If you’ve scrolled through social media lately, you might have caught wind of some dramatic headlines claiming that MTV is “shutting down.” Don’t worry—MTV isn’t going anywhere. What’s actually happening is a bit more nuanced, and it’s a great excuse to revisit how this scrappy cable channel changed not just music, but pop culture itself.
What’s Really Closing, and What’s Staying
First, let’s clear things up: as of December 31, 2025, MTV’s parent company, Paramount Skydance, did pull the plug on a handful of its all-music spin-off channels overseas—think MTV 80s, MTV 90s, MTV Music, Club MTV, and MTV Live in the UK and Australia. These channels focused only on music videos and special programming. In the US, the main MTV channel, along with staples like MTV Classic and MTV Live, are still up and running. So those 24-hour reels of music videos may be winding down internationally, but the “big MTV”—the one so many of us grew up with—is absolutely still on.
This move is part of a bigger corporate shake-up, mainly about cutting costs after a major merger. Similar belt-tightening led to the temporary pause on some of MTV’s awards shows too.
A Channel That Made (and Remade) Pop Culture
But let’s talk about what really matters here: MTV’s place in the world. It burst onto the scene on August 1, 1981, with a music video that almost feels like prophecy now—The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star.” Back then, MTV revolutionized the way people experienced music. Suddenly, imagery and personality were nearly as important as a song’s hook. Artists like Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Nirvana didn’t just dominate the charts—they owned the airwaves, and MTV was their launchpad.
Of course, MTV didn’t stop at music videos. It rolled out reality shows before reality TV was even a mainstream concept. The Real World wasn’t just entertainment; it changed how we saw TV, introducing us to unscripted drama and real conversations. Later, shows like Jersey Shore and Jackass redefined what it meant to be a “MTV star.” Even if you haven’t watched in years, chances are, MTV shaped your idea of what’s cool—and maybe even your sense of humor or style.
Sorting Out the Confusion
So how did rumors of MTV’s demise take off? Mostly, it comes down to eye-catching headlines and snippets zipping around apps and feeds, missing the finer points. The closures are real for some of those side channels, but not for MTV itself. The “main” channel, both in the US and abroad, is very much alive, keeping up its tradition of shifting with the times—even if that means a lot more reality TV than wall-to-wall music videos.
The Future: Always in Motion
A lot has changed since MTV’s glory days of non-stop music, but the brand is still adapting. The network is still profitable, and the new ownership at Paramount Skydance seems interested in exploring ways to breathe new life into it. There’s even chatter about MTV moving into the streaming world to compete with heavy hitters like Spotify and YouTube. And who knows? MTV has reinvented itself before. Maybe its next act is right around the corner.
So, even if you miss the golden years of music video marathons or certain awards shows, MTV’s story isn’t over—it’s just moving into a new chapter. Like so many other things it helped to shape, maybe it’ll surprise us yet again.
