60 Minutes

===Nielsen ratings===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Season !! Time (Eastern) !! Rank !! {{abbr|Avg.|Average}} rating{{efn|In households; before 1997}}/<br />Avg. viewers{{efn|In millions; after 1997}}
|--
| [[1968–69 United States network television schedule|1968–1969]] || rowspan="3"|Tuesday 10:00&nbsp;p.m.|| rowspan="8" colspan="2" {{n/a}}
|-
| [[1969–70 United States network television schedule|1969–1970]]
|-
| [[1970–71 United States network television schedule|1970–1971]]
|-
| [[1971–72 United States network television schedule|1971–1972]] || Sunday 6:00&nbsp;p.m.
|-
| [[1972–73 United States network television schedule|1972–1973]] || Sunday 6:00&nbsp;p.m. <small>(January–June 1973)</small><br/>Friday 8:00&nbsp;p.m. <small>(June–September 1973)</small>
|-
| [[1973–74 United States network television schedule|1973–1974]] || Sunday 6:00&nbsp;p.m. <small>(January–June 1974)</small><br/>Sunday 9:30&nbsp;p.m. <small>(July–September 1974)</small>
|-
| [[1974–75 United States network television schedule|1974–1975]] || Sunday 6:00&nbsp;p.m. <small>(September 1974 – June 1975)</small><br/>Sunday 9:30&nbsp;p.m. <small>(July–September 1975)</small>
|-
| [[1975–76 United States network television schedule|1975–1976]] || rowspan="37"|Sunday 7:00&nbsp;p.m.
|-
| [[1976–77 United States network television schedule|1976–1977]] || 18 || 21.9{{efn|Tied with ''[[Hawaii Five-O (1968 TV series)|Hawaii Five-O]]''}}
|-
| [[1977–78 United States network television schedule|1977–1978]] || 4 || 24.4{{efn|Tied with ''[[Charlie's Angels]]'' and ''[[All in the Family]]''}}
|-
| [[1978–79 United States network television schedule|1978–1979]] || 6 || 25.5
|-
| [[1979–80 United States network television schedule|1979–1980]] || 1 || 28.4
|-
| [[1980–81 United States network television schedule|1980–1981]] || 3 || 27.0
|-
| [[1981–82 United States network television schedule|1981–1982]] || 2 || 27.7
|-
| [[1982–83 United States network television schedule|1982–1983]] || 1 || 25.5
|-
| [[1983–84 United States network television schedule|1983–1984]] || 2 || 24.2
|-
| [[1984–85 United States network television schedule|1984–1985]] || rowspan="2"|4 || 22.2
|-
| [[1985–86 United States network television schedule|1985–1986]] || 23.9
|-
| [[1986–87 United States network television schedule|1986–1987]] || 6 || 23.3
|-
| [[1987–88 United States network television schedule|1987–1988]] || 8 || 20.6
|-
| [[1988–89 United States network television schedule|1988–1989]] || 5 || 21.7
|-
| [[1989–90 United States network television schedule|1989–1990]] || 7 || 19.7
|-
| [[1990–91 United States network television schedule|1990–1991]] || 2 || 20.6
|-
| [[1991–92 United States network television schedule|1991–1992]] || rowspan="3"|1 || rowspan="2"|21.9
|-
| [[1992–93 United States network television schedule|1992–1993]]
|-
| [[1993–94 United States network television schedule|1993–1994]] || 20.9
|-
| [[1994–95 United States network television schedule|1994–1995]] || 6 || 17.2
|-
| [[1995–96 United States network television schedule|1995–1996]] || 9 || 14.2
|-
| [[1996–97 United States network television schedule|1996–1997]] || 11 || 13.3
|-
| [[1997–98 United States network television schedule|1997–1998]] || rowspan="2"|8 || 19.8
|-
| [[1998–99 United States network television schedule|1998–1999]] || 18.7
|-
| [[1999–2000 United States network television schedule|1999–2000]] || 11 || 17.1
|-
| [[2000–01 United States network television schedule|2000–2001]] || rowspan="2"|17 || 15.8
|-
| [[2001–02 United States network television schedule|2001–2002]] || 14.9
|-
| [[2002–03 United States network television schedule|2002–2003]] || 19 || 13.4
|-
| [[2003–04 United States network television schedule|2003–2004]] || 18 || 14.1
|-
| [[2004–05 United States network television schedule|2004–2005]] || 19 || 13.9
|-
| [[2005–06 United States network television schedule|2005–2006]] || rowspan="2"|26 || 13.6
|-
| [[2006–07 United States network television schedule|2006–2007]] || 13.2
|-
| [[2007–08 United States network television schedule|2007–2008]] || 23 || 12.8
|-
| [[2008–09 United States network television schedule|2008–2009]] || 13 || 14.3
|-
| [[2009–10 United States network television schedule|2009–2010]] || 19 || 13.3
|-
| [[2010–11 United States network television schedule|2010–2011]] || rowspan="2"|14 || 13.4
|-
| [[2011–12 United States network television schedule|2011–2012]] || 13.0
|-
| [[2012–13 United States network television schedule|2012–2013]] || rowspan="8"|Sunday 7:00&nbsp;p.m. OR <br /> 7:30&nbsp;p.m. ([[NFL on CBS|if CBS has 4:25&nbsp;p.m. NFL game]]) || 15 || 12.4
|-
| [[2013–14 United States network television schedule|2013–2014]] || 14 || 12.1
|-
| [[2014–15 United States network television schedule|2014–2015]] || 19 || 12.4
|-
| [[2015–16 United States network television schedule|2015–2016]] || 15 || 12.3
|-
| [[2016–17 United States network television schedule|2016–2017]] || 12 || 12.4
|-
| [[2017-18 United States network television schedule|2017–2018]] || 15 || 11.6
|-
| [[2018-19 United States network television schedule|2018–2019]] || 19 || 10.7
|-
| [[2019-20 United States network television schedule|2019–2020]] || 15 || 10.5
|}
{{notelist}}

