This Year's Super Bowl Was The Most Watch Thing On American T.V. — Ever

The NBC broadcast of Super Bowl XLIX was the most watched show in U.S. television history, with 114.4 million viewers.

Andrew Weber/Usa Today Sports

It beat out last year's broadcast by about 2 million viewers, according to national data from The Nielsen Company, and it was the highest rated Super Bowl since 1986, with about 47 percent of households tuning in.

More people than ever also watched the final half hour of the nail-biting game between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. Viewership peaked with 120.8 million watching in the fourth quarter.

NBC's live stream also set records, the network said. Analytics showed 800,000 average viewers per minute watched on computers or tablets, and on average, they tuned in for about 84 minutes. At its highest — during Patriots center back Malcolm Butler's game-winning interception — the live stream had 1.3 million viewers.

1. 114.4 Million – Super Bowl XLIX, NBC (2015)

2. 112.2 Million – Super Bowl XLVIII, FOX (2014)

3. 111.3 Million – Super Bowl XLVI, NBC (2012)

4. 111.0 Million – Super Bowl XLV, FOX (2011)

5. 108.7 Million – Super Bowl XLVII, CBS (2013)

6. 106.5 Million – Super Bowl XLIV, CBS (2010)

7. 106.0 Million – M.A.S.H. Finale, CBS (1983)

8. 98.7 Million – Super Bowl XLIII, NBC (2009)