MTV shutting down? Iconic network pulls plug on 24-hour music channels on New Year’s Eve. What to know about channels going off air
For someone who loved music, fashion, and pop culture in the 90s, MTV had to be your thing. Founded in the United States in 1981, the powerhouse channel defined an entire generation and became the center of their musical dreams, whether grunge, hip hop or pop. On the final day, the channel played the last clip MTV Music ever played when it aired, Buggles’ “Video Killed by Radio Star,” and featured emotional responses about how MTV was a part of millennials’ growing up years.
“Even though it’s a little sad, it’s been a little sad for a while now,” former MTV DJ Daisy Fuentes told PEOPLE in October 2025. “I think MTV had a time and a history that time would never repeat, and it’s time for that to change.” “We all change. We need to evolve. And I hope there’s another version of them, just like those of us who were a part of us are no longer the same. Why should we expect them to be? The world has changed so much.”
ALSO READ: “I want my MTV”: Baby boomer Anand Mahindra gets nostalgic as iconic music channel goes silent
Is MTV shutting down?
Social media is awash with netizens’ nostalgic posts about MTV, the iconic music channel of the 1980s-90s, questioning the end of its legacy. But the truth is that MTV isn’t shutting down completely, and the network will stop airing its dedicated music channels from the airwaves at the end of 2025. PEOPLE reports that MTV’s flagship channels will continue to air regularly scheduled programming, including franchises like The Challenge and RuPaul’s Drag Race. According to Variety, MTV ranked 49th among cable networks in 2025, ahead of Comedy Central.
“MTV’s UK specialist music channels will no longer operate as linear channels. The flagship MTV UK channel will continue to broadcast… Paramount is reviewing and adjusting its international Pay TV portfolio given shifts in viewer behavior towards streaming and digital platforms,” a source told Variety.
ALSO READ: Eye of Brahma Diamond stolen from Hindu deity in Pondicherry and sold for over Rs 3 crore? The shocking tale of its blood-soaked history and curse
Which channels did MTV shut down?
MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV and MTV Live were canceled in several countries on December 31. According to the BBC, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Australia and Brazil are affected. Each channel aired a different music video of his final moments. MTV Music played “Video Killed the Radio Star” while MTV ’90s ended with “Goodbye” by the Spice Girls.
Now, when viewing these channels, viewers see a rotating image of the channel’s logo. A message also appears on the screen stating that MTV content is still available on the main channel, MTV HD. According to Rolling Stone, MTV and its parent company Paramount have not publicly disclosed the reasoning behind shutting down these music channels.
Despite canceling most of its music specials, MTV’s flagship channels are still expected to continue broadcasting in the UK and elsewhere. This isn’t the first time MTV has cut back on its schedules. Earlier this year, the network canceled several award ceremonies, including the MTV Europe Music Awards and MTV Latin America’s MIAAW Awards. The decisions to cancel award shows were made by Paramount this year in an effort to cut costs. In May 2023, the network’s news division, MTV News, was shut down after 36 years due to “pressure from broader economic fluctuations,” according to Chris McCarthy, president of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks.
ALSO READ: Prayagraj Magh Mela 2026 to attract 15 crore devotees: Check dates, duration, ritual snans, special trains operated by Railways and more details
