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New Delhi: MTV has announced that it will permanently shut down its five dedicated music channels in the UK by December 31, 2025. The decision marks a major turning point for the once-revolutionary network that shaped global pop culture, fashion, and music for over four decades.
As confirmed by Paramount Global, the following channels will cease broadcasting at the end of the year: MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live. Only the main MTV HD channel will remain active, focusing primarily on reality programming instead of music. Popular shows such as Catfish and The Challenge will continue to air, solidifying the company’s pivot toward entertainment-driven content.
The announcement has left fans and former hosts emotional, sparking widespread nostalgia online. Many expressed disbelief over the closure of a network that once defined youth culture and brought global artists into living rooms worldwide.
Former MTV video jockey Simone Angel shared her sadness with the BBC, saying, “I’m really sad, and I’m a little bit in disbelief. We need to support these artists, and we all need to dance again and listen to music. MTV was the place where everything came together. So it really does break my heart.”
Founded in 1981, MTV became the beating heart of global music culture, introducing the world to music videos, celebrity interviews, and pop icons. It played a crucial role in launching the careers of artists such as Madonna, Michael Jackson, Nirvana, and Beyoncé, and transformed how music was consumed visually and emotionally. However, as streaming platforms began to dominate, traditional music television gradually lost its relevance.
According to reports, the closure is part of Paramount Global’s $500 million cost-cutting strategy, introduced after its merger with Skydance Media earlier this year. Declining viewership also contributed to the decision, with MTV Music and MTV 90s drawing only 1.3 million and 949,000 monthly viewers, respectively, as of mid-2025, a fraction of what the network attracted in its heyday.
Changing audience behaviour has further accelerated the decline. Viewers increasingly prefer discovering new music through YouTube, Spotify, and TikTok, which offer instant access and personalisation. For younger generations, traditional TV no longer serves as the primary source of music discovery or pop culture engagement.
The shutdown will initially affect the United Kingdom and Ireland, followed by other European markets such as France, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Austria, and Brazil. Australia is also expected to lose access to these channels by early 2026.
The network’s decision to discontinue its music programming underscores the broader shift from cable television to digital streaming. Paramount will now consolidate its resources into its streaming platform Paramount+, which already houses a selection of MTV’s reality and music archives.
For millions of fans, however, this decision marks the loss of something irreplaceable. Growing up, viewers shared cultural experiences that once united generations through music videos, countdown shows, and late-night concerts. MTV was a movement that defined what it meant to be young, creative, and expressive.
