The music industry has suffered another major blow. As 2026 arrived, MTV shut down many of its remaining 24-hour, music-only channels around the world. As it turns out, streaming really did kill the video star.
But fret not — a devoted fan site has emerged to bring back the glory days of music television with MTV Rewind. Created in 48 hours by a programmer going by the name Flexasaurus Rex, the simulator houses over 30,000 classic music videos and counting, as well as vintage commercials sourced from YouTube.
“MTV was a cultural institution that changed music, fashion, and youth culture. Then they stopped showing music videos and became reality TV. I felt a wave of sadness when the announcement hit. Nothing felt like it could fill that void. So I started coding,” says Flexasaurus Rex.
MTV Rewind organizes different channels that fans can easily access, such as “1st Day,” which recreates the channel from its launch in 1981. Other channels include 120 Minutes for solely rock music, as well as decade-specific channels from the 1970s, ’80s, ’90s, and beyond.
Beyond music videos, the site also includes archives from Yo! MTV Raps, a hip-hop music video program featuring rap videos and artist interviews, as well as Headbangers Ball, the network’s dedicated program for heavy metal music videos. For those who want to go all out, a shuffle channel mixes everything.
The site is promised to remain free, ad-free, and accessible to everyone. However, users can support the creator through donations, here.
MTV first launched with the music video of “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles and went on to fuel the rise of music video culture that entered the zeitgeist in the 1980s. With fans tuning in from one new music video release to the next, music videos became a core part of music consumption, acting as visual extensions of an artist’s work.
Today, MTV has drastically shifted its programming toward reality-focused shows and content, losing much of the essence of what made it popular in the first place. As of this writing, MTV’s flagship channel remains on air, but the brand’s music-dedicated channels in the UK, Australia, France, and other regions shut down on December 31, 2025. This move was driven by cost-cutting measures following the Paramount-Skydance merger last year.
In recent years, music videos have become a dying breed, with the rise of streaming platforms moving the format largely online to sites like YouTube and away from traditional cable television. Starting in 2026, YouTube will also stop submitting data to Billboard U.S. and global charts, meaning music video views and streams will no longer contribute to chart placements. This shift could further redefine the role of music videos in the wider music industry today.