October 13, 2025, 11:45 am | Read time: 3 minutes
A piece of pop culture is disappearing from the screen: Paramount has confirmed that several MTV music channels across Europe will be shut down. This marks the end of an era in which MTV shaped music television and wrote pop history for decades.
These MTV Channels Are Disappearing
Paramount confirms that by the end of 2025, five MTV music channels will be shut down in the United Kingdom: MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live. According to “BroadbandTV,” the shutdown will also occur in Germany and Austria over the course of 2026. While these music channels are being discontinued, the main channel, MTV HD, will remain, but with a focus on reality and entertainment shows instead of music videos.
The move is part of a larger restructuring of the media company Paramount. The company is increasingly focusing on streaming services like Paramount+, where MTV content is also available, and is phasing out traditional, linear TV channels.
Media consumption has drastically changed in recent years: Music videos are no longer discovered through television but through social media or streaming services. Traditional music television is now considered an outdated model.
MTV’s Legacy
MTV has existed for almost 40 years and was synonymous with youth culture and music television for decades. In the 1980s, the channel brought pop and rock music into millions of households—and even managed to achieve cult status behind the Iron Curtain. Music videos by Western artists provided glimpses into a world that was otherwise hidden from many viewers. MTV was not just an entertainment format but also a cultural symbol of openness and modernity.
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Reactions to the End
The farewell to MTV as a music channel is also causing nostalgia among former companions. Former MTV host Simone Angel told the BBC she was “really sad and a bit incredulous,” even though the end was foreseeable. “We need to support these artists, and we all need to dance and listen to music again,” she said. “I know we do that online in our little bubbles, but MTV was the place where it all came together. That really breaks my heart.”
What Remains of MTV?
With the end of the music channels, a significant part of pop culture is disappearing from European television. MTV shaped generations of music fans, artists, and formats–from the first music videos to “MTV Unplugged” to global events like the “MTV Music Awards.” While MTV is saying goodbye to television, it remains online and in the streaming era through platforms like Paramount+, Zattoo, Joyn, MagentaTV, and its own app.