The channel that once changed music forever is going silent. MTV — the symbol of the ‘80s and ‘90s generations — is set to shut down its dedicated music channels after more than four decades on air.
Media giant Paramount Global has announced that it will close five of its MTV music channels in the United Kingdom and Ireland by the end of 2025. The decision, confirmed between October 10–12, 2025, marks the end of an era for music television — a format that MTV itself helped create and define.
Launched in 1981, MTV became the world’s first 24-hour music television network. For decades, it stood at the center of pop culture, shaping the sound and style of entire generations. It was on MTV that Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” premiered in 1983, redefining what a music video could be.
Now, experts agree: the era of traditional music television is drawing to a close.
Which Channels Are Shutting Down?
Paramount will cease broadcasting five of its specialized music channels in the UK and Ireland on December 31, 2025 — effectively bringing MTV’s era of linear music television to an end.
The affected channels include:
- MTV Music – the flagship music video channel, launched in 2011 to replace MTV Shows.
- MTV 80s – a retro music channel launched permanently in March 2022, replacing MTV Classic and celebrating the sounds of the 1980s.
- MTV 90s – focused on alternative rock and pop classics, also re-launched in 2022 after replacing MTV Base.
- Club MTV – dedicated to dance, house, and electronic music.
- MTV Live – featuring live concerts, festivals, and performance specials.
Similar closures are expected to follow across other international markets, including Australia, Poland, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Brazil.
In Italy, for instance, MTV Music will also go off the air on December 31, 2025, signaling a global wind-down of MTV’s traditional music broadcasting.
Why MTV Is Shutting Down: Streaming, Generational Shift & Cost Cuts
Paramount’s decision comes down to two main factors: changing audience habits and corporate restructuring.
- A Shift in Viewing Habits
Audiences have migrated to digital platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Spotify, where they can curate and control their own music experience.
While channels like MTV Music and MTV 90s still retained modest viewership (1.3 million and 949,000 viewers in July 2025, respectively), these numbers pale compared to the massive engagement seen on streaming platforms.
What was once a cultural juggernaut has become financially unsustainable. - Corporate Cost-Cutting
The closures follow the early-2025 merger of Paramount Global and Skydance Media.
As part of its restructuring plan, Paramount is pursuing an aggressive $500 million cost-reduction strategy, shifting focus toward its streaming service Paramount+.
The move reflects the company’s broader transition from traditional cable networks to digital ecosystems.
The Future of the MTV Brand
Despite the closures, MTV as a brand isn’t disappearing — it’s transforming.
The main MTV HD channel will remain on air, though it has long since pivoted away from music toward unscripted reality content. Today, its lineup features popular shows like Teen Mom, The Real World, and Geordie Shore.
Music programming largely moved to MTV’s sub-channels back in 2011. Now, the brand is fully embracing the digital world.
MTV plans to maintain its presence across social media, YouTube, and the Paramount+ streaming platform, while continuing to host its signature events such as the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs).
In other words, MTV isn’t dying — it’s evolving from a television network into a global digital entertainment brand.
Reactions & Nostalgia
The announcement triggered a wave of nostalgia among former VJs, musicians, and long-time viewers.
Former MTV VJ Simone Angel shared her sadness, saying:
“MTV was the place where everything came together. It truly breaks my heart.”
Another ex-VJ, Jasmine Dotiwala, called it:
“the end of a pioneering, one-of-a-kind era.”
Meanwhile, musician Kacey Rain commented that:
“MTV has been culturally and spiritually dead since it stopped airing music videos.”
On social media, users reminisced about coming home from school to watch their favorite clips, discovering new artists, and being inspired by the channel’s iconic style. For many, MTV was more than just television — it was a shared cultural experience that defined youth for generations.
Looking Ahead
The shutdown of MTV’s music channels represents the symbolic end of the music-on-TV era.
Music has moved to our phones, streams, and short-form videos — everyone has their own personal MTV now.
MTV began the era of music videos — and perhaps, fittingly, it’s the one to close it.
Yet the spirit of music it once sparked still lives on — in our playlists, our feeds, and our memories.
