MTV Shuts Down 24-Hour Music Channels Globally

On December 31, 2025, MTV shut down its remaining 24-hour music channels across multiple countries, marking the end of an era for the network that revolutionized music television more than four decades ago. The closures affected dedicated channels including MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live in regions such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Australia, and Brazil, where viewers encountered looping logos and messages redirecting them to the main MTV HD channel.

The final broadcasts evoked strong nostalgia, with many channels signing off to the strains of The Buggles' 1979 hit "Video Killed the Radio Star," the same song that launched MTV in the United States on August 1, 1981. In the UK, for instance, MTV 90s closed with the Spice Girls' "Goodbye," while other outlets played tracks like Adele's "Hello." Footage shared by observers captured the channels fading to black after these symbolic farewells, a poignant tribute to MTV's role in shaping pop culture through music videos, artist premieres, and global events like the MTV Video Music Awards and the 1985 Live Aid broadcast.

The decision stemmed from Paramount Global's...