MTV ending is not just a channel shutting off...It is the end of a shared cultural experience...

Dec 27, 2025 8:05 PM

Is MTV music shutting down after 40 years? Here's what's really happening

https://www.msn.com/en-in/entertainment/tv/is-mtv-music-shutting-down-after-40-years-heres-whats-really-happening/ar-AA1OoSsG?apiversion=v2&domshim=1&noservercache=1&noservertelemetry=1&batchservertelemetry=1&renderwebcomponents=1&wcseo=1

If it dies, it dies. It really died when they stopped playing music videos in 2011. Those of us who were watching on day one were very perplexed by shit garbage like cribs, real world, and just not good content, instead of content about the music industry.

They also fucked up when they unceremoniously pulled the plug on the mtv news web archive.

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

MTV was lost the minute the suits realized that reality programming could get them viewers and they wouldn’t need to hire writers or any creative staff. The natural enshitification that follows commodification was inevitable.

8 months ago | Likes 20 Dislikes 0

Worth remembering: David Bowie shaming them into playing videos by black artists.

Oh, and '120 Minutes'. That wasn't too bad.

8 months ago | Likes 13 Dislikes 0

And Headbangers Ball

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Money For Nothing (chicks for free)

8 months ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

8 months ago | Likes 102 Dislikes 0

More accurate than you might think; when they made the switch to "reality TV" programming, one of the shows they aired turned a certain no-name failed business/con-man into someone who played a successful business-man on television who is now everyone's problem.

8 months ago | Likes 16 Dislikes 1

my first video i can remember was: sweet dreams by erythmics. it's still a banger even now. :)

8 months ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

44 years of music and videos?! More like 15.

8 months ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

Thanks for 8 years of music!

8 months ago | Likes 92 Dislikes 1

13 at least

8 months ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

I watched it start live. First day, first hour, first video.

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Maan i remember being upset when our Canadian equivalent Much music went under. Having the OG shut down definitely feels like the end of an era

8 months ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

I remember Much music!

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Combat des clips

8 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I remember more like 10 years of music, then they started showing "reality tv" and then the inevitable slide to what it became

8 months ago | Likes 221 Dislikes 1

8 months ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Apparently not going away entirely, the main channel will stick around to continue the reality shows yay.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV#Termination_of_music_programming

8 months ago | Likes 20 Dislikes 0

So, UK and Ireland only, for now.

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

yay?

8 months ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

This needs to be higher!!

8 months ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

To be fair, it was more like 20 years of music. Roughly 1980-2000.

8 months ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 0

Split the difference. 15, cuz the 90 was the beginning of exclusive programming. That said some of the 90s stuff slapped

8 months ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 1

There was nothing real about the real world.

8 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It's the real world all day long just for you.

8 months ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

The odd animation like Aeon Flux and the animated comedian show. Beavis and Butthead, not my thing but super big for the punk/metal/stoner scene. That show spawned king of the hill as well. But Real world and big brother can go to hell. That shit spawned endless garbage.

8 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

We got cable in 1983. The first video I saw on MTV was "New Years Day" by U2.

8 months ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Der kommisar from After the Fire

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

An article I read says they're moving towards reality programming and away from traditional music video broadcasts. That happened decades ago.

8 months ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

MTV ceased being relevant for me about 30 years ago - so not a big loss. :(

8 months ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

First video I saw on MTV was “Wake me up Before You Go Go”

8 months ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Dr. Demento also aired his last show this year. Everything is getting worse.

8 months ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Vividly remember seeing my first video: ‘goodbye to you’ by Scandal as I was passing an open room in a barracks, shortly after ‘getting back to the world’ from an overseas assignment. I was riveted in place

8 months ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 0

I always considered her to be attractive, with a strong voice. I just didn't realize how strong, until I ran across this old video about 5 years ago of her singing this cover... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaExaJTGPek

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Damn

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Damn, I’m old

8 months ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Great tune. Patty Smyth was so talented. Funny thing is, I first heard her in the mid-90s (when Iwas a teenager), she had a duet with, I wanna say, Don Henley. Only after that did I find out about her stuff with Scandal.

8 months ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

Lookit them yo-yos...

8 months ago | Likes 29 Dislikes 0

Have you ever read the lyrics to that song? Shits cray

8 months ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 2

That little Clampet has his own cement pond. That little Clampet is a millionaire. Except with a slur in place of Clampet.

8 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Its just transcripts of what they heard people saying in a store right?

8 months ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

Homophobic slurs and all. (that version doesn't typically get played on the radio though.)

8 months ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

I’m very familiar with them.

8 months ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I was there for the start on August 1, 1981. They killed it for me long ago with the crap reality programs and other trash.

8 months ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

Me too and ditto.

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I want my m tv.

8 months ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

You mean the Ridiculousness channel?

8 months ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

My friends had MTV... I had Friday Night Videos. The Music TV thing was pretty much over by the late 90s early 2000s though, it seemed like it became all trash tv and reality shows.

8 months ago | Likes 15 Dislikes 0

True, MTV had died by then, but it had pathed the way for a slew of other music video channels that I watched in my teen years.

