The 30th June and 1st July 2024 were sad days for the music channel viewing community in the UK. Channel 4 closed down the Box Plus Network, comprised of Magic, Kiss, 4Music, Kerrang, and The Box, having announced this move in January. A spokesperson said that this was done as part of their prioritisation of digital services, in light of changes in audience consumption habits. Naturally, Twitter/X was filled with people reminiscing over the loss of the channels, particularly rock/emo/indie outlet Kerrang. The likes of ‘Goodbye’ by the Spice Girls (The Box), ‘End of the Road’ by Boys II Men (Magic) and ‘Thnks fr the Mmrs’ by Fall Out Boy (Kerrang), along with ‘Don’t Stop the Music’ by Rihanna (Kiss) and ‘Raise Your Glass’ by Pink (4Music), provided fitting ends to the channels (as seen on TikTok), before they joined the likes of Heart TV, VH1, MTV Rocks, MTV Base and Viva in the music channel graveyard.
Now, the only music channels in UK are the MTV collective (MTV Music, 90s, 80s, Hits, Live), the NOW strand (70s , 80s, 90s and 00s), Clubland, That’s Dance, the Trace channels and the That’s family (60s-90s, Memories). A small selection, and depending on your tastes, not particularly appealing. With UK music TV in a sad state, what are the reasons behind the closure of music channels and what does their future (and the future of music consumption) look like?
The rise of the internet
The primary factor contributing to the closure of the Box Plus Network lies within the internet. The rise in the use of sites such as YouTube, Spotify, and more recently TikTok, as places to discover and listen to new music, has led to the closure of these channels and the rebranding of others. Channel 4 said that winding down The Box was a part of its five-year plan to become a digital first media company, rather than traditional broadcast television.
Contrast this with the 2000s, where there were more than 40 music channels, for a variety of genres. Before YouTube, we turned to these outlets to enjoy our favourite songs and discover new ones. While MTV catered to all tastes with channels such as Dance (later Club MTV), Base and Rocks alongside their flagship platform, there was Kerrang TV for the alternative crowd, while the grime community had Channel U. The latter was where acts such as Dizzee Rascal and Skepta launched their careers and brought the genre into the mainstream.
It wasn’t just the rise of social media as a way for consuming and discovering music that lead to the downfall of the Box family. Money was also a contributing factor – operating multiple TV channels to cater to different niches means more spending on staff, producing and distributing content. This, combined with a declining viewership and revenue from advertising, meant that Channel 4’s Box Music network wasn’t sustainable anymore, especially with the rise of social media and its adverts being personalised to users’ viewing habits.
The power of music channels and the benefits over web streaming sites
One of the good things about music channels was (and still is) the carousel format of songs. Apart from switching channels to see what other songs are playing, you don’t have any control over what plays. This means that it is an excellent platform for discovering new tracks that could become new favourites. Unlike YouTube and the like, there’s no scrolling or indecisiveness regarding what plays next, saving valuable time.
I was an avid viewer of 4Music from around 2013 until they moved to Sky and Virgin in 2021-2022 to make way for E4 Extra on Freeview. It was here that I discovered the likes of Billie Eilish, The Weeknd, Avicii, and others. Whenever I visited a relative who had Sky TV, I would relish the opportunity to watch the MTV channels and The Box to enjoy the music shows and videos that I wouldn’t see elsewhere. And in March 2024, I discovered ‘Rage’ by Charlotte Plank on MTV Music. I feel that if it were not for that channel (or visiting a family friend for Easter dinner), I would never have discovered the drum and bass musician.
The future of music – is a comeback for channels a possibility?
When I visited my family friend four months later, the choice of music channels was in a dismal, sorry state. Apart from MTV Music, the only other channels are/were MTV 80s and 90s, MTV Hits, Clubland TV, and the That’s family. Most of these channels seemed to be aimed at the older crowd (those in their 40s and 50s onwards), the eldest of which are unlikely to have any internet access. They are probably more likely to watch these channels than those under 40 due to the nostalgia factor and the familiarity with the songs played. Since an audience for music television still exists, could the likes of The Box make a comeback in the future?
The nostalgia factor is clearly alive and well, and that isn’t the only thing that could facilitate a hypothetical revival. Engaging with digital platforms and a social media audience would also be a major consideration, especially Channel 4’s five-year, digital-first plan. To elaborate, the defunct networks could find new life in partnering with streaming platforms and social media, giving viewers the best of both worlds in both traditional linear broadcasting and the power (and popularity) of the internet.
Another thing to consider when comparing music channels to social media is the way in which we discover music – whereas the former plays the full-length song, the latter often gives snippets in the form of the song playing in the background of a 30-second video. Although we’ve gone from discovering songs via top 40 countdowns to hearing soundbites on social media, some people who prefer longform content and miss music channels might tune in to them for the visuals and storylines as well as the music. Those who have the money and resources to revive such channels may notice the renewed interest and do something about it.
The takeaway
The closure of the Box Plus Network is just a further indication that we are moving into a new era of music discovery and consumption. Those that remain face an ever-increasing requirement to stay in touch with social media culture and remain profitable. While we’re not on YouTube, TikTok or Spotify, our remaining options are to watch the MTV, Clubland and That’s strand across Freesat, Sky and Virgin, and the Channelbox platform on Freeview channel 271, or to listen to the radio.
RIP 4Music, Kerrang and the rest. Though you are gone, you will not be forgotten.
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