01/06/2026
MTV officially shut down its 24-hour music channels, and the way they closed it out was almost too perfect.
They ended the final broadcast with “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles.
That is the exact same song that launched MTV on August 1, 1981, when it aired the very first music video.
Beginning and end. Same song. Full circle.
That one detail hit harder than I expected.
I grew up on MTV. I remember staying up way too late, hoping my favorite video would finally come on.
This was before on-demand, before YouTube, before skipping ahead. You waited, and when it played, you watched every second.
I learned how to dance watching The Grind back when Eric Nies was hosting it.
I also remember when The Real World first came out.
I cannot even remember the exact year, but I remember how different it felt at the time. It felt raw, unscripted, and completely new.
When I lived in California, I had the opportunity to be on one of their shows Singled Out hosted by Jenny McCarthy.
So yeah, MTV was a huge part of my adolescence.
When MTV slowly stopped showing music videos, it felt wrong.
I am sure I stopped watching long before the transition was complete, but seeing it officially shut down still feels bittersweet.
Another reminder that a piece of childhood is now officially gone.
Not in a dramatic way. Not in a bitter way.
Just one of those quiet moments where you realize time keeps moving, platforms keep changing, and the things that once defined an entire generation eventually fade into memory.
The memories still matter though.
And for those of us who grew up on it, MTV will always be more than just a channel.