History Creator / MuchMusic

Launched in 1984, [=MuchMusic=] ([[OfficiallyShortenedTitle "Much", for short]]) is one of the first [[UsefulNotes/CanadianMultichannelNetworks specialty channels]] in Canada, focusing on music and featuring a number of specialized MusicVideo blocks and programs about musicians. Hosting these programs were video jockeys, or [=VJs=] for short.

It was one of CHUM Limited's signature channels, alongside Creator/{{Citytv}} and [[Creator/SpaceChannel Space]]. Many early Much programs, such as ''The [=NewMusic=]'' and ''City Limits'', were originally aired on Citytv; ''City Limits'' in particular basically served as [[ObviousBeta a prototype for Much's original format]]. [=MuchMusic=] has been credited with helping foster a vibrant Canadian music scene by providing constant airings of videos by Canadian musicians. The channel created the [=MuchFact=] program, as part of its license agreement, to help artists produce music videos.

In 2006, the channel was sold to [[Creator/BellMedia Bell Globemedia]], owners of Creator/{{CTV}} and Creator/TheComedyNetwork. In the years since, [[NetworkDecay the channel began airing more non-music based programming]]. From 2010, Much has aired teen dramas such as ''Series/PrettyLittleLiars'', ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'', and ''Series/{{Degrassi}}'' (following a ChannelHop from Creator/{{CTV}}). Then in Fall 2013, the channel began airing more comedy programming, some of which previously aired on The Comedy Network. Such programs include late-night talk shows and original programs from Creator/ComedyCentral, Creator/{{IFC}}, and Creator/AdultSwim. Subsequently, most of the teen dramas were moved to other networks, while the bulk of the channel's original programming (including ''Series/VideoOnTrial'' and ''The Wedge'') were all canceled by 2014. They've even officially dropped "Music" from their name to reflect this.

* BlackSheep: ''SIDES*'', which premiered in Fall 2017. On top of being unrelated to music, the series tone is also a [[MoodWhiplash sharp contrast]] to the channel's comedy-heavy lineup.
** Before then, there was the quarter-hour sketch comedy ''We're Experiencing Technical Difficulties'', which garnered low ratings and a negative response from viewers.

In 2019, Much would drop its daily video blocks outside of the "Much Retro Lunch", which was kept for one more year due to modest ratings before being dropped in 2020. Meanwhile, that year's edition of the ''[=iHeartRadio=] [=MMVAs=]'' [[note]]Now branded as such, after Bell Media reached a licensing agreement with [=iHeartRadio=]; the full name was retired in 2018.[[/note]] would be ultimately cancelled due to conflicts with the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards.

** Likewise, the [=MMVAs=] have been held from 1990-2019

* NetworkDecay: ''Worse'' than what happened to Creator/{{MTV}}. MTV was able to move away from airing music programming by producing a number of successful reality franchises and documentaries, while Much has become overreliant on imported programming with no originals to call its own outside of a few digital series and specials. Even the [=MMVAs=], the network's only major draw, now airs in simulcast on the larger Creator/{{CTV}} network.

While the cable network remains as is, a digital offshoot under the "[=MuchMusic=]" name launched in July 2021 on TikTok and Much's social media platforms.

While the cable network remains as is, a digital offshoot under the "MuchMusic" name launched in July 2021 on TikTok and Much's social media platforms.

* NetworkDecay: ''Worse'' than what happened to Creator/{{MTV}}. MTV was able to move away from airing music programming by producing a number of successful reality shows and documentaries, while Much has become overreliant on imported programming with no originals to call its own outside of a few digital series and specials. Even the [=MMVAs=], the network's only major draw, now it airs in simulcast on the larger Creator/{{CTV}} network.

** A similar fate happened to Fuse, Much's former American spin-off, since its merger with [=NuvoTV=]. Now marketed as a multicultural network, Fuse, at the very least, continues to produce original programs. However, the network's entire schedule is almost nothing but sitcom reruns and movies, and the network only has a handful of the latter. Their fledgling spin-off network, FM, was what Fuse was like before the merger, but even that network eventually fell into decay.

In 2019, Much would drop its daily video blocks outside of the "Much Retro Lunch", which was kept for one more year due to modest ratings before being dropped in 2020. Meanwhile, that year's edition of the ''[=iHeartRadio=] [=MMVAs=]'' [[note]]Now branded as such, after Bell Media reached a licensing agreement with [=iHeartRadio=]; the full name was retired in 2018.[[/note]] would be ultimately cancelled due to conflicts with the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards. As of 2021, there has been no announced plans to revive it.

It was quite similar to Creator/{{MTV}} in the United States, which did not launch in Canada until the 2000s. In fact, [=MuchMusic=] actually launched their American spin-off on July 1, 1994, ''seven years before'' MTV could launch their first Canadian channel! Originally known as [=MuchMusicUSA=], a joint venture with Rainbow Media (which later evolved into Creator/{{AMC}} Networks), it was beloved by many for exposing American viewers to international artists from both Canada and Europe. Today, that channel is known as Fuse, after their license to use the [=MuchMusic=] brand was revoked in 2001; its original name was kept until 2003.

In 2019, Much would drop its daily video blocks outside of the "Much Retro Lunch", which was kept for one more year due to modest ratings before being dropped in 2020. Meanwhile, that year's edition of the ''[=iHeartRadio=] [=MMVAs=]'' [[note]]Now branded as such, after Bell Media reached a licensing agreement with [=iHeartRadio=]; the full name was retired in 2018.[[/note]] would be ultimately cancelled due to conflicts with the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards.

* BroadcastLive: ''[=MuchOnDemand=]'' and ''New.Music.Live'', the network's flagship shows, which featured music videos, live performances and interviews.

As this was going on, [=MuchMore=] was [[ReTool relaunched]] as ''M3'' in Fall 2013. Marketed as a completely separate brand from Much, M3 [[NetworkDecay would all but abandon music programming]] outside of its daily music video blocks. Instead, the channel became more focused on dramas, sitcoms, and reality shows; most of which were just reruns, encores, or off-network repeats of shows from sibling channels. Less than a year after Bell's purchase, [=MusiquePlus=] and [=MusiMax=] were sold to Astral Media, but in 2013, Bell would acquire Astral itself. As part of the purchase, both channels were once again sold off, this time to Remstar, owners of the french-language broadcast network, V. While [=MusiquePlus=] continued to follow the entertainment-based schedule it adopted since the Astral purchase, [=MusiMax=] would outright abandon music programming, re-branding as a general entertainment channel known simply as "Max".