MTV VMAs Viewership Hits All-Time Low Despite Beating the Super Bowl in Social Media Consumption

Published: Tuesday 14th Sep 2021 by Rashad

The 2021 MTV VMAs may have boasted stage-blazing performances from the likes of Lil Nas X, Normani, Camila Cabello, Ed Sheeran, Chloe Bailey, and more (as we reported here), but their collective star power wasn’t enough to help the ailing annual ceremony drum up an increase in viewership.

Like every other award show, the VMAs was not exempt from reports of steep declines in viewership – as evidenced by the event netting its “worst ratings ever” year after year.

After dropping to 1.32 million viewers at the 2020 edition, this year marks the first time the VMAs dipped outside of septuple digits since it became officially reporting its ratings in 1994.

Live Viewership = 900,000

Report:

“The ratings of the 2021 VMAs on MTV plummeted 17% in the key age group of audiences between the ages of 18 and 49…

…social media numbers tell a different story, marking it as a hit. It generated 38 million interactions on social media, beating the Super Bowl for the first time and marking it as the year’s top telecast for social media buzz. 

…900,000 live viewers tuned in on Sunday night, which is a 32 percent drop from 1.32 million viewers in 2020. Last year, in turn, saw a 5% drop from 2019.”

[Note:  The 900,000 sum described above only reflects live viewership.  Total viewership figures, which includes re-runs, DVRs views, and more, have yet to be reported.]

*****

The Doja Cat-hosted showing, which aired live Sunday (September 12) across 13 networks (MTV, VH1, the CW, Comedy Central, Nick at Night, Pop, TV Land, MTV2, Logo, Paramount Network, BET, BET Her and CMT), ended the night as the third highest-rated program of the day.

Only TLC’s ’90 Day Fiance’ and AMC’s ‘Walking Dead’ boasted livelier ratings numbers.

[main photo source: Getty Images]

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  1. Nicky September 14, 2021

    I thinks it because they initially announced screeching Camicky as a performer.

    Those Cinderella vocals were panned and mocked 😂😂

  2. Shayla Queen™ 👑 September 14, 2021

    Who’s going to tune in to watch a show created by a bunch of pandering wimps that gave Normani a performance slot because of begging and claims or racism? Like chile, come on.

    • King z September 14, 2021

      You did

      • Shayla Queen™ 👑 September 14, 2021

        I certainly did not.

  3. AnonymousTruth September 14, 2021

    Too many newbies , not enough seasoned performers (that people care about) …. It was like watching that up n coming artists segment they do .. but as the whole show …

  4. KeyLoLo September 14, 2021

    None of these award shows just aren’t interesting anymore..I don’t even check YouTube anymore for the highlights..I will see the title of everything on these blogs..I just don’t care for awards anymore.lf ya win, ya win and if ya lose, ya lose 🤷 If I was an artist I wouldn’t take any of these awards serious..it just look good on that shelf at home

  5. J September 14, 2021

    Y I K E S S S S S S S S 😬

  6. Nah September 14, 2021

    Too many awards and not enough real talent. Plus, IG and YouTube feature these artists in more interesting ways.

    • Shayla Queen™ 👑 September 14, 2021

      It’s mostly twerking and songs about sèx with no real vocals on show.

  7. Le le September 14, 2021

    It’s because they kept announcing chlamydia flopbello as a performer.

    Stupid decision on Mtvs part. Not only does that girl have no pull but she can’t sing or dance. Just a squeaky voiced flop wasting stage space on a dead single that still won’t go anywhere 💀

  8. Clarks0o00ñ September 14, 2021

    That’s what happens when u allow lip assassins like f******* to perform
    😂😂😂😂

    That bìtch literally faked a whistle note and she couldn’t even make it look believable or convincing enough
    😂

  9. stan September 14, 2021

    sitting down to watch 2-3 hours of an award show isn’t that appealing anymore. these days i only watch the performances on youtube, and i’m sure i’m not the only one.

    • Munchie September 14, 2021

      You not! I waited good until they hit TGJ, Twitter or YouTube. I had other stuff to do. Apps and streaming is the WAVE now.

  10. Clarks0o00ñ September 14, 2021

    After all that begging and emotional manipulation f******* did, they eventually gave her a spot, only for the orangutan to get up on stage and start lip syncing like a drag queen.

    And yall had the nerve to call her performance the best performance of the night.
    😂😂

    Lip synced all the high notes. Lol

  11. Kevon September 14, 2021

    Because we simply know they en worth s*** ..make your music if it sounds good we accept and even buy ..other than that f*** off ..it’s not like their are diamonds

  12. Munchie September 14, 2021

    People are streaming apps now.. Nobody’s watching cable like that lol! I been did away with cable years ago! There’s no point in having it in this day nowadays.

  13. Jasmine September 14, 2021

    Smdh thanks a lot FLOPmilla smh see what happeneds when we don’t protect the borders at all costs??

  14. Patsy September 14, 2021

    This is all illegal cabellos fault! Dirty ch imp ruined the awards with her bad performance

  15. True Tea September 15, 2021

    I hate to say it & it is PAINFUL to say…. When Beyonce was preforming, you didn’t hear about LOW ratings. The fact is, most of these artists are NOT Entertaining to watch.

  16. HBF82 September 15, 2021

    No wonder, no real star power was seen, nor performers nor presenters. But when your show starts with that dominatrix grandma has-been flashing her buttocks it is destined for catastrophic ratings.

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