What role do music video channels play currently in the US?

[CatSoul]

This may be a shocker to those who haven't had cable in a while, but there are currently six active 24/7 music video channels in the United States on cable, all owned by Viacom: BET Jams, BET Soul, MTV Classic, MTV Live, MTVU, and NickMusic.

Yet it seems exceptionally rare that I hear anyone ever mention these channels, let alone any impact they could have on a song's exposure. It seems like that impact would be quite small, as these are all extended cable channels. In 2021, you can get literally any music video you want at your fingertips, whenever you want, uncensored. So what's the purpose of these channels?

Ad revenue is, of course, what keeps cable channels alive, but there's no reason they couldn't use these as general purpose channels instead of music video channels and get the same revenue. NickMusic, in fact, has no advertising at all, only bumpers and short interviews with artists every couple of videos.

It doesn't even appear like these channels are hanging on by a thread; MTV Classic started as a general purpose channel for MTV's older programming in 2016, only to switch the next year to a 24-hour music video format; since it's been going that way for 4 years now, I imagine it's doing better than the original format somehow. Furthermore, the commercial-free NickMusic US feed is even airing in other countries, and Australia has launched their own version of NickMusic.

Does anyone here still watch music video channels, or understand how the industry uses them in 2021?

[iHype.]

I'm not sure what purpose they have in 2021. I imagine literally only a few thousand people at most watch these channels during any period, even in a country as large as America.

I don't think labels/the industry necessarily even use them or bother to get played on them. It's the networks specifically continuing them.

I remember there was a BET Hip-Hop channel up until a few years ago too, and it literally for some reason played the same programming from the mid 2000s on repeat every day. The same music videos and countdowns specifically from that period on replay, the BET Network did not update that channel for years and years. It just randomly stopped being listed one day.

I think the networks have some type of long-term contracts with those channels to cable providers and have either given up over time or just rarely bother to engage in them.

Kinda also reminds me of how Nickelodeon had some 'Nick GAS' channel in the 2000s that would just literally replay their game shows from the 90s every single day. Someone should do research into what type of exact purpose these type of channels serve lmao.

[Ezekiel 23:20–21]

Most of these channels don't even showcase that much music or music related content anymore. It's mostly reality shows and other types of programming. They are basically those channels in name only, just like TLC actually was The Learning Channel many moons ago and it's actually quite the opposite of being educational now and Discovery is just Alaska outback or Naked & Afraid all the time, oh yeah, and Shark Week. Given that one can watch any music video they want on YouTube and VEVO so easily, there really is no purpose for them.

The MTV Classic channel probably doesn't have that much overhead associated with running it so they keep that option for those who basically want a video Pandora type station.

[Caviar]

Some people may want curated music videos to play in the background or have music discussions when friends are over (pre-COVID ofc). I used to watch many hours of Vh1 Soul before BET took over and never considered a channel package if it didn’t have the channel. Also, i know Vh1 Soul had specials for artists who had birthdays or other celebrations and would play their music videos for hours on end. Toni Braxton’s and Aaliyah’s birthdays come to mind.

I also find YouTube’s auto play feature terrible with MV’s so I don’t even bother.

[Deleted]

I feel like nobody really uses them these days tbh

[Choco]

No major role. Some people will tune in for the BET Awards or the VMAs but aside from that...

Music video comsumption on the whole is down a lot, with Youtube numbers down across the board for almost all acts.

[SPRΞΞ]

that's not Youtube's fault tho, I think people just can't be bothered enough to sit thru a 5 minute video anymore. I bet 90% of people click off a video regardless of who it is after 30 seconds just because.

[Au$tin]

Jan 11, 2021 14:29:33 GMT -5 SPRΞΞ said:

that's not Youtube's fault tho, I think people just can't be bothered enough to sit thru a 5 minute video anymore. I bet 90% of people click off a video regardless of who it is after 30 seconds just because.

But the number of people who use YouTube is as high as ever. User retention isn't any different now than it was ten years ago.

