Nielsen’s 2020 Streaming Report: The Office Reigns Supreme
With streaming platforms often guarding their viewership data closely—and each using unique metrics—comparing the popularity of shows and movies across services has been a challenge. Nielsen, the industry leader in TV ratings, is stepping in to provide clarity. At CES 2021, the company released its first comprehensive ranking of the most-watched streaming content in the U.S. for 2020, covering Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and Hulu.
How Nielsen Measures Streaming Success
Unlike traditional TV ratings, Nielsen’s streaming data focuses on total minutes watched rather than unique viewers. This approach offers a more nuanced perspective than Netflix’s self-reported metrics, which count households that watch just two minutes of a title without distinguishing between casual viewers and binge-watchers.
Top Streaming Series of 2020
Original Series
Netflix dominated this category, claiming all but one spot in the Top 10:
- 1. Ozark – 30.5 billion minutes
- 2. Lucifer – 19 billion minutes
- 3. The Crown – 16.3 billion minutes
- 4. Tiger King – 15.7 billion minutes (despite only 8 episodes)
- 5. The Mandalorian (Disney+) – 14.5 billion minutes
Acquired Series
All titles streamed on Netflix in 2020, though The Office has since moved to Peacock:
- 1. The Office – 57.1 billion minutes
- 2. Grey’s Anatomy – 39.4 billion minutes
- 3. Criminal Minds – 35.4 billion minutes
- 4. NCIS – 28.1 billion minutes
- 5. Schitt’s Creek – 23.8 billion minutes
Image Credits: Nielsen
Most-Streamed Movies of 2020
Family films dominated, likely due to repeat viewings by younger audiences:
- 1. Frozen II (Disney+) – 14.9 billion minutes
- 2. Moana (Disney+) – 10.5 billion minutes
- 3. The Secret Life of Pets 2 (Netflix) – 9.1 billion minutes
- 4. Onward (Disney+) – 8.4 billion minutes
- 5. Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch (Netflix) – 6.2 billion minutes
Nielsen’s New Initiative: Theatrical VOD Measurement
Beyond rankings, Nielsen announced a new product to track viewership of premium video-on-demand (PVOD) movies—titles released digitally for rental or purchase. While studios have access to basic sales data, Nielsen aims to provide deeper insights into audience demographics (age, gender, location) to help studios optimize distribution strategies.
Scott N. Brown, Nielsen’s GM of Audience Measurement, emphasized the importance of this data:
“As pandemic-driven behaviors reshape media consumption, understanding these trends is critical for content creators and distributors. The key question is how these habits will evolve post-recovery and how data can guide future platform decisions.”
Nielsen’s report underscores the enduring appeal of comfort content (The Office, Grey’s Anatomy) and the rise of family-friendly films in a year defined by lockdowns. With plans to integrate traditional and streaming metrics (Nielsen One), the company is positioning itself as the definitive source for cross-platform audience insights.
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