4Music tried to bring their live show Trending Live back from its Easter break today, but technology got the better of them - the studio links were distorted gibberish (just my luck this happened on a day the gorgeous Maya was presenting!) They did get one video in early on with the usual Twitter overlays, but when the second link was garbled again, they switched to a standby feed of vanilla videos (no graphics bar channel DOG.) Stings, trails and breaks playing normally, though crashing into/out of videos midway as the timing doesn't now match up! At one point the standby video itself froze and we got a few seconds of Fifth Harmony, patched through from Smash Hits according to Twitter. And yes, the required IT Crowd jokes have already been made online, including one by 4Music themselves...

Update: all back to normal just before 1700...
Last edited by SonOfPurple : 11-04-2016 at 17:11

From Saturday 30th April, MTV Rocks becomes full of Indie music, kicking off with the 'Indie 500' (indie Top 500) which was something VH2 did a decade ago. Other shows include 'indie Shuffle' 'indie Legends' and the 'MTV Indie chart'.

It looks like it's becoming an indie channel and possible even changing its name to MTV Indie.

I remember the Indie 500 on VH2 - I presume this is a yearly thing and plus it'll throw in "new" indie tracks to the chart, if I remember correctly this chart use to run through the night but since the days of teleshopping are on this channel it'll stop.

As for possible rename - I like it if that is what it is becoming (OK not my music) but anything from MTV Rocks or just go plainly back as MTV2, why MTV2 has never crossed their minds baffles me - MTV2 exists in the USA but umm well I checked it out, its pretty much "MTV" with abit of 5 Star (channel) - or even closer the old "trouble" channel in UK to what was VIVA

Rebranding - weird how its another MTV Channel going for a revamp - it seems if not yearly, every couple years the MTV Channels go under another rebrand/revamp meanwhile VH1/VIVA the revamps are very slow! I guess in general those channels are not a priority (if not a priority time for closures?)

As for MTV Renames - I got a few ... MTV Dance becomes MTV Pop, MTV Live becomes MTV Pop plus MTV Base becomes the new MTV Dance MTV Hits - MTV Modern, MTV Classic - MTV Modern Classic(s) VH1 becomes the VH1 Chart Channel (just making fun of it all really)

Again, must be viewing figures. Do these shows sadly get more viewing figures than the music?

MTV Classic is different to VH1. MTV Classic doesn't really go down the love song route. It is still repetitive though.

I don't know if weekends have higher viewing figures or not. Maybe someone can help?

Yes, Mango Number 5. I see he got married in Las Vegas - maybe that makes him.....American?


At least they were jovial about it. Point anything out to these channels normally that's negative and they ignore you, go defensive or say everything is fine their end.


It's not much of a rock channel now, but they do play some rock. Presumably they'll knock all rock off the playlist leaving just Kerrang and Scuzz.


Strange how they are rebranding MTV Rocks. If they wanted MTV Indie, they could easily just replace MTV Music +1. Replacing MTV Music, which is basically MTV Hits would be a good option too.

I'm sure on Indie we'll see Coldplay feat Rihanna, Coldplay Feat Beyonce and anybody who appears at Glastonbury, so that's Jess Glynne, Adele, Ellie Goulding and The Syrian National Orchestra. Bet you never thought you'd see Assad on MTV.

I take back what I said about Heat last week playing different songs overnight. They've stopped that now - it's the same 20 artists over and over with particular emphasis on Beyonce, Rihanna, Timberlake, Pussycat Dolls, Sugababes, Girls Aloud etc etc. If that's not bad enough, it's the same songs over and over. It would be better if they played some rarer songs of both bigger and smaller artists.

MTV Classic/VH1 - should at least keep things classic (I don't mind VH1 going modern at times) but its a channel thats too MTV focussed these days , maybe they need to shuffle the controllers?

