TV Ratings: Grammys Grow to 26 Million Viewers, Topping Previous 2 Telecasts

The CBS show, featuring Adele and Beyonce, is improved across the board from 2016.

With no shortage of star power, the 2017 Grammys dominated the dial Sunday night — providing broadcast TV another destination live telecast on the heels of last week's Super Bowl.

Viewership and ratings for the CBS telecast were up from 2016, averaging just north of 26 million viewers and earning a 7.8 rating among adults 18-49. Contrary to the early metered market returns, both of those stats mark modest improvements from the previous telecast — with viewership up 4 percent and the key demo up 1 percent.

This year's Grammys, up more than 1 million viewers in raw numbers, marked a return to Sunday for the show — and a new host. The 2016 telecast took place on a Monday, to accommodate the long President's Day weekend, and marked the end of LL Cool J's five-year stint as master of ceremonies. CBS sidelined the NCIS: Los Angeles star for current musical golden boy James Corden. The Late Late Show host stepped into the role this year after a successful go at the Tonys in 2016.