Fox's "American Idol" steamrolled CBS' coverage of the Grammy Awards in Wednesday's opening hour, contributing to record-low scores for music's biggest night.
According to preliminary nationals from Nielsen, the "48th Annual Grammy Awards" on CBS averaged a 7.3 rating/18 share in adults 18-49 and 17.6 million viewers overall in primetime, down 15% vs. last year in 18-49 and a big 37% decline from two years ago. Show got off to a slow start opposite "Idol" before edging out ABC's "Lost" from 9 to 10 and then winning easily from 10 to 11.
"American Idol" (11.3/28 in 18-49, 28.3 million viewers overall) dominated at 8, nearly doubling the Grammys head-to-head, and is running 12% ahead of last year's through its first eight telecasts. Winning one hour was enough for Fox to carry the night in most key measures.
Grammy's toughest competish in the 9 o'clock hour was "Lost" (7.6/17 in 18-49, 18.8 million viewers overall), although the kudocast won the hour narrowly in 18-49 and total viewers. "Lost," though at a firstrun season low, led the hour in adults 25-54 and key male demos. Fox drama "Bones" ran third for the hour (4.9/11 in 18-49, 12.7 million viewers overall).
At 10, the Grammys beat the combined demo scores of NBC's "Law & Order" (4.3/11 in 18-49, 14.6 million viewers overall) and ABC's "Invasion" (3.7/9 in 18-49, 9.5 million viewers overall).
Preliminary 18-49 averages for the night: Fox, 8.1/19; CBS, 7.3/18; ABC, 4.5/11; NBC, 3.0/7; WB, 1.3/3; UPN, 0.6/1.
In total viewers: Fox, 20.5 million; CBS, 17.6 million; ABC, 11.6 million
Contact Rick Kissell at
rick.kissell@variety.com