The MTV Video Music Awards fell in the ratings for the fourth consecutive year Sunday, hitting an all-time low in viewers.
Sunday’s show, which aired opposite the massive “Game of Thrones” season finale, drew a 1.4 rating among adults 18-49 and 2.66 million viewers, down 22 percent and 19 percent from last year’s 1.8 and 3.27 million viewers. The 2.66 million viewers is the smallest audience for the VMAs since Nielsen started measuring the show in 1994.
Adding in a simulcast on six other channels (VH1, BET, Spike, Comedy Central, TV Land and MTV2), the VMAs averaged a 2.6 and 5.36 million viewers, down from 3.9 (-33 percent) and 6.5 million viewers (-17.5 percent) on nine channels last year.
Elsewhere, “Rick & Morty” (1.4) was up 0.1 week to week. The huge “GoT” finale also helped “Ballers” improve — it rose 0.3 to 1.4. “Insecure” was steady at 0.7.
“Power” took the week off for Starz, and “Survivor’s Remorse” fell out of the top 25, coming in at 0.2.
T0p 25 original cable shows among adults 18-49 for Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017
| Show | Net | Time | Total Viewers (000s) | 18-49 rating |
| GAME OF THRONES | HBO | 9:05 PM | 12,072 | 5.7 |
| RICK & MORTY | ADULT SWIM | 11:30 PM | 2,472 | 1.4 |
| BALLERS | HBO | 10:26 PM | 2,852 | 1.4 |
| 2017 VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS | MTV | 8:00 PM | 2,661 | 1.4 |
| INSECURE | HBO | 10:57 PM | 1,331 | 0.7 |
| 90 DAY FIANCE: HAPPILY EVER AFTER | TLC | 8:00 PM | 2,116 | 0.7 |
| VMA PRESHOW | MTV | 7:00 PM | 1,145 | 0.6 |
| 90 DAY FIANCE: BEFORE 90 | TLC | 9:02 PM | 1,742 | 0.6 |
| LOVE & HIP HOP HOLLYWOOD | VH1 | 7:00 PM | 1,018 | 0.5 |
| TIM & ERIC AWESOME SHOW, GREAT JOB | ADULT SWIM | 12:00 AM | 858 | 0.4 |
| SHAHS OF SUNSET | BRAVO | 8:00 PM | 1,174 | 0.4 |
| DREW PETERSON: AN AMERICAN MURDER MYSTERY | ID | 9:00 PM | 1,438 | 0.4 |
| 2017 VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS | VH1 | 8:00 PM | 712 | 0.4 |
| PREMIER LEAGUE: ARSENAL/LIVERPOOL | NBCSN | 10:54 AM | 694 | 0.4 |
| BEACHFRONT BARGAIN HUNT | HGTV | 8:00 PM | 1,559 | 0.3 |
| ISLAND HUNTERS | HGTV | 10:30 PM | 1,521 | 0.3 |
| CNN NEWSROOM | CNN | 8:00 PM | 1,574 | 0.3 |
| ISLAND HUNTERS | HGTV | 10:00 PM | 1,572 | 0.3 |
| BEACHFRONT BARGAIN HUNT | HGTV | 8:30 PM | 1,717 | 0.3 |
| WEATHER CENTER LIVE | WEATHER CHANNEL | 2:00 PM | 1,545 | 0.3 |
| CNN NEWSROOM | CNN | 7:00 PM | 1,522 | 0.3 |
| LIFE OF KYLIE | E! | 9:00 PM | 666 | 0.3 |
| CARIBBEAN LIFE | HGTV | 9:30 PM | 1,798 | 0.3 |
| FLEA MARKET FLIP | HGTV | 11:30 AM | 1,347 | 0.3 |
| CNN NEWSROOM | CNN | 5:00 PM | 1,540 | 0.3 |
Source: The Nielsen Company.
