For the first time in 50 years, music’s biggest night, “The GRAMMYS,” will be heading to a new home when ABC, Hulu and Disney+ assume broadcast and streaming rights to the annual awards show.
Under a new 10-year global deal with the Recording Academy that begins in 2027, The Walt Disney Company-owned platforms will not only simulcast the “The GRAMMYS” ceremony but will also be the exclusive home for multiple GRAMMY-branded music specials and new programming opportunities for audiences worldwide, each produced by the Recording Academy.
Already home to a multitude of event programming across entertainment and sports, including “The Oscars,” “The CMA Awards” and “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest,” among others, ABC, in particular, will be the place to watch marquee television with the addition of “The Grammys” as the first year of the deal will see the network broadcasting both “The Oscars” and Super Bowl LXI.
“As The Walt Disney Company combines forces with The Recording Academy to open this exciting new chapter in the history of ‘The GRAMMYS,’ we do so with pride and gratitude,” said Dana Walden, Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman. “Live events have never been more important to our culture and industry, and we just acquired one of the crown jewels, adding to our portfolio of world-class programming across all genres.”
“We are completely thrilled to be bringing ‘The GRAMMYS’ and other new music programming to the Disney ecosystem,” said Harvey Mason Jr., Recording Academy CEO. “We are grateful to our long-standing partners at CBS and now honored to be joining with Disney, an iconic company where creators have always been at the forefront. This partnership represents another important milestone in the Academy’s transformation and growth, and strengthens our ability to fulfill our mission of uplifting and serving music people around the world.”
The announcement follows a series of notable achievements by The Recording Academy: the addition of 3,000 new women voting members; an announcement of the Academy’s global expansion of its mission; the enactment of over a dozen pro-creator laws at the state and federal levels, championed by Academy members; two consecutive GRAMMY telecasts with substantial ratings growth; and recognition by Fast Company on its Most Innovative Companies list.
Attracting its largest audience since 2020, CBS’ broadcast of “The 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards” on Sunday, February 5 averaged 16.9 million viewers, up +34% from 2023. On streaming, the awards show saw its largest live viewership ever on Paramount+, up +173% from last year.
The deal between The Walt Disney Company and the Recording Academy runs through 2036.