This year’s VMAs drew real pop culture appeal. YPulse has long known that award shows are just not Gen Z’s monoculture—what happens there is often not their conversations for the week. But Sunday night’s broadcasts across CBS, MTV, and Paramount+ brought in more than 5.5M viewers, marking a six-year high and a 42% increase from last year alone. Top pop acts had all the attention, including Lady Gaga, Tate McRae, Doja Cat, and Gen Z-favorite Sabrina Carpenter, which no doubt drove the massive online engagement. Between Carpenter’s performance from her latest No. 1 charting album with visual statements to “Protect Trans Rights,” heartfelt acceptance speeches from Ariana Grande and Rosé, and more, the show racked up over 1B global video views. (Billboard)
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