The 10 Highest-Grossing MTV Shows Of All Time, Ranked
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MTV has been a long-standing television channel that first brought reality television into mainstream popularity during the early 1990s. The cable channel was established in 1981 and took a decade before it became the most-watched show across North America. While the show only aired music videos, the creators slowly ventured into television shows for teenagers and adults that truly helped the network flourish and created different channels under the same moniker. MTV has made reality shows a premium segment on television and gave rise to famous stars in the world of music and entertainment.
Almost every show that aired on the channel for the last three decades was a commercial and critical success that has become classic today. Here are some of the highest-ranked and popular shows of all time that aired on MTV.
The Osbournes (2002-2005)
MTV was the first channel to introduce Hollywood to the world of Osbournes. The Osbournes brought stars Kelly Osbourne, Jack Osbourne, and Sharon Osbourne into the spotlight. The reality show took viewers behind the scenes of Ozzy and Sharon's private lives' events.
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Pimp My Ride (2004-2007)
A reality show that ran for six seasons on the air, Pimp My Ride, showed rapper Xzibit take a beat-up car and upgrade it into a beautiful masterpiece, as stated by Huffington Post. The show became popular after the people who had been a part of the renovation process saw positive results in their automobiles after the upgrades.
The Real World (1992-2019)
An original reality show by MTV, The Real World, was an inspiration for other reality shows and spin-offs. The original show saw strangers living together in intense living conditions. It was one of the earliest to tackle racism and LGBTQIA+ representation, thereby making headlines.
Viva La Bam (2003-2005)
A spin-off of the popular reality show Jackass, Viva La Bam ran for five seasons and saw Bam Margera performing stunts with his skateboarding friends. The group went through a series of challenges and stunts that included the lead Bam Margera’s family and friends. The show has received an IMDB rating of 6.7 for its overall humor and audience reviews.
Punk’d (2003-2012)
A hilarious comedy show that became an instant classic, Punk’d saw Ashton Kutcher and Dax Shepard pranking their celebrity friends on the show and recording their reactions through a hidden camera. Punk’d targeted many celebrities, including Taylor Swift, Drake, and Kim Kardashian. The show's premiere episode saw Justin Timberlake getting convinced that his assets were getting frozen due to unpaid taxes.
Daria (1997-2002)
In 2002, MTV made nerd-culture mainstream with the animated series Daria where the titular character was an awkward and low self-esteem teenager. The lead character was voiced by Tracy Grandstaff and made gothic intelligent and cool in the 90s. The witty and sarcastic genius Daria encountered daily nuances in her life from her less intellectual classmates, as stated by Wonderwall.
Jackass (2000-2003)
A reality comedy series, Jackass stars its creator Johnny Knoxville with Jeff Tremaine and Spike Jonze. The show aired for three seasons and featured nine people who conducted stunts and pranks on the general public. The combination of light-hearted humor and simple slapstick jokes made it a popular show on MTV.
Celebrity Deathmatch (1998-2007)
The absurdity of the mixture of wrestling and celebrity culture has made Celebrity Deathmatch one of MTV’s most popular shows. The claymated show displayed celebrities fighting in the ring for a wrestling match. As mentioned by IMDB, the referee of every match was voiced by Mills Lane, while some of the notable matches include Howard Stern vs. Kathy Lee Gifford and Marlyn Manson vs. Charles Manson.
Beavis And Butt-Head (1993-2011)
An adult animated comedy show by creator Mike Judge, Beavis And Butt-Head saw the creator voicing both lead characters of Beavis and Butt-Head, two apathetic high school teenagers. The show aired for seven seasons and received widespread recognition for its honest yet humorous commentary on society. The popularity led to Mike Judge creating a full-length movie in 1996, making $60 million at the box office worldwide.
MTV Unplugged (1989- Present)
The show aired iconic acoustic performances by Hollywood stars such as Mariah Carey and Eric Clapton. MTV Unplugged was one of the channel's first shows that allowed artists to perform their songs beyond the music video and concert shows. According to Parade, many celebrities have released their unplugged album versions to the public and gained platinum certifications.
Since the premiere of the music video on the channel in 1981, MTV has diversified its portfolio to stay relevant in the competitive programming field. Other notable shows on MTV include MTV Diary, The Jon Stewart Show, and MTV Cribs. A groundbreaking channel that went through several revolutions, MTV will remain one of the most rewatchable channels for teenagers and adults everywhere.
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Sources: Huffington Post, Wonderwall, IMDB, Parade
