After more than four decades of shaping global music and youth culture, MTV has announced it will shut down five of its dedicated music channels by December 31, 2025.
The affected channels are MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live. For years, these platforms were the go-to destinations for music videos, live performances, and throwback hits that defined pop culture for generations. Their closure marks the end of an era for traditional music television.
According to MTV’s parent company, Paramount Global, the decision follows the company’s recent merger with Skydance Media and forms part of a $500 million global cost-cutting plan.
The shutdowns will begin in the United Kingdom and Ireland, before extending to other regions including continental Europe, Australia, Poland, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Brazil.
Why MTV is Closing Its Music Channels
The closures are driven by several factors:
Changing audience habits: Viewers now prefer digital platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Spotify for music discovery, reducing the demand for traditional TV-based music content.
Corporate restructuring: Paramount’s merger has led to a strategic shift toward its Paramount+ streaming service, prioritizing on-demand entertainment over linear channels.
Falling viewership: Once a global powerhouse, MTV’s music channels now attract only a fraction of their former audiences. In July 2025, MTV Music had about 1.3 million viewers, while MTV 90s recorded 949,000, making them financially unsustainable.
A Shift from Music to Reality Television
Launched in 1981 as a 24-hour music video channel, MTV revolutionized how people consumed music and pop culture. However, over the years, the network gradually transitioned to reality-based programming, with shows like Catfish and The Challenge now dominating its schedule.
Former MTV VJ Simone Angel expressed her disappointment over the closures, saying:
“I am really sad, and I’m a little bit in disbelief. MTV was the place where everything came together. So it really does break my heart.”
While the dedicated music channels will disappear, MTV will maintain its brand presence through social media and Paramount+, adapting to the new realities of digital entertainment.