MTV plans to rebrand VH1 Classic as MTV Classic starting on August 1st. According to a statement from the company, the new channel will focus on "an eclectic mix of fan-favorite MTV series and music programming drawn from across its rich history, with a special focus on the 1990s and early 2000s."
Network will also launch new weekly live music and comedy performance series 'Wonderland'
The August 1st switch date has special significance, commemorating the launch of MTV 35 years ago on August 1st, 1981. The debut hour of MTV Classic will replicate the first hour of programming in MTV's history. In a nod to modern technology, fans will also be able to watch "MTV Hour One" via Facebook Live on the channel's Facebook page.
After revisiting the 1981 debut, MTV Classic will flit through programming history, looking back at Total Request Live and airing the "most memorable" installments of MTV Unplugged, including episodes featuring Nirvana, Erykah Badu and Bob Dylan. Primetime will feature several popular animated shows, including Beavis & Butt-head and Aeon Flux. On the weekends, the channel plans to serve up "binge-worthy marathons" of shows like Real World and Laguna Beach.
"From Beavis & Butt-head to Laguna Beach, MTV’s programming vault is a music and pop culture goldmine with universal resonance," Sean Atkins, President of MTV, noted in a statement. "MTV Classic gives audiences a modern and artful home for classic MTV programming and — alongside MTV, MTV2, MTV Live and mtvU — rounds out a diverse portfolio with music and youth culture at its core."
