MTV VMAs' viewership soars 66% over last year to 10.1 million Miley Cyrus performs at the MTV Video Music Awards. John Shearer / Associated Press / August 25, 2013 August 26, 2013, 2:24 p.m. The 2013 Video Music Awards on MTV -- which featured a much-criticized performance by Miley Cyrus and a brief reunion of the boy band 'N Sync -- drew 10.1 million viewers Sunday night, according to Nielsen, up 66% from last year.