{"id":2007681,"date":"2025-09-09T00:12:03","date_gmt":"2025-09-09T00:12:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2007681"},"modified":"2025-09-09T00:12:03","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T00:12:03","slug":"2025-vmas-delivers-its-largest-tv-audience-in-six-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/2025-vmas-delivers-its-largest-tv-audience-in-six-years\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 VMAs Delivers Its Largest TV Audience in Six Years"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards was the top-rated entertainment program of the night, hitting a six-year viewership high. The show was seen by more than 5.5 million viewers, between its broadcast on CBS, simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">This marked the first time the VMAs have aired on CBS, which could use a major pop music franchise. CBS will lose the Grammy Awards, which it has aired since 1973, after the upcoming 68th Grammy Awards telecast on Feb. 1. (In October 2024, The Recording Academy announced a new <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/pro\/disney-new-home-grammy-telecast-10-year-global-deal\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:10-year global deal;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">10-year global deal<\/a> for The Grammys to be exclusively simulcast on ABC, Hulu and Disney+ beginning in 2027.)<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><strong>More from Billboard<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/artist\/ll-cool-j\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:LL COOL J;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">LL COOL J <\/a>hosted last night\u2019s VMAs. He previously co-hosted the show in 2022. (He also hosted the Grammys five times from 2012-16.)<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Here are selected ratings highlights about the 2025 VMAs:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"mb-4\">\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Watched by more than 5.5 million viewers, making it the night\u2019s No. 1 entertainment program. The show competed with the Sunday Night Football time-period premiere (Raven vs. Bills) and finished second overall in its time period.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Most-watched day-of-event VMAs since the 2019 show, which was hosted by comedian <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/artist\/sebastian-maniscalco\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Sebastian Maniscalco;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Sebastian Maniscalco<\/a> (the last time a comedian hosted the show). That was also the last pre-pandemic show. The pandemic was disruptive to TV viewing habits.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Audience was up 42% from last year\u2019s airing on MTV and simulcast on other Paramount networks (3.91m). Last year\u2019s show was hosted by <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/artist\/megan-thee-stallion\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Megan Thee Stallion;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Megan Thee Stallion<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Most-watched entertainment special on CBS since the Grammy Awards on Feb. 2.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Third-largest live-streamed entertainment event this year on Paramount+, behind only the Grammy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards (which aired on Jan. 11).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The VMAs\u2019 voting campaign saw the best turnout in history, with 2.5 billion global votes, up 121% from last year (Source: Internal data via Telescope, 08\/05\/25-09\/05\/25).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">On social media, the 2025 MTV VMAs set new records as the most viewed and most engaged VMAs in history.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"mb-4\">\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">1 billion global video views, up 21% and 81.1 million engagements, up 6% from last year across owned social media accounts (Source: Sprinklr, 07\/27\/25-09\/08\/25).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">#VMAs trended at No. 1 on X in the U.S. for three consecutive hours and in the top 10 for nine hours.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Globally, #VMA held the No. 1 worldwide trending spot on X for four consecutive hours, trended No. 1 in 12 countries (Source: Trends24, Getdaytrends, 09\/07\/25).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Ratings Source: Nielsen Time Adjusted Live+SD Fast National Data including Out-of-Home Viewing<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Critics generally praised the show. <em>Billboard<\/em>\u2019s Joe Lynch wrote: \u201cHosted by LL COOL J, the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards were <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/music\/articles\/2025-vmas-performances-ranked-worst-052359012.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:one of the best VMAs;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">one of the best VMAs<\/a> in recent memory, a smart mix of newcomers who brought their A-game (and inventive visuals) and veterans who demonstrated why they\u2019ve lasted in the game so long.\u201d Lynch particularly praised the performances by four of the hottest female singers in pop (<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/artist\/tate-mcrae\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Tate McRae;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Tate McRae<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/artist\/sabrina-carpenter\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Sabrina Carpenter;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Sabrina Carpenter<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/artist\/lady-gaga\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Lady Gaga;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Lady Gaga<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/artist\/doja-cat\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Doja Cat;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Doja Cat<\/a>) as well as the salute to the late <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/artist\/ozzy-osbourne\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Ozzy Osbourne;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Ozzy Osbourne<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>Billboard<\/em>\u2019s Andrew Unterberger also generally liked the show, though he thought it sometimes lavished attention on legacy acts at the expense of contemporary stars. \u201cThose contemporary artists were there on Sunday night (Sept. 7), and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/music\/articles\/vmas-pretty-good-place-pop-050953839.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:basically in full effect;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">basically in full effect <\/a>\u2014 superstars who\u2019d already made their share of VMA history, and rising hitmakers who already seem poised to potentially do so in the future. And yet it could be easy to lose track of them with all the stage and screen time given to legacy artists. \u2026 It felt like a missed opportunity to really showcase the present and future, and finally let the past take a bit of a backseat.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The 2025 VMAs were produced by Gunpowder &amp; Sky. Bruce Gillmer, Den of Thieves co-founder Jesse Ignjatovic, and Barb Bialkowski were executive producers. Alicia Portugal was co-executive producer. Jackie Barba was executive in charge of production. Wendy Plaut was executive in charge of celebrity talent. Lisa Lauricella was executive in charge of music talent.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><strong>Best of Billboard<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Sign up for <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/cloud.email.billboard.com\/signup\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Billboard's Newsletter;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Billboard&#8217;s Newsletter<\/a>. For the latest news, follow us on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/31XsHSx\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Facebook;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Facebook<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/2TkcoeG\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Twitter;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Twitter<\/a>, and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/2TntOHq\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Instagram;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards was the top-rated entertainment program of the night, hitting a six-year viewership high. The show was seen by more than 5.5 million viewers, between its broadcast on CBS, simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+. This marked the first time the VMAs have aired on CBS, which could use [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2007682,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[29110,366491,42346,337128,343929],"class_list":["post-2007681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-billboard","tag-entertainment-program","tag-grammy-awards","tag-mtv-video-music-awards","tag-the-recording-academy"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2025-VMAs-Delivers-Its-Largest-TV-Audience-in-Six-Years.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2007681","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2007681"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2007681\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2007682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2007681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2007681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2007681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}