Grammy Awards Will Move From CBS To Disney In 2027 Under 10-Year Deal

by · Forbes

Topline

The Grammy Awards will make their way to Disney-owned streaming and cable services by 2027, the entertainment conglomerate announced Wednesday, ending the music award show’s more than 50-year run on CBS and bringing another primetime offering to Disney’s live event programming.

The Grammys have pulled in increasingly more viewers each year since 2021. (Photo by PATRICK T. ... [+] FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images

Key Facts

The Grammys will be simulcast on ABC, Hulu, and Disney+ from 2027 to 2036 as part of the deal.

CBS, which has aired the Grammys since 1973, did not reach an agreement with The Recording Academy during an exclusive negotiating window, according to Deadline, which noted talks continued after the window closed and negotiations were opened to other parties.

Disney’s agreement with The Recording Academy means The Grammys, The Oscars and the Super Bowl will all air on Disney platforms in 2027, adding on to The Country Music Association Awards and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.

Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.

Big Number

16.9 million. That is how many viewers The Grammys drew during this year’s installment, marking its highest viewership since 2020. However, the award show is far from the viewership it used to garner more than a decade ago, when nearly 40 million people watched the Grammys in 2013.

What We Don’t Know

Terms of the deal have not been disclosed by Disney, so it remains unclear how much the company is paying for The Grammys. CBS reportedly paid around $20 million a year for the award show after striking a deal with The Recording Academy in 2016, according to Variety.

Key Background

Disney’s deal with the Academy was secured as the awards show appears to slowly be making its way back to pre-pandemic viewership. The Oscars, which is also under Disney’s belt, is making a similar comeback, having drawn 19.5 million viewers in 2024 (its third consecutive year of gains). Paramount, the owner of CBS, has sought to cut costs this year as it navigates the impact of cord-cutting and consumers’ shift to streaming. The company will no longer have to fork over millions of dollars for The Grammys, adding on to the $500 million in costs it plans to cut by the end of this year, Variety reported, adding Paramount expects to lay off about 2,000 positions.

Further Reading

Grammys Draws Nearly 17 Million Viewers—Its Highest Number Since 2020 (Forbes)

The Grammys Move From CBS To Disney In Major, 10-Year Deal (Deadline)

Disney Snares Grammys from CBS in First Change for Music Awards in 50 Years (Variety)