What's changed is accessibility of music. YouTube used to be the only service to stream your favorite music for free legally. Now it's not. A very large amount of people that used YouTube in the past (and even now) for music did so just for the music. The fact that it was a video was just a consequence. Now that you have other competitors offering audio only thereby lowering the amount of data used on your devices and with much more user friendly interfaces for strictly audio preferences, the amount of people who use YouTube to stream music is down. That's really all it is.

[Choco]

Yes and also Youtube won't allow you to play music as a background app, which only helps people migrate to Spotify or other services. Specially when the ads on Spotify are way less intrusive.

There's no point in streaming on Youtube if it literally renders your phone useless for any other purpose.

[frenchuser]

In France there are also several of these channels whose audience seems confidential. On the other hand, they are sometimes broadcast in public places (hairdressing salons, bars, restaurants) but not always with the sound! I guess we can consider this as a silent advertising for artists...

[jenglisbe]

Jan 10, 2021 16:31:20 GMT -5 CatSoul said:

This may be a shocker to those who haven't had cable in a while, but there are currently six active 24/7 music video channels in the United States on cable, all owned by Viacom: BET Jams, BET Soul, MTV Classic, MTV Live, MTVU, and NickMusic.

Yet it seems exceptionally rare that I hear anyone ever mention these channels, let alone any impact they could have on a song's exposure. It seems like that impact would be quite small, as these are all extended cable channels. In 2021, you can get literally any music video you want at your fingertips, whenever you want, uncensored. So what's the purpose of these channels?

Ad revenue is, of course, what keeps cable channels alive, but there's no reason they couldn't use these as general purpose channels instead of music video channels and get the same revenue. NickMusic, in fact, has no advertising at all, only bumpers and short interviews with artists every couple of videos.

It doesn't even appear like these channels are hanging on by a thread; MTV Classic started as a general purpose channel for MTV's older programming in 2016, only to switch the next year to a 24-hour music video format; since it's been going that way for 4 years now, I imagine it's doing better than the original format somehow. Furthermore, the commercial-free NickMusic US feed is even airing in other countries, and Australia has launched their own version of NickMusic.

Does anyone here still watch music video channels, or understand how the industry uses them in 2021?

You don't hear people mention them because barely anyone watches them. For one, many people no longer have cable, so they literally don't get these channels. And then even those who do have cable aren't really watching these channels.

[†ealsünset]

I've been watching MTV Classic for four years. I don't enjoy it as much as the defunct MTV Hits, but it has a fairly predictable and adequate playlist. It would be nice if they would have added videos to their playlist these past 4 years, but instead they have removed many of them! I haven't seen some in a while (Circus, Since U Been Gone, Behind These Hazel Eyes, Party in the USA and some Avril and P!nk ones- could it be that they are boycotting Dr. Luke?).

My favorite hours used to be the special collections hours at Noon (ie. Britney), but then they replaced it with TRL, which got cancelled, and they never brought back these theme hours and artist collections (similar to MTV Hits!) where they would show videos not in their usual playlist. I find myself watching less. I did, however, make a point to watch it that week I participated in a Nielsen/Scarborough survey, so I hope they appreciated my ratings point.

[Joe1240]

There is also the Music Choice Music Video channels but lately when I turn the channels on, they aren't showing much current music videos. The reason YouTube watching for videos when down is the quality of the songs aren't as great like Apple Music or Spotify and music videos are hardly an event anymore as only the K-Pop and Latin artists dominate currently.I think the role music video channels play isn't much at all as cable and tv ratings are down overall and tv watching isn't the same as before and the way we listen and find music has changed a lot in the past decade.

[Amnesiac]

MTV Classic feels like such a wasted opportunity. They have so much potential to do fun and interesting things with it and they just use it for stale video blocks. I don't think MTV Classic is even available on HD on any cable package. A real shame too because VH1 Classic, which it replaced, did a good job at building an identity for itself with original programming while playing a lot of the music docs and themed video blocks you'd expect from a channel like it.

[boscy]

The free service, Classic Arts Showcase, is good for showcasing classical music, Broadway showtunes, and excerpts of classic films.
It's shown on PBS stations late at night.
Classic Arts Showcase is now available via the Internet 24 hours a day.


This could be good for getting classical music artists more exposure.


www.ClassicArtsShowcase.org