Lou Bega - if he got married in Las Vegas don't get really why someone would count that as "american" ? Again chart with little thought and probably thrown on randomly in a "not played in ages" list

It is strange I agree on MTV Rocks-MTV Indie, I rather they get rid of MTV Music if I am honest its only really used as a simulcast if something appears on MTV Live but again its another MTV Hits channel a la MTV Live also

For the genre Indie on MTV I doubt we will see any real difference but your probably right expect Beyonce and Rihanna to appear

Heat - I am not surprised really - its time for these channels to have a shake up on their playlists - how many channels do we need to play the same pap everyday? Why do they not have an "old skool" channel, or why do they not close some and merge?

It's a pity we don't receive VH1 classics Europe here in the uk I can stream it through some web sites on to my main TV but as streams go they sometime let you down , this is a far superior channel to our channels here I have seen songs from the 60s to the 90s all nicely mixed up and all types of music , why don't MTV ditch our VH1 rubbish. its too much like the others and replace it with classics tons better and what's more there are no adverts and trailers , it's a pity MTV don't give us access via the red button , does anyone know if you can officially receive via satellite here in the uk

The European VH1/VH1 Classic are both excellent compared to VH1 UK and MTV Classic. The variety of videos is so much better and they have no adverts. Unfortunately there's no official way to watch them in the UK other than subscribing to a foreign satellite service.

Yet why is it the European versions have more variety than the UK versions? Surely both UK/European versions are sharing the archive are they not? (if broadcasting from London?) Or is it just really that the UK versions can't be that bothered in researching or doing more variety on the channels? In saying that they are creating their own downfall really, they complain about audience for programming (music) but get hits with reality shows - if they want to keep both going then they need to up their game musically I reckon or be game over (why they can't look at European versions for guidance I don't know)

As far as I know they are both broadcast from London. Funny how everyone used to slate the European VH1!

Yes they are both from London. VH1 Europe has always been pretty good. it was better when it was run from Poland, but is still far superior to the UK one which has been poor for a long time.

So let me get this right? We have a UK version and European versions of .... example VH1, UK keeps the playlist quite simple (rinse and repeat) meanwhile the European counterpart has an expansive playlist that goes from say 70's onwards (all genres covered) but in UK the playlist is restricted somehow

Since you mentioned Poland - remember MTVNHD that now became MTV Live (HD), yet that channel has pretty well hit the fan since UK control, a channel that was at least bearable to watch if there was crap on the MTV UK run channels has also gone the same way and sadly is another MTV Music/Hits channel.

I wonder if that has been their intent since say after 2004 or later - MTV UK runs all the sister channels to the ground but keep the only one "superior" aka MTV? (not going through mentioned before but you get my point)

For me at the time I was more of an MTV person, VH1 was out of my league BUT I did watch the odd music show ie Friday Night Disco, Behind The Music and the every #1 from 1970-2000 - saying that the VH1 graphics were better link below was when they done this rundown with the new graphics appearing in top right and new logo (whilst the onscreen info was the previous logo set), not sure if that was automatic during that time (can't see it if I am honest as pretty sure their graphics machine would be in meltdown)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ3_Uof3k6w

For me at the time I was more of an MTV person, VH1 was out of my league BUT I did watch the odd music show ie Friday Night Disco, Behind The Music and the every #1 from 1970-2000 - saying that the VH1 graphics were better link below was when they done this rundown with the new graphics appearing in top right and new logo (whilst the onscreen info was the previous logo set), not sure if that was automatic during that time (can't see it if I am honest as pretty sure their graphics machine would be in meltdown)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ3_Uof3k6w (2004)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAtMUiJTxi0 - graphics of 1998 (VH1 logo and the "manual" graphic on screen)

Even with its crappy schedules, I'll take our MTV over the European feed and other localisations. They're godawful in every respect. We have more choice and variety.

That may be true for MTV (assuming you're referring to the main channel) but the European VH1/VH1 Classic are both very good compared to our versions. They have a much better variety of music, no adverts, and very few of those constantly repeated Top 50 charts.

Its funny when music channels have technical problems.

