, and Fallon later turned it into a regular feature. In 2014, Merchant, Krasinski, and Fallon pitched the show to NBC, but the network passed despite the segment’s popularity—especially after Emma Stone lip-synced DJ Khaled’s “All I Do Is Win.” NBC’s cable channels USA Network and Bravo also declined. Spike eventually picked up the series during a rebranding period. Network president Kevin Kay explained that his goal was to boost co-viewing and add diversity to the channel.
Lip Sync Battle became a major hit for Spike. Its premiere drew 2.2 million viewers, making it the network’s highest-rated unscripted debut. Kay called the show “a television and viral rock star for Spike.” On April 22, 2015, the series was renewed for a second season of 20 episodes. In January 2016, Spike ordered a third season, also 20 episodes. Kay described the show as “a multiplatform pop-culture phenomenon” that helped attract a new, broader audience. That season included a notable matchup between Zendaya and Tom Holland, who were then rumored to be a couple. Holland won by performing Rihanna’s “Umbrella” while wearing latex shorts, a halter top, fishnet stockings, and bright red lipstick. In July 2016, the show earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination in the Outstanding Structured Reality Program category.
Reception
Critics had mixed reactions to Lip Sync Battle when it debuted. Josef Adalian of Vulture described it as a likely hit on television and online, noting that its creators avoided forcing it to appeal to specific age groups and kept the simple format that worked on Jimmy Fallon’s late-night show. Amy Amatangelo of The Hollywood Reporter found the premiere fun at times but felt the concept worked better as a short segment on The Tonight Show, suggesting that some ideas are best in small amounts. Adelle Platon of Vibe praised it as a refreshing change from the many singing competitions on TV, adding that the live audience acting as judges and the competitive spirit made it enjoyable for everyone. Emily Yahr of The Washington Post was less impressed, arguing that removing the spontaneity and adding glossy production values similar to an American Idol medley would likely cause the show to lose its appeal quickly.
The first episode drew 2.2 million total viewers and a 1.3 rating among adults aged 18 to 49. That premiere set a record for the largest audience ever for an unscripted series debut on Spike, and it also marked the highest average viewership for that time slot in over eight years. When including DVR playback and repeated airings, the early episodes reached more than 15 million television viewers. Spike also reported that performance clips from the first three half-hour episodes had accumulated nearly 100 million online streams by April 2015.
In Australia, the series premiere attracted 1.124 million viewers in preliminary overnight numbers, making it the fourth most-watched free-to-air program that night. The second episode drew 1.087 million preliminary overnight viewers, ranking fifth among free-to-air programs for that evening. This strong performance led some commentators to suggest that a local Australian version might be developed soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which network aired Lip Sync Battle?
Lip Sync Battle aired on Paramount Network.
How many episodes of Lip Sync Battle are there?
Lip Sync Battle has 91 episodes across 5 seasons.
When did Lip Sync Battle end?
Lip Sync Battle last aired on 27 June 2019.
More in Spike Original Programming
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced