Not even the combined powers of music super divas Beyonce, Lady Gaga, and Jennifer Hudson were enough to shift killer ratings for the second installment of the ‘Grammy tribute’ series – this time paying homage the academy’s most decorated artist Stevie Wonder.
Airing February 15th on CBS, the showing – a critics top pick – did manage to draw a respectable viewing audience, but still nearly less than half of last year’s episode in honor of the Beatles (which drew a whopping 13.95 million viewers). The numbers are all the more disappointing as, unlike the Beatles tribute, Wonder’s installment had little competition elsewhere on television.
But, as reports below reveal, all was not lost. For, after the likes of Pharrell Williams, Ariana Grande, Janelle Monae, John Legend, and Ed Sheeran put their ever modern twists on Wonder’s classic hits, interest in the 70s & 80s numbers found itself skyrocketing on top sites Spotify and Shazam.
Get the full reports on the TV and streaming numbers below:
“…Spotify streams of Wonder’s music increased 78 percent. The relatively neglected tracks that got the biggest bump were “Ribbon In The Sky — 1982 Musiquarium Version” with a 290 percent boost… Coming in second was “All in Love Is Fair” with 269 percent after Jennifer Hudson‘s cover, followed by “Contusion” with 221 percent, “As” with 172 percent thanks to Jill Scott, Janelle Monae and India Arie, and “Fingertips” with 148 percent following Beyonce‘s rendition.”
On Shazam, the powerhouse duet between Pharrell Williams and OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder of “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” collected the most queries, followed by Andrea Bocelli‘s cover of “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” Wonder’s “Overjoyed” performance, John Legend‘s take on “I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)” and Ed Sheeran‘s live loop of “I Was Made to Love Her.”
On the ratings tip:
“Unlike the Beatles tribute, the Stevie celebration did not run on a heavily watched Sunday, which many be part of the reason the 9-11 PM special was down 33% from the 8-10:30 PM show on February 9 last year.
Viewershipwise, the Stevie special drew 7.49 million viewers compared to the 13.95 million the Beatles tribute pulled in on a night that included Olympics competition and the Season 4 winter premiere of The Walking Dead.”
Your thoughts?
So the hives can’t afford Antenna to watch their queen I gave them a pass with Hbo because it’s paid but at least free tv not even that brought out enough for the queen and the nerve of them coming for other artists really hives your antics are sinking bey slowly but surely
The show wasn’t well advertised, especially the fact that Beyoncé would be performing. I don’t think anyone expected super high ratings. Even the Grammys ratings were down this year.
This show was a Great Artistic show of course if they didn’t have over hyped artist with lesser talent on the show or let’s see if they honor a NONBLACKAFRO ARTIST HOW THE RATINGS WILL ROCKET! THIS ISNT ABOUT RACE BUT COME ON ! Stevie is a lot older and black and of course today’s generation that doesn’t watch TV unless it’s relality TV or KIDSCHOICE AWARDS WITH TAYLOR SWIFT THEN THE RATINGS WILL BE SOLID AND MODERATE ! EVEN WITH THE QUEEN OF MUSIC ON ITS SHOW
Yass That grape juice you told us that already lol why not just change the name of your site to THE BEYONCE AND RIHANNA JUICE..
You forgot the legendary Rita Whora whichbisngonna blow with high anticipated US 3 year delayed debut album, Ciara and the gold selling KellyThodflopland
that too lol
Who’s gives a fück yall are too emphasized on numbers, the show and its quality were amazing and the numbers were not horrible. Article not necessary.
Funny how when numbers are great all the Hive does is focus on them but when they’re less than impressive all of sudden everyone is too “emphasized on numbers” – which is a dumb statement in itself btw – emphasis is not an adjective.
Most insecure fanbase ever.
What does this have to do with Beyonce? You sound über pressed. I was speaking of the show in general- India Arie, John legend, Jill Scott. Only an ignorant idiot assumes someone that has something positive to say about Beyonce is a hive. No- it’s called being a casual fan. Learn the difference dumb áss!
