MTV VMAs Fizzle - Pollstar News

MTV’s Video Music Awards may have topped the ratings for cable TV Sept. 6, but the program took a big dive from last year’s numbers.

This year’s VMAs pulled in 6.1 million viewers and scored a 2.8 rating, compared with last year’s 12.4 million viewers and 6.2 rating, according to Deadline Hollywood.

The show undoubtedly faced some competition from the president’s speech at the Democratic National Convention, but the Los Angeles Times noted the awards at the city’s Staples Center also lacked the star power and drama of previous years.

Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber weren’t in attendance and there were no meat dresses, no Britney Spears missteps and no Kanye West stealing Taylor Swift’s thunder.

There was host Kevin Hart, however, who entered the venue surrounded by a band of little-people bodyguards and kept the short jokes coming. There was also what the Times dubbed the “Rihanna, Drake and Chris Brown Show” that played up the feud between the artists.

One Direction came out the big winner of the evening with three awards for best pop video, best new artist and most share-worthy video. Chris Brown took home two moonmen for best male video and best choreography and M.I.A. also scored two awards for best direction and best cinematography.

Performances included Rihanna, Frank Ocean, One Direction, Pink and Alicia Keys.

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