MTV is preparing to shut down its remaining global music-focused television channels by the end of 2025, bringing a close to a 44-year chapter in television and music history. Channels dedicated to nonstop music and live performance programming — including MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, and MTV Live — are set to go dark, while the main entertainment-focused MTV channels will continue operating.
Launched in 1981, MTV revolutionized how audiences experienced music by transforming songs into visual storytelling and reshaping the music industry. While the network later shifted toward reality and entertainment programming, its music-only channels preserved the original MTV format for decades.
Regional Broadcasters weigh in:
Bob Connell with ArkansasRadio.com music radio stations reflected on MTV’s lasting impact, saying, “MTV marked the beginning of a shift in who controlled how music was interpreted. Songs that once lived in listeners’ imaginations became visually defined and dictated by music videos. Many artists who refused to conform to the concept-video era faded from the spotlight, while others embraced filmed live performances and outlanders—ultimately evolving into stadium bands.”
Jeffrey Rollins with Timeless 106.1 KFFB, “MTV revolutionized the Music business. Some say it was a near fatal stab in the heart of radio. How ironic that radio has survived(maybe revived) while MTV fades. THE POWER OF IMAGINATION and mental imagery.”
Ben Johnson Cave City Broadcasting Caveman Radio Advisor/Instructor Cave City High School, On-Air Personality with The Bull 105.7 and Cowboy Country 100.7 KEAZ said, “MTV started with “Video Killed the Radio Star”, now MTV is gone and radio is still here!”
Hot Rod Todd Scott with Cool 104.7 & 99.1 said, “One can’t deny that Music Television expanded the horizons of the industry by introducing new artists and genres to the world, it also made music more visual, driving artists and producers to play to the camera while the quality of their musical output took a back seat.”
Greg Geary with KWCK 99-9 and The Bull 105-7 said, “MTV had its place in time. I remember having an MTV Jacket from early radio days in Little Rock in the 80s. Over time, MTV was less about playing videos and more about specialty shows. I still remember the song “Money for Nothing” from Dire Straits. It starts out with ‘I Want My MTV.’ I also remember MTV’s first video played “Video Killed The Radio Star” from The Buggles.”
Doc DeLoach with The Bull 105-7 and KWCK 99-9 said, “When you have something like MTV, it feels like regular TV. You enjoy it, and initially, it’s fresh and exciting, but then you start watching every channel and every program. Eventually, you become more discerning and choosy, until finally… you end up with just a radio. The channel that began as Music Television changed a lot. It moved from mainly showing music videos to concentrating more on reality shows and award ceremonies, showing a shift in how media is consumed and in popular culture. “I want my MTV””
The shutdown marks the final transition away from MTV’s original mission as a music-first network, closing an era that forever changed the relationship between music, television, and popular culture.
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