SKY customers will find an extra channel on their boxes from today at no extra cost.
And it may spark some nostalgia for music lovers.
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The launch means there are a few minor station number changes to be aware of, which you can see below.
For now, the latest addition is only available on satellite so not all Sky devices can receive it.
The channel in question is called Chart Show Retro, with music videos from the 1980s onwards.
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If you think the name and logo look and sound familiar you’re not wrong, as there used to be a Chart Show TV channel on Sky years ago.
It was renamed as Trace Urban in 2019, and then to Trace Hits in 2021, before eventually closing for good.
Chart Show Retro is only available on Sky’s satellite platforms for now, such as Sky Q.
So you won’t find it on Sky Glass or Sky Stream.
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The channel can be found on station number 360.
Sky channel number changes
Some of the channel numbers have shifted as a result of Chart Show Retro’s launch on Sky.
- Chart Show Retro – 360
- That’s 80s – 366 (previously 360)
- That’s 90s – 367 (previously 366)
Channel closures
Chart Show Retro’s launch may come as welcome relief to music lovers as similar channels are set to close later this year.
The long-running Box channels are set to shut down as part of costing cutting measures at Channel 4, which owns the stations.
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The Box, Magic, Kerrang, Kiss and 4Music all fall under Channel 4’s “Box channels” umbrella.
While the broadcaster hasn’t name-dropped each of them, it’s expected they are all included in the cull.
During the broadcaster’s recent announcement of a new “digital-first” regime, Channel 4 said it is “proposing to close small linear channels that no longer deliver revenues or public value at scale, including the Box channels in 2024 and others at the right time.”
This will affect both Sky and Virgin Media viewers.
The disappearance of these music channels come hand-in-hand with around 200 job cuts – or 18 per cent of the organisation’s workforce.
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A brief history: The Box
From video request dial-ins to its acquisition by Channel 4, the Box has brought music to people’s screens across the UK and the US for 31 years.
The Box was brought to the UK in 1992, inspired by the original Miami-based channel The Jukebox Network.
It has been rocking on the airwaves ever since.
Channel 4 bought a 50 per cent stake in the channel in 2007 for an undisclosed sum, and eventually assumed full ownership in 2019.
When it first began, fans could phone in to request music videos of their favourite genres or bands, that could be queued automatically.
Video requests cost a couple quid and took around 20 minutes to be broadcast after being ordered.
The Box has roughly 1,800 music videos in its backpocket to air to viewers in its heyday.
Viewers could even request their top music clips over the internet or via set-top box.
Since then, the channel has become well known for its “First Play” feature, where many videos often make their UK or world premiere.
