Grammys less popular than last year
Despite some heavy star power, the 55th Annual Grammy Awards declined in the ratings from last year’s record-setting telecast.
CBS’ coverage of the music special delivered a powerful 28.1 million viewers and a 10.0 rating among adults 18-49 on Sunday night.
But that’s down 30 percent in viewers and down 27 percent in the demo from last year’s awards which aired a day after Whitney Houston’s death.
Insiders expected the Grammy audience to drop given the unusual and tragic circumstances surrounding last year’s airing. Still, the Grammys enjoyed its second-largest audience since 1993 and easily won the night. During the show, folk-rock band Mumford & Sons, singer Gotye, bluesy duo the Black Keys and pop band fun all took home major awards.
Meanwhile some rivals were crushed. ABC’s Once Upon a Time and Revenge both fell to series-low ratings — Revenge, in particular, is looking pretty dire with a 1.4 rating. Fox’s comedy block leader Family Guy was down 17 percent. And NBC’s Betty White’s 90th Birthday special was the night’s lowest-rated show (and that includes a Bob’s Burgers repeat that aired at 7 p.m.).
UPDATE: Some asking if AMC’s The Walking Dead was a factor. The show was on during last year’s Grammys too, though this year will be higher rated. Those numbers coming later today.
Full Chart:
FOX7:00PBOBS BURGERSRS#121.02,1897:30PCLEVELAND#101.32,7498:00PSIMPSONS#42.14,3128:30PBOBS BURGERS#7t1.83,4289:00PFAMILY GUY#22.44,5689:30PAMERICAN DAD#52.03,804ABC7-8PAMERICA’S FUNNIEST#7t1.87,2838-9PONCE UPON A TIME#32.27,0229-10PREVENGE#91.45,06710-11PREVENGE SPECIALS#13t0.82,896CBS7-8P60 MINUTES#61.911,1258-11PGRAMMY AWARDSS#110.329,020NBC7-8PDATELINE#111.25,7108-9PBETTY WHITERS#150.63,0859-11PSNL SPECIALRS#13t0.82,566
