As many of you music lovers out there may already know, the 57th annual Grammy Awards will air this Sunday on CBS. If you happen to be at home you can kick back and enjoy the Grammys in all its grandeur. But what do you do if you can’t sit in front of your television this Sunday to watch the Grammys? Well, there is a solution, but only in certain markets and only in the United States.
The only way to view the Grammys thus far is through the CBS app. Even then you will still need a CBS All Access pass to view the live content. However, as a promotion for the Grammys, CBS all access is offering a one-week trial of their service. So you can sign up and the cancel after the Grammys are over. If you decide to keep CBS All Access, it will set you back around $6. As we said before this live stream is available in only 14 markets that include: Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, and San Francisco. You can use the All Access service on all your Android devices and if you want, you can stream it via Chromecast. The app will also allow you to view all the hoopla prior to the event. At around 3pm Eastern Time, you can view the red carpet fanfare as well as the Awards Premiere Ceremony.
It is a shame that CBS is choosing to keep tight wraps on the Grammys for mobile and online viewers. NBC had a huge success with allowing nonsubscribers use their online apps and services to view the Super Bowl recently. It would be in CBS’s best interest to allow users to view the Grammys much like NBC allowed viewers to see the big game. It would highlight their app and online services, something they have been touting for some time, and could bring in new subscribers. It is doubtful if CBS will change it’s mind this late in the game, perhaps next year they will see the huge marketing potential the Grammys has to offer and allow everyone in all markets the chance to try their service and perhaps sign up for a subscription. As more and more people are turning to their mobile devices, television companies stand to benefit if they open themselves and their services every once and a while.