As recently as last week-ish, Much still ran music videos for several hours in the morning, but a quick look at their website schedule shows it might only be the Much Retro Lunch now. Not sure they would rebrand though since Much hasn't been known for music in ages really.
Anyone Know What Happened To Much Music?
It looks like they completely stopped playing music videos. Now nothing but tv shows. Is a name change in the works?
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They stopped airing videos most of the day eons ago. The morning block was effectively a license requirement and cheap filler content. I'm not sure if that changed so they could eliminate it entirely, but it's clear they would if they could.
These days we have the Stingray channels for music videos, along with Youtube of course.
These days we have the Stingray channels for music videos, along with Youtube of course.
I thought they changed from "MuchMusic" to just "Much" over 10 years ago...
Could you imagine if back in the 80's or early 90's if Much/MTV put on some of the shows they have on today for even half an hour? I remember how I thought it was weird that Much had Beavis & Butt-Head and Ren & Stimpy on in the 90's, even though B&B had about 50% video content.
At least YouTube has most videos - however, I don't like how they try and force the same videos on you over and over (must have something to do with cookies). And most playlists are crap on YouTube. Would love a truly random experience on YouTube instead of it trying to figure out what I like and showing variations of the same video over and over.
Could you imagine if back in the 80's or early 90's if Much/MTV put on some of the shows they have on today for even half an hour? I remember how I thought it was weird that Much had Beavis & Butt-Head and Ren & Stimpy on in the 90's, even though B&B had about 50% video content.
At least YouTube has most videos - however, I don't like how they try and force the same videos on you over and over (must have something to do with cookies). And most playlists are crap on YouTube. Would love a truly random experience on YouTube instead of it trying to figure out what I like and showing variations of the same video over and over.
This can't be very good. I checked on the Shaw EPG (in Vancouver), and the "Playlist" blocks still show up in the daytime/morning hours.
Haven't woken up 'that early' in the morning to tune in or not.
Haven't woken up 'that early' in the morning to tune in or not.
Bell Media said Playlist draws less than 4,000 viewers on average each day from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET. (David Friend, The Canadian Press)
It's obvious that very few people are interested in watching a music video channel on linear TV, whether it's MTV and VH1 in the U.S. or Much Music and MusiquePlus in Canada. Hopefully, Stingray can maintain its niche music video channels for those that are interested.
@ShawViewer the problem is with Shaw Cable's data provider. It sounds like you're using Shaw Cable's "Classic" guide for Motorola-based DCT/DCX hardware that uses TV guide/Rovi as the source. Some of their other platforms use other guide data that is more accurate. My Windows PC also uses Rovi data for WMC and I see the same outdated guide as you.
It's obvious that very few people are interested in watching a music video channel on linear TV, whether it's MTV and VH1 in the U.S. or Much Music and MusiquePlus in Canada. Hopefully, Stingray can maintain its niche music video channels for those that are interested.
@ShawViewer the problem is with Shaw Cable's data provider. It sounds like you're using Shaw Cable's "Classic" guide for Motorola-based DCT/DCX hardware that uses TV guide/Rovi as the source. Some of their other platforms use other guide data that is more accurate. My Windows PC also uses Rovi data for WMC and I see the same outdated guide as you.
It's sad to see music video channels gone, but it's a sign of the changing times and I am ok with that to some extent. I am happy to say that I was one of those who grew up and was able to watch Music videos and Music related programming on Much Music after school, and even visit their downtown Studios a few times. After all, back in my early youthful days, there was no youtube or other places to watch music videos of your favourite artists so its all we had. But now there's so many alternatives to watch videos and listen to music.
I still miss Electric Circus...I'll occasionally look up clips on YouTube...there is nothing like that for kids these days!
Back in the 80's MM was at the top of everything. Pepsi Rock hour, French Love, Banned from TV and so on. Stingray video was interesting in the first weeks it aired but got old REAL quick. I used to record the Saturday Night Dance club music videos and they always play the same songs over and over.
Program lasts 3 hours and one song in particular, plays at least 5 TIMES during that time. If you don't believe me, record it and tell me which song you'll see play minimum 3 times in 3 hours. No commercial is great but their playlist seems very minimal....
Program lasts 3 hours and one song in particular, plays at least 5 TIMES during that time. If you don't believe me, record it and tell me which song you'll see play minimum 3 times in 3 hours. No commercial is great but their playlist seems very minimal....
Anything that is Stingray is very repetitive - found that with any music service, including Sirius XM. They have a very shallow playlist (I would say Sirius XM's channels only have 75-100 songs at most - some have been repeating them for the 15+ years I've had Sirius) - very frustrating.
I have over 5000 songs on my iPod - all from the era of Much Music - most had videos. Add in genres I didn't listen to (rap, country, R&B, gospel, etc etc). 5000 songs is almost 3 months of continuous listening - so a service with a deep catalog could in theory easily not play the same song or video for months, or maybe even a full year.
I also find it odd that these services, with a playlist of maybe 50-100 songs, has some really weird choices that weren't hits back when they were released. Some are very obscure, yet get constantly played.
I have over 5000 songs on my iPod - all from the era of Much Music - most had videos. Add in genres I didn't listen to (rap, country, R&B, gospel, etc etc). 5000 songs is almost 3 months of continuous listening - so a service with a deep catalog could in theory easily not play the same song or video for months, or maybe even a full year.
I also find it odd that these services, with a playlist of maybe 50-100 songs, has some really weird choices that weren't hits back when they were released. Some are very obscure, yet get constantly played.
