Launched on 15 August 2008, the original incarnation, replacing The Hits television channel, showed a mix of music and entertainment programming.

[citation needed] The launch also saw a new Digital on-screen graphic appear on the screen, and new idents with a woman swivelling on a chair with the channel's logo in the background.

[3] Eventually, 4Music also went free-to-air on 7 February 2017 and launched on Freesat, replacing The Box, but reverted to being free-to-view on 12 December 2018.

[citation needed] On 25 September 2017, 4Music received an update to its on-screen graphics, revolving around four squares which extend to create the 4Music logo and animate to form the artist credit.

On 26 January 2022, a similar shuffle down of channels – to free up LCN 23 nationwide for the revived BBC Three – saw 4Music moved again, to 31 (with E4 +1 in turn taking over 30).

[6] From 27 September to 6 October 2021, 4Music simulcasted the output of The Box, in place of usual scheduled programming, with a note shown on EPGs about the technical problems.

The last song played before longform programming resumed was "Remember" by Becky Hill and David Guetta.

Most of the shows listed below can also be found on E4, as that is a Channel Four Television Corporation service with a target market range of 16–34 years-of-age.