Based on viewership [[Nielsen ratings|ratings]], ''60 Minutes'' is the most successful program in U.S. television history since it was moved into its present timeslot in 1975. For five seasons it was the year's top program, a feat matched by the [[situation comedy|sitcoms]] ''[[All in the Family]]'' and ''[[The Cosby Show]]'', and surpassed only by the reality competition series ''[[American Idol]]'', which had been the #1 show for eight consecutive seasons from the 2003–2004 television season up to the 2010–2011 season. ''60 Minutes'' was a top ten show for 23 seasons in a row (1977–2000), an unsurpassed record, and has made the Top 20 for every season since the 1976–1977 season, except from 2005 to 2008.<ref name=CBS>{{cite news|title=60 Minutes: Milestones|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1999/08/20/60minutes/main59202.shtml|work=CBS|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|date=August 20, 1999|access-date=May 22, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070602120101/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1999/08/20/60minutes/main59202.shtml|archive-date=June 2, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

''60 Minutes'' first broke into the Nielsen Top 20 during the 1976–77 season. The following season, it was the fourth-most-watched program, and by the 1979–80 season, it was the number one show.<ref name=CBS/> During the 21st century, it remained among the top 20 programs in the Nielsen ratings, and the highest-rated news magazine.<ref>{{cite news|title=At '60 Minutes,' clock ticking on change|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/mediamix/2003-08-10-media-mix_x.htm|last=Johnson|first=Peter|work=[[USA Today]]|date=August 11, 2003|access-date=May 22, 2007}}</ref>

