The 2025 VMAs scored a six-year viewership high as it simulcast on CBS for the first time.

The show, which broadcast live on Sunday beginning at 8 p.m. ET from from New York's UBS Arena, scored 5.5 million viewers across CBS, MTV and Paramount+, according to Nielsen fast nationals. It marks the biggest day-of audience for the event since 2019 and the third-largest live streamed entertainment event on Paramount+, behind the Grammys and the Golden Globes.

That's up 42% from last year's audience of 3.91 million viewers, which the show scored across MTV, BET, BET Her, CMT, CC, Logo, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land and VH1.