But our MTV (i'll speak on its sister channels) there is less variety on them its the same songs stuck on repeat, daytime output is crap mostly MTV Dance/Hits/Music/Live are basically the same, the only real difference is quite possibly MTV Rocks - VH1 is like the other channels too constant charts with MTV bumpers. Possibly MTV Classic does a better job than VH1 does in terms of music but I don't get the channel on VM so I am stuck with VH1. From the feedback I read on here some MTV "locals" / European versions delve deeper into the archive than what MTV UK actually does!

Not watched MTV in ages but our version is god awful nowadays to what it use to be but its a generation thing, what someone does not like others will like (way of the world really)

Needs to happen more often

MTV could probably give their music channels a bit of a re-boot, to try and stabilise their ratings and get the genres more focussed.

If they are serious about keeping VIVA going then it needs re-instating as a full 24 hours channel available to Freeview's non-HD viewers and promoted as part of the Channel 5 family like The Box Network do with 4Music.

I think MTV need to shuffle a lot of things, mainly the playlists. MTV Classic played Shabba Ranks yesterday - not seen that for a long while.

Maybe Lou Bega was married to an American....still doesn't make him American and when the hit came out he was German/Italian/Ugandan

To be fair to Heat, I prefer them as they are now than what they were, a spin off of Smash Hits. Wish they would go back further than 00's though.

I've a new one for you - they had some chart on earlier on MTV Music - it was about Soulful voices and who should turn up.....Zayn Malik!

The playlists are the problem in general - plus its constant chart run downs. MTV Classic - Shabba Ranks was it Mr Loverman? (Shabba Shabba) ... sorry had to rub that in - I will say VH1 needs to show songs like this again THEY USE TOO (sorry for caps but VH1 did play that back in 90's), I am pretty sure these playlists are restricted its got to be?

Lou Bega - I just think they just wanted to play that song just for the sake of it - research on some of these charts are hardly done lets be honest!

I wish either Heat or Smash Hits became a channel for songs from say 70's OR 80's up to 00's than randomly have weekends or nights playing certain classics to then return to modern pap (This goes to MTV channels as well - it seems they are more obsessed to be modern as possible (no matter the channel) anything beyond 70's is forgotten, 90's music is a trend for now expect in next couple years the 90's will be forgotten and 00's will be the trend)

MTV Music - Soulful Voices - Zayn Malik? I know he was with 1D but soulful more like make my ears bleed

In Australia VIMN has closed down MTV Classic & MTV Hits. Sign of things to come here ?

They seem to be wanting to make 'MTV Music' as the main channel for music since MTV Music Australia has replaced both channels.

What I can see happening later this year is closure for Hits , Base , Classic , Rocks & Dance and as replacements HD channels of MTV Music , VH1 , VIVA. MTV Mix could be a mixture of Base/Dance content seeing as the two channels are so closely identical these days.

On the EPG it be more like this :

350 MTV Music
351 MTV Music HD
352 MTV Mix
353 MTV Mix HD
354 VIVA
355 VIVA HD
356 VH1
357 VH1 HD

VIMN will probably use the remaining slot left by MTV Music+1 for Spike+1 so that slot can be added to the Entertainment genre possibly might launch at the old Africa Channel slot at 209 for Spike +1.

Yes MTV seem to be shuffling things around with VIVA having moved but no sign of any change at The Box channels. Chart Show is just a loop as they have entertainment channels to focus on. More HD channels might be better than the constant wall to wall chart music channels on offer. I would rather we had more than one HD channel especially as they are still part of Sky and not FTA like the rest.

For me and this is an "if" MTV channels closed and we have VH1/VIVA in HD - the music content needs a vast improvement into what they are providing on these channels! VH1 needs to delve more into the archive play more tracks from artists than just stick to the usual ones - even why not take risks? Have an X Rated video night? (showing videos in full length again), play different genres of music going from r&b soul, reggae, rock, pop and disco (again VH1 originally was this in the past) than keeping the playlist narrow minded and that everyone that watches VH1 is "ballad" mad!

Why do they not have VH1 a mix of music and documentaries? Again this was something in the past the channel done?

Would VIVA also be better going back as a music/entertainment channel? (why did they suddenly drop the "entertainment" to go back to music?)

I know it reminds me when mtv/ the box used to crash.