CBS Gets Disappointing News as Grammys Ratings Come Out

Not even a historic night for Beyoncé could match last year’s Grammy magic. The 67th Grammy Awards delivered 15.4 million viewers on Sunday night, marking a nearly 9% decline from 2024’s post-pandemic high of 16.9 million, according to Nielsen data. However, as Deadline reports, the telecast’s performance still represents a significant rebound from recent years, maintaining its position as one of the strongest-rated ceremonies since 2020.

The ratings dip comes despite a night of memorable moments and milestone achievements. The well-reviewed but lengthy ceremony, which ran for 3 hours and 45 minutes, featured performances by Best New Artist winner Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, The Weeknd, Charli XCX, and Stevie Wonder. The evening culminated in Beyoncé finally securing her first Album of the Year award for Cowboy Carter, while Kendrick Lamar dominated with five wins, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year for “Not Like Us.”

The broadcast took on an additional purpose this year, transforming into a telethon-style production to aid California wildfire victims. Host Trevor Noah regularly appealed for donations throughout the night, with CBS later announcing that the show raised nearly $9 million for relief efforts. According to Adweek, the Recording Academy and MusiCares contributed further to the charitable spirit of the weekend, generating over $24 million in additional giving.

While television viewership may have decreased, the ceremony set a different kind of record. CBS reports that the show generated unprecedented social media engagement, with 102.2 million interactions – surpassing all previous television broadcasts, including the Super Bowl, according to analytics firm Talkwalker’s social content ratings via The Hollywood Reporter.

This year’s awards ceremony needs to be viewed in the context of the award show industry’s evolution. The Grammys has shown remarkable resilience compared to its peers, bouncing back from the pandemic-era lows of under 9 million viewers in 2021 and 2022. However, pre-pandemic numbers remain elusive in the current television environment, with 2020’s ceremony drawing 18.7 million viewers and 2019’s show attracting 19.9 million.

The Recording Academy made significant structural changes this year, expanding its voting membership by over 3,000 members. As Adweek reports, Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. highlighted that the voting body is now younger and more diverse, with nearly 40% of its 13,000 members being people of color. These changes may have contributed to The Weeknd ending his four-year Grammy boycott, returning with a performance following Mason’s announcements.

Despite the ratings decline, the ceremony’s successful fundraising efforts and record-breaking social media engagement suggest the Grammy Awards continue to evolve with the times, even as the media landscape changes.