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How YouTube Killed the MTV Star—in 3 Stats

For Gen Z, YouTube is taking over the role MTV once played for older generations

Written and Edited by the YPulse Editorial Team
KEY TAKEAWAYS
  • Gen Z is still watching music videos—but on YouTube not TV
  • Many have discovered songs and artists directly on YouTube, not just following viral hits or algorithm recommendations
  • Sometimes, this music discovery happens accidentally, as some Gen Z is finding new music recs through YouTube videos
Remember when MTV was the place to go for music discovery? For Millennials (and of course Xers—don’t hurt us Gen X, we know MTV was yours first!),MTV was the place to watch the hottest videos, catch countdown shows like Total Request Live, and see what everyone was listening to that week. It was appointment viewing: music, culture, and trends rolled into one channel, all delivered through cable TV.   But those days of cable dominance are long gone. Late last year, MTV shut down its remaining 24-hour music channels as audiences continue to shift toward streaming. Across the U.K. and Europe, channels like MTV Music, MTV 80s, and more went dark and in the U.S., regional music-only MTV channels also disappeared as broadcast deals began to expire. At the core of this shift is a generational change in how younger audiences consume content. Gen Z didn’t grow up with the same reliance on linear programming. Instead, platforms like YouTube have taken the role MTV once played, offering instant access...

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