Academy Awards/Oscars Nielsen Ratings History (1953-present)

Below are the Nielsen ratings for every telecast of the Academy Awards. The ceremony was first aired on TV in 1953 after years of either being broadcast on the radio (1930-32, 1939-52) or not broadcast at all (1929, 1934-38). Household (HH) ratings are available for every telecast except for the 1961 show which aired during a Nielsen black week, 18-49 ratings are first available in 1992, and total viewership in 1974 (number of households is provided for 1953-73). Be aware that Nielsen did not introduce people-meters until 1987, so all viewership figures prior to that point are merely estimates Nielsen made at a later date. 

Note: Only one source ever reported the numbers for the 1966 awards show: a Variety article from June 1966. That show also aired during a Nielsen black week, but ABC apparently made a special request to have the telecast nationally rated, so I believe this is the reason that such a massive 56.0 rating never appears in Nielsen's top 50 highest-rated list. This was also the first Oscars telecast to air in color so that could potentially be a reason why it was so highly rated. But also, the number could just be completely wrong since it is so much higher than anything else. Take that one with a grain of salt.

Academy Awards Historical Ratings
Date	Net	HH rating	18-49 Rating	Viewers (millions)
Mar. 27, 2022	ABC	9.0	3.76	16.623
Apr. 25, 2021	ABC	5.9	2.12	10.403
Feb. 9, 2020	ABC	13.6/27	5.33/24	23.639
Feb. 24, 2019	ABC	16.4/30	7.70/29	29.641
Mar. 4, 2018	ABC	14.9/27	6.8/25	26.541
Feb. 26, 2017	ABC	18.4/32	9.14/29	32.937
Feb. 28, 2016	ABC	19.4/32	10.46/31	34.425
Feb. 22, 2015	ABC	20.6/33	11.0/29	37.260
Mar. 2, 2014	ABC	24.7/38	13.12/33	43.741
Feb. 24, 2013	ABC	23.1/35	13.0/31	40.376
Feb. 26, 2012	ABC	22.6/34	11.7/27	39.341
Feb. 27, 2011	ABC	21.2/33	11.8/30	37.919
Mar. 7, 2010	ABC	23.3/37	13.3/33	41.699
Feb. 22, 2009	ABC	20.6/31	12.1/29	36.310
Feb. 24, 2008	ABC	18.7/29	10.7/26	32.006
Feb. 25, 2007	ABC	23.6/37	14.1/33	40.172
Mar. 5, 2006	ABC	23.1/35	13.9/33	38.939
Feb. 27, 2005	ABC	25.4/38	15.1/34	42.139
Feb. 29, 2004	ABC	26.0/40	15.3/37	43.531
Mar. 23, 2003	ABC	20.4/32	12.5/30	33.043
Mar. 24, 2002	ABC	25.4/42	16.1/39	41.782
Mar. 25, 2001	ABC	26.2/40	17.8/40	42.944
Mar. 26, 2000	ABC	29.2/48	19.1/47	46.333
Mar. 21, 1999	ABC	28.6/46	18.8	45.615
Mar. 23, 1998	ABC	34.9/55	24.2/57	55.249
Mar. 24, 1997	ABC	27.4/46	16.5	40.075
Mar. 25, 1996	ABC	30.3/50	18.6	44.867
Mar. 27, 1995	ABC	32.5/53	21.7	48.279
Mar. 21, 1994	ABC	31.1/49	19.5	45.083
Mar. 29, 1993	ABC	31.2/51	20.1	45.735
Mar. 30, 1992	ABC	29.8/50	20.6	44.406
Mar. 25, 1991	ABC	28.4/48	n/a	42.727
Mar. 26, 1990	ABC	27.9/48		40.375
Mar. 29, 1989	ABC	29,8/50		42.619
Apr. 11, 1988	ABC	29.4/49		42.227
Mar. 30, 1987	ABC	27.5/43		37.190
Mar. 24, 1986	ABC	27.3/43		37.757
Mar. 25, 1985	ABC	27.7/45		38.855
Apr. 9, 1984	ABC	30.3/50		42.051
Apr. 11, 1983	ABC	38.9/59		53.235
Mar. 29, 1982	ABC	33.6/53		46.245
Mar. 31, 1981	ABC	31.0/58		39.919
Apr. 14, 1980	ABC	33.7/50		48.978
Apr. 9, 1979	ABC	34.6/63		46.301
Apr. 3, 1978	ABC	36.3/68		48.501
Mar. 28, 1977	ABC	31.1/63		39.719
Mar. 29, 1976	ABC	35.5/64		46.751
Apr. 8, 1975	NBC	35.0/62		48.127
Apr. 2, 1974	NBC	36.7/68		44.712
Date	Net	HH rating		HH (millions)
Mar. 27, 1973	NBC	37.8/68		24.49
Apr. 10, 1972	NBC	38.7/70		24.03
Apr. 15, 1971	NBC	38.2/70		22.96
Apr. 7, 1970	ABC	43.4/78		25.39
Apr. 14, 1969	ABC	31.8/56		18.13
Apr. 10, 1968	ABC	34.4/67		19.26
Apr. 10, 1967	ABC	41.2/75		22.62
Apr. 18, 1966	ABC	56.0/77		30.13
Apr. 5, 1965	ABC	37.4/69		19.67
Apr. 13, 1964	ABC	37.0/71		18.98
Apr. 8, 1963	ABC	37.2/71		18.53
Apr. 9, 1962	ABC	37.1/75		18.18
Apr. 17, 1961	ABC	-		-
Apr. 4, 1960	NBC	45.8/82		20.43
Apr. 6, 1959	NBC	46.7/82		20.28
Mar. 26, 1958	NBC	46.3/78		19.21
Mar. 27, 1957	NBC	37.3/69		14.19
Mar. 21, 1956	NBC	48.0/70		16.25
Mar. 30, 1955	NBC	45.0/57		18.79
Mar. 25, 1954	NBC	55.0/82		14.95
Mar. 19, 1953	NBC	49.7/82		10.91

Source: Nielsen Media Research