Nearly 17 million people tuned into the Grammys Sunday on CBS, up 34% from the 12.4 million that watched last year.

Why it matters: The show, which was boosted by several viral moments, was the most-watched Grammy Awards since 2020.

• Taylor Swift's surprise new album release tease, combined with several new award show firsts, made for a buzzy event.

The big picture: Award show ratings have begun to rebound from their pandemic-era lows.

• The Golden Globes drew 10 million viewers last month, up 50% from 2023. The Sunday showing on CBS likely helped boost ratings, after last year's Tuesday event saw its lowest-ever ratings on NBC.
• The Oscars and The Grammys rose 8% and 30% year-over-year, respectively, in 2023. The Oscars will take place on March 10th this year.
• Tony Award viewership saw a modest boost last year compared to 2022, but remain low.

Yes, but: The Emmys saw all-time low ratings in January after being postponed from September due to the writers and actors strikes.

Be smart: The pandemic era not only created production challenges for award shows, but they also prompted more Hollywood A-listers to make political statements, isolating some viewers.

What to watch: Awards shows are increasingly turning to streaming as they fight dwindling TV audiences.