MTV’s VMA scores proceed to rebound after record-low viewership in 2021 — resulting from a mix of a report variety of new artists up for awards, Taylor Swift’s award sweep, and an NSYNC reunion.
After two significantly lean viewership years for the MTV Video Music Awards in 2021 and 2022, the awards present noticed a noticeable improve in viewership this yr per Nielsen scores from Tuesday. On-air closing same-day Nielsen scores present the VMAs bringing in 913,000 viewers — a 29.5% leap from final yr’s present (705,000) and barely above the viewership in 2021 (900,000).
Additional, the MTV VMAs confirmed notable enhancements within the channel’s core demographic of adults aged 18-34, greater than doubling final yr’s present, and adults 18-49, up by 77% year-to-year.
The present’s MTV-based viewings scored 1.14 among the many 18-34 core demographic in houses with MTV accessible (round 70 million) — the present’s finest rating since 2019. The 1.03 ranking it obtained from adults 18-49 can be a three-year excessive. Furthermore, it obtained its finest Tuesday evening displaying in nearly a decade — since 2014. The VMAs in 2022 aired on a Sunday.
Although the MTV-only numbers solely symbolize a fraction of the present’s complete viewers, the CW didn’t simulcast the VMAs this yr after doing so in 2021 and 2022, which can impression the ultimate same-day totals.
Unsurprisingly, Taylor Swift took house the lion’s share of the prizes for the evening, having received video of the yr for “Anti-Hero.” That is her second win in that class, and Swift took house eight of the eleven awards for which she was nominated this yr.
Swift has made historical past but once more at this yr’s VMAs after taking house the trophy for “Anti-Hero” — which she directed herself — and now has the second most total wins with a complete of 23. Beyonce nonetheless reigns supreme with 26 VMA Moonmen to her title.
Taylor was additionally the one artist on the VMAs to have a cameraman constantly filming her. She was additionally noticeably starstruck from accepting the primary VMA of the night (for Greatest Pop Music Video) from NSYNC, who reunited onstage on the ceremony.
“I’m not doing properly pivoting from this to this (being an NSYNC fan to accepting awards),” stated Swift. “Like, I had your dolls!”
Swift additionally continued NSYNC’s ongoing reunion teasers amplified by the upcoming Trolls movie (which is alleged to characteristic new music from the group).
“Are you guys gonna do one thing? I must know what it’s!” stated Swift.