How to Watch MTV Video Music Awards 2025 Without Cable (Free Options)

• When: Sept. 7 at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET
• Channel: MTV, CBS
• Stream online: Paramount+ Premium, DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Philo

MTV Video Music Awards Schedule and Time of Start

For the first time ever, MTV and CBS will broadcast the MTV VMAs on Sunday, September 7 at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. Paramount+ Premium will webcast the awards ceremony.

The MTV VMAs are available to cord-cutters on any live TV streaming service that covers MTV and/or CBS, including Philo, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV, and Fubo. You can use any internet-based service on your laptop, tablet, smartphone, or smart TV.

Learn how to watch both with and without a cable subscription, as well as how to watch for free, by reading on.

How to Watch the MTV Video Music Awards Without Cable

While the MTV VMAs are accessible on streaming cable systems that carry the network, the awards ceremony is simultaneously televised on MTV and CBS. You may watch live TV for free online thanks to several live TV streamers’ free trials. The best way to watch, though, is with a Paramount+ Premium subscription, which offers a seven-day free trial.

Premium+ Paramount

When you join up for a seven-day trial of Paramount+ Premium, which starts at $12.99 per month, you may watch MTV VMAs for free. After that, you have the option to continue watching or to terminate the streaming service completely. You can view the MTV VMAs (recorded) the next day if you have Paramount+ Essentials.

For a little while, the annual subscription to Paramount+ Premium is currently 50% discounted. Access is available for just $59.99 for a full year of service, which is about $4.99 a month. However, this offer expires on Thursday, September 18, so move quickly and sign up today.

Subscribers have access to hundreds of films and television shows, including Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Mayor of Kingstown, 1883, Special Ops: Lioness, and many more, in addition to the awards ceremony.

DirecTV

DirecTV offers a five-day free trial during which you can watch the MTV VMAs for free. While the streamer’s entry-level Entertainment package includes over 90 channels, including ESPN, AMC, Bravo, CNBC, Disney Channel, and others, all cable alternatives include MTV and CBS. The first month of a plan is $49.99, and subsequent months cost $84.99.

Fubo

With a Fubo membership, which starts at $54.99 for your first month of service ($84.99 per month after that with Fubo’s current pricing), you can watch the MTV VMAs on MTV and CBS in addition to more than 240 other news, entertainment, and sports channels. You can watch the MTV VMAs online for free during the free trial period offered to new customers of the online TV streaming service.

Live TV + Hulu

With a subscription to Hulu + Live TV, which provides qualified new members with a three-day free trial, you may watch the MTV VMAs on MTV and CBS. The streaming subscription, which starts at $82.99 a month and includes Hulu’s whole streaming library, Disney+, ESPN Unlimited, and unlimited cloud DVR, offers access to over 90 live channels, including BET, CNN, Discovery Channel, Food Network, and more.

Philo

The 2025 VMAs can be livestreamed for free during Philo’s seven-day free trial. The live TV streaming service costs $28 a month once the free trial period ends. It has over 70 channels, including Nickelodeon, VH1, AMC, BET, Discovery Channel, HGTV, Lifetime, and MTV. Subscribers to Philo can also establish up to 10 profiles, stream on up to three devices simultaneously, save limitless live or future episodes for up to a year, and access additional services.

How to Watch the MTV Video Music Awards With Cable

CBS broadcasts the MTV VMAs. In addition to standard providers like DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Verizon, Xfinity, and others, you may watch by logging in to your cable TV provider’s website, CBS.com, or the CBS mobile app.

Who Is Opening the VMAs?

Lady Gaga’s debut TV program performance from her most recent album, Mayhem, is scheduled to kick off the 2025 MTV VMAs. This year, the singer/songwriter received 12 nominations.

Is Taylor Swift Performing at the VMAs?

For the 2025 VMAs, Taylor Swift is only nominated for one award: artist of the year. Although there are internet speculations that Swift would perform, this has not been verified. Although it hasn’t been verified, there are rumors that she and her fiancé Travis Kelce will attend.

Who Is Hosting the VMAs?

The MTV Video Music Awards in 2025 will be hosted by LL Cool J. The singer is hosting for the second time; the first time was in 2022, when he co-hosted with Jack Harlow. Nicki Minaj hosted in 2023, and Megan Thee Stallion hosted in 2024.

Nominees and Honorees for the 2025 MTV VMAs

With twelve nominations, Lady Gaga leads the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards field. Ariana Grande and The Weeknd both have seven, Kendrick Lamar has ten, ROSÉ and Sabrina Carpenter have eight, and Bruno Mars has 11. There are several nominations for Billie Eilish, Charli xcx, Bad Bunny, Doechii, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll, Miley Cyrus, and Tate McRae.

The recipient of the 2025 Video Vanguard Award is Mariah Carey. Katy Perry was given what is commonly referred to as the “lifetime achievement” award in 2024.

As the awards ceremony takes place live in New York, The Hollywood Reporter is updating the list of winners if you’re trying to find all of the winners.

Performers at the 2025 MTV VMAs

The following performers have been confirmed for the 2025 VMAs: Post Malone, Tate McRae, Ricky Martin (Latin Icon Award), Sabrina Carpenter, Sombr, Alex Warren, Busta Rhymes (VMA Rock the Bells Visionary Award), Conan Gray, Doja Cat, J Balvin featuring DJ Snake, Jelly Roll, Lady Gaga, and Mariah Carey (MTV Video Vanguard Award).

The pre-show will feature a performance by the girl group KATSEYE. Additionally, Bailey Zimmerman performs on the Extended Play Stage with Lola Young, Megan Moroney, and the Kid LAROI.