Paramount Global announced that MTV will shut down five of its iconic music channels by December 31, 2025
The decision follows changing audience habits and Paramount’s $500 million global cost-cutting plan
Fans and former MTV hosts expressed deep nostalgia online, calling it the “end of an era.”
Millennials who grew up watching MTV remember it as the ultimate hub for pop culture and music. From after-school music video marathons to countdowns of the latest chartbusters, MTV defined youth entertainment for decades. However, the iconic brand is now closing a major chapter in its history.
On October 12, 2025, Paramount Global announced that it will permanently shut down several of MTV’s music-focused channels by December 31, 2025. The closures will affect MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live across regions worldwide.
While these channels will go off the air, MTV HD will continue to operate — focusing primarily on reality TV shows like Geordie Shore and Naked Dating UK. The shift marks a complete transformation of the brand from music television to entertainment-driven programming.
The decision reflects changing audience habits. With platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Spotify dominating how people consume music, viewership of traditional music television has fallen dramatically. What was once a go-to destination for discovering new songs and artists has been replaced by personalized streaming and viral social media trends.
Analysts also link the closures to Paramount Global’s $500 million global cost-cutting plan, which followed its merger with Skydance Media earlier in 2025. The company aims to streamline operations and focus investment on digital-first platforms like Paramount+ and Pluto TV, where most audiences now spend their time
The announcement sparked a wave of nostalgia online. Fans around the world took to X (formerly Twitter) to share their heartbreak and memories from MTV’s golden years. One user wrote, “I remember when MTV actually played music and didn’t suck. 80s MTV was the best.” Another said, “RIP MTV! After 40 years, MTV is shutting down all their music channels outside the U.S.”
Former MTV video jockey Simone Angel expressed her sadness in an interview with the BBC, saying, “I’m really sad and a little in disbelief. MTV was the place where everything came together — we need to support artists and dance again. It really breaks my heart.” She fondly recalled MTV Europe as “like being on a school trip without teachers” and highlighted its role as a global connector in the pre-internet era.
See Also: Taylor Swift New Album 2025: “The Life of a Showgirl” Shatters Records and Sparks Internet Frenzy
MTV revolutionized the way audiences experienced music. Launched in 1981 in the U.S. with The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star,” it changed the cultural landscape forever. MTV Europe followed in 1987, and MTV UK in 1997. Both these channels became vital platforms for artists and a generation of fans who discovered music through television.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, MTV was not just a channel but a cultural phenomenon — influencing music, fashion, and youth identity. By the 2000s, however, the network had completely pivoted toward reality shows like The Real World and Jersey Shore, gradually moving away from its original format.
Despite the evolution, MTV remains one of the most recognizable global brands in entertainment. The shutdown of its music channels symbolizes a larger shift — from traditional broadcast media to digital streaming. [Rh/VP]
Suggested Reading: