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Grammy Ratings, Still Second-Highest Since 1993, Tumble Without an Adele Coronation

Adele, Mumford

If the Grammy Awards felt less momentous this year, that might in part be because almost one-third fewer people were watching.

As the AP reports, citing Nielsen data, the Grammys still notched their second-biggest audience since 1993, with 28.1 million people watching the CBS telecast last night. But that’s down sharply from 2012’s Grammys, when more than 40 million people watched. Of course, last year’s show followed Whitney Houston’s unexpected death and came as a victory lap for six-time winner Adele.

The Grammys still improved upon their performance in some of the industry’s leaner, pre-Adele years. According to the AP, viewership was about 17 million people in 2006 and again in 2008. 

On the other hand, Academy Awards organizers should be amply stoked. Adele is scheduled to sing her theme song from James Bond movie Skyfall live for the first time at the February 24 Oscars ceremony.

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