MTV to Shut Down All Remaining Global Music Channels by December 2025

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral Entertainment Desk

MTV is preparing to shut down all of its remaining music channels worldwide by December 2025, marking one of the most transformative shifts in the brand’s four-decade history. What began in 1981 with the iconic debut of “Video Killed the Radio Star” is now giving way to a media landscape dominated entirely by streaming platforms. Paramount Skydance, MTV’s parent company, has confirmed plans to close channels including MTV Music, MTV Hits, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Europe. Similar closures will also take place in France, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Austria, Brazil, and Australia. The decision underscores how dramatically audience habits have shifted, with platforms like YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and TikTok replacing traditional music television as the primary mode of music discovery and consumption.

Over the past decade, MTV had already begun pivoting away from music programming, focusing instead on reality entertainment and digital content as linear viewership sharply declined. Advertising revenue for its music channels continued to fall, and the rise of on-demand audio and video platforms undermined the purpose of 24-hour scheduled music rotation. Industry reports note that this global shutdown represents the end of linear music TV as a mainstream format, closing the chapter on a broadcast model that shaped generations. With this transition, MTV’s global presence will now center on entertainment properties and digital platforms, further accelerating its evolution into a streaming-first brand. The shutdown not only concludes a significant era for the network but also symbolizes the broader transformation of the media and music landscapes worldwide.