I sent in a guide error request through Shaw on Wednesday, and it seems that the guide information now displays the Comedy shows correctly.
some people may find stingray very repetitive but most other people who just want some music videos playing in the backround while they are at home or working or entertaining guests will find absolutely nothing wrong with stingray or the former muchmusic or music plus or other former channels like muchvibe or much more music/m3
The repetitiveness is how I wound up just casting Youtube Music a lot more often. There's entire genres and huge catalogs on there that you'll never hear anywhere in Canadian music media and I can always find something new (or old) to listen to pretty easily. Pretty much all the streaming services have that going for them, although finding that stuff can be some work.
After a while it does beat hering the same narrow playlist for the ten thousandth time on SXM. Stingray has some nice channels for background music like The Spa where the repetition really isn't as bothersome, but the only video channel I cared for was Classica and they want $8/month for that. Shame.
After a while it does beat hering the same narrow playlist for the ten thousandth time on SXM. Stingray has some nice channels for background music like The Spa where the repetition really isn't as bothersome, but the only video channel I cared for was Classica and they want $8/month for that. Shame.
When Stingray came out, I stopped recording Much Retro Lunch as it was always the same videos each week, just in different order. Same thing happened with Stingray. Yes I do like to watch videos while I cook and thought Stingray was the old MM. But it came bland pretty quick.
As for SXM, 1st Wave for example, had replaced Fred XM on XM radio before the merge. Fred played songs that were so obscure that I didn't even know existed. Now, it is so repetitive, it is disgraceful.
Which brings me back to MM. Seeing how TV, music, cinema and so on has gone down in quality over the years, no wonder they are slowly vanishing. So many other choices killed them and the others.
As for SXM, 1st Wave for example, had replaced Fred XM on XM radio before the merge. Fred played songs that were so obscure that I didn't even know existed. Now, it is so repetitive, it is disgraceful.
Which brings me back to MM. Seeing how TV, music, cinema and so on has gone down in quality over the years, no wonder they are slowly vanishing. So many other choices killed them and the others.
I am not against getting with the times. My ONLY complaint with Youtube as a replacement for MuchMusic, Music Plus, and the other music channels, is that Muchmusic et all, played Radio Friendly aka Clean versions of the songs. However just try to find a "Clean, Radio Friendly" version of a music video on Youtube now a days. It's next to impossible for modern in-demand artists. Yes you can find the Clean version of the Audio Track only on youtube but the actual official music video will not be Censored. This is a huge blow to parents who have children of ALL ages.
I remember my kids went to a birthday party for one of their friends and they were playing music, and the kids were going up to the youtube and punching in their songs to play and all you hear was swear words, and finally some parents got out of their seat in rage and had a few words with the parents of the birthday girl and the youtube had eventually shut down for the nite and I think they played spotify or Stingray audio channel for the rest of the night.
I actually know how to censor the audio track from a youtube video, i used to do professional audio and hd video editing, but the bureaucracy of re-uploading it and then having it blocked cus it breaches copyright is not worth my time and effort. I do keep the video files i've edited Offline in my own cloud and play them when we have parties and such
I remember my kids went to a birthday party for one of their friends and they were playing music, and the kids were going up to the youtube and punching in their songs to play and all you hear was swear words, and finally some parents got out of their seat in rage and had a few words with the parents of the birthday girl and the youtube had eventually shut down for the nite and I think they played spotify or Stingray audio channel for the rest of the night.
I actually know how to censor the audio track from a youtube video, i used to do professional audio and hd video editing, but the bureaucracy of re-uploading it and then having it blocked cus it breaches copyright is not worth my time and effort. I do keep the video files i've edited Offline in my own cloud and play them when we have parties and such
https://www.torontomike.com/2019/03/much_music_down_to_one_hour_of_vid.htmlMuch Music is down to one single hour of videos during weekdays. Previously, they were still playing seven hours of videos weekdays from 6am to 1pm. This new schedule as the videos being played for an hour at noon.
I'll be the first to admit this change won't affect me in the least. An avid watcher of Much Music in the 80s and 90s, I haven't tuned in for more than a Simpsons episode or two in many years. In fact, I was surprised to learn they were still airing seven hours of videos. Bell Media, owners of Much, say their block of videos attracted less than 4000 viewers a day. That's a paltry figure.
There is quite a rotation of videos on the "Much Retro Lunch", and I haven't seen the same video played 'each week' as you are saying. There have been times where the same video has appeared withinWhen Stingray came out, I stopped recording Much Retro Lunch as it was always the same videos each week, just in different order. Same thing happened with Stingray. Yes I do like to watch videos while I cook and thought Stingray was the old MM. But it came bland pretty quick.
As for SXM, 1st Wave for example, had replaced Fred XM on XM radio before the merge. Fred played songs that were so obscure that I didn't even know existed. Now, it is so repetitive, it is disgraceful.
Which brings me back to MM. Seeing how TV, music, cinema and so on has gone down in quality over the years, no wonder they are slowly vanishing. So many other choices killed them and the others.
, say 6 to 10 months of each other however.
Beginning on August 26th, 2019
Just For Laughs and Much Retro Lunch will not be shown this week. Instead, reruns of Married With Children..
Just For Laughs and Much Retro Lunch will not be shown this week. Instead, reruns of Married With Children..
Wait, Bell owns a channel that *doesn't* run Just for Laughs reruns?
Comedy programming rule #1: Anything with laugh or laughs in the title won't make you laugh.
Comedy programming rule #2: Anything with funny in the title isn't funny.
Comedy programming rule #2: Anything with funny in the title isn't funny.
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