How to Watch the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards
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The MTV Video Music Awards kick off today, Sept. 7, with LL Cool J slated to host. For the first time, the ceremony will air on CBS and will be simulcast on MTV. Additionally, the ceremony will stream on the Paramount+ Premium plan, while Paramount+ Essential subscribers can catch it the next day.
There are a few other options for streaming the VMAs, besides Paramount+, including DirecTV and Philo, both of which offer free trials for new subscribers.
At a Glance: How to Watch the VMA Awards
- Date, Time: 8:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 7
- Channel: CBS, MTV
- Streaming: Paramount+, DirecTV, Philo
Mariah Carey, who’s rolling out her 16th studio album on Sept. 26, will receive the Video Vanguard award and perform. Lady Gaga is slated to take the stage and give a performance, and there will be a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne from Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, YUNGBLUD, and Nuno Bettencourt.
DirecTV
DirecTV is available with a five-day free trial, and includes channels like MTV and CBS. Other entertainment and music channels include BET and
Paramount+
The Paramount+ Premium plan includes access to a livestream of the event, and it comes with a seven-day free trial.
Philo
Philo includes a 7-day free trial and is an affordable live TV streaming service. While it doesn’t carry CBS, it includes MTV, as well as entertainment and music channels like Nickelodeon and VH1.
CBS’ acquisition of the VMAs comes as the network winds down its relationship with the Grammys, which have aired on CBS since 1973. The Grammys will move to ABC beginning in 2027. The VMAs will be hosted at the UBS Arena in New York. According to the network, the 2024 edition drew the biggest audience in four years.
This is far from LL Cool J’s first time hosting a major awards show, although this is his first solo outing as host of the VMAs. He last helmed the VMAs alongside Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow in 2022, and he hosted the Grammys for five consecutive years, starting in 2012.