MTV’s Music-Only Channels Go Dark, Marking the End of an Era
MTV is officially shutting down many of its remaining 24-hour music-only channels, drawing a symbolic close to a chapter that once defined the network’s global identity. As of Dec. 31, several MTV-branded channels dedicated exclusively to music programming will cease operations across multiple international markets.
The move, first announced in October, is part of a broader restructuring effort by MTV’s parent company, Paramount Skydance, following its high-profile merger earlier this year. In the U.K., five channels are affected: MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live. Similar shutdowns are expected in other territories, including Australia, France, Poland, and Brazil, though the full international scope has not yet been formally detailed. Representatives for MTV in the United States did not immediately respond to requests for clarification regarding the complete list of channels being discontinued.
The closure carries a particular historical resonance. MTV Music, which launched in 2011 as a nostalgia-leaning companion to the network’s broader brand, reportedly signed off with “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles, the same song that famously opened MTV’s U.S. broadcast on Aug. 1, 1981. While the gesture was unannounced, it served as a quiet acknowledgment of the network’s origins as a music-first platform.
Despite the shutdown of its music-only channels, MTV’s flagship networks will continue operating in the U.K. and other regions. As in the U.S., those channels are now dominated by unscripted programming and long-running reality franchises, rather than music video rotation. The shift reflects a transformation that has been underway for decades, as linear music television gradually gave way to on-demand streaming, social platforms, and algorithm-driven discovery.
Paramount Skydance’s decision comes amid broader cost-cutting measures tied to the merger, which has prompted scrutiny from both Wall Street and the entertainment industry. In addition to trimming music channels, the company has already announced the cancellation of several long-running awards shows, including the MTV Europe Music Awards and MTV Latin America’s MIAW Awards, earlier this year.
Still, executives have signaled that MTV is not being abandoned altogether. According to reporting from The Wall Street Journal, Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison has explored potential strategies to revitalize MTV and other cable brands under the company’s umbrella. Those discussions reportedly included outreach to influential figures in the music industry, such as Irving Azoff and Lucian Grainge, as well as conversations with major artists.
Among the ideas floated: repositioning MTV as a digital-first or streaming-based platform, potentially reentering the music space in a form better suited to contemporary consumption habits. While no concrete plans have been announced, the discussions underscore the enduring cultural value of the MTV name, even as its original format becomes increasingly untenable in a fragmented media landscape.
