On December 31, 2025, MTV ceased broadcasting several of its dedicated music channels, marking the end of an era for a platform that has influenced music culture for decades. Among the channels that went off air were MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live. The closure came unexpectedly for many fans, who were left reminiscing about a time when these channels provided a constant soundtrack to their lives.
The final song played on MTV Music was ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ by The Buggles, the same track that famously launched the channel in the United States on August 1, 1981. This poignant symmetry serves as a metaphorical farewell to viewers who grew up with MTV as a cultural touchstone. Despite the closure of these music channels, MTV will maintain its flagship programming, which includes popular series such as The Challenge and RuPaul’s Drag Race, as confirmed by People.
The decision to shut down the music channels was announced in October, according to Rolling Stone. The emotional impact on longtime fans is significant, as they face fewer opportunities to discover new music. Instead of a diverse array of music videos, viewers now encounter a looping graphic displaying channel logos and directing audiences to MTV’s main channel, MTV HD.
The BBC reported that the shutdown affected audiences in various countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, and Brazil, among others. Each channel exited with a unique tribute; for instance, MTV 90s closed with the Spice Girls’ ‘Goodbye’.
Neither MTV nor its parent company, Paramount, has publicly commented on the reasons for this major change. This lack of communication has left fans questioning the future of the network, particularly following a series of cost-cutting measures in light of Paramount’s £6.3 billion ($8 billion) merger with Skydance, completed in August 2025, as reported by the Associated Press. Earlier that year, MTV also canceled several awards shows, including the MTV Europe Music Awards and the MTV Latin America’s MIAW Awards.
The closure of the music channels is not entirely surprising given the shifting landscape of music consumption. In May 2023, MTV News was shut down after 36 years due to “pressure from broader economic headwinds,” according to Chris McCarthy, president of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks.
Former MTV VJ Daisy Fuentes encapsulated the feelings of many viewers, describing the shutdown as both painful and anticipated. “While it’s a bit sad, it’s been a bit sad for a while. I think MTV had its time and history; that time will never repeat,” she told People in October 2025. Fuentes emphasized the need for evolution, stating, “We who were part of that, we’re no longer the same. Why should we expect them to be?”
This shift highlights the reality that nostalgia alone does not sustain a network, especially as music fandom increasingly gravitates toward on-demand streaming platforms. The once-revolutionary model of 24/7 music broadcasting may have succumbed to the changing dynamics of how audiences discover and consume music. The end of MTV’s dedicated music channels serves as a stark reminder of the industry’s evolution, leaving a bittersweet legacy for its loyal viewers.
