EXCLUSIVE: The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards continued to gain traction even after the show’s September 7 telecast.
The ceremony drew an average minute audience of 6.1M viewers across CBS, MTV and Paramount+ within seven days, up 29% from the same window last year, according to Nielsen L+7 data. The growth is undoubtedly thanks at least in part to the move to CBS after the 2024 ceremony was simulcast across Paramount cable networks, Univision, Unimas and streaming on Paramount+.
The seven-day audience is also about an 11% lift from this year’s live + same-day audience of 5.5M, which was a six-year ratings high for the show, up 42% from last year’s airing.
The event also marked the most-watched entertainment special on CBS since the Grammy Awards, held Feb. 2. On Paramount+, the VMAs clinched the third spot for largest live-streamed entertainment program, behind the Grammys and Golden Globe Awards.
Since the show, Paramount Global says that 800,000 viewers have watched clips on MTV’s YouTube channel.
This year’s VMAs were hosted by LL Cool J and featured performances from such artists as Doja Cat, Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey and Sabrina Carpenter. In addition to the broadcast move, the telecast was certainly electrified by performances from Busta Rhymes to Tate McRae and international girl group KATSEYE.