• by Wayne Friedman , February 13, 2007

CBS hit a high note Sunday night--the "49th Grammy Awards" were up more than 20% in ratings versus a year ago.

CBS saw a healthy 8.5 Nielsen preliminary rating among 18-49 viewers, up substantially from its 7.1 rating last year. In CBS' favor, it didn't have to go up against another music show of note--one "American Idol," which regularly trashes all in its wake.

The 2007 Grammys stands to be CBS' best ratings for the show in three years. It featured the return of rock group The Police and The Dixie Chicks as the big winners, winning all five awards they were nominated for.

All this was a bit much for ABC to overcome--the usual Sunday night leader. CBS clocked in with a 7.1/17; ABC was next, at a 5.4/13; Fox was third, at 3.0/7; then NBC, 2.2/5; Univision, 1.4/3; and CW, 0.9/2.

ABC offered up a two-hour "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" with a 3.9/11 in 18-49 viewers, its second-best numbers of the season. "Desperate Housewives" went to a 7.1/15 in 18-49--its best numbers in three airings, but down somewhat for the season. After "Housewives, "Brothers & Sisters" earned a 4.5/11 in 18-49, which was under its seasonal average.

Fox took a hit as well, below average for its biggest programs of the night--"The Simpsons" at a 3.8/9 and "Family Guy," a 3.9/8 in 18-49. Fox's young adult audience apparently watched the Grammys.

NBC was down as well--"Grease: You're the One That I Want" at a 2.0/5; "The Apprentice: Los Angeles" doing a bit better, at 2.4/5 in 18-49 viewers; and "Crossing Jordan," a notch above "Apprentice" at a 2.5/6 in 18-49.

The CW was mostly in re-run mode with repeats of "Reba" and "Beauty & the Geek" and originals of "Reba" and "7th Heaven." All that put the CW below the 1.0 rating line, at a 0.9.