CBS’ and MTV‘s coverage of the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards averaged a combined 8.43 million viewers on Sunday night, according to Nielsen Live+same day fast nationals. Those numbers are subject to change once finals are in, but for now that makes it the most-watched VMAs in 11 years (since 2015, when it only ran on MTV) and puts it up 51% vs. last year’s show. The VMAs were likely assisted by an NFL football overrun (which went late until the Baltimore Ravens defeated the Dallas Cowboys), pushing the start time of the VMAs by several minutes (to 7:51 p.m.
The show still started at 4:30 p.m. Live’s Peacock Theater, but wound up being tape-delayed as a result on CBS. That 8.43 million number includes the simulcast on CBS and MTV, as well as an encore on MTV.
But in an apples-to-apples comparison, the show last year (on Sept. 7, 2025) also aired on CBS, MTV and encored on MTV — and that telecast brought in 5.60 million viewers. In individual network numbers, the CBS telecast averaged 7.61 million viewers, up 52% from last year (5.00 million). MTV’s simulcast averaged 686,000 viewers (up 40% from last year’s 481,000).
And the MTV encore brought in 142,000 viewers (up 31% from 108,000 last year). According to CBS, this year repped the best same-day audience for the VMAs since 2015, when the awards show hit a big 12.73 million viewers. In demos, this was the most-watched VMAs in adults 25-54 (3.11 million) since 2019 (3.55 million) and was up +34% from last year (2.32 million).
In adults 18-49, the show took in 2.66 million — the best since 2018 (3.02 million) and up 32% from 2025 (2.02 million). And in adults 18-34, the show averaged 1/09 million, the best since 2020 (1.14 million) and up 46% from last year (751,000). CBS also reported social highlights: 31.1M interactions and 159M video views (up 8% from last year).
The 2026 VMAs opened with Madonna — in her first VMAs performance in 23 years — with Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX. The show also featured Taylor Swift winning the video of the year award, taking the MTV VMA artist director award and premiering her new music video to “Patient Zero.” Also, Nirvana received the video vanguard award, and tributes were held for Dolly Parton and George Michael. Other performers included GENER8ION, Gunna, Kacey Musgraves, Lisa, Madonna, Raye, Shaboozey, Sienna Spiro, Sombr, Teddy Swims and Yung Lean.
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