Here’s the last song played on MTV — how the channels said goodbye

On New Year’s Eve, MTV’s iconic music channels aired their final songs, quietly closing the curtain on a chapter that shaped global pop culture for over four decades. Across Europe and beyond including the UK, Australia, Poland, France, Brazil, and several other regions MTV music channels broadcast their last music videos on Wednesday night, marking the end of their linear television presence.

 According to a report by Parade, all MTV music channels worldwide have now stopped broadcasting, with the remaining American channels expected to shut down once existing distribution contracts expire.

 The move marks the end of an era that began in 1981, when MTV launched as a revolutionary platform dedicated entirely to music videos changing how audiences consumed music and how artists were made into global stars.

As the channels signed off, viewers noticed that the final song choices felt anything, but random. One user on X (formerly Twitter) compiled a detailed thread documenting the last songs aired across different MTV channels, prompting nostalgia and emotional responses from fans worldwide.

MTV Music closed with Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles  the very first music video ever broadcast on MTV in 1981. BBC journalist Jono Read highlighted the symbolic choice on X, noting how the 1979 track brought MTV’s story full circle, serving as an intentional farewell and an Easter egg for longtime viewers.

 Other channels followed suit with equally poignant selections. MTV 90s, dedicated to the decade’s biggest hits, ended with “Goodbye” by the Spice Girls.

 As MTV fades from television screens, its cultural impact remains undeniable. The final broadcasts felt less like cancellations and more like carefully chosen goodbyes a reminder of a time when music television didn’t just follow culture, but defined it.

Contributed by Saarangi Aji