120 Minutes was MTV’s alternative-music video program that premiered in 1986.
The series debuted on March 2, 1986, and focused on alternative rock, college rock, post-punk, new wave, and other music that received less exposure on MTV’s mainstream daytime schedule. Its long Sunday-night format gave emerging and independent artists room to be heard.
Dave Kendall became the program’s best-known early host. The show introduced many viewers to artists and scenes that were not yet major commercial acts, helping MTV function as a gateway to alternative music during the late 1980s and 1990s.
It is sometimes confused with “Headbangers Ball,” which centered on heavy metal, or “Yo! MTV Raps,” which focused on hip-hop. “120 Minutes” was specifically associated with alternative music.