The 11th-hour tributes to US pop icon Whitney Houston that the Recording Academy scrambled to put into the 54th Grammy Awards telecast have boosted numbers of television viewers to such an extent that the second largest audience since 1984 was recorded, according to preliminary numbers provided by ratings tracking firm the Nielsen Co. on Monday.

More than 39 million audience watched Sunday's show broadcast live on CBS, representing the most-watched show since 1984, when the late pop icon Michael Jackson won a record-shattering eight awards for "Thriller."

The number also marked an increase of more than 40 percent over last year's show, which had 37.6 million viewers, and a 14.1 rating in the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49.

The demo showing matches the highest rating, 14.2, since 1990 when Bonnie Raitt ruled with four statuettes.

Due to the tributes which were featured in the three-and-a-half- hour telecast, the event has helped CBS win the night's ratings derby with ease. It scored a net 11.5 in adults 18-49 and 34.5 million viewers.

It seems obvious that interest in the tributes in honor of Houston,a six-time past winner, was a major reason for the Grammy Awards to draw a large number of viewers.

Houston, 48, was found dead at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. Authorities believe that she may have fallen asleep or lapsed into unconsciousness in a bathtub and drowned.

Before the show, "60 Minutes" which was aired at 7 p.m. and featured an interview with Adele, who went on to garner six awards, collected a 2.9/8 and 14.5 million total viewers.

Last year's Grammys earned a 10.0 in adults 18-49 and 26.7 million viewers.