Sunday’s Grammy Awards were viewed by 24 percent fewer people, both overall and in the coveted 18-to-49 demographic, giving rise to worries that the upcoming Oscars broadcast will suffer the same fate.
According to Variety, 19.8 million viewers tuned in to see the show, down from 26.1 million last year. Although fewer people watched, the telecast will still be one of the most watched this year.
With the exception of last year, when 1 million more viewed the show than the year before, the Grammys have been on a downward slide since hitting a peak of 39.91 million 2013 just after singer Whitney Houston unexpectedly died in her hotel bathroom the day before that show aired.
Some blamed the slide on the fact that top stars such as Beyonce, Taylor Swift, and Adele were not up for awards in top categories, while others said there were not enough female winners. An increase in political speeches and statements also may not be sitting well with fans who have different political views from the musicians they like to listen to, The New York Times suggested.
Only ABC aired new programming opposite the awards, and the “Shark Tank” episodes were only slightly higher in viewership than average, Variety reported.
Many on Twitter attributed the drop to avoidance of political talk.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.