The 2025 VMAs achieved a significant leap in viewership, drawing 5.5 million viewers across CBS, MTV, and Paramount+ according to Nielsen fast nationals.
This represented a 42% increase from the 2024 VMAs, which tallied 3.91 million viewers across a wider array of 12 Paramount cable channels (including BET, CMT, VH1, and others). It was the largest day-of audience for the VMAs in six years, surpassing the 2019 figures and ranking as the third-largest live-streamed entertainment event on Paramount+ (behind only the Grammys and Golden Globes).
For context, here's a quick comparison of recent VMA viewership:
The CBS addition was credited as a major driver, tapping into the network's broader audience (averaging 3.9 million viewers overall in 2024 vs. MTV's 169,000). Analysts noted this could signal the "final blow" to MTV as a cable powerhouse, but it boosted accessibility for cord-cutters via live streaming—unlike prior years when Paramount+ offered only next-day access.
The CBS Simulcast: Announced in April 2025, the move to CBS was a strategic pivot for Paramount Global amid industry challenges, including layoffs, the shutdown of MTV News in 2023, and the cancellation of events like the MTV Movie & TV Awards and 2025 MTV Europe Music Awards to cut costs. Previously, VMAs relied on cable "roadblocks" across sister networks, but the 2025 focus on CBS (a top-rated broadcast network) + MTV + Paramount+ aimed to consolidate for higher impact and ad revenue.
This mirrored successes like the CMT Music Awards' 2024 CBS debut and the Grammys' long-standing CBS airings with Paramount+ streams.
The change addressed cord-cutting trends: In 2024, MTV ranked 55th in cable viewership, while CBS was No. 2 overall. It also made the show more inclusive—fans without cable could stream live on Paramount+ (with Showtime tier for full access), and over-the-air antennas sufficed for CBS. Pre-event buzz highlighted potential for "upended ratings," with expectations of viral moments from a star-packed lineup.