The early ratings are in! The 2023 MTV Video Music Awards held on September 12th in Newark, New Jersey proved to be a remarkable night for music. The star-studded night was filled with memorable moments, making it the highest-rated VMAs in three years. According to early data from Nielsen, the awards show saw 37% growth in total viewers year-over-year with 865,000 people tuning in to watch the show, versus 630,000 last year. This 37% increase in viewership is based on fast national data for MTV's linear channel alone. The VMAs were also broadcast on other networks owned by Paramount Global, including BET, VH1, and Comedy Central. There were performances from prominent stars such as Diddy, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, Lil Wayne, Shakira, and more. This year's VMAs generated significant interest! This attributed to the rise in viewership compared to the previous year.
Furthermore, the 2023 Video Music Awards earned a 1.03 rating in the 18-49 demographic, marking a substantial 77% increase from the previous year's 0.58 rating. This 1.03 rating is the highest since the 2020 VMAs. This year's slate of performances were especially captivating. Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion took the stage together to debut their collaboration "Bongos." Additionally, Doja Cat delivered captivating performances of "Attention," "Paint the Town Red," and new song "Demons" during the show. At the time of writing, Doja Cat's VMA performance has garnered over 2.3 million views on YouTube. Meanwhile Cardi and Megan's "Bongos" currently boasts 2 million plays on the platform. The hip-hop anniversary tribute featuring Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, LL Cool J and more currently sits at 2.1M views.
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VMAs Performances Contributed To The Ratings Skyrocketing
Not only were the performances some of the highlights of the night, but the evening was also filled with plenty of other notable moments that circulated social media. For instance, a viral clip circulated showing Megan Thee Stallion exchanging words with presenter Justin Timberlake backstage. Social media speculated the two got into an argument of some sort. However, a source told Billboard that Megan was simply excited to meet Timberlake and she was insisting on a proper introduction at a less chaotic time.
Another moment that was widely talked about was Saweetie reading from a teleprompter. The artist ended up having an embarrassing moment while reading her script. She missed her cue and stumbling over her words a few times. Furthermore, Selena Gomez was caught on camera reacting to Chris Brown's name being said as one of the nominees during the best R&B award. In the video, Gomez visibly frowns and stops clapping. In conclusion, this year's VMAs were action-packed with pop-culture moments that will be discussed for years to come.
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