Well grapejuice always report bias reporting about bey and favors who they want to look good in the blogs Sam harass mariah Rihanna who he hates to the point of vomit he can’t function unless it’s bad news about rih and mariah now that bey ain’t getting all that love no more what I expect this bum Sam is a nasty pos he never report any of Beyonce failures he glorify her p**** all day everyday
People are tired of seeing Beyoncés overrated tail that’s why!
I enjoyed the performances, especially Ariana’s. I think the obvious reason the ratings were lower is because Stevie Wonder is nowhere near as big as the Beatles. It’s not so much about the performers as ironic is the songs being sung and the artist it’s for.
Ratings were moderate because its a stevie wonder tribute duh. I bet you a Whitney or Janet tribute would get higher numbers. Stevie is great but his music cant bring in big numbers. Sorry but yall know its true.
But the tribute wasn’t even about beyonce? Lmfao.
TGJ , was it really that bad to post an article about it ? No , clearly TGJ & Staff Missed the Big Picture which was to tribute Stevie Wonder not focus on the raitings of a special how about the accomplishments he made for black people and how his songs came from the heart not how his raitings were down from other singers specials, but once again the mark was missed on your part by posting a worthless article on a man whose career has paved the way for many artists you write articles about , so show the man some respect and stop looking for cheap punchlines and articles . Especially during Black History Month which he was apart of . Congrats Stevie Wonder , a music legend well done .
I tell you one thing Beyonce has the sexiest male back up dancers out of all the divas. Omg I would be f***** all dem negroes. Ima a freak I know.
No you’re a h**.
Almost half as last years. Anyway you cannot blame Beyonce for this, they rating were down because it was a Stevie Wonder tribute, even I can see that.
Why does the ratings matter shaking my f****** head.. Can we acknowledge that they did something good for the legendary black artist Stevie Wonder.. !! F*** the ratings !!
So Stevie’s tribute is now a Beyonce concert?
Although Ne-yo, JHud, Janelle Monae, Jill Scott, India Aire performed, Bey’s OPENING number was supposed to carry the show. It’s should be no surprise that The Beatles ratings topped Stevie’s. America’s biggest love affair is with that band.
It was a damn Stevie Tribute lol. Anyway Beyonces performance SLAYED. Gaga did good too.
WELL THEY SHOULD HAVE JUST BOOKED MADONNA, CHRISTINA AND MARIAH INSTEAD OF THEIR CARBON COPIES
Beyonce had nothing to do with the ratings. It was a STEVIE WONDER Tribute special! All these stars were there just to do a tribute, so people tuning in were only watching to see artists pay their respects to Stevie. Ratings were pretty low because Stevie is no where as famous as the Beatles. I don’t see Beyonce’s connection as to why the ratings were low. She’s just so good that you all keep getting pressed and have the urge to constantly attack her. Nonetheless, everyone did a very good job paying their tribute. It’s about QUALITY or QUANTITY.
Ratings don’t matter, I agree lol.
But when it’s good ratings, for shows like empire, nobody says ratings don’t matter. Why say it when ratings are bad?
Plus…tgj didn’t break this story. They are just regurgitating
“baby all up in my business like a Wendy Interview”
‘
SCREAMING, Joe can we have a TGJ Replay for Touch my body, Mariah read Wendy to filth.
Plus where is the story about Sam Bailey getting dropped by SyCo?
Floppppp
Who cares about ratings? I mean, it was a Stevie Wonder tribute. People are probably tired of seeing them honor him. No shade, but this is like the 1,000th tribute show this man has received.
I know one thing, nobody cares about Mariah
Then why are you bringing up her name? #ExitStageLeftBackToTheProjects
Have a plethora of seats, TROLL. No matter what y’all say about Mariah, she’s winning and slaying your fave. Over 200 million albums sold, 12 platinum albums, 550 mil in the bank…WINNING!
Not cece peniston hunny!!! I am on the floor with the PPl names yall be trolling under
Good as a black man they need to keep giving his ass some tributes !!
#StevieWonderislegendary
I guess people are getting tired of seeing the same ole overrated entertainers getting all the spotlight that it’s rather exhausting. Not that I’m trying to take away from Stevie Wonder’s accomplishments, I just wish they had different artists performing for him.
