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Get into this gig: Drag Race season 18 breaks all-time ratings record

RuPaul's Drag Race breaking records in 2026 isn't just remarkable. It also gives us hope amid so much anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric.

​The cast of queens on RuPaul's Drag Race season 18 episode 1

The cast of queens on RuPaul's Drag Race season 18 episode 1.

MTV
TelevisionDragNews

The grand premiere of RuPaul's Drag Race season 18 has broken yet another all-time record after delivering the highest season premiere rating and share (P18-49) in the history of the drag competition show.

Drag Race season 18 episode 1, which aired on MTV a week ago, introduced fans to an all-new group of 14 queens and featured special guest judge Cardi B. Not only was this Drag Race premiere the No. 1 cable entertainment telecast of the day (Friday, January 2), but it also grew double digits in rating when compared to season 17, as originally reported by Deadline.

Breaking it down:

  • Up 17 percent on P18-49 rating (0.674) in comparison to season 17 (0.577)
  • Up 32 percent on P18-49 share (3.62) in comparison to season 17 (2.75)

Ratings are no longer the end all be all measurement for a TV series in 2026, as seen through viral moments on shows like The Voice, American Idol, late-night talk programs, Saturday Night Live, Big Brother, and beyond. Social engagement, as of 2026, is just as important to measure a show's success.

Fortunately, the grand premiere of Drag Race season 18 also delivered on social media: 24 million views (up 6 percent from season 17) and 1 million engagements. As a result, the season 18 premiere was the No. 1 most-social episode of the day on television.

RuPaul's Drag Race season 18 releases new episodes every Friday on MTV.

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