On November 16, 2008, the edition featuring an interview with President-elect [[Barack Obama]], earned a total viewership of 25.1 million viewers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Early Sunday Tidbits: NFL, Barack Obama Score for CBS, Cowboys Lead NBC|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2008/11/17/early-sunday-tidbits-nfl-barack-obama-score-for-cbs-cowboys-lead-nbc/8222|last=Seidman|first=Robert|work=TV by the Numbers|publisher=Zap2It (Tribune Media)|date=November 17, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141202124912/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2008/11/17/early-sunday-tidbits-nfl-barack-obama-score-for-cbs-cowboys-lead-nbc/8222/|archive-date=December 2, 2014}}</ref>

On October 6, 2013, the broadcast (which was delayed by 44 minutes that evening due to a [[Denver Broncos]]-[[Dallas Cowboys]] NFL game) drew 17.94 million viewers; retaining 63% of the 28.32 million viewers of its lead-in, and making it the most watched ''60 Minutes'' broadcast since December 16, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sunday Final Ratings: 'Once Upon a Time' & 'The Simpsons' Adjusted Up + Final NFL Ratings & Unscrambled CBS|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/10/08/sunday-final-ratings-once-upon-a-time-the-simpsons-adjusted-up-final-nfl-ratings-unscrambled-cbs/207509|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011231306/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/10/08/sunday-final-ratings-once-upon-a-time-the-simpsons-adjusted-up-final-nfl-ratings-unscrambled-cbs/207509/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 11, 2013|last=Kondolojy|first=Amanda|work=TV by the Numbers|publisher=Zap2It (Tribune Media)|date=October 8, 2013|access-date=January 27, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|title='60 Minutes' is #3 for the Week and is Sunday's Most-Watched Prime Program|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/10/08/60-minutes-is-3-for-the-week-and-is-sundays-most-watched-prime-program/207682|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013080849/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/10/08/60-minutes-is-3-for-the-week-and-is-sundays-most-watched-prime-program/207682/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 13, 2013|last=Kondolojy|first=Amanda|work=TV by the Numbers|publisher=Zap2It (Tribune Media)|date=October 8, 2013|access-date=January 27, 2014}}</ref>

On December 1, 2013, the broadcast (delayed 50 minutes due to a Broncos-[[Kansas City Chiefs]] game) was watched by 18.09 million viewers, retaining 66% of its NFL lead-in (which earned 28.11 million viewers during the 7:00&nbsp;p.m. hour).<ref>{{cite web|title=Sunday Final Ratings: 'The Amazing Race' & 'The Mentalist' Adjusted Up|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/12/04/sunday-final-ratings-the-amazing-race-the-mentalist-adjusted-up/219665|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207013346/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/12/04/sunday-final-ratings-the-amazing-race-the-mentalist-adjusted-up/219665/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 7, 2013|last=Kondolojy|first=Amanda|work=TV by the Numbers|publisher=Zap2It (Tribune Media)|date=December 4, 2013|access-date=January 27, 2014}}</ref>

On March 25, 2018, the edition featuring [[Stormy Daniels]] giving details on her alleged affair with President [[Donald Trump]] drew 22.1 million viewers, the most since the 2008 Obama interview. The broadcast was delayed due to the [[2018 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament#Midwest Regional|NCAA men's basketball regional final]] on CBS between [[2017-18 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team|Kansas]] and [[2017-18 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team|Duke]] going to overtime.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/03/26/media/anderson-cooper-stormy-daniels-60-minutes-ratings/index.html |title=Anderson Cooper's Stormy Daniels interview draws highest ratings for '60 Minutes' in 10 years |publisher=[[CNN Money]]|first=Brian |last=Stelter |date=March 26, 2018 |access-date=March 26, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2018/03/25/duke-vs-kansas-overtime-60-minutes-stormy-daniels-interview-twitter-reactions |title=Twitter Joked About Duke vs. Kansas Overtime Delaying 60 Minutes' Stormy Daniels Interview |magazine=Sports Illustrated |first=Chris |last=Chavez |date=March 25, 2018 |access-date=March 26, 2018}}</ref>