I don’t know why people are pretending that 7+ million viewers is not amazing, but ok. Ariana, Beyoncé, Gaga, and etc did phenomenal tributes, so next article please.
The Beatles will always be #1, they’re above every music artist. Gods.
BYE
Um ever heard of Michael Jackson, Janet, um maybe Whitney Houston, Arethea Franklin … umm noo ?!
It´s normal. This kind of programmes are not appealing to all types of audiences, so doing under 10 million viewers is reasonable. last year it was The Beatles, plus it was probably the first time they were doing a show like this. It´s like the first Divas show in 1998, it was bigger than any other after it, and it´s not like the others didn´t have huge names or talents. It just happens. In a couple of years it will get cancelled. It´s normal.
Did they do a concert this year for the grammy nominations? I don´t remember. They started that a few years ago and it´s probably already gone. It´s normal.
You people kill me. If the ratings were sky high, this post would be full of beyonce fans wetting their pants and hollering about “that beyonce impact” or King b this and slay queen that, etc. But when the ratings aren’t impressive, all of a sudden “numbers don’t matter”. GTFOHWTBS. Beyonce is not this powerful entity that pulls in these big numbers, ratings and album sales included. Her hype machine is a bigger star than she is.
Her hype machine is a bigger star than she is.
Merry me, please 😀
Oh sorry I didn’t realize Beyonce was the only one performing. Your fave Gaga also was.
To me it was not heavily promoted first off because according to twitter reaction they didn’t know about it. Second the numbers a great when comparing it to the Beatles , like come on there’s more older folks watching TV then younger folks. And of course this was not an beyonce event so stop trying to use her as scape goat. Love to love beyonce or you love to hate beyonce….that’s what it is
They was too busy retweeting Amber rose
Her concert special, the grammys, and now this seems to confirm that Beyonce is not this great ratings draw that you speak of.
And yet her documentary is the most veiwed of the last 10 years on HBO and she gave the VMAS their highest rated show in 2011
The documentary stats that her people and HBO put out was just a spin to deflect the poor ratings. Beyonce is suppose to be a megastar and a draw. HBO was not expecting documentary ratings from her, or else they could have hired a real documentary film director and saved some money, and probably have gotten bigger ratings. The reality is her documetary did not do well.
The ratings were not poor. This is HBO not fox, which broke asses like you probably don’t have.
Don’t forget about the 13% declicline in ratings for her MTV VMA Vanguard Award/Mini-concert in 2014. Her hype and spin machine is doing her a disservice by over hyping her as this grand artist and megastar of the universe, but the numbers and reality don’t add up.She’s been struggling to stay relevant and get a hit, since she fired her father.
Going double platinum after 18 years, having one of the highest grossing female tours of all time with no album out and becoming the second most awarded woman in Grammys history at just 33 makes it safe to say Beyonce is way beyond the ‘hype’ and ‘relevance’ stage in her career.
THE REACH!
Im not surprised, I literally found out about this show the day of, Through Twitter….. And It wasnt even trending or promoted. So I didnt expect huge ratings
I knew nothing of the show until I came on here. Where was the promo?
The numbers were down I feel because they had the same ole performers there they have at every award show. Stevie’s music is just as timeless as anyone and would have drawn in the audience so that’s not the reason I mean they did air it on a holiday and later than the beatles one so they might have played into it also when tributing stevie I jus don’t see most of those white acts doing his songs justice where were the Motown acts or the braxtons sisters, more black entertainers who can do his music justice it just felt like they allow white from all demographics come on but with black people its like they just pick the most current and or pop. and that’s not always gonna give u ratings. In the end I need more black producers doing these shows who are musically inclined to handle these shows cause it seems white people don’t know enough about our people (past or present) to give proper tribute.
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lol
lmaoooo!!
It didn’t have much promo at all so did really good and Stevie Wonder has had like 50 tributes already.
The Beatles were promoted way better. The most I seen of Wonder’s was from Beyonce’s insta. It was a great show, but The Walking Dead is no joke.