Advertisement

MTV VMAs seen by 9.8 million, a ratings drop from 2014

By Karen Butler
Host Miley Cyrus appears backstage following the 32nd annual MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Aug. 30, 2015. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
Host Miley Cyrus appears backstage following the 32nd annual MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Aug. 30, 2015. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- While it may seem like everyone was talking about the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, the ceremony was actually only seen on the cable TV network and its sister stations by 9.8 million viewers Sunday.

The Miley Cyrus-hosted program aired on 10 Viacom channels including MTV, Comedy Central, BET and TV Land.

Advertisement

The TV ratings were lower than the 2014 edition when about 10.3 million tuned in to watch it on MTV, MTV2, VH1 and Logo, The New York Times reported.

Taylor Swift was this year's big winner, taking home four awards, including the top prize of Best Video for "Bad Blood."

Swift and her one-time foe Kanye West also reunited when Swift presented him with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award and both acknowledged the time several years ago when West interrupted her acceptance speech to tell her she didn't deserve her award -- Beyonce did.

After he received his Moonman statuette Sunday, West delivered an epic, 11-minute monologue, which ended with his announcement that he would run for president in 2020.

Advertisement

Other highlights of the evening included Justin Bieber's tearful performance of "Where Are U Now" and "What Do You Mean?," and Nicki Minaj's shade-throwing at rival Cyrus.

The Times said that while the show didn't rack up tremendous numbers in its television ratings, it was the most tweeted-about, non-sporting event in nearly four years. Nielsen said that 2.2 million people sent 21.4 million tweets about the awards Sunday night.

Latest Headlines