For some 50 consecutive years, the Grammy Awards telecast could be seen on CBS. A 10-year contract renewal signed in July 2016 between the Paramount-owned network and the Recording Academy signaled the continuation of a long-standing deal, establishing a record for its duration.
Come 2026, that historic relationship will come to its conclusion.
In a monumental decision, Harvey Mason Jr., today the CEO of The Recording Academy, deviated from predecessor Neil Portnow in signing a 10-year agreement with The Walt Disney Co.
Mason announced the shift of the Grammys to ABC, Hulu and Disney+, starting in 2027, alongside Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Dana Walden. The agreement will allow for the simulcast of the Grammys on Hulu and on Disney+ while it is broadcast live on ABC network affiliated and owned stations.
This will keep the Grammys on the Disney-owned properties through 2036. Terms also call for The Recording Academy to produce multiple Grammy-branded music specials and additional new programming for global audiences across Disney’s platforms.
The new deal brings the Grammys to a network that already has the broadcast rights to the Oscars; the CMA Awards; and “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.”
In the first year of this agreement, 2027, ABC will also be home to Super Bowl LXI as part of an agreement with the National Football League.
“We are completely thrilled to be bringing ‘The Grammys’ and other new music programming to the Disney ecosystem,” Mason said. “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.”
