Radio Disney Is Shutting Down Next Year & Fans Are Having An Emotional Meltdown
Get ready to mourn your childhood, because Radio Disney is shutting down in 2021. The popular radio channel has been kids' and tweens' go-to music station for 25 years, but unfortunately, Disney Branded Television is pulling the plug on the station. It's not clear exactly why the radio staple is getting the axe in the first quarter of 2021, but one thing's for certain, and it's that people aren't exactly thrilled about the Dec. 3 announcement. Before you go through the stages of grief, get ready to scroll through some tweets about Radio Disney shutting down in remembrance of the beloved station.
Since its inception in 1996, Radio Disney has bolstered stars from around the world that are still making it big today. The radio station helped Disney Channel television stars like Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus leverage their popularity into big-time music careers by playing their biggest hits to young audiences across the United States. In its heyday, the company had a direct line to some of the biggest celebrities in the world, like the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato, and secured top talent for various Radio Disney-branded concerts and live appearances.
Unfortunately, Disney stated on Dec. 3 that "the fast evolving media environment that provides more personalized music choices" is what eventually led them to the decision to shutter the radio network. Radio Disney in Latin America, however, will remain intact as a separate operation from the American station. While the American arm of the company will cease operations sometime next year, its role in broadcasting bubblegum-pop music over the airwaves to the masses should never be forgotten.
For stans of groups like BTS and Blackpink, its an even bigger loss today because of Radio Disney's notable early support of the acts during a stage in their careers when fans felt other radio stations were blackballing K-pop. Some Twitter users noted that the radio channel is one of the only one to consistently play songs by K-pop groups and artists.
If you're as sad about this as I am, take a moment of silence and walk down memory lane with the Twitter users who are mourning the loss of the once-adored music listening platform.
