MTV’s long-running global lineup of 24-hour music video channels has officially gone dark, marking the end of a defining era for music television worldwide. Fans tuning in on December 31st watched the final broadcasts as these dedicated music channels signed off after decades of nonstop videos. The shutdown reflects broader shifts in how audiences consume music content and how media companies are adapting to a digital-first world.
According to Metalinjection, MTV’s roster of music-focused channels including MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV and MTV Live have ceased broadcasting across multiple regions around the world. The closures come as Paramount Global restructures its offerings, choosing to concentrate on its flagship MTV channel and other reality-based programming rather than maintain linear music video feeds. Viewers in the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, Poland, France, Brazil and many other markets saw these channels disappear from TV lineups as the final playlists played out into the night.
The moment was steeped in nostalgia for many fans, with some channels opting to close with iconic songs that harkened back to MTV’s roots. MTV Music in several territories concluded its broadcast with the Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star,” the very track that launched the network’s first broadcast in 1981 and became symbolic of MTV’s influence on pop culture.
Traditional music television has been eclipsed by online platforms like YouTube, TikTok and streaming services where music videos and artist content are consumed on demand. While the MTV brand will live on through its main channel and digital content, the round-the-clock music video channels that once propelled artists to stardom are now part of television history.
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