Ratings for 2022 Grammy Awards telecast close to last year’s all-time low

TV viewing for the CBS telecast of the sixty fourth Grammy Awards ceremony will solely be barely above final yr’s all-time low.

Early Nielsen knowledge confirmed the CBS telecast averaged 8.93 million viewers, a notch above the comparable determine of 8.8 million in 2021. The ultimate determine final yr was 9.2 million viewers.

CBS estimates that this yr’s telecast will find yourself with 9.6 million viewers when out-of-home viewing knowledge is added, a 4% achieve over final yr. The determine contains individuals who livestreamed the occasion on Paramount+ and different platforms.

Such a rise shall be a small fraction of the 60% elevate ABC noticed for its March 27 telecast of the Oscars, which averaged 16.6 million viewers.

The cratering of awards present rankings in 2021 had been tied to COVID-19 well being protocols requiring members to put on masks or settle for their honors from distant places.

However the erosion of reside TV viewing resulting from customers migrating to streaming video platforms means the large audiences awards exhibits as soon as attracted could not be attainable.

The Grammy Awards scored 26 million viewers as lately as 2017, and 18.7 million viewers in 2020. Earlier than final yr, the earlier low for the occasion was 17 million viewers in 2006.

CBS pays the Recording Academy round $57 million a yr for the printed rights to the Grammy Awards.

In contrast to the Oscars, this yr’s Grammy Awards, hosted by Comedy Central star Trevor Noah on the MGM Grand Backyard Enviornment in Las Vegas, didn’t have a seismic news-making incident.

The Oscars created a worldwide scandal when Will Smith walked onstage in the course of the ceremony and slapped presenter Chris Rock, who had joked about Smith’s spouse, Jada Pinkett Smith, and her close-cropped hair. Later Smith received the Academy Award for lead actor and obtained a standing ovation, capping off probably the most weird night time in Oscar historical past.

The incident added viewers to the again finish of the Oscar telecast, when viewing usually falls off, however this system was already on observe to indicate an enchancment over final yr.

The huge nationwide dialogue about Smith’s slap reminded viewers concerning the unpredictability of reside tv occasions, which might have added curiosity to the Grammy Awards.

However the Recording Academy doubtless eradicated one of the best likelihood of a viral second when it pulled Kanye West as a performer resulting from what it described as “regarding on-line conduct.”

The Grammy Awards ceremony was glitch-free, giving viewers a fast-paced, performance-driven telecast. Large winners of the night time included Silk Sonic, the retro soul act that includes Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak. Their hit “Depart the Door Open” was honored as music and document of the yr.

Breakout star Olivia Rodrigo earned Grammys for greatest new artist, pop vocal album and pop solo efficiency. Jon Batiste, the bandleader for “Late Present with Stephen Colbert,” earned album of the yr for “We Are.”

The night time additionally featured an tackle from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which preceded performances by artists from his nation.