Popular Quebec music video channel MusiquePlus is returning to the airwaves for a one-off party.

Bell Media says plans are in the works to revive the Montreal station with an hour-long primetime program that will celebrate the station’s legacy while showcasing a new generation of local musical talent.

“MusiquePlus en Rappel” will be recorded next month at the Society for Arts and Technology in Montreal. The live broadcast audience will be standing room only, reliving the station’s heyday.

The special airs September 3 at 8pm ET on Crave, Noovoo and Noovoo.ca.

During the show, Chloée Deblois, a Quebec TV personality, takes viewers back in time with guest appearances and references to previous MusiquePlus segments, including Artists of the Month, a showcase of local talent.

The artists include pop singer Soran, R&B musician Naomi and hip-hop artist Aswell.

MusiquePlus was founded in 1986 as French Canada’s answer to MTV, serving as a launchpad for new artists and a home for the province’s music scene. Over the years, it has created a studio space for the intersection of entertainment, politics and cultural discussion.

The station was co-founded by Pierre Marchand and Canadian television pioneer Moses Znaimer, who had founded MuchMusic years earlier as Canada’s English-language music station.

MusiquePlus ceased broadcasting in 2019 when it was rebranded as the women’s channel Elle Fictions.

In the announcement for the MusqiuePlus special, Bell says viewers who want to join the live studio audience in Montreal on August 16 can register here.

The popularity of Canada’s now-defunct music video channels has skyrocketed in recent months.

Last fall, the MuchMusic documentary “299 Queen Street West” toured across the country, but its planned premiere at Crave was canceled due to what Bell Media described as a “scheduling change.”

According to company representatives, there is no news yet about the fate of the documentary.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2024.

David Friend, The Canadian Press