MTV2 began broadcasting as simply M2 on August 1, 1996 – MTV's 15th anniversary – with Beck's "Where It's At" being the first video to air. The Spice Girls made their first U.S. television appearance on M2, as did their video for "Wannabe" MTV2's early years was known for its playful or ironic programming decisions that underscored the channel's free-wheeling, subversive attitude. In recent years, MTV2 has lost carriage with the growth of streaming alternatives including its parent company's Paramount+.