<p>The recent closure of popular music channels, VH1India and MTV Beats, on March 15, has left many Bengaluru musicians feeling nostalgic. </p>.<p>For years, VH1India (started in 2005) , introduced fresh music and artistes of different genres to the global audience. “These channels were our only exposure to international artistes like Metallica and Guns N’ Roses. As a music lover, I found their Top 10 countdown (a list of 10 trending songs played everyday) exciting. The shows where viewers could write in with song requests built a connection with the audience,” recalls Vasu Dixit, musician with Swarathma and the Vasu Dixit Collective. </p>.<p>Bengaluru musicians remember artistes who inspired them before the digital age. Rapper Brodha V says: “VH1India’s ‘Hip Hop Hustle’ introduced me to global hip hop music. I went from watching the channel to being featured on it.”</p>.<p><strong>Shift in musical eras</strong></p>.<p>Today, social media algorithms create customised recommendations for music, which is starkly different from the curated lists played on television. Not knowing which song will play next, built anticipation and excitement, say artistes. </p>.Many poets now active on social media.<p>“Digital media has made content targeted while limiting discoverability,” the rapper feels. “If one does not like a song, they skip it, which was not possible on TV channels,” notes Vasu.</p>.<p>Rajeev Rajagopal from Thermal And A Quarter reminisces, “My band members and I are from an era when the Internet didn’t exist. MTV Beats started broadcasting when I was in college, which is also when we started our band. The channel introduced us to several artistes and genres. American rock bands Soundgarden and Dave Matthews Band would often be featured on VH1India.” International concerts in India weren’t as common as they are now , he adds.</p>.<p><strong>Cultural influence</strong></p>.<p>Several artistes feel that no platform can recreate the cultural influence these two channels once had. Eben Johnson from city-band All The Fat Children says, “For us, it was unifying. However, it was for a niche audience. Due to limited channels, many good musicians were not able to put their music out there as is possible now.”</p>.<p>Streaming platforms and social media have influenced the way one consumes music and how one makes music, feels Debjeet Basu. “Social media has helped change a musician’s life with 20-30 second reels,” says Basu of city-based band Perfect Strangers. “Online platforms are a good tool to catapult an artiste to fame,” he adds. </p>.<p><strong>What happened?</strong></p>.<p>The channels, VH1India and MTV Beats (a Hindi music channel), were shut down due to changes in media consumption. Viacom18, the parent company, cited “declining television viewership” as the reason for the closure.</p>
<p>The recent closure of popular music channels, VH1India and MTV Beats, on March 15, has left many Bengaluru musicians feeling nostalgic. </p>.<p>For years, VH1India (started in 2005) , introduced fresh music and artistes of different genres to the global audience. “These channels were our only exposure to international artistes like Metallica and Guns N’ Roses. As a music lover, I found their Top 10 countdown (a list of 10 trending songs played everyday) exciting. The shows where viewers could write in with song requests built a connection with the audience,” recalls Vasu Dixit, musician with Swarathma and the Vasu Dixit Collective. </p>.<p>Bengaluru musicians remember artistes who inspired them before the digital age. Rapper Brodha V says: “VH1India’s ‘Hip Hop Hustle’ introduced me to global hip hop music. I went from watching the channel to being featured on it.”</p>.<p><strong>Shift in musical eras</strong></p>.<p>Today, social media algorithms create customised recommendations for music, which is starkly different from the curated lists played on television. Not knowing which song will play next, built anticipation and excitement, say artistes. </p>.Many poets now active on social media.<p>“Digital media has made content targeted while limiting discoverability,” the rapper feels. “If one does not like a song, they skip it, which was not possible on TV channels,” notes Vasu.</p>.<p>Rajeev Rajagopal from Thermal And A Quarter reminisces, “My band members and I are from an era when the Internet didn’t exist. MTV Beats started broadcasting when I was in college, which is also when we started our band. The channel introduced us to several artistes and genres. American rock bands Soundgarden and Dave Matthews Band would often be featured on VH1India.” International concerts in India weren’t as common as they are now , he adds.</p>.<p><strong>Cultural influence</strong></p>.<p>Several artistes feel that no platform can recreate the cultural influence these two channels once had. Eben Johnson from city-band All The Fat Children says, “For us, it was unifying. However, it was for a niche audience. Due to limited channels, many good musicians were not able to put their music out there as is possible now.”</p>.<p>Streaming platforms and social media have influenced the way one consumes music and how one makes music, feels Debjeet Basu. “Social media has helped change a musician’s life with 20-30 second reels,” says Basu of city-based band Perfect Strangers. “Online platforms are a good tool to catapult an artiste to fame,” he adds. </p>.<p><strong>What happened?</strong></p>.<p>The channels, VH1India and MTV Beats (a Hindi music channel), were shut down due to changes in media consumption. Viacom18, the parent company, cited “declining television viewership” as the reason for the closure.</p>