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

I …… was a hard core linkin park fan in school. I went to the shows, I was at one of the music video tapings, I was in their street team the LPU ….. I owe all that fun to a random chance seeing their first music video on MTV in 1999 …. I had never heard guitar shred that sharp and heavy. https://media2.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTY1YjkxZmJlcmt4a3YzdDJpZGY2bGxlZGd2bXV4dmE1bmVtNTBjY3diZjY1Y2E0ZiZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/T95AIagi3c6rLSUBjz/giphy.mp4

8 months ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

NIGHT TRACKS on WTBS out of Atlanta. Five hours of music videos from 11 PM to 4 AM.

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Friday Night Videos. Billy Idol White Wedding. Eddie Grant Electric Avenue

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Same. I remember hanging out with my friends and eating pizza and snacks while watching FNV.

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Martha Quinn crush

8 months ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 0

She needed a good spanking

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

*Mojo Nixon intensifies*

8 months ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

It will be buried on the 31st, it died decades ago.

8 months ago | Likes 515 Dislikes 1

Yaaaarp.

8 months ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 1

Once they started leaning into reality shows like real world and true life, it was the beginning of the end. That was when they lost their identity imo.

8 months ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Yeah, the "shared cultural experience" was for shitty content. MTV was basically a test case for the modern model used by "content creators": Spend a few years building a base with real effort and creative content, and then shift into low effort collabs, young adult "culture", and riding advertising waves.

8 months ago | Likes 43 Dislikes 3

This

8 months ago | Likes 47 Dislikes 2

Died the first time a reality showed aired imo.

8 months ago | Likes 125 Dislikes 1

"reality" tv always has been and always will be utter garbage and has been a huge negative impact on society as a whole, I fucking despise it

8 months ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

"The Real World" -- holy jesus christ, people, how/why did that show catch on, and WHY was it MTV of all channels? It had N O T H I N G to do with music, and was just a bunch of 20-somethings yelling at each other.

8 months ago | Likes 28 Dislikes 0

Yeah, I think I saw 1-2 minutes of that in my whole life. I never understood this kind of "show". #I_threw_up_in_my_mouth_a_little

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

It was part of the whole general attitude of the era. Pre Internet the only way to experience the kind of culture MTV sold was to move to a city and The Real World made that seem possible for a lot of the audience.

8 months ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 0

This is the best explanation I've read.

8 months ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

8 months ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

Every time I see Vitas, I feel that there are Many Russians that want to get close and TALK to him.

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Was not expecting to see Vitas today.

8 months ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Rockin' The Paradise by Styx was the 10th video to be shown on MTV :D https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_first_music_videos_aired_on_MTV

8 months ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Lots of British acts (and NZ's Split Enz) because music videos were more established in those countries at the time

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Split Enz had the world's first laser etched LP ;)

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

TL;DR The UK is losing 5 music channels. MTV HD is staying on with its reality programs.

8 months ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

And then to follow suit it will reportedly shut down in other places in Europe and America (continent) and USA to be evaluated later

8 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

That’s rude

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

video killed the radiostar

8 months ago | Likes 110 Dislikes 2

Internet killed the Video Star
https://youtu.be/zx5tSmOY_iM

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

I was there. Now I'm here

8 months ago | Likes 15 Dislikes 0

Same

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Same here!

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

8 months ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 1

The incident.

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

yep. I remember it distinctly.

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

After that, it was Mickey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvQex1RQ5G4

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I was there when MTV first powered up their cable channel and broadcast Video Killed the Radio Star.

8 months ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Internet killed the Video Star

8 months ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

No, that would be reality tv and network executives

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Youre definitely right, but I ALSO think being able to access the video you wanted to see at any time made watching allll the videos waiting for the one(s) you wanted lessened the appeal.

8 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

"Reality" t.v. killed the video star, and the radio kept trucking along/

8 months ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Radio STAR? I swore all these years it was the Radio Store

8 months ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

what killed the Video Star, though?

8 months ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 1

The Kardashians

8 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Vulture capitalists?

8 months ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

The network executive

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

internet streaming seems plausible

8 months ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 1

It didn't kill the video star, though. It just made many more people video stars. Television was a high barrier platform. The Internet is pretty much open access visibility. Internet celebs/influencers are video stars.

MTV execs killed MTV, via the means @geoffreyfourmyle said. They initiated the cancer which dragged it to its demise.

8 months ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

Reality T.V.

8 months ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Advertising.

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

“The Real World”

8 months ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

TikTok

8 months ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 2

Enshittification before there was a word for it.

8 months ago | Likes 23 Dislikes 0

A lot of mundane songwriting

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Certainly not this knife I'm holding.

8 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

And YouTube killed the video star. Picture me rollin, Pac. It’s funny how times have changed; everybody’s a critic now, it’s all a debate on the internet wave. It used to be you and biggie, chili peppers gave it away, now we got 10 year-olds sittin back in their chair like those were the days.

8 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

https://youtu.be/awCfqy6kEo4 — probably not for everyone, but I like it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

8 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I have a folder on YouTube in which I link to video's from YouTube's first years -- when it was all music videos and the videos were mostly good.

8 months ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0