VMAs 2025 Sees Significant Viewership Increase After Moving to CBS

The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards saw a notable surge in viewership, with a 42% increase in viewers compared to the previous year, thanks to its move to CBS. The event, which was also aired on MTV and streamed on Paramount+, reached a total of 5.5 million viewers, making it the most-watched VMA telecast in six years. CBS’s wider reach, available to approximately 125 million households in the U.S., played a significant role in this spike in viewership, compared to MTV’s more limited availability. Despite fierce competition from an exciting NFL game, the VMAs proved to be the most-watched entertainment special on CBS since the Grammy Awards earlier in 2025. Lady Gaga dominated the evening, taking home four awards, including Artist of the Year, while Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each earned three honors. LL Cool J, with his strong ties to CBS and MTV, hosted the event, adding to the show’s star-studded lineup. This year’s broadcast represents a significant shift in how the VMAs engage with a broader audience, benefiting from the broadcast power of CBS while still maintaining its MTV roots.