Grammys Ratings Hit a 12-Year Low, Sinking Another 6 Percent from 2019

The 62nd Annual Grammys TV ratings dipped to 12-year low, skirting 2008 viewership levels.

The Grammys telecast garnered slightly lower ratings than last year’s show.

On the bright side, the Grammys telecast still managed to outperform the competition, according to Nielsen’s overnight numbers. But these aren’t encouraging stats: Nielsen noted that 18.69 million viewers tuned in for the awards ceremony, which aired on CBS. This viewership represents a six-percent slip from the 2019 Grammys and is the lowest total since 2008, when a little over 17 million individuals watched the live broadcast. 

The ceremony’s all-time lowest viewership, a maximum of 17 million viewers, came in 2006, at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards. 

However, the Grammys fared well compared to other programming. The three-hour event captured the most viewers of any show on Sunday and won big in key demos. CBS indicated that about a third of viewers watched through CBS All Access, and 38.4 million viewers watched at least part of the ceremony. 

The Grammys haven’t been immune to the television-wide ratings dip, which experts attribute to the impact of social media and the vast amount of programming available for viewing, among other things. 

Additionally, ousted Recording Academy CEO Deborah Dugan’s allegations of wrongdoing, boycotts from Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Jay-Z, and the unexpected death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, likely affected viewership. 

The 2020 Grammys featured performances from Lil Nas X, BTS, Demi Lovato, The Jonas Brothers, Ariana Grande, Alicia Keys (who also hosted), Billie Eilish, and other popular artists. 

Awards-wise, Eilish was the biggest winner on the night, taking home Grammys in five categories, including the final (and most prestigious) four: ‘Best New Artist,’ ‘Song of the Year,’ ‘Album of the Year,’ and ‘Record of the Year.’ 

The 18-year-old is the second artist in Grammy history to be awarded five honors at a single ceremony, the first being Christopher Cross, who also nabbed five Grammys, albeit at the 1981 show. 

5 Responses

  1. Robert

    It’s the same shit every year. Whose voting? They don’t send ballets to consumers home addresses where they can get from subscription services. I’m in the music industry and the only ballet that I vote is ASCAP electing board directories that I get in the mail, but they don’t even know me. Hell I don’t even know or ever heard of these people and then all my years of voting; I sit back and now say that these people are not in my best interest. Grammys is bullshit it’s all about fake corporate numbers, demonic rituals, transgender fad, degrading of men carrying purses. You have a whole music industry and nobody recognizes other genres and sub genres music. Okay so I got a letter from Harry Fox that one of the songs from my label catalog, which I am the publisher as well will be played during voting. WHO THE FUCK is voting? Another question how can someone die fatally within hours of a Grammy Show be put into a program when the show is rehearsed and schedule. Seems like it was premeditated if you ask me. These major labels get with these bankers and start trading music on the stock market where none of the artist, composers, writers, arrangers, etc. are getting the proceeds from the securities. Then these music organizations want to send you a 1099 MISC where they make you the borrower! They didn’t give you shit, we give them the content I suggest sending everyone a 1099A where you are the lender! I come to realize it’s all full of shit. All these heads in the industry where none of us get invited. All for corporate and banksters benefit.

  2. Tom Hendricks

    Grammys Review: So the Big 3 labels are celebrating their entire year based on Eilish, and Little Naz X, virtually the only recognizable new winners. Music is so bad that even the Coke and Pepsi of the industry, Swift and Beyoncé didn’t show up. That means the ten pop stars left are even tired of themselves, the super bowl has run out of people to ask, and no one sees a problem!
    Well music media tell me how great your year was, and I’ll tell the truth, and we’ll see who believes whom, and why the music revolution is gaining ground , even as more and more media try to block it to prop up the same aging acts year after year. The show was a disaster and even the scandal couldn’t make it interesting.

  3. Tom Hendricks

    You have now joined thousands of musicians in the musi revolution against all this. The entire industry needs a big shakeup.

  4. disappointed

    I was watching a 50th anniversary documentary on Woodstock and as I watched The Who, Janis Joplin, Joan Baez, Jime Hendrix, Santana etc, I came to the realisation that it is highly unlikely well will watch in awe the performances of the current crop of grammy winners or even remember them 50 years from now. The reality is no. There exists no true talent and no substance. These people never cut their teeth performing on stage in dives and bars, perfecting their art and developing a grass roots appeal. Two tone hair and puffy outfit do not make a musician – raw talent does!

  5. Ted

    Fewer people care, because fewer people value music. It’s about the performance, the antics.