Honestly, catching the Grammys used to be so simple. You just turned on the TV, found CBS, and hoped your antenna didn't give out during the Song of the Year announcement. But things are different now. If you're looking into grammy streaming 2025, you've probably realized that "just watching it" involves navigating a maze of tiers, trials, and specific app requirements.
The 67th Annual Grammy Awards are taking over the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 2, 2025. Trevor Noah is back for his fifth year as host, and the stakes are massive. Beyoncé is leading the pack with 11 nominations for Cowboy Carter, putting her at a career total of 99 nominations. That is just absurd. But if you aren't physically in that arena, you need a solid plan to see it happen.
The Paramount+ Catch Most People Miss
Here is the thing about grammy streaming 2025 that catches everyone off guard: not all Paramount+ accounts are created equal.
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If you have the standard Paramount+ Essential plan (the one that costs about $7.99 a month), you cannot watch the Grammys live. Period. You’ll have to wait until the next day, Monday, to see the on-demand replay. To watch the show as it happens, you absolutely must have the Paramount+ with Showtime tier. It's roughly $12.99 a month, though they usually offer a seven-day free trial for new users.
It's a bit of a headache. You think you're ready, the red carpet starts, and suddenly you're staring at a "Join Showtime" button while Chappell Roan is midway through a performance. Don't be that person.
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Why the 2025 Broadcast is Different
This year feels like the end of an era. Since 1973, CBS has been the exclusive home of the Grammys. That’s 52 years of history. However, the Recording Academy recently inked a deal to move the whole production over to ABC, Hulu, and Disney+ starting in 2027. This 2025 ceremony is one of the final laps for the CBS/Paramount partnership.
The show kicks off at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. It's expected to run for about three and a half hours, though we all know these things tend to bleed past the 11:30 p.m. ET mark when the speeches get emotional.
Other Ways to Stream Without Cable
If you aren't a Paramount+ fan, you still have options, but they're mostly through "Skinny Bundles" or Live TV streaming services. These platforms basically act like cable over the internet.
- YouTube TV: This is usually the smoothest experience. It carries your local CBS station. They often have a free trial, but if you forget to cancel, it’s about $72.99 to $82.99 a month.
- Hulu + Live TV: Similar to YouTube, this includes CBS. Note that the regular $7.99 Hulu plan won't help you here; it has to be the Live TV version.
- FuboTV: Great for sports, but it also carries the major networks. They offer a 7-day trial which is perfect if you only care about this one night.
- Directv Stream: They include CBS in most local markets. It’s a bit pricier, but the quality is generally high-tier.
For those outside the US, the situation gets trickier. Paramount+ is available in the UK and parts of Europe, but the live simulcast isn't always guaranteed due to licensing. Many fans end up using a VPN to access their US-based accounts while traveling, but that's a whole other technical rabbit hole.
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The Red Carpet Experience
The main show is only half the battle. If you want the fashion and the awkward "Who are you wearing?" interviews, you have to look elsewhere. CBS usually doesn't do a full pre-show.
Instead, look toward E! Online or their cable channel. They typically start "Countdown to the Red Carpet" around 4 p.m. ET. The Recording Academy also streams their own "Grammys Live from the Red Carpet" on live.GRAMMY.com and their official YouTube channel. It's free, it’s direct, and honestly, the interviews are sometimes better because they actually know the music.
Who to Watch For in 2025
The nominations this year are a chaotic mix of legends and newcomers. Kendrick Lamar is a huge story with 5 nominations, largely off the back of "Not Like Us." Then you have the "Pop Girl Summer" powerhouses: Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan are both up for Best New Artist and Album of the Year.
Even The Beatles managed to sneak in a Record of the Year nomination for "Now and Then." It’s wild.
Actionable Next Steps for Show Day
- Check your login now. Don't wait until 7:59 p.m. to realize you forgot your Paramount+ password or that your subscription lapsed.
- Verify your tier. If you're on the "Essential" plan, upgrade to "with Showtime" at least 24 hours in advance to ensure the live feed populates in your app.
- Audit your internet. Streaming 4K live video for nearly four hours is a tax on your bandwidth. If you're on Wi-Fi, try to stay close to the router or use an ethernet cable to avoid the dreaded "buffering" during a big performance.
- Bookmark the Recording Academy YouTube. If your main stream dies, the official YouTube often hosts the "Premiere Ceremony" (where the first 70+ awards are given out) earlier in the afternoon at 12:30 p.m. PT.
Watching the Grammys is a marathon, not a sprint. With the right grammy streaming 2025 setup, you can avoid the spoilers and see the wins—and the inevitable snubs—as they happen in real-time.