Fans devastated as popular music TV channel Kerrang! shuts down after 23 years

'The influence Kerrang! TV had on my life cannot be overstated'

For 23 years, Kerrang TV had promoted alternative music, championing bands such as Paramore, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance and Panic! At The Disco.

But on Sunday night (June 30), it was one of five long-running channels to be shut down by Channel 4 as part of cost cutting measures.

Along with Kerrang, music channels Kiss, 4Music, Magic and The Box were all taken off the airwaves over the weekend.

And for a generation of rock, emo, indie, and pop punk fans, it was Kerrang's departure that hit closest to home.

Reacting on X, one person wrote: "If it wasn't for Kerrang TV, I wouldn't be listening to All American Rejects, Yellowcard, New Found Glory and a whole bunch of other artists, both past and present. It sucks to see their tv station being shut down..."

Another said: "At midnight, we’ll lose a real one. The influence Kerrang! TV had on my life cannot be overstated and I know this sentiment is shared by so many.

"All that’s left to do is stick this one out until the bitter end. Thank you #Kerrang and thnks fr the mmrs."

The channel decided to finish it's time on air by playing Thnks fr th Mmrs by Fall Out Boy as its final song.

This was after it had played I'm Not Okay by My Chemical Romance, In the End by Linkin Park and Good Riddance by Green Day.

One person described this as "an unbelievably apt run of final songs for Kerrang TV."

Someone else wrote: "Kerrang tv closing with thnks fr th mmrs has actually destroyed me."

Explaining the decision to shut down the music channels, Channel 4 said what the channels offered was being replaced by social media.

The broadcaster said in a statement: "As we announced earlier this year as part of Channel 4’s digital-first Fast Forward strategy, we will be closing our Box network of channels from 1 July across all platforms - as they are no longer of sufficient scale to deliver meaningful return on investment.

"Our strategy reflects the generational shift in TV viewing and involves reducing costs – particularly in linear activities - to allow us to invest in digital priorities and stay competitive in a world of global entertainment conglomerates and social media giants."