Is MTV Music Shutting Down After 40 Years? Here’s What’s Really Happening
Is MTV Music Shutting Down After 40 Years? Here’s What’s Really Happening
MTV to close all UK music channels by December 2025, marking the end of its iconic music era as it shifts focus to reality programming
MTV, once the global symbol of music television, is closing a major chapter in its history. The network will shut down its five UK music channels — MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live — by December 31, 2025. The move signals a decisive shift from MTV’s legacy of music video programming toward a future dominated by reality television.
According to reports, the main channel, MTV HD, will continue to air reality shows such as Geordie Shore and Naked Dating UK. However, for millions who grew up with MTV’s music-first identity, this marks the end of an era that shaped generations of pop culture.
Former MTV VJ Simone Angel expressed sadness over the decision, calling it “heartbreaking.” Speaking to the BBC, she recalled the network’s early influence before the rise of the internet: “We were the most widespread TV channel in the world at that point, with between 100 and 150 million viewers. MTV was the place where everything came together — artists, music, and connection. It really does break my heart.”
RIP MTV! 🔥
— AmericaReal (@AmericaReal3) October 13, 2025
After 40 years, MTV is shutting down all their music channels outside of the US. pic.twitter.com/H5liZhJIgb
MTV first launched in the US in 1981 with The Buggles’ iconic hit Video Killed the Radio Star, a song that prophetically captured the channel’s revolutionary impact on the music industry. MTV Europe followed in 1987, and MTV UK began in 1997, becoming a defining platform for artists and fans throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Industry analysts suggest the closures stem from changing viewing habits. With YouTube, TikTok, and Spotify dominating music consumption, fewer viewers now tune in to traditional TV for music videos. The decision also follows Paramount Global’s merger with Skydance Media, which led to widespread restructuring and a $500 million cost-cutting initiative.
NEWS: MTV is shutting down its music channels after four decades
— Suhr Majesty™ (@ULTRA_MAJESTY) October 13, 2025
I remember when MTV actually played music and didn't suck.
80s MTV was the best. pic.twitter.com/Bg3rCGT0Ee
Social media has been flooded with nostalgic reactions. One user on X wrote, “I remember when MTV actually played music and didn’t suck. 80s MTV was the best.” Others shared clips of old VJ intros, countdown shows, and iconic music premieres, reminiscing about an era when MTV was synonymous with pop culture itself.
While MTV as a brand will continue, the closure of its music channels effectively ends a 40-year tradition that once defined global youth culture — from TRL to MTV Unplugged.
