In a major shift for the music industry's biggest night, the Grammy Awards will be moving to a new home starting in 2027. The Recording Academy has announced a groundbreaking 10-year deal with Disney, which will see the prestigious ceremony broadcast on ABC and streamed on Disney+ and Hulu.
This move marks the end of a long-standing partnership between the Grammys and CBS, which has been the ceremony's home since 1973. The transition will not take effect immediately, as CBS will continue to air the awards show until 2026.
The new agreement is set to revolutionize how audiences experience the Grammys. For the first time, viewers will have the option to stream the event live on popular platforms like Disney+ and Hulu, in addition to watching it on traditional broadcast television via ABC.
This deal positions Disney as a powerhouse in live event broadcasting. Come 2027, the company will hold the rights to three of television's most-watched live events: the Grammy Awards, the Academy Awards (Oscars), and the Super Bowl.
The most recent Grammy Awards ceremony, which aired in February 2024, saw a significant uptick in viewership, drawing an average of 16.9 million viewers. This represents a 34% increase from the previous year and the largest audience since 2020, indicating a renewed interest in the event.
Behind the scenes, the Recording Academy has been undergoing its own transformation. In an effort to increase diversity and representation, the organization has recently added 3,000 new women voting members to its ranks. This change aims to bring fresh perspectives to the award selection process.
As the music industry continues to evolve, this new partnership between the Grammys and Disney signals a shift towards a more digital-friendly approach to awards shows. It remains to be seen how this change will impact the ceremony's format and reach in the coming years.
While the move is still a few years away, music fans and industry insiders alike will be watching closely to see how this new chapter unfolds.