TV Ratings: Grammy Awards Hit All-Time Low in Key Demo

UPDATED: Viewership of Sunday’s 60th annual Grammy Awards is down significantly from the 2017 telecast, nabbing the smallest audience in the show’s history in the key demo.

In addition, the three and a half hour awards show is averaged a 5.9 rating in adults 18-49 and 19.8 million viewers, according to time zone adjusted numbers. Last year’s show drew a 7.8 and 26.1 million, meaning the 2018 Grammys are down approximately 24 percent in both measures.

The show in Nielsen’s overnight metered markets averaged 12.7 household rating and 21 share in the 56 overnight metered markets, which cover about 70% of U.S. TV households. That’s down from a 16 household rating for the 2017 telecast.

Despite the drop, the Grammy telecast that handed big wins to hitmaker Bruno Mars still gathered a big crowd that will rank among TV’s most-watched events of the year.

Only ABC aired any originals against the Grammys. A new episode of “Shark Tank” at 9 p.m. (1.1, 4.5 million) was up slightly in both measures compared to the same timeslot last week. A second episode at 10 (1.0, 3.9 million) was even.

CBS handily won the night with a 5.0 and 16.7 million viewers. ABC was second with a 1.0 and 4.8 million. NBC was third with a 0.5 and 2.5 million. Fox was fourth with a 0.4 and 1.2 million.

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