From a quality standpoint, the 2025 Grammys ceremony was widely regarded as the best ceremony in years — with viewers and critics showing particular praise for the series of Best New Artist performances.
From a viewership standpoint, however, the show trailed last year’s mark. Multiple sources report that this year’s show averaged 15.4 million live+same-day viewers across CBS and Paramount+, down from the 16.9 million who watched in 2024.
The number was, however, up comfortably from the 2023 figure of 12.4 million. That figure, too, was up considerably from the 9.6 million mark set in 2022.
With established and emerging superstars like Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter, and Chappell Roan all in the mix for key trophies, the 2025 ceremony featured the highest-profile awards races in years. That surely contributed to extra viewer interest.
On the other hand, some of the highest-profile names like Swift, Lamar, and Beyoncé did not perform. Promo for the show was also rather low-key, surely due in part to the impact of the LA fires.